How one journalist leapt from chasing stories to chasing justice

At just 14 years old, Shivaraman shared how she first discovered her curiosity and love of conversation and storytelling, despite describing herself as a “naughty” school kid who struggled to enjoy school.

“My career started when I was 14 years old. I was a bit of a naughty school kid, and I didn’t love school. But I did love talking to people, and I was curious about people and life and everything,” she said.

“I got work experience at 6PR radio when I was in high school, which is a talkback radio station in Perth.”

From those early beginnings, Shivaraman reflected on how her career quickly accelerated, explaining that a move to Sydney for what was meant to be a six-week stint in radio turned into more than two decades working in the newsroom.

“After that, I then moved to Sydney, and I sort of worked my way up through the newsroom and did every single job. Worked like a maniac,” she said.

“I moved to Sydney for six weeks’ work at 2GB radio in 2003, and that was only six weeks, and 20-something years later, I’m still here in 2026. That led to an 11-year career at Channel 7 across as a journalist in news and current affairs.”

VIEW ALL

Over the course of her extensive media career, she revealed that she held a variety of senior newsroom roles across some of Australia’s most prominent and well-known newsrooms and current affairs programs.

“I worked at a current affairs show called Today Tonight, I was at Sunday Night, I was the Channel 7 News chief of staff, and then I went to 60 Minutes, where I was for the last six years,” she said.

Yet despite a highly successful media career, Shivaraman found herself increasingly drawn to the courtroom, developing a deep passion for court reporting and the unique opportunity to represent people from all sides.

“I had always loved covering courts … When you sit through a trial, and you actually see facts, you see evidence, you see nuance, and you see different perspectives, I always loved going to court to see all of that,” she said.

“I always thought it was cool that you represent defendants or plaintiffs, accused people, victims, you represent people of all sides.”

Shivaraman shared how her fascination with the courtroom ultimately inspired a dramatic career shift, prompting her to take a leap of faith and apply to study law at Macquarie University, seeing it as a moment of fate she was determined to pursue, no matter the outcome.

“So I thought I’d love to do it. I don’t have a uni degree, and I thought, oh, I’m going to try out and apply for university. I didn’t think I would get in, but I did a deal with myself. If I get in, I have to pursue it,” she said.

“Then I get an email one morning, bleary-eyed, and it’s like, you’ve gotten into Macquarie Uni. I was like, oh, god, here we go, I have to do this now. But I just went, it’s an incredible opportunity, and to get an education is an incredible opportunity, and I just thought this is fate, I have to do this.”

However, completing her law degree was far from easy, with Shivaraman revealing the gruelling balance of working full-time as a journalist and producer at 60 Minutes while navigating the rigours of her studies – even having to sit some exams at 2am.

“Fortunately, I got in in 2020, and for about five years, I was working at 60 Minutes full-time as a journalist producer. I would be travelling around Australia, and I’d get back to the hotel room after a day of filming or a day of meetings or putting a story together, and you just want to crash out because you’re so exhausted,” she said.

“But then I’ve got to turn it on, I’ve got to do the assignment, or I’ve got to sit the test. Fortunately, there are ways these days where you can sit the test at 2 in the morning.”

While acknowledging how challenging it is to juggle these demands, she encouraged others to take the leap and pursue a career change if the urge calls.

“But it’s not for the faint-hearted to be able to work full-time and to pay all the bills and still go to uni and also pay for the costs of uni as well, which is, I guess, a challenge for anyone, whether you’re a working mum or someone running a small business,” she said.

“So you’ve got all of those considerations to think about. But I urge everyone to give it a go.”