The Guardian says: Led by editor-in-chief Katharine Viner, also deputy editor of the Guardian, Guardian Australia will offer Australian readers a fresh perspective on Australian and world news. Through the Guardian's unique open approach to digital storytelling, Guardian Australia will stimulate thought-provoking debate by placing readers at the heart of the discussion, enabling Australians to engage in the broader world in which we live and connecting some of the best writers in Australia with the best of the Guardian's global journalism.
"The Guardian has a long established tradition of high-quality, independent journalism combining editorial integrity and journalistic innovation," Viner said. "We already have a large and loyal Australian readership, who tell us they want more of what we do. Our research indicates that Australians are looking for an alternative that is truly independent, both global and local, which offers serious reporting and lively commentary, and is all-embracing in its use of everything that the digital sphere has to offer.
"Starting today, we'll be reporting and blogging, providing commentary, debate and community interaction, and using cutting edge data visualisation and interactive technology to engage our readers in new ways. We have built a strong Australian team including award-winning journalists David Marr, Lenore Taylor and Katharine Murphy."
Nielsen figures from April show that more than 1.1 million Australians are already regular readers of the Guardian's global website.
For launch, the site leads with an interactive feature telling the story behind the arresting photograph which captured the attention of the world's media in January - the Holmes family clinging to a jetty during the bushfires in Tasmania. This immersive feature integrates video, audio, photography, text and graphics to share the story of the family's escape from advancing flames. The Holmes family received requests from media across the globe but chose the Guardian as the title they trusted to tell their story.
In addition, the site also features an exclusive video interview with Guardian Australia political editor Lenore Taylor and prime minister Julia Gillard, in which Gillard refuses to commit to her political future beyond the election. In the interview, Gillard also appeals for a chance for Labor to lead as a majority government from the next election, and says that opposition leader Tony Abbott's signature women's policy of paid parental leave is anti-women and against Australian values. The full interview is online here. The prime minister also reveals herself to be a fan of the TV series Game of Thrones, claiming Daenerys Targaryen to be her favourite character - the woman who emerged triumphant from a trial by fire to be acclaimed as the uncontested leader of her people.
Also launching today are Comment is Free Australia - part of our international award-winning comment site Comment is Free, and the Guardian Comment Network, featuring content partnerships with some of the leading comment and culture sites in Australia. The Guardian Comment Network showcases some of the best work from outside the traditional media landscape to break down the barriers between the Guardian's journalism and the ever-growing wealth of other sources for interesting and informative views on the world.
"We want to find all kinds of new ways to tell stories in Australia," Viner said. "This is such an exciting time to be launching Guardian Australia and we are ready to cover the issues that really matter to the country as it moves towards the federal election in September. Guardian Australia will connect our Australian audience to our global community, and give readers around the world a better understanding of this very significant nation."
Readers can access Guardian Australia content 24 hours a day via guardian.co.uk/australia, both on desktop and mobile, follow @GuardianAus on Twitter and can also download the Guardian App for Android which has a new Australian edition option.
To mark the launch of Guardian Australia, the Guardian has also released a multimedia ebook, Firestorm, inspired by the story of the Holmes family. The Firestorm multimedia ebook combines Guardian feature writer Jon Henley's dramatic story of the Inala Road bushfire with six short films and over 50 stunning photos. A text-only ebook is available for black and white ereaders.
For more on Firestorm, visit the Guardian Shorts website. The ebooks are available to purchase from Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, iBookstore, Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo and other leading ebook retailers.
