Award-winning Australian journalist Bension Siebert, 33, has revealed a significant career change, transitioning to sex work after being made redundant from Southern Cross Austereo. The announcement comes amidst widespread job cuts affecting the Australian media sector.
Siebert, who previously spent six years reporting for Adelaide news outlet InDaily and earned the title of Best Young Journalist three times at the SA Media Awards, also worked for the ABC and later as a senior investigative journalist for The Briefing podcast. He was made redundant in early 2025.
His decision to go public with his new profession was prompted by a client who discovered his identity and threatened to expose him. Siebert stated in an essay published by the news commentary blog Cheek Media, "This essay is me beating him to it: I am proud to be a sex worker."
He described the financial rewards of his new career, noting that his initial earnings from sex work were substantial. Siebert found he could earn in five hours what he previously made in his best-paid week as a journalist, humorously likening it to "a cheat code to capitalism."
Despite the unconventional nature of his career shift, Siebert reported an overwhelmingly positive public reaction, expressing gratitude for the support received. "Given the subject matter, I'm somewhat surprised there hasn't been really anything negative. I'm grateful to all the people who've commented and sent me messages. I feel very supported coming out like this," he shared.
Beyond personal finances, Siebert has leveraged his earnings from sex work to fund his continued passion for investigative reporting. He explained that sex work has enabled him to "save" his investigative journalism career by financing interstate reporting trips for stories he intends to publish independently of mainstream media organizations.
Siebert acknowledged the inherent difficulties and potential dangers of sex work but found it offered a level of control and flexibility that his journalism career increasingly lacked. He cited having "complete control over when to work and when to rest, and lots of spare time," allowing him to pursue hobbies, maintain a social and love life, and prioritize aspects of his life previously neglected due to demanding work schedules. The contraction of the media industry, he noted, has made pursuing investigative journalism particularly challenging due to the scarcity of dedicated positions.