One of the ABC’s most prominent broadcasters, Laura Tingle will leave her position as political editor of flagship current affairs program 7.30 for a new global reporting role.

Tingle has been appointed the ABC’s global affairs editor, a position until recently occupied by John Lyons, who recently became Americas editor, based in Washington, DC.

Tingle has held the position since 2018, and was elected the ABC staff representative on its board in 2023. Her position as a board director will remain unchanged.

The global affairs editor leads the ABC’s international coverage, with reporting and analysis of major world events. The ABC said it would be advertising for a replacement for Tingle on 7.30. She will switch roles mid-year.

She is one of the ABC’s most accomplished journalists, with a 40-year career in the industry spanning roles at The Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, winning two Walkley Awards in the process.

Tingle became the subject of controversy last year over comments she made during a Sydney Writers Festival panel in which she criticised then-opposition leader Peter Dutton’s immigration policy, also calling Australia a “racist country”.

“We are a racist country, let’s face it. We always have been, and it’s very depressing,” Tingle said in comments the ABC later said would not have met editorial standards.

It also emerged in February, during the ABC’s unlawful termination case hearing brought by Antoinette Lattouf that Tingle had expressed “deep concern” to then-chair Ita Buttrose over the leaking of Lattouf’s sacking to The Australian in December 2023.

Tingle said she is exceptionally excited to have the opportunity to use her experience to report back to Australia on big events around the world.

“I started my journalistic career at a time when Australia and the world were being challenged and transformed by the forces of deregulation and the freeing up of global trade,” Tingle said.

“Forty years on, we are in even more uncertain times. It’s so important that the national public broadcaster has Australian eyes on the world, putting the significance of major global events into context for local audiences.”

International reporting is the cornerstone of the ABC’s news output, news boss Justin Stevens said.

“We have an outstanding group of foreign correspondents and technical specialists and Laura will add even more firepower to this busy and productive team,” he added.

The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.