Hilary Harper is a broadcaster, speaker and interviewer who's in demand for interviewing and MC roles, because of her decades of experience wrangling personal stories out of people from all walks of life, with wit, humour and empathy. She's presented on community radio (everything from arts and culture to current affairs), ABC Local Radio (as the beloved Saturday Mornings statewide host for ten years) and ABC Radio National, on the highly respected social affairs program Life Matters.
During that time she hosted live events and outside broadcasts, wrangled panel discussions and delicate subjects live on air, and once had to talk for ten minutes straight about AFL, when a line went down during the Grand Final parade (please don't ask her to do that again). She's also a writer, contributing opinion and memoir pieces to books on birth, and death, and newspapers and magazines.
Tapping into the issues affecting people's daily lives comes naturally to her, and led naturally to her groundbreaking 2024 podcast series, Dated - Love Online After 50, which explored the difficulties many older people face navigating the apps. It broke download records at the ABC and is still sparking conversations. Hilary is now writing a book of diverse love stories, due for release in 2027. She is active in the community around Down syndrome, Special Olympics, ADHD and Autism, with lived experience of caring for people with special needs.
Talking Points
MC & Event Host
Hilary is a polished MC who brings calm authority, quick thinking and a clear sense of timing, keeping your event on track while making the room feel connected and engaged.MC & Event Host
She is known for doing the work upfront, understanding your brief, aligning to the run sheet, and helping speakers feel confident and well supported. On stage, she transitions smoothly, sharpens the focus of discussions, and handles audience Q and A with ease.
Hilary is also strong when the content is nuanced, she can hold sensitive moments with care, then lift the energy and move the program forward. For organisers, she is professional, low-fuss and adaptable when plans change.
I’ve worked with Hilary Harper for more than a decade, and she is consistently my first call for any hosting opportunity. Her moderation is always well-researched and thoughtful, and she ada ... keep reading RMIT University
We have made wonderful use of Hilary Harper over the years at the Port Fairy Literary Weekend, as a deft panel moderator, an assured event host and an insightful, deeply prepared interviewer. On every occasion, she has gone well beyond the brief, bringing generosity, intelligence and warmth to the stage. Simply having Hilary’s name on the program lifts the profile of an event and, quite frankly, gets people through the door. She has become not just a regular guest, but a trusted and valued part of our festival family.
Hilary is an exceptional speaker and MC who brings thoughtfulness, warmth, and wit to every event. She possesses that rare ability to keep audiences engaged and fellow speakers at ease, guiding conversations and events with charming authority while creating space for the genuine, unscripted moments that make such occasions memorable.
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