Sandi Keane

Sandi Keane is a freelance journalist (occasional contributor to Crikey and New Matilda) and environment editor for Independent Australia. Her investigations and articles generally delve into hitherto unexplored topics or angles, often "breaking" news.

Sandi's July 2011 investigation into the anti-wind lobby, the Landscape Guardians and Waubra Foundation, exposed the 'guardians' as astroturfers and the web of vested interests behind them. It has been widely referenced here in Australia, USA and Canada and led to an invitation for her to speak at the 7th Australian Wind Energy Conference in Melbourne in December 2011.

In February this year, Sandi's investigation made it into Hansard when Labor MP John Murphy used her investigation as a speech in the House of Representatives in support of the Clean Energy Bill.

Before coming back to Melbourne, she hosted a column in two regional newspapers and was regularly asked to contribute to environment and farming journals.

Her studies (which include Masters units in environmental and climate change policy) and professional career as a freelance journalist, PR consultant, major event manager and policy adviser has taken her to London and Vienna as well as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Her last stint in Melbourne was in PR for the City of Melbourne in charge of Customer Relations, which included writing speeches for the Lord Mayor.

Sandi's extended treechange in Victoria's high country gave her an opportunity to focus on her love of the natural world. She has been involved in the environment movement since the 1970s. In 2009, she was invited as one of Victoria's environment community leaders to the invitation-only breakfast with Al Gore.

In 2010, Sandi returned to Melbourne after 20 years. These days, she specializes in investigating what could be loosely described as 'carbon claptrap and other bunkum'.