After the Crash: Tegan Lloyd, a story of drunk driving Going to Pot: Cracking down on Cannibus - is money being wasted on a futile effort. Talking to Elephants: Learning the language of elephants
Includes stories: Cup of Dreams: Germany & Australia The Moon Children: Children allergic to sunlight Poison Tide: Gulf Oil Crisis
A Matter of Justice: Australia's part in the Bore war. Fighting for a Full Pardon. To Infinity and Beyond: A story about the Pixar film studios and how the movie is made. Beyond Redemption: Two teens torture and kill a ten year old boy.
Tonight, Liam Bartlett revists QLD after the floods and how the insurance companies arnt paying up. Ray Martin looks at lap-banding and how children as young as 13 are opting for this procedure instead of a healthier lifestyle.
Victorian plumber Peter Walsh was struck down with the dreaded pneumococcal bug and lost his hands and feet, but that was til an extraordinary micro-surgeon decided to give him a helping hand, literally. Also Michael Usher is in London, post the big wedding.
Liam Bartlett looks at our immigration system at breaking point and the influx of asylum seekers. Ali Langdon examines how our Asian students are topping the class and Michael Usher checks out the increased cases of female adultery.
Olympic champion Alisa Camplin tells of her son Finnan's congenital heart disease. Liz Hayes goes deep into the American South to meet the folk of Westboro Baptist Church who hate Australia and celebrate our natural disasters. Also how can a 24 year old Aussie working in Canada disappear without a trace?
Tonight Alison Langdon investigates the very dangerous sport of cave diving. Liam is with a band of bushies and backpaers in the Kimberley to take out the ugly and unstoppable cane toad population that is wiping out native wildlife. Also New York's latest serial killer and no one's sure how many women he's murdered, but more bodies are turning up...
He's our first bloke, a hairdresser from Shepparton who is consort to the most powerful woman in the land, Julia Gillard. Charles Wooley interviews Tim Mathieson, the smart and very likeable bloke who might just be what the spin doctor ordered.
Just one click. That's all it takes to wreck a young life forever. Liz Hayes explores the dangers of sexting and explains how it can destroy your life forever. Plus, who could ever forget Stacy Keep? The young mum lost her 18-month old daughter, her mother and mother-in law in the Queensland floods. Well, six weeks ago, the Keep family welcomed a little baby girl into their lives. She's helping them heal but it's hard to move forward when there are still so many questions about the events of the past.
It was the most sickening and cruellest of crimes. Last year, Rachelle D'Argent's estranged partner kidnapped their three-year-old daughter, Yazmina and did the unthinkable. Tonight, Rachelle tells her tells her harrowing story for the first time. Also, Ray Martin meets a group of returned Aussie diggers who have overcome their catastrophic injuries in the hope of representing Australia once again - only this time it's on the sporting field.
There really is magic in the story of Harry Potter. Almost 15 years since J.K. Rowling published that first Potter novel, Harry is finally packing up his wand for good and Charles Wooley was in London to witness the magical final chapter. Plus, it's been hyped as the comedy event of the year. And "The Hangover 2" is certainly a very funny movie. But there haven't been too many laughs behind the scenes. Tonight, meet the Aussie stuntman who, after a horrific accident on set, was that was left fighting for his life.
Kidnapped and held captive for 18 years, Jaycee Lee Dugard not only had her youth stolen from her but was forced to mother children to her captor. 60 Minutes presents a compelling exclusive with this young woman who triumphed over evil.
Just last Thursday, Derryn Hinch was sentenced to five months home detention. A fortnight before that, he was on an operating table, receiving a life-saving liver transplant. We've been following the highs and lows of Derryn's battle to survive for five years now and more than anything, he's incredibly grateful for this second shot at life. Plus, meet the blokes who have travelled to the very ends of the earth to find love.
Imagine the shock, 50-years-old and staring down at two blue lines on a pregnancy test. Plus, Charles Wooley catches up with music legend, Rod Stewart at his home in London.
Meet two young Australians who refuse to accept the doctor's verdict that they 'will never walk again'. Plus, every year, hundreds try it, all determined to conquer swimming's Mt Everest and cross the English Channel. However, if they saw what happened to Melbourne girl Chloe McCardel, they may think twice before taking the plunge.
Michael Usher has just returned from an extraordinary encounter with Sarah Ferguson, Liam Bartlett is on the ground in England to make sense of the madness of late, and for two decades now The Wiggles have been enchanting children worldwide and making millions along the way. But on the eve of a massive tour to mark their 20 year milestone, came a frightening blow.
According to the latest research, when it comes to binge drinking, young women are now doing their best to match the blokes. What was once considered embarrassing and outrageous behaviour is now celebrated as the norm. So why do they do it? Plus, Charles Wooley explores the world that is Internet shopping.
The Nine Network’s ‘60 Minutes’ will have a very unusual story this Sunday September 4th. The long-running public affairs program will look at people who can remember every moment of their life. Called Total Recall, the special ability exists in some of the most incredible minds on the planet. Imagine if you could remember every moment of your life like it happened yesterday. ‘60 Minutes’ will also feature a special story on the all-new Mike Tyson (pictured). In his Las Vegas home, reporter Michael Usher looks at how he has changed.
Eight years ago, Bruce and Denise Morcombe were like any other parents. Then their 13-year-old son, Daniel, was abducted. Now they're trying to protect other children in the hope that no family will ever have to go through such agony again. Plus, meet Mike Rutzen - a man who happily goes swimming with Great Whites, even hitching a ride, now and then.
Marathon runner Heather Scott recounts the moments she and her fellow competitors stared death in the face - trapped in a narrow gorge, a raging fire bearing down and no escape in any direction. Plus, take a look inside Australia's toughest boy's school. For decades now, Frank Dando has been picking up the pieces and at 81 years of age, Frank and his committed band of teachers have never met a teenage rebel they couldn't tame.
Allison Langdon’s report ‘The Awakening’ will prove that true love and devotion can produce miracles. This story follows brain injured Sam Goddard who would be unable to walk and talk if not for the dedication of his fiance, Sally Neilsen. Liz Hayes’ report ‘Haunted’ looks at Robert Geeves, a man unlucky in love. With two of the women in his life experiencing tragic and suspicious ends, 60 Minutes meets a a third woman who also claims her life was shattered by Geeves. Liam Bartlett’s report ‘Drama Queen’ features the Hollywood legend Joan Collins who emerged from the Golden age of Hollywood.
Kim Noble is just one person, but she has more than 20 different personalities, maybe as many as 100 separate characters populating her mind. Also, it was genocide on a scale not seen in Europe since the holocaust. In July, 1995, a Serbian-backed paramilitary unit slaughtered 8,000 men and boys in the small Bosnian town of Srebrenica.
Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Dr Hellfried Sartori claims he can cure terminal cancer. It isn't true, of course. But what makes Dr Sartori's scam truly despicable is that he doesn't just empty out his victims' bank accounts, he poisons them. Plus, less than a year out from the London Olympics, Liam Bartlett catches up with world champion hurdler, Sally Pearson.
The Love Trap Most of us have figured out by now, that transferring our life savings into a Nigerian bank account is a mug’s game. We know there’s no royal fortune. No multi-million dollar return. In fact, no hope of ever seeing our money again. Maybe that’s why the men behind those dodgy emails have moved on to scams that are more sophisticated and far more callous. Now they don’t just bankrupt their victims, they break their hearts as well. So we decided to take them on at their own game. We set up a sting of our own and it wasn’t long before the sharks took the bait. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: David Alrich Cliffhanger What you’re about to see on Sunday night defies belief and the laws of gravity. A young man, clinging to the side of a sheer rock face, a thousand metres up – with no ropes, no harness, nothing to catch his fall. All that’s keeping him from plunging to his death are his toes and finger tips. This madness is called free-soloing and no rock climber in the world does it better than 26-year-old Alex Honnald. Using only his body strength and amazing mental stamina, Alex scales sheer cliff walls as high as the world’s tallest buildings – completely unassisted, simply for the thrill. And if you’re anything like us, just watching this report from American 60 Minutes’ Lara Logan, will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. Reporter: Lara Logan, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: Jeff Newton Thinking Positive It wasn’t so long ago, that AIDS was a guaranteed death sentence. And thanks to those confronting ads in the 80s, we all knew it. They weren’t exactly subtle – in fact, they scared the hell out of us. But the shock tactics worked and the rate of HIV infection in Australia plummeted. We thought we had it all under control. That we were playing it safe. But guess what. The infection rate has shot up again. And surprisingly it’s now straight women who are among the most vulnerable. Reporter: Michael Usher Pro
The Empty Nesters It had to happen, eventually. That generation of stay-at-home kids has finally grown up and flown the coop. Peter Overton first met these coddled twenty and thirty-somethings five years ago. Back then, they were sleeping in their childhood bedrooms, letting their parents pay the bills and stashing away money for a future that never seemed to arrive. Well, it has now. And their Mums and Dads couldn’t be more pleased, most of them, anyway. They’re celebrating, happily spending their hard-earned savings on something completely different – themselves. Reporter: Peter Overton/ Producer: Sandra Cleary Time Bomb Heart attack is only supposed to happen to the middle-aged and the elderly. But every week, up to ten young Australians die because their hearts simply stop. They suffer from a condition known as SADS – Sudden Arrhythmic Disease. And for most victims, a heart attack is their first and only indication that anything is wrong. Only a lucky few discover they carry the rogue gene before it’s too late. But as Ellen Fanning reports, sometimes that knowledge can be a terrible burden. Reporter: Ellen Fanning/ Producer: Paul Steindl Dame Helen Sometimes, it’s the late starters who finish first but it’s a rule that doesn’t often apply to Hollywood. Dame Helen Mirren is a spectacular exception. Her career only took off when she was in her forties. And when it did, she managed to shatter another movie star myth, by proving an actress could combine beauty and brains. Along the way, she’s become a Dame of the British Empire, and an international pin-up girl for ageing gracefully. But when Liam Bartlett was granted an audience with Dame Helen in Berlin, he soon found this Oscar-winning screen queen is not one for airs and graces. Reporter: Liam Bartlett/ Producers: Gareth Harvey, Sandra Cleary
High Stakes Everyone knows it. Even police admit they’re fighting a losing battle against the illegal drug industry. But the war just got even harder. Right now, in Australia, you can get the potent effects of ecstasy, cocaine or cannabis straight over the counter and completely legally – thanks to the booming industry in synthetic drugs. By mimicking their illicit counterparts with clever chemistry, the drug makers can stay one step ahead of the law. And while our police and politicians play catch up, the men behind these crafty alternatives have become a new breed of drug lord – untouchable, unstoppable and very, very rich. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Being Brad He’s got the most confident swagger in the business. And who could blame him? Even compared to other Hollywood stars, Brad Pitt’s life is utterly charmed. With looks that make women go weak at the knees, he shares his life with the equally stunning Angelina Jolie. Together they balance their happy brood of children with careers that go from strength to strength. But when Tara Brown spent some time with him in Tokyo this week, the man who has it all, dropped a bombshell. At the peak of his fame, the world’s biggest film star is ready to call it a day. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Sandra Cleary Time Bomb Imagine a job where the slip of your finger can mean sudden death. Every day, Australia’s navy clearance divers put their lives on the line, dismantling bombs on battlefields like Afghanistan and Iraq. But lately their steady hands have been needed closer to home. In Papua New Guinea there are areas that hold deadly reminders of World War Two – bombs, mines and mortars left behind by the Japanese occupation. Just watching these guys work is heart-stopping and fascinating. Because our bomb disposal exercise became a mission of discovery. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Nick Greenaway
Trouble in Paradise It’s Australia’s playground. Tourists from all over the country and around the globe, are drawn by the Gold Coast’s glittering image of surf, sand and sun-drenched beaches. But the sleek high rises and glossy billboards, can no longer hide the fact that our premier holiday strip has also become Australia’s crime capital. Rapid growth and high unemployment have fuelled an underworld culture of drugs and violence and a crime rate spiralling out of control. And no wonder, when you discover, local police are being denied even the most basic crime-fighting resources. The city may be celebrating at the prospect of hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but for many who live there, the Gold Coast has lost its shine. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Steve Burling, Ali Smith Cyber War Right now, a bitter global war is raging. But you won’t be seeing military hardware or armed troops on the evening news. This is a silent, covert battle, waged in the secrecy of cyberspace for the control of our information and data. And we are not just talking about identity theft or corporate sabotage. By accessing highly sensitive computer files, hostile governments can now cripple power grids, water supplies, even nuclear facilities without firing a single shot. Creating a national catastrophe has never been easier. And the new weapon of choice for the world’s terrorists is the humble laptop. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Danny Keens, Hannah Boocock The Guru Busters It’s a land steeped in superstition and for thousands of years Indians have revered the otherworldly and the fantastical. But that’s made them easy targets for self-proclaimed gurus eager to make a quick rupee. Right now, a million or so of these spiritual shysters are peddling their trade across the length and breadth of the subcontinent. They spruik miracle cures and perform seemingly impossible feats of magic, charging extravagantly for their dubious services. They’ve al
Broken Hearts Who could forget that smile? Or the amazing tale of bravery that went with it? Alisa Camplin stole our hearts when she won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Only later did we discover that she did it with two fractured ankles. But Alisa knows that broken bones are nothing. In March, her son Finnan, was born with congenital heart disease. His fight to beat his illness was as inspiring and heroic as any of his mother’s achievements. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Stephen Taylor, Julia Timms Eminem His real name is Marshall Mathers. But you probably know him as Eminem – that firebrand American rap star playing sold out shows in Melbourne and Sydney. Depending on your tastes, he’s either a foul-mouthed gangster wannabe or a song writing genius. But whatever you think of Eminem’s music, you have to admire his fight. Here is the poor white kid who never made it past year nine but somehow managed to claw his way to the top. And that’s not the half of it, as Anderson Cooper of American 60 Minutes discovered when he took the singer on a stroll down memory lane. Reporter: Anderson Cooper, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: Tanya Simon Frozen Fortunes Liam Bartlett wondered what on earth he’d done wrong when we packed him off to the desolate wilds of Siberia. After all, it’s not the kind of place you generally visit willingly. People used to be dragged there in chains and then worked to death. But this gigantic frozen slab of Russia is getting an image makeover. It may never rival New York or Paris as a tourist destination. But, right now, there’s a minerals boom going on that dwarfs anything that’s happening in Australia. And, if you’re an investor right now, icy Siberia is hot, hot, hot. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Howard Sacre
Death in Paradise It's the ultimate holiday destination - a party paradise for young Aussies looking for adventure on the cheap. But Asia can also be deadly dangerous, especially the latest hot spot - the tiny landlocked country of Laos. Every year, thousands of backpackers head there, completely unaware of the risks. Australian Lee Hudswell was one of them. He just wanted to have a good time with his mates. But like dozens before him, he never made it home. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Steve Burling Toxic Time Bomb Right now, in homes around the country, thousands of Australian women are worried sick. They're living with the terrible possibility that a toxic time bomb is ticking away inside their bodies. For the last ten years, one of the largest manufacturers of breast implants has been involved in a monstrous fraud - filling its products with cheap industrial gels. What makes this scandal so alarming is that no one fully understands the health implications of what's happened. All over the world, governments are rallying to help women at risk. But not here. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Gareth Harvey, Hannah Boocock Golden Girl There's no mistaking THAT voice or the heartbreaking songs that have catapulted her to the top of the music world. But Grammy award winner Adele isn't the bitter, angst-ridden soul you might expect. In fact, she's a very relaxed and funny woman - quick to laugh and swear. As Anderson Cooper of the American 60 Minutes program discovered, in the often phony world of pop, Adele is refreshingly real. Reporter: Anderson Cooper, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: John Hamlin
