Image: Helen Wellings

Helen Wellings

Helen Wellings
Reporter and Presenter, Channel 7
BA TSTC (Monash)

Photographer:
Carl Bento
Rights:
© Australian Museum

Additional information

Helen is recognised as Australia's foremost consumer affairs expert and has been Seven's national reporter on consumer and trade practice issues for the past eight years.

In 1973 she was recruited to the NSW Department of Consumer Affairs to implement public information programs to advise industry, commerce and consumers about their responsibilities and rights. This produced a surge of interest in consumer issues and Helen became a household name as the public face of consumer affairs and a strong advocate on consumer issues.

In her consumer advocacy role during the 1970s and 80s, Helen appeared on a range of national news, current affairs and variety programs, as well as talk-back radio shows. She wrote weekly columns for several daily newspapers.

Termed a "crusader for consumer rights", she named defective and unsafe products and exposed malpractice in many areas of industry and commerce. In 1986 Helen was appointed to the ABC's consumer watchdog program, The Investigators, as the Presenter and Reporter.

In 1996 Helen moved to commercial television to host Seven's 6.30pm current affairs program Today Tonight. For the past 15 years, she has been the network's consumer expert, presenting investigative reports for Today Tonight, Seven News and occasionally Sunrise and the Morning Show. She is a weekly contributor to New Idea, and has written two books, the top-selling Buying Power: A Guide for Consumers in Australia and Home Energy Guide.

Helen’s awards include a Logie for most outstanding current affairs story in 1992 (The Homefund Scheme scandal), a Penguin Award for Best Female Presenter in 1987, and the Better Hearing Award in 1990. As Today Tonight's consumer Reporter, Helen was five times awarded the NSW Department of Fair Trading Consumer Protection Award.

Helen is a representative and supporter of UNICEF and an Ambassador for the Northcott Society (respite for disabled children).

She enjoys bush walking in national parks, local and international travel, French culture and cuisine, cooking and architecture. She has a special interest in contemporary and classical music. Her past roles include four years of jury membership for the Royal Australian Institute of Architecture's awards and for the Victorian Architects Registration Board Architectural Services Awards.

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