Geraldine Doogue
A trusted voice in Australian current affairs, she has spent decades intelligently unpacking complex social and global issues for a national audience.
Born 1952 (age 74)·Australian journalist and radio/television presenter·Birthday: April 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Geraldine Doogue hosted 'Compass' for over fifteen years, guiding Australian audiences through spirituality, ethics, and international politics on the ABC. She began her career in financial journalism before shifting to the human stories behind policy and belief. Her radio program 'Saturday Extra' delivered deep dives into global events and ideas. Doogue prepares meticulously and distills complex topics without sensationalism or partisanship. She facilitates thoughtful conversation. In 2024, she moved to co-host 'Global Roaming,' reaffirming her commitment to helping Australians understand a complicated world. Born in 1952, she built a career as a journalist and presenter for radio and television.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Geraldine was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Geraldine Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Geraldine's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Presented the ABC TV program 'Compass,' focusing on religion and spirituality, for over 15 years.
- Was the longtime host of Radio National's 'Saturday Extra,' a program dedicated to in-depth analysis of current affairs.
- Co-created and presented 'Talking Heads,' an interview series profiling notable Australians.
- Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2011 for her service to the media and the community.
Did You Know?
She was born in Perth, Western Australia.
She began her career as a finance reporter for *The Australian* newspaper.
She is a published author, having written books on topics including the future of work.
She is a former board member of the Australia Council for the Arts.
“The story isn't in the headline; it's in the quiet human consequence.”