A Brave Face In this job, we’re constantly surprised and inspired by the strength of the human spirit. But Liz Hayes has never met anyone quite like Charla Nash. Two years ago, Charla was savagely mauled by a friend's pet chimpanzee. She lost her hands, eyelids, nose and lips in the frenzied attack. In fact, by the time help arrived, there was nothing much left of her face at all. It's a wonder she survived. But Charla wanted more than that - she wanted to live. And thanks to an extraordinary face transplant, and her own fierce will, that's just what she's doing. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen The Crystal Cave Michael Usher has just returned from a spectacular and perilous journey to the centre of the earth, to a magical place known as the Crystal Cave. To reach it, Michael descended underground, deep into the deadly heart of a Mexican lead mine. The furnace-like heat and soaring humidity there can kill you in minutes. But when you see what Michael saw, you'll understand why it was worth every suffocating gasp for breath. Reporter: Micheal Usher Producer: Danny Keens Manhunt He's Australia's most wanted man and the most elusive. Malcolm Naden has been on the run for seven years, crisscrossing some of our harshest terrain. It seems every time the police get close, Naden slips back into the scrub and the shadows. He's becoming a legend of sorts - like those bushrangers of old. And just like them, there's a bounty on his head. But Malcolm Naden is no hero. He's a desperate man, armed and dangerous and he needs to be caught. But join this manhunt for a few days, as Charles Wooley did and you soon realise just what the police are up against. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Danny Keens
Deep Trouble From the start, he was branded the Honeymoon Killer. The police were convinced Gabe Watson murdered his wife Tina while diving on the Great Barrier Reef and the media and public agreed. The view was, how could a newly-married man abandon his drowning wife? It just didn't make sense. It's taken almost 9 years for this quietly-spoken businessman to finally clear his name. But, even now, the suspicions linger. On Sunday night, in his only Australian interview, Gabe Watson tells what really happened that day on the Barrier Reef. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: Phil Goyen, Hannah Boocock Good Will He's one of the funniest blokes around and Hollywood's power brokers know it. Add Will Ferrell's name to a movie and chances are it will be a box office smash. Think hits like Blades of Glory, Anchor Man and Talladega Nights. Ferrell has made some serious cash playing the fool. He's reportedly worth 80 million dollars. But as Michael Usher discovered when he caught up with him recently, it's not the money or the fame that drives this thoroughly likeable bloke. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen
By Design Just imagine it. Seven kids and every one of them a boy. You’d give up trying for a girl wouldn’t you? Well not Andrew and Jody McMahon. They wanted a daughter so badly they decided to have one more go. But this time, there was no rolling the dice. Like thousands of other Australian couples, Andrew and Jody headed overseas where it’s legal to choose the sex of your baby. Gender selection is banned here and often condemned as a first step towards designer babies. But for the McMahons, it’s nothing short of a miracle. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Sandra Cleary God’s Angels Get ready to meet some real teenage Hell raisers. Brianna, Savannah and Tess are trainee exorcists – all- American school girls who slay demons in their spare time. Armed with just a bible, holy water and a hand-bag-sized cross, they fearlessly take on the forces of darkness wherever they may lurk. And, nowadays, that seems to be everywhere. The Catholic Church is performing more exorcisms than ever before, while the girls can scarcely keep up with demand. And we’ll give them this much. They do put on one devil of a show. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Chilling Out Liam Bartlett has just returned from a place so piercingly cold, it gives him the shivers just thinking about it. It’s not Antarctica or even the top of Mount Everest. No. It’s actually a tiny village in Central Siberia. In Oymiakon, it’s so cold your eyelashes freeze together and you’re constantly on guard against frostbite. If it’s warmer than minus 55 degrees Celsius, then it’s a good day. So rug up as we venture to the coldest town in the world. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Howard Sacre
The Big Picture It's the curse of every dieter. Shed a few kilos. Then pile them all back on again. We've always blamed ourselves, we should have kept up with the exercise, shown more self-control. But researchers in Melbourne have come up with another more "palatable" explanation. They're discovered that a person's weight is predestined, that genetically your body will fight to put the weight back on again. All without you even knowing about it. There is some good news though: the new findings are turning the science of weight loss on its head. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Howard Sacre Ships of Shame They're sold to us as floating pleasure domes - luxury hotels on the sea - where every day is perfect and the party never stops. But scratch the surface of the cruise ship industry and the truth isn't so dazzling. Behind the pina coladas and the smiles lies a murky world of sexual assault, drugs and violence, even murder. Incredibly, one passenger goes missing overboard every two weeks. Now, you'd think the big cruise companies would be desperate to get their industry shipshape. You couldn't be more wrong. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey Living on the Edge Bands don't get much bigger or louder than Aerosmith. For 40 years, Stephen Tyler and his crew have been rocking stadiums full of adoring fans. Backstage, though, things haven't been quite so harmonious. There's been bitter feuds, battles with drug addiction and major health scares. Yet through it all, they've kept performing. Their live concerts are legendary. But as Lara Logan from the American 60 Minutes program discovered, the real entertainment happens behind the scenes. Reporter: Lara Logan, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: John Hamlin
The Trials of Gordon Wood It was a case that had it all, a flamboyant stockbroker, a beautiful model, murky business dealings and, a deadly mystery. And at the centre of it all was chauffeur Gordon Wood. Everyone believed Gordon Wood had murdered his girlfriend, Caroline Byrne, that he’d thrown her off The Gap, a well-known Sydney suicide spot. He was convicted and given a lengthy prison sentence. But Gordon Wood is now free after winning a sensational appeal. He is an innocent man but it seems public opinion isn’t swayed so easily. On Sunday night, Gordon Wood tells his story. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Steven Burling A Hero’s Journey There are few Australians who can be called a genuine living legend but Ron Barassi is, without doubt, one of them. His achievements are quite incredible, a record 10 AFL premierships, a decorated public life, he’s as revered now as the day he retired. But in recent times, Ron has been quietly facing a burden that is slowly changing his life. It’s inspired an epic pilgrimage through a strife-torn country. Michael Usher was privileged to join Ron on that emotional journey, and tells us, he’s as brave and determined today as he ever was out on the paddock. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Jo Townsend Taylor Made Six Grammies, twenty million albums and one of the healthiest bank accounts in the music business. All this and Taylor Swift is barely into her twenties. It’s not just that she’s a gifted songwriter with a super-sweet voice and a girl-next-door image. What makes this country singer so beloved by her legion of teenage fans is the way she taps into their inner lives. As Lesley Stahl from the American 60 Minutes program discovered, Taylor Swift turns everyday high school angst into poetry. And it’s paying off – big time. Reporter: Lesley Stahl, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: Shari Finkelstein
Revenge Lust, sex, betrayal and revenge – this story is as juicy as any soap opera and almost as farfetched. It started out as a love triangle between an international model, her sports star boyfriend, and her unscrupulous and obsessed mother. And it spiralled out of control from there. There was a murder plot, a couple of Nigerian hit men, and a sensational trial. But what makes this tale truly incredible is how a wronged daughter chose to deal with her mother’s treachery. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Nick Greenaway The Longest Run You can’t help but be inspired by the young woman you’re about to meet. Quite simply, it’s amazing Turia Pitt is even alive today. Six months ago, she was caught in a bushfire while competing in an ultra-marathon race through the Kimberley. She and another competitor, Kate Sanderson, suffered terrible burns. Doctors warned Turia probably wouldn’t make it. But the dogged, fighting spirit of this long distance runner pulled her back from the brink. That and the love of a remarkable young man. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Ali Smith, Stephen Rice The Final Frontier James Cameron thinks big whether directing a movie epic like Titanic or creating the awesome alien world of Avatar. And he loves a challenge when he’s away from Hollywood, as well. His latest adventure is as sweeping in scope as anything he’s conjured for the silver screen. Cameron decided to explore the blackest depths of our oceans, as far as man has ever ventured, piloting a tiny sub eleven kilometres below the water’s surface. It was a treacherous, some might say foolhardy, undertaking. But he did it – with the help of a little Aussie know how. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: David Alrich
The Smack To smack or not to smack, it’s an issue that goes right to the heart of parenting. And there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground – you either believe that smacking is good old fashioned discipline or you consider it a form of child abuse. Dozens of countries around the world have banned it. Now there’s a big push to do the same here. That’s despite the fact that most Australians think that an occasional slap is OK. Still, very few will admit to it, let alone smack their kids in public, like one mother you’ll meet on Sunday night. Reporter: Michael Usher Packer’s Punt The Packers know a thing or two about business, so when they talk we tend to listen. Now, James Packer wants to talk about tourism but in typical billionaire style it’s a blunt message; The industry has seen much sunnier days. The big question then is how do we fix it? Packer says by getting Asia, and especially China, to visit us. And forget cuddly koalas and shrimps on the barbie, give them gambling. Of course, Packer would say that, he’s our biggest casino operator but he’s also promising that if we follow his plan, all of Australia will win. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic The Big Bang Theory Have you ever wondered how it all began? Humankind has been pondering that question since the moment we first gazed up at the stars. Now a million or so years later, a team of scientists in Europe is on the verge of unlocking the secret of the big bang, that explosive split-second when our universe was created. The scale of this experiment in a bunker deep beneath the Swiss Alps is, frankly, mind-blowing. It’s the largest engineering project since man went to the moon and, if it works, we may finally get an answer to the most baffling mystery of all. Reporter: Liam Bartlett
The Impossible Choice It’s the toughest choice any woman could make. You’ve tried so hard to get pregnant and suddenly you have an instant family – two, three even more little lives, a multiple pregnancy. It’s either the ultimate gift or a terrible burden. For many women, they have no choice, it would simply be too dangerous to carry all the babies full term. So they turn to a controversial and little known procedure called selective reduction where a doctor decides which foetuses to terminate. In fertility treatment it’s known as the dirty little secret. It’s a heartbreaking decision so it’s surprising then that some women actually choose selective reduction for lifestyle reasons. And a warning, parts of this story are confronting. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen The Fall Guys We’ve witnessed plenty of courageous and often crazy feats over the years. But in all of Charles Wooley’s time working on this program, he’s never encountered anything quite so jaw-droppingly insane as extreme kayaking. The guys who love this sport don’t so much live on the edge as throw themselves off it. They paddle their tiny kayaks over massive twenty-storey high waterfalls, reaching speeds of two hundred kilometres an hour as they plummet, nose first into the churning water below. They’ve shattered bones and broken backs. But, in their world, coming face to face with death is the only way to really live. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Danny Keens Absolutely Fabulous Liz Hayes wasn’t quite sure what to expect. After all, it’s hard to separate the real life Joanna Lumley from the chain-smoking, Bollinger-sodden character Patsy she plays so convincingly in “Absolutely Fabulous”. But when Liz caught up with Lumley in London what she found was a witty, self-aware and thoroughly charming woman. Although, like her famous alter ego, she is partial to the occasional glass of champers. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Sandra Clear
The Inside Story Whatever you think of Schapelle Corby’s guilt or innocence, it’s fair to say most Australians think she’s served enough time in prison. It’s been 8 years since she entered the notorious Kerobokan prison – sentenced to 20 years for having 4 kilograms of marijuana stashed in her boogie board bag. And it’s been a very tough eight years. Kerobokan is a hell hole and Schapelle has been diagnosed with mental health problems. But this week – an act of mercy – as the Indonesian President dramaticallycut Schapelle’s sentence by five years, raising hopes that she could be free within months. Liz Hayes has been in Bali for the exclusive inside story on Schapelle, her life in prison and the breakthrough deal to set her free. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: Kathryn Bonella, Nick Greenaway The Amazing Hogan Twins Imagine being able to read another person’s mind, to see what they see, to feel what they feel. Well, Michael Usher has just met two amazing little girls who can do just that. Tatiana and Krista Hogan are conjoined twins. Their physical bond is obvious. They’re joined at the head. But it’s what you can’t see that makes these sisters so special. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Forever Young Nothing used to scream mid-life crisis more loudly or more eloquently than a sports car, a toupee and an ill-advised affair. But times are changing, for men and women. Nowadays, we’re more likely to stave off old age with a $12,000 push bike and a wardrobe full of passion-resistant lycra. Ocean swims, iron man events, triathlons, marathons, take your pick. But before you pull on the joggers and sprint out the door, a word of caution, getting fit and healthy later in life can actually kill you. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producers: Nick Greenaway, Hannah Boocock
Delta Force Love her or loathe her, there’s no denying Delta Goodrem is hot right now. She’s a coach on the wildly popular Channel Nine show “The Voice”. And she’s got yet another hit in the charts. She’s already had eight number one singles since breaking into the music business at the age of fifteen. No doubt, Delta’s enormously talented but it’s her tumultuous love life that grabs the lion’s share of the attention. There have been the bad boy lovers, the cheats, even the recent teenage boyfriend, all the stuff that’s normally ruled off limits in interviews. But when we sat down together recently, Delta announced “anything goes”. And she actually meant it. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Sandra Cleary Deadly Pursuit It can happen in an instant. The police make a split-second decision to give chase – a young driver, high on adrenalin, takes a crazy risk and an unsuspecting motorist strays right into the middle of it all with tragic consequences. A quarter of all those who die in police pursuits aren’t hoons, they’re ordinary people who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Without a doubt, it’s a tough call for the officers involved – do they let suspected criminals speed away or do they chase them down at all costs? For the shattered families left behind, there’s only one answer. No crime is worth the risk to innocent lives. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Steven Burling The Reunion On Sunday night you’ll witness a truly amazing display of love and trust – one that’s as moving as it is unique. It’s an unforgettable reunion between a gorilla called Kwibi and the man who raised him and then released him into the wild. Zookeeper Damian Aspinall waited five years before returning to Africa to check up on his old mate. He didn’t really expect Kwibi to remember him. He couldn’t have been more wrong. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Danny Keens
