Canberra right for Price

THE Australian news-paper bureau chief Matt Price is leaving Perth to join the press gallery in Canberra.

“I’ll be phasing out my work here by the end of the month and then I’ll be in Canberra for the start of April,” Mr Price said.

Mr Price said The Australian had been talking to him about a move to Canberra for some time now.

“The paper’s been trying to get me to go for Canberra for a while now,” Mr Price said.

The bureau chief’s departure leaves a position open in the Perth office for the national daily.

Industry sources have speculated that Mark Drummond from the Australian Financial Review will move into a role at The Australian’s Perth bureau.

Mr Drummond was unable to make any comment on the move.

Deputy bureau chief Natalie O’Brien was unable to comment on how the departure of Mr Price might affect her role at The Australian.

“Nothing’s really public yet so I can’t really say,” Ms O’Brien said.

Most recently, Mr Price has covered the State election for both The Australian and The Sunday Times.

During his time as bureau chief, The Australian introduced the Western Australian page dedicated to news in Perth and Western Australia.

Mr Price plans to spend a couple of years in Canberra, with a long-term plan to return to Perth.