Stan Grant quits job as head of university’s media integrity department… just six months after leaving ABC’s Q+A

Former Q+A host Stan Grant has stepped down from his Monash University role, just six months after taking up the post.

The media personality, 60, had signed on to lead the university’s center devoted to media integrity, shortly after stepping down from the ABC’s Q+A panel show in May.

Katie Stevenson, dean of Monash University’s Faculty of Arts, confirmed Grant’s departure in a statement.

“Grant has made the difficult decision to step down from his role at the Constructive Institute Asia Pacific in the Faculty of Arts, a mission to which he remains passionately committed,” she began.

‘He will now focus on himself, his family and explore ways to support his rural community.

“He remains deeply supportive of the Constructive Institute Asia Pacific.”

Grant took up the post in August and was due to host an event called Disinformation and Democracy: Why we need to fix the news – which was cancelled.

The NSW-born journalist has worked in 80 locations around the world as a journalist, presenter, writer and filmmaker over four decades in the media.

His most recent high-profile role was hosting Q+A from 2022 to 2023, until he walked away, saying he was fed up with racial abuse directed at him by online commentators, as well as dissatisfaction with the media landscape in general.

Since leaving the ABC, Grant was appointed Asia Pacific director of the Constructive Institute, a Denmark-based institution focused on positive journalism that operates in conjunction with Monash University.

‘I have been fortunate to have traveled the world over a 40-year career in journalism, covering great stories of our time. I want to bring that experience to understand a world where we all too often talk across each other not to each other, he said.

‘Journalism has been part of the problem, but I still believe that words matter, and my promise to readers is that my columns will look to a shared humanity, to a commitment to justice and to stand with the afflicted in generosity and love.’

Grant has Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi and Dharawal heritage.

He has three Walkley Awards, one Logie, one Peabody and four Asian Television Awards.