In the Name of Evil Milat – just the name is enough to make you shudder. Back in the early nineties, Ivan Milat stalked, tortured and killed seven young backpackers in the Belanglo State Forest just south of Sydney. When he was finally locked up – never to be released – we thought we’d heard the last of that terrible name. But there was another monster lurking in the Milat family. Matthew Milat.Matthew idolised his evil uncle and fantasised about taking a life. Then, in a callous and premeditated crime in the very same forest that uncle Ivan butchered his victims, Matthew Milat committed cold blooded murder. Now a last chilling postscript to this modern-day saga of brutality and horror. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: David Alrich Sweet Poison For years, we’ve been warned about the evils of fat. We’ve checked what’s in our food, cut out the cheese and sworn off the fries. Well, it turns out we’ve been way off target. Controversial new research suggests that the real enemy is sugar. And this stuff isn’t just making us fat, it’s slowly killing us. Tens of thousands of Australians are already suffering serious health problems due to sugar overload. But, as Allison Langdon discovered, what’s truly alarming is that this sweet poison is as addictive as the hardest of illicit drugs. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Jo Townsend A Fairytale Life There’s nothing quite like a fairytale to deliver a little box office magic. And the big movie right now is “Snow White and the Huntsman”. Charlize Theron is one of the major stars – appropriate perhaps given that her life reads like a Grimm Brothers fable. She was born a poor but beautiful farm girl in South Africa. And despite a troubled childhood and unthinkable personal tragedy, she rose to become a world famous movie star. Now she’s basking in her happily ever after – with a hit film, an Oscar and a gorgeous new addition to the family. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producers:
Fall From Grace He was Australia’s Golden Boy, a superstar in the pool and a much admired role model out if it. Grant Hackett had it all – Olympic medals, world records, a beautiful young family and a stellar career. Then his world came crashing down. On Sunday night, Grant speaks for the first time about his dramatic fall from grace, about the night he trashed his apartment, the collapse of his marriage and the allegations that he physically abused his wife. It’s been an excruciatingly painful few months but now this former champion is ready to own up to his mistakes. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Steven Burling Black Beauty She’s the pride of the nation, a big bold Australian mare who’s broken all the records and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Black Caviar has been first past the post in each of her twenty one Australian starts. She’s pretty much achieved it all on home turf. So, like the great Phar Lap before her, Black Caviar headed overseas to take on the best in the world. Liz Hayes has been following her campaign from the start and is lucky enough to be at England’s Royal Ascot track for the most important race of her career this weekend. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: David Alrich, Ali Smith The Power of One It takes a lot of guts to stand up against a foreign government and the might of the US military. But Catherine Fisher is one brave and determined Australian. Ten years ago, she was raped in Japan by an American sailor. Neither the local police nor the US navy did anything to help. So Catherine began a long, painful and often frustrating investigation of her own. She discovered that her rapist got away with it because of a secret agreement between the Japanese government and the American military. What’s truly disturbing is that same deal applies here in Australia and U.S. sailors have already taken advantage of it. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Stephen Rice
The App Revolution A decade ago, we would never have thought it possible. Today, we wonder how we ever managed without them. Apps – those cheap and simple little software programs – have revolutionised our lives turning our phones and our computers into information and entertainment super centres. Nowadays, there’s an app for every occasion. Some are useful, some are plain bizarre, like the program that turns what you say into a song – another one measures how ugly you are. If you come up with the right idea, there’s a fortune to be made. And, as Charles Wooley discovered, you don’t have to be some Silicon Valley geek to get in on the act. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Danny Keens Good Vibrations If summer had a sound, it would be the Beach Boys. Millions have grown up and grown old bopping along to their music. Their songs take us back to a simpler time when all you needed to be happy was the sun on your back and the sand underneath your feet. But behind the scenes, the Beach Boys were going through all kinds of Hell. Drugs, breakdowns, legal spats, and the deaths of key band members, threatened to wipe them out for good. Now, 50 years since they first harmonised, they’re back with a new album and a world tour. And after spending some time with them on the road, Allison Langdon can say they are as carefree and as passionate as their lyrics. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Nick Greenaway, Sandra Cleary The Vanishing Come with us on a breathtaking journey to the very top of the world. In Greenland’s remote Arctic wilderness, every day is a grim struggle to survive. And it’s only becoming harder. You see the world of the Polar Eskimo is disappearing, a casualty of climate change and encroaching civilisation. Their language and their culture might have vanished forever. But then an eccentric professor came to stay. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Danny Keens, Nick Greenaway
Mr Grizzly Allison Langdon has never experienced a rush like it, standing her ground as a giant Grizzly Bear threatened to charge. And for a few heart-stopping moments in the Canadian wilderness, Allison didn’t think she’d make it home to tell this story. But thankfully she was with a man who has a way with Grizzlies, even very cranky ones. His name is Doug Seus and he’s worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest films. Doug is a bear trainer and conservationist. He’s so confident around these magnificent creatures that he’ll willingly stick his head inside their jaws. And that’s something you just have to see. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway The Carbon Cowboy This has to be one of the most brazen and potentially disastrous scams Liam Bartlett has ever come across. David Nilsson was once accused in Parliament of selling non-existent plots of land in Queensland. Now he’s popped up in the Amazon jungle, of all places, where the fledgling carbon trading market has opened up huge opportunities for unscrupulous operators. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry that’s emerged now countries like Australia have introduced a carbon tax. Rainforests are suddenly worth big money. And the natives who own them are sitting on a fortune. Or at least they should be, but that all changes when David Nilsson comes calling. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Stephen Rice Olympic Pin-ups She’s the glamour girl of the pool, famous for her high profile romances and party girl antics. He’s the cocky freestyle champion who basks in the limelight. Stephanie Rice and James Magnussen are our favourite Olympic pin-ups. They’re rarely out of the news. Now with the Games almost upon us, they intend to make even more headlines – right around the world. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: David Alrich
Deadly Encounter On Sunday night you will witness an underwater drama that is quite simply mind blowing – a face-to-face encounter with a four-and-a-half metre wild crocodile. There are no cages here, no guns, no tranquilisers, just one brave diver and a giant prehistoric man-eater. Dangerous? You betcha! But this isn’t some kind of extreme sport. This is scientific research in the scariest laboratory on earth. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: David Alrich, Stephen Rice My Son, the Monster It was a crime as bewildering as it was monstrous. One year ago, almost to the day, thirty-three-year-old Anders Breivik went on a bloody rampage that became the deadliest massacre in the history of peacetime Europe. Seventy seven people were killed – most of them teenagers on a camping holiday. You have to wonder how a seemingly ordinary man could do something so utterly evil. If anyone can answer that question it’s Breivik’s father. On Sunday night, in a world exclusive interview, Jens Breivik talks about what drove his son to kill and how an intelligent, churchgoing teen turned into Norway’s worst mass murderer. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Gareth Harvey Wrong Place, Wrong Time Thomas Kelly had his whole life ahead of him. He was just 18 years old – with a promising job, a new girlfriend, some great mates and a close and loving family. Then, last Saturday night, in a single, mindless act of violence… it was all taken away. Thomas was walking along a busy street in Sydney’s Kings Cross, hand in hand with his girlfriend, when he was viciously king-hit in an unprovoked attack. Two days later, his mum and dad made the heartbreaking decision to switch off his life support. On Sunday night, we talk to the people closest to this tragedy – to Thomas’ terrified girlfriend, to the mate who stuck by him during the mad dash to hospital. And to his parents, Ralph and Kathy, who are determined to give their son’s death some meaning. Reporter: Al
On Demand What you will see on Sunday night challenges all conventional notions about parenting. It may offend – perhaps even anger many of you. It’s called “attachment parenting” – a back-to-basics approach to child raising that’s becoming more and more popular with Mums here and around the world. The idea is that mothers agree to every demand a child makes – any time – day or night. They ask their permission to change a nappy, let them sleep in the grown-ups’ bed and even breastfeed them through preschool and beyond. But don’t just dismiss all of this as new age extremism. There is some compelling science behind it. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Phil Goyen, Hannah Boocock Bitter Pill It was the greatest medical tragedy of all time – a so-called wonder drug for pregnant women that devastated thousands of lives. Thalidomide was developed by German pharmaceutical giant Grunenthal in the 1950s and sold in millions of doses to an unsuspecting world. No one knows just how many babies died. But those that did survive suffered horrific birth defects. This week brought dramatic developments in a story we’ve been following for months. And on Sunday night, in a special investigation, we reveal chilling details about the origins and creators of this evil drug. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey At Any Cost They’ve been pushing their bodies to the limit, training like maniacs for their shot at sporting immortality. Now, in just a week’s time, our Olympic athletes will take on the best in the world. We’d like to think they’ll be competing on a level playing field. But the sad fact is, there will always be athletes who are prepared to cheat. Triple gold medallist Marion Jones caused a massive scandal when she admitted using performance enhancing drugs at the Sydney Games. And nowadays those drugs are even more sophisticated and difficult to detect. So when London organisers claim these will be the cleanest ga
Full House Knock on Richard Wallace’s front door and you’ll be shocked – even horrified by what’s waiting for you on the other side. His home is so crammed full of rubbish that you have to crawl just to get from room to room. You see Richard is a hoarder – it’s a bizarre obsession that’s shared by millions around the world. But what’s truly remarkable about Richard is how he faces his demons with a quiet dignity and a firm belief that life will be better one day. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: David Alrich, Stephen Rice Baby Jack It’s a tragedy that can strike any one of us – a friend, a neighbor, even an Olympic champion. A little over a year ago, swimmer Brooke Hanson gave birth to her second son – Jack Hanson Clarke. It should have been an event to rival anything Brooke had achieved in the pool. But her little boy arrived in the world far too early. Unimaginably tiny, weighing just 663 grams and about as long as a school ruler, Jack bravely clung onto life for 9 desperate months. On Sunday night, for the first time Brooke and her husband, Jared, talk about their very private loss and share what their dearly loved son taught them about courage and life. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Hannah Boocock The Diva Who do you think is the world’s most powerful celebrity? Oprah Winfrey? Tom Cruise? A Kardashian perhaps? Well, apparently, the answer is Jennifer Lopez. J Lo earned a whopping 50 million dollars last year – not bad for a humble Puerto Rican back-up dancer from the wrong end of town. It’s a triumphant return to the top for Jennifer, who reignited her career as a judge on the hugely successful American Idol. She’s now embarked on a massive six-month world tour and Allison Langdon got a taste of what we can expect when she caught up with Jennifer, and her new and much younger man, back stage in California. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Steven Burling, Sandra Cleary
License to Kill It’s monstrously unjust. A husband or boyfriend kills in a fit of rage – then blames his victim to wiggle out of a murder charge. It’s called the Provocation Defence. The man says that his wife or girlfriend drove him to it -that she was a nag or cheat. And that’s all the excuse he needs to get his murder charge reduced to manslaughter and to receive a much lighter sentence. It’s a license to kill. Yet our courts are buying it, letting the meanest and most brutal in our society get away with murder. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Rice The Good Wife It’s a big call but the lady you’re about to meet is convinced other women hate her just because she’s pretty. Anti-feminist crusader Samantha Brick claims her fabulous good looks have been a curse, that they’ve lost her friends and made her life Hell. But perhaps the problem isn’t her beauty but rather her outspoken views on marriage and relationships. She wants to return to the dark ages where the dutiful wife cooks, cleans and obeys. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Gareth Harvey A Wild Life He’s a living legend – as old as the Queen and to me at least – just as impressive. He’s made seventy documentaries, entertaining half a billion people. And he’s observed more species of animal than anyone else on Earth. We are talking of course about the inimitable Sir David Attenborough. Charles Wooley was privileged enough to be granted his only Australian interview during his recent tour of this country. More than a decade has past since Charles last met Sir David and he’s delighted to say the years have treated Sir David very well, indeed. He only wishes they’d been so kind to the planet. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Sandra Cleary
Charlotte’s Hell On the internet, they’re known as trolls. But let’s name them for what they really are – bullies, plain and simple. These cowards lurk in the shadows of the online world, using false names to spread their messages of hate. Their attacks can be vicious, intensely personal and, with the growth of social media like Twitter and Facebook, dangerous as well. Just days ago, television celebrity Charlotte Dawson was pushed to the very brink by these creeps. She was still shaken when Tara Brown spoke to her but she somehow found the strength to share her story. Her hope is that by speaking out, she can save someone else from the Hell that she only just survived. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Hannah Boocock DIY Mums They’re the newest and most controversial operators on the fertility scene. Private sperm donation websites operate like online dating services, matching up would-be mums with donor dads, for free. Unlike traditional sperm banks, the woman actually gets to meet the potential dad. And he’s encouraged to become involved in his new baby’s life. This is a do-it-yourself method of getting pregnant so it’s light on romance and there are possible health risks. But, as Allison Langdon discovered, it’s also produced lots of little love stories and some very modern families for the mums brave enough to try. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Jo Townsend Licence to Thrill His name is Bond. James Bond. And he has to be the coolest chap on the planet. He’s triumphed over scores of unforgettable villains, bedded hundreds of beautiful women and saved the world over and over again. Fifty years have passed since Sean Connery first shrugged on a dinner jacket and ordered his martini shaken, not stirred. And now we’re gearing up for movie number 23. “Skyfall” stars the famously muscle-bound Daniel Craig. And no doubt, it will be another blockbuster for a franchise that’s become one of the most success
Walking Tall We all want to fit in. That’s just the way we’re wired. But for the young man you’ll meet on Sunday night, blending into the crowd is an impossible dream. Igor is dangerously tall – 8 foot – and getting bigger by the day. While the first thing you notice about Igor is undoubtedly his height, spend some time with him and you realise he’s also charming, funny, complex and heartbreakingly lonely. He also has the biggest smile you’ll ever see – you just have to find a way to coax it out of him. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Kidnapped! It’s the kidnap capital of the world – a city where someone is snatched off the street every three hours. In Sao Paulo, just walking outside your front door can be dangerous. Not even children are safe. The men and women who track down and rescue the hostages are members of Brazil’s crack anti-kidnapping unit. Allison Langdon joined these courageous men and women for one incredibly intense week. At times, Allison felt like she had wandered onto the set of a Hollywood action movie – except on this beat the bad guys and the bullets are real. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Steven Burling Mental as Anything She’s a chick from the ‘burbs – a down-to-earth Aussie sheila who’s risen to the top in Hollywood.Toni Collette got her start in that wonderfully odd little Australian movie “Muriel’s Wedding”. Her role as the dumpy, wedding-obsessed Muriel from Porpoise Spit set her on the road to international stardom. Of course, it didn’t hurt that she also happened to be blessed with bucket loads of talent. In the eighteen years since, Toni has won a Golden Globe and an Emmy as well as been nominated for an Oscar. Now she’s come full circle playing Shaz in the new Australian Film “Mental.” It’s another quirky local comedy. And it’s taken her back to the place she loves best – home. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Sandra Cleary Saint Catherine
