Laura Sparkes

Laura Sparkes is living her dream as a producer on 60 Minutes.

Before joining 60 Minutes in 2014, she reported for Today Tonight and 7 News for 18 years.

Laura was a finalist in the 2013 Kennedy Awards for Excellence in New South Wales Journalism in the category of Outstanding Television Current Affairs.

Recently she's covered world news events including the Royal Wedding in 2011, London Olympics in 2012 and the Royal Birth in 2013. Going back in time she reported from floods in Mozambique, refugee boats in Indonesia, the World Swimming Championships in Japan and witnessed first-hand the arrest of Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim during a late-night press conference in his home back in 1998. Laura and her crew had to smuggle the camera tapes out of the house, escaping the Malaysian military that were confiscating all vision.

Her most memorable assignment was reporting from Pakistan both before and during the US attack on Afghanistan in 2001.

Over the years she's reported on everything from serious investigative stories, to Federal elections, medical breakthroughs, and the birth of sporting heroes - from human interest stories, to the devastation of natural disasters, like the Queensland floods in 2012.

Her career began at Launceston's The Examiner newspaper. She landed a researching job with the Seven Network's weekly current affairs show The Times in 1994 before moving to News and then Today Tonight as a reporter.

Laura is relishing working as a producer for 60Minutes - alongside the best reporters, camera crews and editors in the country.

Laura balances producing with a second, equally important job - mother to two children.

Follow Laura on Twitter: @LauraSparkes9