Former 60 Minutes reporter Tracey Curro has spoken out after being charged with assault following a family dispute.

The journalist says she is distressed that a private family matter has been brought to public light.

“My sister and I have been caring for our elderly, terminally ill father for several years now. Unfortunately, as a result, this has divided extended family members who continue to tie up the court system and now, police resources,” she said in a statement.

“I remain solely focused on my father’s wellbeing and ensuring his final days are peaceful.”

Ms Curro’s statement comes after a spokesman for Queensland Police told NCA NewsWire a 58-year-old woman was charged with common assault as a domestic violence offence on Wednesday, following an alleged incident in her hometown of Ingham.

“Police will allege there was a dispute between two women known to each other on August 19 at 12:30pm at an Ingham address, and a 64-year-old woman has made a complaint,” the spokesman said.

“The 58-year-old woman has been issued with a notice to appear (in court).”

Ms Curro worked for 60 Minutes from 1993 to 1997, and with Nine Network from 2002 – 2005.

She is best known for her interview with politician Pauline Hanson, which elicited the Senator’s famous “please explain” sound bite.

In the 1996 interview, held after Ms Hanson was elected to the House of Representatives, Ms Curro asked the politician if she was xenophobic, to which Hanson responded: “Please explain?”

The response was met with a raised eyebrow from Curro and became the subject of decades of ridicule directed at Ms Hanson.

Ms Curro will appear in Townsville Magistrate’s Court on October 11.

Ms Curro worked as a reporter and then presenter on 60 Minutes between 1993 and 2005, before moving to the ABC for one year.

She then moved into the public relations space, most recently working as executive director of communications and stakeholder relations at Ambulance Victoria.

She has been on a “career break” throughout 2022 according to her LinkedIn.

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