In the Pink On stage, she’s a feisty rock chick – a woman with a big voice whose songs can make a bloke feel very small indeed. Just ask her husband. So it always surprises us how approachable and down to earth Pink is. When Peter Overton caught up with her in Los Angeles recently, she had hubbie Carey Hart and new daughter Willow in tow. They’re as normal a family as you’d find and incredibly welcoming. Motherhood clearly suits Pink, we would even say she’s mellowed since our last meeting. But some things don’t change. She still packs a wicked sense of humour. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Steven Burling Breaking the Silence We thought it was a haven, a model school where disadvantaged young boys and Catholic brothers all lived together as one big happy family. You may remember it from the famous lottery that raised millions in its name. But Boys Town, in Beaudesert Queensland, wasn’t the Godly place we all believed it to be. For many of the boys there, it was a pure hell. Those kids are grown men now. On Sunday night, after a lifetime of shame, they’ve found the courage to talk about what happened to them at Boys Town. Their stories are some of the hardest we’ve ever heard. But for the first time, the authorities are listening. And court action has now begun in what’s becoming one of the largest cases of its type in Australian legal history. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Danny Keens A Lethal Mix It’s the most dangerous of brews, a potentially lethal concoction of heavy spirits and high octane energy drinks. Young people love the stuff, whether they buy it readymade or mix their own. The alcohol gets them drunk and the energy drinks keep them awake. It can be like knocking back half a dozen cups of coffee, except they’re already buzzing from a skinful of booze. The idea is to make the fun last longer. But there’s nothing fun about landing in hospital. And that’s far from the worst that can happen. Reporter: Ta
No Limbs, No Limits Every now and again, you meet someone who quite simply makes your spirits soar. That’s how Peter Overton felt when he first met Nick Vujicic. Nick was born in Australia without any arms or legs. Yet he lives a life that’s more joyful and more fulfilling than most able bodied people we know. All that was missing from his world was a special lady. Well, four years on, Nick is now a married man. Recently, he invited Peter back to Los Angeles to meet the woman who’s made his life complete. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Nick Greenaway Journey into Hell There are few more dangerous places in the world right now than Syria, especially if you’re a western reporter. Just getting into the country is a life and death proposition. You need to be smuggled across the border in the middle of night. Then you have to hope there are rebel soldiers waiting on the other side, prepared to truck you to the frontline. Liam Bartlett made the clandestine and incredibly risky journey to the heart of Syria’s brutal and bloody civil war. He discovered a place where civilians are being slaughtered in their tens of thousands and their ancient cities bombed to rubble. And all the while, the rest of the world does nothing. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Gareth Harvey Branded! Liz Hayes admits she was a little wary. But who wouldn’t be matching wits with British comedian Russell Brand? He’s outrageously funny, famously potty-mouthed and both charming and abrasive, in turns. So Liz didn’t know what to expect when she met him in Los Angeles recently. The only certainty was that Liz wouldn’t forget the experience in a hurry. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: Phil Goyen, Sandra Cleary Death in Paradise It was the most tragic of stories – a young man heads off on a backpacking holiday and never makes it home. Lee Hudswell’s adventure ended in the tiny Asian country of Laos when he drowned diving off a flying fox. It wasn’t just a
Bali – 10th Anniversary Special We thought it could never happen to us, that Australia was immune to the horror of terrorism. But then, ten years ago, a series of bombs ripped through Bali’s nightclub district and we lost our innocence. 202 people died that night, including 88 Aussies. Over the past decade, we’ve followed the survivors as they’ve rebuilt their lives. Some have done it publicly, defiantly thumbing their noses at the terrorists. Others like Carren Smith have struggled out of view – until now. On Sunday night, we revisit some of our inspirational survivors and, for the first time, Carren shares her incredible story. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Jo Townsend Going Native Keeping wild animals locked up, whether in a zoo, a cage or a backyard will always be controversial. In Australia, we’re not allowed to keep our native animals as pets. But it’s quite another story over in America where Aussie wildlife has become the latest must-have accessory. Michael Usher found fully-grown kangaroos being fussed over like household cats and dogs and tiny marsupials marketed as pocket pets. It’s a multi-million dollar industry; it could also hold the key to saving our precious animals from extinction. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Firestorm Allison Langdon has just been to the gates of Hell. A place, where right under your feet, under homes and roads, immense fires burn out of control, fuelled by enormous deposits of coal. These fires are scarring the land and poisoning the people in a forgotten corner of India. It’s an environmental disaster and it’s raged unchecked for close to a hundred years. Now, over a million people are quite literally living on top of a firestorm. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey
Total Recall You have to wonder, what on Earth was Arnold Schwarzenegger thinking? There he was, one of the most famous men in the world, a massive movie star and the governor of California, with a glamorous political wife in Maria Shriver and a brood of kids. Then he goes and sleeps with the household help. And it wasn’t a simple one night stand either- the affair resulted in a child – a boy called Joseph who is now 15-years-old. The scandal broke in May last year and Schwarzenegger hasn’t said a word about any of it – until now. His confessional with Lesley Stahl of the American 60 Minutes program is one of the most compelling interviews we’ve ever seen. Schwarzenegger certainly regrets what he’s done but is he sorry? We’ll leave that for you to decide. Reporter: Lesley Stahl, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: Rich Bonin One Way Ticket Every year, thousands of young Australians fly off for a gap year adventure. Their travels take them all over the world, often to poor and dangerous places that make their mums and dads fret. But Karen Bourke wasn’t worried when she waved her son off at the airport. After all, Glenn was only going to New Zealand and that’s almost as safe as home – right? But the world capital of adventure tourism can be a deadly place as Glenn and eight others so tragically discovered. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Gareth Harvey, Ali Smith Terry Terrific Sometimes just leading an ordinary life can be an extraordinary achievement. That’s certainly the case for 17-year-old Terry Vo. Seven years ago, Terry was playing backyard basketball when an attempted slam dunk brought a brick wall crashing down on him. The accident severed both his hands and his left foot. World-first surgery reattached those limbs. But what really amazed us was how this brave little boy smiled through everything. Tara Brown has been following Terry’s progress from the start and is pleased to say his story just gets better and better. Report
Fatal Distraction Most of us have done it at some time or other. And it’s as dangerous as it is crazy. Now, new research has found that texting while driving is far riskier than we ever thought. Start punching out a conversation on your phone and your chance of having an accident jumps enormously. You may as well be hurtling down the highway blindfolded. Yes, we know it’s hard to resist a beeping mobile, but this story should make every one of us think twice before we text behind the wheel because a few seconds of distraction is all it takes to shatter lives. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Nick Greenaway, Hannah Boocock Switched at Birth Imagine making a decision – just one decision – that would haunt you for life and rip away everything you loved. Back in 1991, Sandy Dawkins and Megs Clinton Parker discovered that their two-year-old sons had been switched at birth, that they were each raising a child that was not biologically their own. They could have swapped the boys over then and there. But they didn’t. For the next two decades, we watched as Sandy and Megs tried to make their bizarre relationship work. But, perhaps inevitably, it all fell apart. Now, 23 years later, there’s been yet another and even more extraordinary twist in this bitter family saga. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Nick Greenaway Trip of the Tongue Imagine waking up one morning and not sounding like yourself, in fact sounding like someone from an entirely different country. Liam Bartlett has just spent a few fascinating days with three otherwise normal women who have the medical world completely stumped. One day they felt sick, the next they were jabbering away with thick foreign accents. One can now pass for Russian. Another has developed a French lilt. The third sounds Chinese. It’s called Foreign Accent Syndrome and it’s a condition that’s as rare as it is strange. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Howard Sacre, Gareth Harvey
Built on Lies Who could ever forget those images after the Christchurch earthquake, of the local television station reduced to rubble? One hundred and fifteen lives were lost in that building. Now one of the key people responsible for its construction has been revealed as a monumental impostor. Brisbane man Gerald Shirtcliff conned his way into the building trade. For 42 years, this fraud masqueraded as an English engineer called Will Fisher. He stole Mr Fisher’s name, his birthday and his professional qualifications. It was a monstrous deception, a real life “Catch me if you Can” – as audacious as it was evil. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Stephen Rice First Words Imagine not being able to communicate with your own child, never knowing what they’re thinking or how they feel. That’s what life’s like every day for the parents of severely autistic children. And it’s just as distressing for the kids who have no way of expressing themselves and often lash out in frustration. But finally, there’s a way. Just as computer apps have revolutionised our lives, they’re also changing how autistic children interact with their world. Now they’re truly connecting with their mums and dads for the first time. And if you think that’s remarkable, consider this: world first technology has made it possible for doctors to see how autism affects the brain, providing hope that we’ll one day find a cure to this most mysterious of conditions. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Frozen Frontier As a 60 Minutes reporter, Charles Wooley has been lucky enough to have travelled to every continent on earth – bar one. Antarctica, that vast icy wilderness at the bottom of the world. Well, finally he made it. Charles spent an unforgettable week there and the images will stay with him forever. The incredible scale, the wildlife, the night-less skies, the frightening emptiness and, amazingly, the colours of ice. Australia is the biggest stakehol
The Hidden Epidemic It’s hard to imagine anything more confounding: the idea that someone could deliberately hurt themselves over and over again. And all to make themselves feel better inside. It’s a hidden epidemic. And yet, doctors estimate at least two million Australians self-injure – usually by cutting into their own skin. Many sufferers are vulnerable teenagers, often dismissed as simply self-destructive or attention seeking. But the young women you’ll meet on Sunday night say that’s not what it’s about. They also insist they don’t want to die. In fact, they claim hurting themselves is the only way they can stay alive. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor, Ali Smith After the Fall We know Darren Beadman as a champion – a competitive dynamo of a man who’s dominated the racing scene for decades. Well the Darren you’ll meet on Sunday night is nothing like the bloke we’re used to seeing, fist raised and galloping past the winning post. Certainly Liz was shocked when she first saw him. Back in February, Darren suffered a bad fall during track work. You might have heard about it. What you probably didn’t realise is that the accident almost killed him and, for months now, every day has been a battle. On Sunday night, Darren shares his story as he makes the toughest decision of his stellar career. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: David Alrich Jungle Warfare If ever there was a bloke you want in your corner, it’s Damian Mander. Liam Bartlett first met this former Australian commando in 2010. Back then, he’d taken up the battle to save Africa’s mighty white rhino from poachers. Now he’s fighting for that great symbol of Africa – the elephant. It is very much a war and a warning: the images from this battle-field are confronting. But Damien believes the military technology that kept him alive in Iraq could be the key to victory. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Nick Greenaway
A Father’s Fight When Michael Roberts fell madly in love with a beautiful American woman, he never imagined his life would end up as strange and as chilling as any crime thriller. Theirs was a whirlwind online romance. Within weeks of meeting, Michael had packed his bags and moved halfway across the world. It proved a fatal mistake. You see, Michael’s new wife, the mother of his two young children, turned out to be a cold blooded killer. And just when you think it can’t get more sinister, more unbelievable, there’s another twist to the tale. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Danny Keens, Hannah Boocock The Contenders It’s the greatest show on Earth right now. And for good reason, this American election campaign has everything. There are Mormons and millionaires, celebrities and shock jocks. Then just when it seemed campaigning had settled into a steady rhythm, along came hurricane Sandy. That monster storm kept President Obama and his rival Mitt Romney off the hustings for a couple of days. But behind the scenes, the party machines kept chugging on. Liz Hayes sat down with two of the most influential and entertaining cogs. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen The Majestic Mantas It has to be one of nature’s greatest shows. Certainly we’ve never witnessed anything like the dancing manta rays of the Maldives. Their mesmerising underwater ballet only happens at one place on Earth and, even then, only rarely. So, it’s devastating to think that these massive and majestic creatures are being hunted to extinction. And, if we’re not careful, the curtain will come down on their hauntingly beautiful performance forever. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey
The GoPro Revolution They’ve revolutionised the way we see our world and created a new breed of film makers who are as crazy as they are daring. GoPro cameras are tiny; small enough to be attached to a bird, strapped to a base jumper’s helmet or swallowed by a shark. The video they produce is, quite simply, extraordinary. You feel like you’re right there in the middle of the action. As you’ll see it’s one wild ride but a ride you can safely enjoy from the comfort of your own sofa. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Stephen Rice, Howard Sacre Stopping the Clock It’s the great dilemma of young women everywhere – how to build a successful career, without missing out on motherhood. Now, doctors have found a new way for women to have babies well into middle age and beyond. This revolutionary procedure is called ovarian tissue freezing. It quite literally puts a woman’s biological clock on ice. But here in Australia, the surgery is considered so controversial, it’s only available to cancer patients; women who are left infertile by the very treatment that saves their lives. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Sandra Cleary Driving Blind Right now, a young driver – probably a man – is about to make a potentially lethal decision. He’s blind drunk and he knows it. But he’s going to get behind the wheel of his car anyway. The terrifying thing is he’s probably done it before. And, worse still, there are others in the car in search of a good time. Gaol, stiff fines, the constant scare campaigns – nothing, it seems, can stop this stupidity. The result is carnage. A rising toll of young people killed and seriously injured. And behind the appalling statistics are shattered families. Look into the eyes of Ebony Dunsworth’s parents and, like us, you’ll despair. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Howard Sacre
High Dive Whoever could forget that dive at the Beijing Olympics? Or the look of pure joy on Matthew Mitcham’s face when he realised he’d won gold. But behind the smiles and Matthew’s extraordinary athleticism, all was not as it seemed. You see, there’s another, darker side to Matthew. A tortured childhood, battles with depression and, most disturbingly, the revelation that he was hooked on drugs – addicted to crystal meth or ice, as it’s known. And as Matthew’s life unravelled, he feared he would lose everything he loved and had worked so hard for. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Taylor Brute Force Reckless, dangerous, even thuggish. You’d think we were talking about a violent street gang. But these are the words used by the New South Wales coroner this past week to describe members of that state’s police force. She was ruling on the death of a Brazilian student during a Sydney arrest in March. That young man, Roberto Curti was tackled by eleven officers. He was doused in capsicum spray and tasered 14 times. It was a horrible way to die and one that continues to haunt the close-knit family he’s left behind. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: David Alrich, Steven Burling Song Bird She’s had one hundred hit singles and written songs for The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Kylie Minogue and Adele. Carole King is, quite simply, the most successful and prolific female songwriter of all time. In fact, over the last fifty years, her music has been recorded by one thousand singers. For those too young or too befuddled to recall the 1960s and early seventies, the songs of Carole King provide a perfect snapshot of the time. It was an age when love and optimism reigned supreme and the earth moved in quite wonderful ways. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Steven Burling, Phil Goyen
