Will's Word: Expressing an opinion isn’t bias, it's helping to spark real conversations

Every morning on Pacific Mornings, I do what I love, bringing you the news, unpacking the issues that matter, creating space for meaningful conversations.

It's fair to say I've spent a considerable number of years in journalism, working in both television and radio.

As a journalist, my job was to report the facts, straight down the line, as you should. But now, as the presenter of Pacific Mornings, I still bring you the news, but I also have a little more freedom to share my perspective.

Now, I've noticed some comments from listeners accusing me of being biased, and that's totally fine, you can have your say, but that's not quite the case.

Yes, I have the ability to express an opinion, but that doesn't mean I only push one side, quite the opposite, because I'll always fight to ensure multiple perspectives are heard on this show.

Frankly, I find it boring if we all sing from the same song sheet. What I love is robust, healthy debate.

I mean, that's what makes discussions engaging, right? What challenges our thinking, and ultimately, what strengthens our understanding of the world. I care deeply about the world and the country we live in.

So, I will always make space for differing viewpoints because I care about fairness, about balance, and most importantly, about the world we live in.

Being a presenter, of course, doesn't mean I stop being a journalist at heart.

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It means I have a slightly different role, one that I'd argue is even stronger, that allows me to ask tougher questions, explore different angles, challenge ideas in a way that sparks real conversation.

So, to those who listen, engage, and challenge me, I welcome it. I genuinely do.

That's the beauty of open, honest discussion.

At the end of the day, my role here is the host of Pacific Mornings.

My goal is never to tell you what to think, but to encourage us all to think critically about the world around us.

Because at its core, we're human, and we should care, or give a damn, about what's happening in our own backyard, what's happening across the region, what's happening on the other side of the world.

Just something to think about.

That's Will's Word.