Abducted! It's been the most public and bitter of family feuds - two parents, four children split across the world and splashed all over the media. The story begins with a desperate escape. Mum, Laura, flees Italy and her allegedly violent Italian husband, to return home with the couple's four daughters. Two years later, the Australian Federal Police arrive on the doorstep and literally drag the children onto a plane back to Italy. Watching those girls struggle against the police and scream for their mother, it all seemed so heavy handed and so wrong. But there are two sides to every story and this Sunday night for the first time, you'll hear what Dad's got to say. And there's a third player in this sorry tale: the Australian government which knowingly aided and abetted an international kidnap. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Gareth Harvey, Steven Burling Unlikely Princess A few years back, the British Royals were so unpopular they could do no right. Then came the wedding of William and Kate and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Now, with their recent trip to Australia, Prince Charles and Camilla proved The Firm is more popular than ever, much to the chagrin of Republicans like Charles Wooley. What you might not have noticed while you were out fluttering your Union Jacks, was that another Royal had slipped into town. Zara Phillips, the Queen's eldest granddaughter and darling of the English horsey set was on the Gold Coast doing a little bit of, dare we say, commercial business. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Stephen Taylor The Seekers Before AC/DC, before INXS, before the Bee Gees, even before the Easybeats, Australia had a supergroup that was as big and as successful as any band in the world. They were and are The Seekers: Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley. The Seekers started out in 1962, an endearingly daggy folk group that, against all odds, outsold the Rolling Stones, played alongside The Beatles and drew two hundred th
Mind over Medicine We’ve all heard about placebos, those phoney sugar pills that doctors sometimes hand out to trick people into thinking they’ve been medicated. It’s all about using the extraordinary healing power of positive thinking. Well, now researchers are making revolutionary advances in the science of placebos. So much so, it’s gone way beyond swallowing fake tablets to cure minor ailments. They’ve now got patients undergoing pretend operations to fight disease and chronic pain, and the results are nothing short of remarkable. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Jo Townsend, Phil Goyen Accidental Genius It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood movie, an ordinary bloke takes a blow to the head and then, suddenly, incredibly is transformed into a genius. Far fetched right? Well you’re about to meet three people who’ve gone through that experience in real life. They’ve all suffered some kind of brain damage and survived to become gifted musicians, mathematicians and artists. Scientists call them acquired savants. It’s a fascinating field of study and it could just hold the key to making us all a whole lot smarter. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Howard Sacre The Master He’s given us some of Hollywood’s most memorable moments: Jaws rearing from the ocean, a young Drew Barrymore face to face with E.T, Indiana Jones trapped in a snake pit. And those are just a few scenes from an incredible career that spans four decades and 27 films. Stephen Spielberg is the most successful film maker of his generation, maybe of all time. Yet, as Lesley Stahl of American 60 Minutes discovered, he still panics before every new project. Reporter: Lesley Stahl, CBS 60 Minutes Producers: Ruth Streeter, Rebecca Peterson The Vanishing When Liz Hayes first met conservationist Chris Darwin two years ago – great, great grandson of the naturalist Charles Darwin – she was a little taken aback. He’s unconventional to say the least. And u
Fly in, Cash in We’ve all heard those doom and gloom predictions that the mining boom is over. But there’s still mountains of money being made and there will be for a long time yet. A miner in the Aussie outback can pull a six figure salary with generous benefits and plenty of time off. And right now there are thousands of new jobs up for grabs. The workers who take up these positions are known as FIFOs. They fly into small towns, put in crazy hours and then fly out a few weeks later with fists full of cash. But as Liam Bartlett discovered, those big pay packets come at a heavy social and personal cost. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Howard Sacre, Sandra Cleary The Great Migration It’s one of the most amazing spectacles on earth, millions of wildebeest, travelling hundreds of kilometres across Africa’s vast Serengeti Plain. They go north in search of food and water, flanked by graceful zebra and gazelle. It’s a treacherous journey. Cheetah and hyena shadow their every step, while hungry crocodiles lurk in the rivers they must cross. Predator and prey, life and death, it’s as magnificent as it is horrific. But, as Scott Pelley of American 60 Minutes discovered, this great migration is under threat and, if we’re not careful, could disappear forever. Reporter: Scott Pelley, CBS 60 Minutes Producers: Henry Schuster, Rebecca Peterson Queen of Cakes Whoever would have thought that cakes could be so cool or that baking and decorating them could lead to international stardom? Aussie Kerry Vincent is a household name in the U.S. as the tough judge on a reality cake show. She has quite a story to tell, from her early days growing up on a farm in Western Australia to her new home on the plains of Oklahoma. Along the way, Kerry has won hundreds of awards and created America’s biggest cake show. Little wonder she’s known as the “Queen of Cakes”. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Sandra Cleary Buried Treasure It’s the most
Hugh Jackman He’s Australia’s most popular entertainer, a so-called triple threat who can sing, dance and act, all of it brilliantly. Now, Hugh Jackman is showcasing his prodigious talents in the big screen adaptation of the musical Les Miserables. The heroic Jean Valjean is a role he was born to play and already he’s being tipped for a Best Actor Oscar. Still, our Hugh, is too grounded to get caught up in the hype and for the past few months, he’s been back in his hometown of Sydney, filming the latest instalment in the Wolverine franchise. And that’s where Scott Pelley of American 60 Minutes caught up with him for an emotional trip down memory lane. Reporter: Scott Pelley, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: Ruth Streeter A Brave Face In this job, we’re constantly surprised and inspired by the strength of the human spirit. But Liz Hayes never met anyone quite like Charla Nash. Four years ago, Charla was savagely mauled by a friend’s pet chimpanzee. She lost her hands, eyelids, nose and lips in the frenzied attack. In fact, by the time help arrived, there was nothing much left of her face at all. It’s a wonder she survived. But Charla wanted more than that. She wanted to live. And thanks to an extraordinary face transplant, and her own fierce will, that’s just what she’s doing. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Original TX: 18th March, 2012 The Good Wife It’s a big call but the lady you’re about to meet is convinced other women hate her just because she’s pretty. Anti-feminist crusader Samantha Brick claims her fabulous good looks have been a curse, that they’ve lost her friends and made her life hell. But perhaps the problem isn’t her beauty; rather her outspoken views on marriage and relationships. She wants to return to the dark ages where the dutiful wife cooks, cleans and obeys. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Gareth Harvey Original TX: 26th August, 2012
The Treasure Hunter You're about to embark on a grand adventure with one of our last great explorers. Bob Ballard scours the world's oceans looking for submerged treasure and he's found plenty of it over the last fifty years. Deadly Encounter Witness an underwater drama that is quite simply mind blowing. A face-to-face encounter with a four-and-a-half metre wild crocodile. God's Angels Get ready to meet some real teenaged hell-raisers. Brynne, Savannah and Tess are trainee exorcists; all-American school girls who slay demons in their spare time. Armed with just a bible, holy water and a handbag-sized cross, they fearlessly take on the forces of darkness wherever they may lurk. And, nowadays, that seems to be everywhere. The Catholic Church is performing more exorcisms than ever before, while the girls can scarcely keep up with demand. And we’ll give them this much. They do put on one devil of a show.
Wall to Wall It's an album that defined one generation and became a rallying cry for another. 33 years have past since Pink Floyd released "The Wall" but the music is as powerful and relevant as ever. Revenge Lust, sex, betrayal and revenge - this story is as juicy as any soap opera and almost as farfetched. It started out as a love triangle between an international model, her sports star boyfriend, and her unscrupulous and obsessed mother. And it spiralled out of control from there.There was a murder plot, a couple of Nigerian hit men, and a sensational trial. But what makes this tale truly incredible is how a wronged daughter chose to deal with her mother's treachery. Chilling Out Liam Bartlett has just returned from a place so piercingly cold, it gives him the shivers just thinking about it. It's not Antarctica or even the top of Mount Everest. It's actually a tiny village in central Siberia. In Oymiakon, it's so cold your eyelashes freeze together and you're constantly on guard against frostbite. If it's warmer than minus 55 degrees Celsius, then it's a good day. So rug up as we venture to the coldest town in the world.
In the Pink On stage, she's a feisty rock chick — a woman with a big voice whose songs can make a bloke feel very small indeed. Just ask her husband. So it always surprises us how approachable and down to earth Pink is. When Peter Overton caught up with her in Los Angeles recently, she had hubbie Carey Hart and new daughter Willow in tow. They're as normal a family as you'd find and incredibly welcoming. Motherhood clearly suits Pink, we would even say she's mellowed since our last meeting. But some things don't change. She still packs a wicked sense of humour. Baby Jack It's a tragedy that can strike any one of us - a friend, a neighbour, even an Olympic champion. A little over a year ago, swimmer Brooke Hanson gave birth to her second son - Jack Hanson Clarke. It should have been an event to rival anything Brooke had achieved in the pool. But her little boy arrived in the world far too early. Unimaginably tiny, weighing just 663 grams and about as long as a school ruler, Jack bravely clung onto life for nine desperate months. On 60 Minutes, for the first time Brooke and her husband, Jared, talk about their very private loss and share what their dearly loved son taught them about courage and life. The Fall Guys We've witnessed plenty of courageous and often crazy feats over the years. But in all of Charles Wooley's time working on this program, he's never encountered anything quite so jaw-droppingly insane as extreme kayaking. The guys who love this sport don't so much live on the edge as throw themselves off it. They paddle their tiny kayaks over massive twenty-storey high waterfalls, reaching speeds of two hundred kilometres an hour as they plummet, nose first into the churning water below. They've shattered bones and broken backs. But, in their world, coming face to face with death is the only way to really live.
Walking Tall We all want to fit in. That's just the way we're wired. But for the young man you’ll meet on Sunday night, blending into the crowd is an impossible dream. Igor is dangerously tall — 8 foot — and getting bigger by the day. While the first thing you notice about Igor is undoubtedly his height, spend some time with him and you realise he's also charming, funny, complex and heartbreakingly lonely. He also has the biggest smile you’ll ever see — you just have to find a way to coax it out of him. Kidnapped! In Sao Paulo, just walking outside your front door can be dangerous. Not even children are safe. The men and women who track down and rescue the hostages are members of Brazil's crack anti-kidnapping unit. Allison Langdon joined these courageous men and women for one incredibly intense week. At times, Allison felt like she had wandered onto the set of a Hollywood action movie — except on this beat the bad guys and the bullets are real. Face Blind Imagine if you always felt like you were surrounded by strangers, because you couldn't identify your own child or even recognise your own face in the mirror. Well, that's what life is like every day for sufferers of face blindness.
Matthew Newton Say the name Matthew Newton and most people will offer an opinion. The view is that he’s either a violent boyfriend, or a mentally ill man. Repeatedly, courts here in Australia, and in the US, have judged Newton, on the grounds of his psychological state. Just last November, a Miami judge spared him jail, despite him punching a hotel receptionist. Now Matthew Newton says he’s on the road to recovery, but there are some extraordinary admissions along the way. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Mountain Madness The wonder of extreme adventure is, you never know how things will turn out. By its very nature, it involves pushing the limits of human endeavour and demands a bit of good luck. Australia’s Adrian McRae thought he’d dreamt up the ultimate adventure, to paraglide off the roof of Africa. Hundreds of daredevils joined his incredible quest up Mount Kilimanjaro. But as Allison Langdon discovered, none of them could know what the mountain had in store. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway Rock God They were the biggest rock group on the planet – knocking off the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Everything about Led Zeppelin was bigger, their sound, their bad boy reputation and that voice of lead singer Robert Plant. He was the self-proclaimed “Golden God” of Rock. And 40 years on, still singing and touring, he continues to inspire awe in his devotees, musicians and fans alike. Some of his antics have mellowed, but his voice is still sublime, and there’s still a twinkle in his eye. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Steven Burling
Superbugs No-one would expect an innocuous little cut to threaten your life or cost you all 4 limbs. But that’s exactly what happened to Aimee Copeland, when her body was attacked by an aggressive flesh eating bug. She’s a living example of the rise and rise of superbugs. In this frightening new era in medicine, that our once faithful friends – antibiotics – simply don’t work. And this national health threat is so serious, our Government has now launched three separate Superbug inquiries. But, as Michael Usher discovered, some brilliant scientific minds here and overseas are working fast to find some amazing new cures. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Danny Keens, Hannah Boocock Howard’s Way By any measure, this is an unusual election year. With more than 200 days till polling day, it’s the longest campaign in Australian history. Then, there’s the growing uncertainty over the leaders. With Prime Minister Julia Gillard languishing ever deeper in the polls, a spectacular comeback by Kevin Rudd is now a very real prospect. And would that force the Liberals to dump Tony Abbott, in favour of the more popular Malcolm Turnbull? If anyone understands the ins and outs of political leadership it is John Howard. Charles Wooley sat down with the former PM to discuss the wild political ride that will be 2013. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Howard Sacre Aerosmith They are America’s biggest and most enduring rock band Aerosmith began life more than 40 years ago and what’s truly impressive is not just that they’re filling stadiums after all these years but that they’re still alive to do it! Now well into their 60′s, singer Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry have been the heart-beat of the band. And along the way, they’ve lived a real life rock-opera. It hasn’t always been harmonious but one thing’s for sure – it’s never been dull. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Steven Burling
Titanic Clive Mention the name Clive Palmer and everything that comes to mind is BIG. Big money. Big ideas. Big opinions. One of Australia’s richest men – he’s also one of the most outspoken. But what he loves even more than a good stoush – is a grand idea. His latest is titanic. Titanic Two. To be precise. You see, he’s building an updated, near-perfect, replica of the legendary luxury cruiseliner that sank 100 years ago. Clive doesn’t know what it will cost and in typical Clive style, he doesn’t seem to care. Reporter: Ray Martin Producer: Jo Townsend Fore and Against It’s been going on for thousands of years but it’s still controversial. We are talking about male circumcision. Not only is it contentious, it’s confusing. Depending on who you speak to, rates of circumcision in Australia are both rising and falling. It’s either a life or death decision or a complete waste of time. The only certainty in this debate – it’s sure to raise hackles. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Jo Townsend Wild at Heart 40 years ago, a glamorous young Italian woman, swapped her life of privilege for the wilds of Africa. Kuki Gallman turned a vast cattle ranch, into Kenya’s largest private wildlife sanctuary. It would prove such an adventure that Hollywood made her story into an epic film. But there was also great personal sacrifice. And now, everything Kuki has fought so hard to protect, is being threatened by the poachers’ bullets. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway
For Better or Worse After 50 years together, you’d think Bill and Gladys Forward had seen-off all life could throw at them. That was until Gladys was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 8 years ago. Gradually, Bill has come to care for Gladys more and more, and today, he does everything for his wife. But it’s not just what Bill does that’s so inspiring – it’s the way that he does it. Theirs is a remarkable story of love, commitment and a most unusual bicycle. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Hannah Boocock Tony Abbott We’re still 6 months out from election day, but if the polls are to be believed, Tony Abbott is destined to be elected Australia’s 28th Prime Minister. After coming so close three years ago, the “new Tony” is determined to win this time, and is going to great lengths to convince us he’s a changed man. Even his gay sister is speaking out, to endorse the new and improved Tony Abbott – a 21st Century man who can admit the mistakes of his past. And while blood runs thicker than water it’s still a hard act for her to sell. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Lincoln Howes Iraq Ten Years On It’s been ten years since we followed America into war with Iraq. It was a war based on a lie – that Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction and it cost more than a hundred thousand lives. So was it worth it? Michael Usher has just spent a week in Iraq – asking the locals that question, and what he found was a country still at war. Car bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations are a daily threat. The terrorists are as active as ever. But among it all, are normal families, trying to get on with life and a little boy who gives us hope for the future of Iraq. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Rice
Justice Overboard To the police, she’s a cold blooded killer. To her supporters: the victim of justice denied. Susan Neil-Fraser is serving 23 years in a Hobart prison for the murder of her de facto husband and at first, it might seem like the perfect crime. You see there’s no body, no weapon, and no direct witnesses. And for Susan’s friends and family, that’s exactly the point: there was never any hard evidence to convict her. Legal experts are even likening her plight to the Lindy Chamberlain case. It’s the perfect murder mystery. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: David Alrich Holding Them Back It’s only six weeks since three hundred thousand Australian children took their first steps through the school gate. For many of their parents, along with the usual tears and butterflies, can be a niggling doubt – is their child ready? And if you’re looking for reassurance that you’ve made the right decision, the latest research doesn’t help. Send them too early, and they may never catch up – in academic results or self-esteem. Start them later, and they’re more likely to be the success of the classroom – not just in their first year but for the rest of their school life. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Ali Smith City Farms For many Australian families, putting enough food on the table is a daily struggle. And things will get worse before they get better. You see the world’s got too many mouths to feed and we’re fast running out of good farming land. It’s being over grazed, gobbled up by sprawling cities, or sold up to foreign interests. The solution to this global crisis – might just be the return of the humble vegie patch but on a massive, modern scale. Entire skyscrapers, housing farms, not office workers. No soil, no sunlight, no seasons. It’s a food revolution and it’s starting right here, in our own backyard. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Danny Keens, Hannah Boocock
The Survivor Independents’ Day Loss of Faith The Survivor By now, most people know the incredible story of Australian woman, Gill Hicks. In 2005, both of her legs were blown off, during the terrorist attacks on London. Since that horrible day Gill has inspired the world with her superhuman recovery, her work to promote peace and her love of life. Late last year she called us with wonderful news, she’d moved back to Australia; she’d found a new man and at 44 she’d fallen pregnant. But Gill had devastating news to come that would require all of her inner strength. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor Independents’ Day When Prime Minister Julia Gillard isn’t fending off Kevin Rudd in the party room her fate rests with 3 independent MPs, who hold unprecedented power. Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter may represent just 290-thousand voters, but what they think, and how they vote in parliament, has a very real impact on every Australian. In 2010, Windsor and Oakeshott deliberated for 17 days before backing the Gillard government, in return for 10 billion dollars in regional funding. Katter – ever the maverick – went his own way. It’s been an interesting experiment in minority government, and come election day, their constituents will decide whether it’s been a success. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Ali Smith Loss of Faith It’s been a momentous few weeks for Catholics with the election of Pope Francis. The new Pontiff faces a huge challenge – not least in rebuilding the shattered trust over wide-spread sexual assault of children by Catholic priests. In Australia, 60 Minutes was one of the first to expose the church’s conspiracy of silence in the case of convicted paedophile Father Gerald Ridsdale. In 2002, Richard Carleton confronted then Archbishop George Pell with distressing evidence of Ridsdale’s abuse. 11 years on, as we await the start of a Royal Commission into child abuse within religious i
The Imposter Big Man, Big Heart Roam Free The Imposter Truth may be stranger than fiction but this story is simply gob-smacking. It begins with the disappearance of a teenage boy. His family searches for him, desperately but unsuccessfully. Then, 3 years after vanishing, Nicholas Barclay reappears on the other side of the world. There’s joy, jubilation, and there’s his harrowing account of what happened to him. But as you’ll see, something’s not quite right. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Gareth Harvey Big Man, Big Heart David Foster is a World Champion woodchopper, the undisputed King of Australian Axemen. He’s been Tasmanian of the Year and won an Order of Australia. Then 3 years ago, a family illness cut David Foster’s life in half. His wife was sick, and doctors had given up all hope. But not Dave. This is a story of a big bloke, with an even bigger heart. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Stuart Goodman Roam Free Why did the chicken cross the road? Because it could, it was “Free Range”. But what does “Free Range” mean? On Sunday night we’ll go behind the supermarket shelves, and inside the chicken sheds, to find out. Right now there’s a food and farm revolution going on, pigs and battery hens are being liberated from cages. And the next frontier is the roast chook. We eat more than 10-million chickens every single week, and the way most of them are raised, is now the biggest animal welfare issue in Australia. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Howard Sacre
Top End Fashion The Missing Brave Levi Top End Fashion The reporters on this show can find themselves in all manner of sticky situations but Michael Usher never thought he’d be dangling from a helicopter and dropped straight onto a very angry saltwater crocodile. It’s what a group of daredevil blokes in the Top End do for a living, all part of Australia’s rapidly growing crocodile skin export business currently valued at 25 million dollars. The crocs are grown from hatchlings to adults and their skins are sold to top French fashion houses, before they end up as handbags worth tens of thousands of dollars. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Nick Greenaway The Missing It’s almost too hard to fathom but every 15 minutes someone in Australia disappears. For the families left behind, the anguish of not knowing what’s happened to their loved one, can be overwhelming. It’s exactly what Lorrin Whitehead’s five children are facing, eight weeks ago their 43-year-old mother left home and vanished without a trace. The police have no firm leads, there are no suspicious circumstances and for Lorrin’s kids, they just want to know if their mum is ok. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Stephen Burling Brave Levi Four years ago, we brought you the story of the brave and bubbly young boy, Levi McCormack. Levi was born with only half a working heart and a mysterious lung condition. His ability to take on every challenge, with a smile and a laugh, won your hearts. Since then, little Levi has gone on to attend school and recently had his 9th birthday. But amid the celebrations there are some very tough days ahead for Levi and his family. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Ali Smith
Joel Madden Lancaster 739 Brave Levi Joel Madden For most Australians Joel Madden is now a household name. As lead singer of American band Good Charlotte he'd already built a legion of fans, but in his role as a coach on The Voice he's won over an audience not even he expected. Lancaster 739 Ron Conley, an Air Force officer from Brisbane, was last heard from on June 6, 1944 while on a top secret bombing mission. For Ron's family, what happened to this young Australian navigator and his crew mates has always been a mystery. Brave Levi Four years ago, we brought you the story of the brave and bubbly young boy, Levi McCormack. Since then, little Levi has gone on to attend school and recently had his 9th birthday.
Settling Scores Leonardo Frozen Waterfalls Lauren’s Story Settling Scores This is a story about facing your demons head on. In 2009, Navy clearance diver Paul de Gelder lost his arm and leg in a bull shark attack, in Sydney Harbour. His zest for life and determination to succeed despite his horrific injuries inspired you all. He was seemingly impervious. But Paul’s been harbouring a secret. He still has one score to settle, to go face to face with his nemesis – The Bull shark. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: David Alrich Leonardo Leonardo DiCaprio is one of Hollywood’s heavyweights, successfully evolving from a child star, over a career that has already spanned two decades. In Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby, he plays the title role of Jay Gatsby, a handsome social climber, trying to win the heart of a married woman. Baz and Leo first teamed up 17 years ago when Luhrmann gave DiCaprio a big break, casting him in the lead role of Romeo + Juliet. Now they’re at it again and Allison Langdon has just spent time with Leo ahead of The Great Gatsby’s world premiere. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Steven Burling Frozen Waterfalls We’ve just witnessed an incredible death defying sport. In the bitter temperatures of winter, a growing number of adventurous and audacious climbers around the world are now scaling frozen waterfalls. As they cling to brittle ice their every move is heart-stopping, one false step and they can fall to their death. Even for the most experienced it is a serious test of their physical and mental skills. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Lauren’s Story Lauren Huxley is one of the great survival stories, a triumph of good over evil. The beautiful 18 year old was savagely attacked in her own home and left for dead by a man she’d never met. Now aged 26, Lauren is getting her life back, she’s working full-time, travelling overseas and there’s even some baby news. Reporter:
Jungle Orphans The People Smuggler Dear Mum, Love Turia Jungle Orphans This is a story about Indonesia’s jungle orphanage. Not for humans but for baby orangutans. Hundreds of incredibly cute but sadly orphaned orangutans, are getting a second chance at life. They’re cared for by dedicated human mums, who raise these hairy little bundles into young adults before releasing them back into the wild. As Allison Langdon discovered, it’s their best hope of avoiding extinction. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: David Alrich The People Smuggler So far this year nearly 7000 refugees have tried to seek asylum in Australia by boat. It’s a desperate journey, and the numbers are only increasing. One of the reasons, too many People Smugglers are getting away with their deadly trade. In fact, one of the most ruthless, is living as a free man, collecting welfare, under the protection of a foreign government and our authorities can’t touch him. He helped load 400 people onto the doomed Siev X which sank on its way to Christmas Island. 353 people drowned. 146 of them were children. He’s been on the run for more than a decade and we’ve just tracked him down. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Rice Dear Mum, Love Turia Sunday, May 12 is Mother’s Day, a time to thank our mums for their unconditional love and unwavering selflessness. Over the years, 60 Minutes has met some very special mothers and Celestine Vaite is one of them. She’s nurtured her daughter, Turia Pitt back to health, after Turia was severely burnt while competing in the Kimberley ultra-marathon. For this Mother’s Day, Turia has written her mum a letter to say “thank you”. Producer: Ali Smith
Flight 447 A Cultural Revolution Flight 447 This Sunday, the story of Flight 447. It has been called the "Titanic of air disasters". A passenger aircraft so advanced that the chance of it falling out of the sky is unthinkable. But on a stormy June night in 2009 that's just what happened to an Air France A330. Its terrifying descent into the Atlantic Ocean took just four minutes. For three years, what happened inside the cockpit remained a mystery. But as you'll see now, the black box tapes have revealed a shocking and scary scenario of how quickly and easily a high tech passenger plane can crash. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Gareth Harvey A Cultural Revolution There's an old Chinese proverb that says "women hold up half the sky". And in China today, there are plenty of tough, independent and very wealthy women who seem to prove it. Half of the world's female billionaires come from China. Not surprisingly, a lot of young women would like to follow in their footsteps. And plenty of them are Chinese-Australians, heading back to the land of their forebears. It's a kind of reverse migration and when you see the dizzying fortunes and opportunities in China today, well, no wonder there's a new gold rush on. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Rice, Hannah Boocock
The Lost Pharoah Trail Blaiser Cleveland’s Evil The Lost Pharaoh In the modern history of Ancient Egypt, new world-headline-making discoveries are rare. This Sunday a Royal tomb full of golden treasure that is likely to be bigger and grander than the discovery of the famous boy king, Tutankhamen. Renowned archaeologist John Romer believes he’s found the tomb of the long lost Pharaoh, Herihor. Along with the King and his priceless relics, there could also be all of Ancient Egypt’s missing Queens. It’s an ambitious quest that takes us to a secret desert valley and could transform what we know about these exotic and remarkable people. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor Trail Blaiser Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability among Australian children. 34 thousand people struggle through life with the crippling condition. And the little boy you’re about to meet, Blaise Wyatt, suffers from the most cruel form of this affliction. Soon after birth, doctors gave him no chance of walking, standing or even sitting up on his own. But we’ve had the chance to witness an amazing transformation thanks to a highly controversial and very expensive, new therapy. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Jo Townsend Cleveland’s Evil It’s the story of an incredible rescue, joyous family reunions and enduring hope in the face of a lurking evil. Three young women missing and presumed dead, dramatically re-united with their families, after 10 years held hostage right in the heart of their own community. In Seymour Avenue, Cleveland Ohio in a rundown two story weatherboard house, three young women suffered the most degrading and abusive incarceration. Beyond the celebration surrounding their rescue, more sobering questions are now being considered. How can such evil lurk undetected for so long in the midst of every day suburban life? And in America’s decaying industrial heartland, is this heinous crime a symptom of a deeper, darker pr
Genetic Curse Miracle at Sea Hazel Genetic Curse When Angelina Jolie announced she'd taken the drastic step of removing both her breasts to avoid cancer, she was widely lauded for her courage. Not only for undergoing such a radical procedure but for being so open about it. Sadly for one Australian family, Jolie's news was all too familiar. The Neave family has had to grapple with the same mutant breast cancer gene. Sisters, Veronica, Elisha and Chrissy are three of the most determined women you could ever hope to meet. Like Angelina, they've taken extreme steps to beat cancer, but the battle rages on. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Rice Miracle at Sea For decades we have listened to peoples stories and this is among the most riveting we've ever heard. Brett Archibald, a 50-year-old South African, on a surfing trip to Indonesia, falls overboard in the middle of the night. One man, all alone in the ocean fighting the elements, fending off sharks and battling to keep his sanity. He hopes he'll be rescued, however after 29 hours treading water most people have given up on him. But not his wife holding a candle light vigil in Capetown, nor a legendary Australian sea salt named Doris. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Nick Greenaway Hazel Grace, dignity and humour were the essence of Hazel Hawke. She lived much of her life in the public eye - meeting triumphs and trials with great poise. Hazel was warm, witty and extraordinarily honest. When Liz Hayes sat down with her in 2004, she spoke frankly about living with Alzheimer's Disease as it slowly took hold of her mind. It would be Hazel's last television interview. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Lincoln Howes
Australian Rabies Scammed! Search for Truth Australian Rabies The deadly threat of Rabies has reached our shores. Earlier this year, the Australian Bat Lyssavirus, claimed its third human victim. And only a fortnight ago, a horse tested positive for the virus, the first known cross-species infection. Lyssavirus is Australia’s Rabies, spread the same way, with the same horrific symptoms, and just as deadly. Any one of the millions of native bats across the country could be carrying it. In February, 8-year-old Lincoln Flynn lost his life in the most devastating of circumstances, after being scratched by a bat. This Sunday Lincoln’s parents tell his story, in the hope they’ll save lives. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Lincoln Howes Scammed! We’ve all heard of the Nigerian scammers, conmen who bombard us with tales of woe and get rich quick schemes. You’d think we’d be wise to them by now but they lure more than a hundred million dollars out of Australians every year. The latest scam is called black money. Australian tourist Rob Connolly recently fell for such a hoax, while on holiday in Thailand. He lost his life savings and his world has fallen apart. But Rob’s on a mission to expose the seedy world of African shysters, and scam the scammers. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: David Alrich Search for Truth A question hangs over the testimony of Cardinal George Pell to the Victorian inquiry into the sexual abuse of children by members of non-government organisations. Among those in the public gallery were Anthony and Chrissie Foster. Their daughters Emma and Katie were repeatedly sexually abused by the school priest, Father Kevin O’Donnell, from 1987 to 1992. Years later, Emma committed suicide. Katie is now disabled – she was hit by a car after a binge drinking episode brought on by memories of her abuse. On Monday, Cardinal Pell gave evidence about his 1997 meeting with Anthony and Chrissie Foster, but it’s a different stor
Invisible Threat Rag Trade Inside Scientology Tahlia's Story Invisible Threat It was brazen and brutal. When a British soldier was run down by a car in London and then hacked to death with meat cleavers, it signalled the beginning of a new and frightening form of terrorism. Two British born, Muslim men at the scene, hands bloodied and still carrying their weapons waited patiently for police to arrive - all the while spreading their message of hate to stunned onlookers. It raises the frightening question - how do you counter terrorism by young radicalised men, willing to act as individuals with no threat or warning? Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Rag Trade This is a story our major retailers would prefer you didn't see. 60 Minutes has just been inside the third world factories where thousands of workers are making the cut-price clothes that we wear every day. Getting our cameras into the country, and then into the factories, was not easy. The government of Bangladesh is on edge after more than 1000 people died in a factory collapse in April. But once inside, what we saw was eye-opening and makes you think twice about where your clothes come from. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Inside Scientology Over the years we've heard a lot about the Church of Scientology. It's high profile has been bolstered by Hollywood A-listers. But what goes on behind the walls of this religion isn't always glamorous. The church is led by David Miscavige, a man who usually prefers to stay out of the public eye. But now his niece has shone a bright, unwelcome light upon the church and its behaviour. Jenna Miscavige Hill spent more than 20 years in the church with her uncle. She told her story to Liz Hayes. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Tahlia's Story Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in Australia, in fact it's the second biggest killer after heart disease. And it's not just older Australians who are suffe
Emma Everest ER Outback Hope Emma It’s the most exciting day in a parent’s life – finding out whether their baby is a boy or a girl. But for some, the answer is not always clear-cut. Emma Hayes was just 5 years old, when she told her parents that, despite being born a boy, she wanted to live and dress as a girl. Diagnosed with gender dysphoria, Emma is among a growing number of children across the country, who insist they’re trapped in the wrong body. Now, Emma’s parents have agreed to let her live as a girl, and have re-enrolled her at the same school, as a female. This Sunday, Emma and her family are sharing their story, in the hope they’ll create awareness and acceptance. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producers: Steve Jackson, Lincoln Howes Everest ER On Sunday, join Michael Usher five and a half thousand metres above sea level, at Everest Base Camp, where mountaineers launch their quest for the summit. It’s a deadly pursuit and 60 years after Sir Edmund Hillary reached the peak, more people than ever, are risking their lives to scale Everest. But even the most experienced climbers can develop deadly altitude sickness and they end up in the world’s highest hospital. They call it “Everest ER”, a tiny tent where volunteer doctors try to rebuild broken bodies, and shattered dreams. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Jo Townsend Outback Hope For more than a century, outback Australia has been a place of hope, hardship and second chances. Generations of men and women have made their fortunes or lost them, on the whim of the land. Now, a legendary Queensland horse whisperer is giving back to the people who helped make his family prosperous. Damien Curr is taking young Aboriginal men with little opportunity and hope in life, and training them to be stockmen. With Damien’s help and skill, our Indigenous youth are saddling up and riding tall. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Nick Greenaway
Murder on Parole Lost and Found Murder on Parole As multiple rapist and murderer Adrian Bayley sits in his jail cell with no prospect of release for 35 years. This monster stalked, raped and then murdered Melbourne woman Jill Meagher, as she walked home from a night out. Adding to that horror, we now know that Bayley has been a sexual predator for the past 20 years, repeatedly raping women and repeatedly getting caught, only to serve minimum prison sentences, after convincing authorities he was safe to be released. Sarah Cafferkey was murdered by a violent repeat offender just 2 months after Jill Meagher was killed. On Sunday, Sarah’s mother breaks her silence, to call for tighter restrictions on the prison and parole system. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Ali Smith Lost and Found Few life stories involve such impossible odds, incredible love, and sheer determination as Saroo Brierley’s. Born into a poor family in central India, Saroo became lost when he was just five years old. A terrifying train ride took him to the other side of the country. And with no way home, Saroo ended up among the millions of desperate kids living on India’s streets. But the love of a Tasmanian couple offered him a new life. He grew up and prospered as a young Australian, but all the while there was a yearning for his long lost family in India. In this 60 Minutes Special, Saroo tells the astonishing story of how he found them. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey
Ghost Cities Late Bloomers Hugh and Deb Ghost Cities We have a lot to thank our Chinese neighbours for. The Communist giant’s remarkable boom has shielded us here in Australia from the worst of the global economic downturn. Our mineral resources are fuelling a rush of urban development across China that is simply mind-boggling. Vast new megacities, bigger than London or New York are shooting up all over the country at a rate of 20 a year. But there are disturbing signs that the bubble is about to burst. Take a visit to some of these mega-cities and you’ll find them bizarrely empty. Brand new, shiny, ghost towns. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Rice Late Bloomers If you were one of those people shocked by the news that Lisa Curry was planning to have a baby at age 51 – take a deep breath. The former Olympic swim champ is part of a growing trend. In fact, at 51, she’s a mere pup compared to many older women taking the plunge into parenthood. Many women closer to 60 or even 70 are having babies, thanks to advances in medical science. As far as they’re concerned, it’s no-one else’s business that they’re becoming mothers, when other women their age are becoming grandmothers. All well and good, but what about their kids? Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Hugh and Deb Nobody’s perfect. But you have to admit Hugh Jackman comes pretty close. He’s the boy from Oz who quietly conquered Hollywood and Broadway to become a global superstar. An Oscar-nominated actor, who can sing and dance. Or just as easily turn muscle-bound action hero as star of the Wolverine films. And along with all the accolades, Jackman has earned the title of the nicest guy ever to make the A-list. But if anyone knows the imperfections of this perfect gentleman it’s his wife of 17 years Deborra-Lee Furness. ATara Brown discovered, when you get Hugh and Deb together for an interview, it feels more like a chat over the back fence with your favo
Fatal Flaw Emma Known Unto God Fatal Flaw The Robinson R44 is one of the most popular helicopters in Australia. It’s commonly used by small business, tourism operators, and in regional Australia. For nearly twenty years it’s been allowed to fly, despite mounting proof it’s a death trap. It has a faulty fuel tank, that can explode on impact, turning minor and survivable accidents – into deadly infernos. In a special 2 year investigation, 60 Minutes has uncovered dozens of crashes – blamed for the deaths of 78 people in the past 10 years alone. And despite evidence they knew all along, the manufacturer Robinson, and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, did nothing. Worse still, they’re now facing the same deadly problem with the smaller R22. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey Emma Last month, we broadcast the story of nine-year-old Emma Hayes. Emma has gender dysphoria – born as a boy, but in her mind she’s a girl. Her parents Meagan and David granted her wish – to live and dress as a girl – and attend school as Emma. They told their story with the hope of creating awareness and acceptance. We’re pleased to say Emma has been completely embraced – and not just by her school and local community. Thousands of people were inspired by Emma’s courage, including The Veronicas, who invited her over to share some of their “girl power”. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Steve Jackson Known Unto God Ever since the mass grave holding hundreds of Australian Diggers was unearthed in the corner of a French field, outside the village of Fromelles, the race has been on to identify the remains, and give each soldier a proper farewell. Slowly, the words ‘Known Unto God’ are replaced on different headstones, with the name, age and rank of the fallen Digger. Sam Ridler was one of those young soldiers. For almost a century he was ‘missing in action’. But now, 97 years after he vanished, an inspiring detective st
Reasonable Doubt Ancient Giants Reasonable Doubt In 2003, Kathleen Folbigg was found guilty of killing her 3 babies and 1 toddler. Initially, all four children were found to have died of natural causes but after forensic pathologists learned of the other deaths, they changed their opinion. Kathleen was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Now 10 years on, leading criminal, medical, legal and psychological experts believe Kathleen Folbigg should be set free. In this special report, 60 Minutes details how the jury was misled, the dodgy evidence the conviction was based on and, tragically, how multiple infant deaths in the one family, while rare, can and have happened around the world. You’ll see never before seen parts of Kathleen’s police interview, hear her inner most thoughts from inside jail and meet ‘Team Kathleen’ – the supporters pushing for a judicial review. And viewers will get to have their say through a live poll on the 60 Minutes ipad App and the 60 Minutes facebook page. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Jo Townsend Ancient Giants The Nullarbor Plain is famous for its emptiness. Vast and Barren. But that wasn’t always the case. More than 50,000 years ago they resembled the plains of Africa. Giant creatures, scientists call mega fauna, roamed the outback. There was a giant kangaroo, a massive wombat, even an Australian lion. Today they have all gone, but the search for their remains is hotting up. It’s a quest that takes palaeontologists deep underground, into a secret cave, somewhere on the Nullarbor. It’s beautiful and breathtaking, and contains some of the most spectacular fossils you’ll ever see. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway
Made of Steel Trigger Happy Bull Run Made of Steel Liam Knight is a living miracle. In January, he was at a friend’s 18th birthday party, when a two and a half metre steel pole was speared straight through his skull. Two teenagers have been charged in relation to the incident – and the events of that night will soon be heard by a court. On 60 Minutes, you’ll see the story of Liam’s amazing survival and recovery. Paramedics, emergency services, trauma specialists and surgeons all worked together to stabilise Liam; cut the end of the pole off, so he could fit inside the ambulance; perform an emergency roadside procedure to put Liam into a coma; and then once in surgery, painstakingly and delicately pull the steel rod back out of his head. Family and friends took up a bedside vigil as Liam lay in a coma for two weeks. Then this cheeky young man would wake up, telling his mum “I need to pee”. His sense of humour was back, but 6 months on, Liam is still struggling to regain his life. This story will make you wince, cry, laugh and wonder at the miracle of Liam Knight. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Nick Greenaway Trigger Happy Since the shocking mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School last December, there have been more than 6 thousand people killed by a gun in America. With numbers like these, it would be reasonable to expect the U.S. would be doing everything it could to reduce access to firearms. Well, Liz Hayes just travelled across America and found quite the opposite. The gun lobby is more outspoken than ever. Women are signing up to “Pistol Packing Ladies” clubs. Kids as young as 7 years old are being taught to shoot. And we’ll take you to the town where they’ve passed a law to make it compulsory to own a gun. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Bull Run Every year, tens of thousands of people descend on Pamplona in Spain, for the Running of the Bulls. It’s a cultural festival that’s been commercialise
Mother Mary Asylum Seeker Bon Voyage Mother Mary We love her as Effie and for 20 years she’s made us laugh by poking fun at her Greek heritage. But off stage, Mary Coustas’ struggle to become a mother has been marred by tragedy. Along with her husband George she’s endured a decade of IVF treatment and miscarriages. Then they turned to donor eggs and through a fertility clinic in her ancestral home of Greece, Mary fell pregnant. But what would follow, would be harrowing. Mary describes how IVF, selective reduction and then premature labour, would see them go from having “none, to two, to three, to one, to none”. On 60 Minutes, Mary and George tell their story, bravely and honestly, and show how they dealt with their grief, in a bid to help others. And just when you thought all hope was lost, there’s one more twist in this remarkable story. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: David Alrich Asylum Seeker Julian Assange is Australia’s most famous asylum seeker. He’s been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for more than a year. The Wikileaks founder fled there to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he’s wanted for questioning over allegations of rape. He believes it’s a ploy to have him sent to the U-S for trial over the publication of hundreds of thousands of top secret and highly embarrassing military and diplomatic documents. This past week American soldier Bradley Manning, who passed some of the files to Wikileaks, was found guilty of espionage and faces up to 136 years jail. Now Julian Assange fears he’s next in line. He invited Liz Hayes into his small world, where he talked about thoughts of escape, running for the Australian Senate and how long he can sustain his diplomatic stand-off. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Bon Voyage In 1977, NASA launched the two Voyager space probes from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Their mission was supposed to last for 5 years and take them on a journey to explore Jupiter
P!NK Fighting Back Supernova P!NK Australia is tickled Pink! Once again the enigmatic singer has taken up residence and during this current national tour she’ll perform to more than half a million Aussies. It’s hard to imagine her trumping her 2009 tour, when she hung from ropes and performed death defying stunts – but that’s exactly what she’s done. Australia was the first country to embrace P!NK and it’s not surprising that an Aussie has been instrumental in guiding her career — from the earliest days. 60 Minutes has been given exclusive access to P!NK’s rehearsals, backstage as she prepares with the band, inside her spectacular arena shows and on tour with husband Carey, and daughter Willow. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Steven Burling Fighting Back The ad in the newspaper promised so much — the chance to work as a nanny aboard a luxury yacht. And many young women, in their late teens and early twenties, took the bait. The ads were actually a brazen trap by Australia’s worst serial rapist. 12 women have come forward after being raped by John Collins – Police believe there could be many more. Over decades, this monster used his wealth and power to lure victims onto his yacht – and then intimidation and fear, to silence them. But the survivors of John Collins’ depravity wouldn’t stay quiet forever — and on 60 Minutes this Sunday, they’re speaking out. These women are brave, courageous and empowering. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Steven Burling Supernova It’s an extraordinary career path — one day a dashing pop star, the next day a particle physicist. 20 years ago, Brian Cox gave up a chance to tour Australia with his pop band D:Ream, so he could study science. Now, Professor Brian Cox has finally arrived down under and he’s much bigger than any pop star. In Britain, he’s become hot by making science cool. A new generation of geeks is buying microscopes and telescopes like there’s no tomorrow. I
Crude Solution Love Twist The Boss Crude Solution When petroleum giant BP spilled millions of litres of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico 3 years ago, it was the worst ever offshore oil disaster. To try and break up that massive slick, vast quantities of chemical dispersant was sprayed on the spill. It seemed to work: the oil disappeared. But people started getting sick and then people started dying. Now, this environmental disaster has become a health catastrophe. The dispersant, when mixed with the oil, increases in toxicity by 52 times. This sickly, invisible toxin, still lurks in the water and absorbs straight into peoples’ skin. In this special 60 Minutes investigation, we reveal the same chemical dispersants have been sprayed on the Great Barrier Reef and off the north west coast of Australia. They’re still approved for use and our authorities are clueless as to how deadly they are. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Jo Townsend Love Twist You could never accuse Rex and Melissa Pemberton of having a dull marriage. They met while base jumping in Australia. Then, they declared their love for each other as Melissa hung precariously from a snagged parachute, halfway down a gorge. Their latest trick involves Rex soaring through the sky wearing a wing suit, reaching speeds of 160 kilometres per hour while Melissa, in a stunt plane, performs breath taking loops around him. It’s man versus machine for this husband and wife. They vow to love, honour and avoid collision. Trust is everything in this marriage. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Steven Burling The Boss After more than four decades in the rock and roll business, you’d think Bruce Springsteen might be slowing down. Wrong. He’s about to turn 64, and “The Boss” is on fire. As he winds down one world tour, he’s already preparing for another – which will once again bring him to Australia. Springsteen has sold more than 120 million records to his disciple-like fans. He pre
Turia Pitt The Humpback Crude Solution Turia Pitt In 2011, Turia Pitt set out to compete in an ultra marathon across the harsh Kimberley region. A few hours later she would be fighting for her life, after suffering horrific burns when a bushfire trapped her and other competitors on the side of a hill. 60 Minutes has followed every step of Turia’s recovery. She’s undergone 16 grueling operations. Her boyfriend Michael, has been with her all the way. Now it’s time for Turia to remove her mask for good. This is a story of love, courage and inspiration. But sadly, there’s a dark side to this story. Turia still has not been able to hold the organisers of the doomed race to account. Despite damning findings by the Western Australian Government, Racing the Planet has refused to accept liability, or offer Turia adequate compensation for what will be decades of ongoing treatment and rehabilitation. Its owner, Mary Gadams, runs Racing the Planet through a web of international companies, and for two years has avoided our questions and evaded our cameras. Finally, after a search across 3 continents, 60 Minutes has tracked her down. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Ali Smith, Stephen Rice The Humpback It’s not often we get to tell a positive environmental story… usually it’s doom and gloom and threats of extinction. But right now, one of the animal kingdom’s great comebacks is there for all to see – up and down Australia’s east coast. An estimated 16-thousand humpback whales are slowly but surely migrating north to breed and calve. And their favourite playground is Queensland’s Hervey Bay – where thousands gather to make acrobatic leaps and slap their pectoral fins. Charles Wooley has just joined their migration for an experience he’ll never forget. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: David Alrich Crude Solution Last Sunday, 60 Minutes revealed that two chemicals, which become highly toxic when mixed with oil, have been used in Au
Smarty Pants Allergy Free A Mother's Pain Smarty Pants Women will understand this story straight away… but blokes may be left slightly bewildered. Sara Blakely is the creator of Spanx and by making bums look beautiful, she's made herself a billionaire. Like all good ideas, it started very simply. Sara didn't like the way she looked in a tight white pair of pants, so she went about trying to hide the bad bits and shape the rest. Now, as Allison Langdon discovers, women all over the world are giving thanks for Spanx and Sara has more money than she can count. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Stephen Taylor Allergy Free Childhood allergies are frightening and they're getting worse. One in 10 kids born in Australia has a food allergy - one of the highest rates in the world. If your child is affected, it takes over your life. You're forced to navigate around family meals, school lunches and birthday parties - knowing one tiny speck could be fatal. Finally, there's a breakthrough cure that has children happily eating the foods that previously could have killed them. This extraordinary research is offering hope to millions of families around the world. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Phil Goyen, Stephen Taylor A Mother's Pain Yesterday, Michael Jackson would have turned 55. The man known as the 'king of pop' had an extraordinary career, but he was also the 'king of controversy'. His mother Katherine Jackson takes us inside the family compound where she breaks her silence on the scandals that dogged her son; her granddaughter's attempted suicide and, now, new allegations of child molestation. It is a heartfelt and at times difficult conversation with a mother who is still coming to terms with the loss of her son. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen
Killer Cure Flyin' Ryan Alicia Keys Killer Cure Imagine doctors saying they’ve found a cure for childhood cancer. Not some quackery, but a genuine cure. Well, that’s what researchers are on the verge of right now – perhaps one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the 21st century. But it’s only the start of this amazing medical story. Because this treatment uses one of the most notorious killers of our time – the dreaded H-I-V. It is a killer cure that parents of desperately sick children are hailing as a miracle. And with a little more science, it might just beat all cancers for good. Reporter: Ray Martin Producer: David Alrich Flyin’ Ryan True adventure is hard to come by these days. The world’s become a smaller place and great journeys of discovery are rare. Which makes 19-year-old Ryan Campbell even more extraordinary. While other teenagers rarely venture from their bedrooms, Ryan has just returned from an epic airborne adventure that took him around the world. For the last 10 weeks, Charles Wooley has followed this determined young man’s quest to become the youngest person in history to fly solo around the globe. And on Saturday, the conquering hero will achieve this remarkable feat. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Lincoln Howes Alicia Keys One of the greatest compliments you can pay Alicia Keys is to say she isn’t as flamboyant as Lady Gaga or as attention-seeking as Miley Cyrus. Alicia prefers to let her singing do the talking and currently she’s hitting all the high notes. It’s a great triumph because, over the years, Alicia has suffered breakdowns and struggled to handle the pressure of stardom. But no more. The Alicia Keys Allison Langdon met in New York is a changed woman – confident, relaxed and a whole lot of fun. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Stephen Taylor
Justice for Kiesha Urban Myth JFK Justice for Kiesha It’s often said the bond between a mother and her child is unbreakable. Which is why it seems inexplicable when a child is killed by the person who should love them the most. Such is the case of 6-year-old Kiesha Weippeart – her brief, tortured life was punctuated by physical, emotional and psychological abuse of the worst kind. For the public, this story began in August 2010, when Kristi Abrahams – Kiesha’s mother – made a teary plea, claiming her daughter had been abducted from the family home. We now know this was nothing more than a gruesome hoax for the cameras. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team of investigators began the task of finding out what really happened to little Kiesha. For the first time this Sunday, 60 Minutes will broadcast the police interviews with Kristi Abrahams and reveal how detectives began to unravel the most horrific truth, which will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Steven Burling Urban Myth From the age of six, Keith Urban wanted to be a country music star but it still took 20 years for the kid from Caboolture to crack the big time. There were many speed bumps along the way: drugs, alcohol and a whole lot of rejection. Then everything started to click for Keith – hit singles, marriage to Nicole Kidman and kids. But it wasn’t until his appearance on The Voice that we Aussies really began to know – and like – Keith Urban. Despite all this time in the public spotlight, he’s still an enigma. So when Tara Brown caught up him with on tour in America, she was happily surprised to find a man ready to let his guard down. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Rice JFK Few historical moments of the last century are as powerful, or as visceral, as the assassination of American President John F Kennedy. It may be difficult to imagine in these hardened political times but JFK was much more than a politician. He was a
Testing Times Abducted TWA 800 Testing Times Right now across the country one million students, their parents and teachers are sweating on the NAPLAN results – the national numeracy and literacy tests. NAPLAN began in 2008 to compare all students across the country and better help those who are falling behind. We adopted the idea from New York, where teachers are promoted or sacked on the back of the results, but we haven’t done that here and, instead, the pressure falls on the students to perform. Teachers here claim NAPLAN retards growth and restricts creativity. A NAPLAN revolt is underway, with one principal even likening the tests to child abuse. Reporter: Ray Martin Producer: David Alrich Abducted It’s hard to forget the traumatic scene – as four young girls were dragged kicking and screaming from their mother and put on a plane home to Italy. It was the culmination of a most extraordinary battle between Australian mum Laura Garrett and her Italian husband Tommaso Vincenti. Last year, we revealed how Laura conspired with Australia’s Embassy in Italy to breach the Hague Convention and kidnap her own children. This Sunday, the case against Laura deepens. You’ll see how she manipulated her daughters to win sympathy from the public and then began a torrid facebook campaign against Tommaso. Now Laura’s friends are turning on her and an old accusation has come back to haunt her. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey TWA 800 It is one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries – the final moments of TWA flight 800. In 1996, the passenger jet, bound for Paris, exploded minutes after take-off from New York’s J.F.K Airport. None of the 230 people on board survived. The explosion occurred within sight of land, on a warm summer evening and several hundred eye witnesses came forward to report seeing a streak of light intercept the plane in mid-air. After a four year investigation, which was plagued by controversy, safety author
Fatal Call The Girl Curse of the Bounty Fatal Call Sarah Durazza was a 26 year old woman, with the world at her feet. She was a beautiful Miss World runner up, who was devoted to charity and helping those less fortunate than herself. Last month, upset and emotional, Sarah got behind the wheel of her car. Then she made a phone call. Sarah was distracted, distressed and, in a split second, out of control. When she careered off the road and slammed into a tree, she was on the phone to her mother. Fiona Durazza will forever be haunted by the sound of her daughter’s final, terrible moments. This Sunday, the Durazza family are speaking out, in the hope Sarah’s death will mean something. It’s a raw and powerful plea, from a family heartbroken by their loss. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producers: Steve Jackson, Lincoln Howes The Girl It was one off the biggest scandals in the world. In 1977, Hollywood director and producer Roman Polanski drugged and raped a 13 year old girl, at the home of actor Jack Nicholson. The story made international headlines and when he fled America to avoid sentencing, it only got bigger. 36 years later, US authorities are still trying to bring Roman Polanski to justice. His 13 year old victim was Samantha Geimer. She’s never forgotten what happened to her all those years ago. This Sunday, Samantha tells her story. What she has to say is difficult, challenging and most definitely not what you might expect. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Curse of the Bounty All great stories of the sea tend to end in disaster, usually involving reckless human error in which people take the sea for granted. Such is the story of HMS Bounty. The first Bounty was burned to the water line off Pitcairn Island by Fletcher Christian, after history’s most famous mutiny. The second Bounty was a twentieth century replica, built for the 1962 movie starring Marlon Brando. Last year, it too sank, after deliberately sailing straight into H
Seventh Heaven Face of Evil Nuclear Paradise Seventh Heaven How does Philip Sharp manage it? He’s got seven wives. They’ve borne him 18 children. Life in the Sharp household is busy, to say the least. Philip is polygamous and proud of it. In fact, the British Rabbi even claims that by reviving the long outlawed practice of taking several wives, he’s merely doing God’s work. And he’d take 100 wives if it would help build God’s kingdom. It raises all sorts of uncomfortable questions for the wives, not to mention the chaos of raising all those kids, but what Peter Overton discovered was a harmonious household most families would envy. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Jo Townsend Face of Evil In 2010, Australian girl Zahra Baker was brutally murdered by her American step mother. Zahra, with the bright eyes and big smile, had survived cancer and overcome much more than should be asked of any 10 year old. Then, along with her father Adam, she travelled to America. Adam’s new wife, Elisa Baker, first killed and then dismembered Zahra in the most heinous crime. At her trial, she entered into a plea bargain, meaning she never had to face questions about what she did and why she did it. This Sunday, Liz Hayes goes inside maximum security to confront a child killer and comes face to face with evil. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Nuclear Paradise The Montebello Islands off the coast of Western Australia are so far flung, so off the beaten track, that most of us have no idea they’re even part of Australia. Which is exactly why the British chose them as a site to conduct nuclear bomb tests back in the 1950s. The British Navy detonated three massive atomic bombs and, in the process, obliterated a marine paradise. More than 60 years later, you’d expect to find a scorched wasteland. Instead, it’s one of nature’s most breathtaking comebacks. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Howard Sacre
Chopper Dolly Chopper Just 16 days before he died, Tara Brown sat down with Mark 'Chopper' Read for his last ever interview. It quickly became a confessional in which he admitted in graphic detail to murdering four men. Dolly Dolly Parton is a show business superstar. So much about her is unreal - the cosmetic surgery, the wigs, the false eyelashes and fingernails. But when Ray Martin met her in Nashville Tennessee, he found her to be real and honest.
Wipe Out Great Migration One Direction Wipe Out Tom Carroll is a living legend. A former world champion who redefined surfing and even today chases the biggest waves on the planet. But what few of his fans realise, it’s not massive surf that threatens to wipeout Tom Carroll, rather a long term, life threatening battle with drugs. Now, Tom is coming clean. It’s a story of triumph, heartbreak and addiction. On 60 Minutes, Tom Carroll talks openly about the drug that nearly cost him his life, his ongoing battle to stay clean and the shocking family secret that would ironically help save him. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Nick Greenaway Great Migration It’s the greatest movement of animals on the planet – one and a half million wilderbeest, migrating through some of Africa’s most stunning wilderness. The epic journey covers three thousand kilometres, as the animals chase the rain through Tanzania into Kenya. Also on the track, hundreds of thousands of zebras, gazelles and antelopes. And lying in wait, armies of predators – big cats and even bigger crocodiles that depend on this once-a-year bonanza. Of all nature’s spectacles, it’s the one Ray Martin has been longing to witness and the incredible pictures he captured won’t leave you disappointed. Reporter: Ray Martin Producer: Gareth Harvey One Direction Right now, One Direction is the biggest band in the world. Thrown together on a TV talent show, they’ve achieved more than anyone, least of all themselves, may have ever imagined. These five young men, clean-cut and professional, have become one of the world’s most successful acts since their inception 3 years ago. Their continued success depends on them living a scandal-free existence – wholesome role models worthy of teenage girl hysteria. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Steven Burling
Sleeping Giant In Their Footsteps Saving Petra Lifehouse Sleeping Giant Mountains aren’t usually known for their role in making and preserving history. But when Mount Vesuvius erupted two thousand years ago – it did just that. The volcano’s downpour of ash was so quick it destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii and caught its people in a moment in time. However, the destructive power of Vesuvius is not consigned to the history books. Today, it threatens the city of Naples – home to three million Italians. They know that when Vesuvius next explodes, there will be very little warning. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey In Their Footsteps Tim Jarvis is one of the world’s most fearless adventurers who recreates great exploits of the past. He strides out bravely in the footsteps of Scott, Mawson and, now, Ernest Shackleton. Tim’s challenges are painstakingly authentic right down to the awful food and the ancient clothing worn by his historical heroes. And like so many giants of the past, he’d rather die than fail. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Nick Greenaway Saving Petra Tucked away in a hidden valley in Jordan, is one of the wonders of the world. Carved into a mountainside, Petra, has survived for two and a half thousand years. Its popularity soared off the back of the Indiana Jones movies but, now, the “Rose City” has become too popular for its own good and archaeologists fear it will be lost forever. Luckily, there’s a Jordanian Princess who’s making it her life’s work to save Petra. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor Lifehouse It’s been four years since Australia lost the much loved and respected Professor Chris O’Brien. It was a cruel twist of fate: the life-saving cancer surgeon became a cancer victim. Even in the final stages of his life, Chris never gave up on his grand vision for a world-class, cancer centre. Next week, The Chris O’Brien Lifehouse will be officially opene
Chloe’s Law Island of Youth Julia Morris Trail Blaiser Chloe’s Law Chloe Fergusson was just like any other 15 year old girl – she loved hanging out with her friends, talking about boys and she was always on Facebook. Like so many teenagers, Chloe knew what it meant to be bullied. For years, she’d endured verbal and physical assaults but when Chloe went home and shut her bedroom door, the bullies were still there. Because the latest, possibly greatest, weapon in bullying is social media. For Chloe, the impact was devastating. Last month, she took her own life. It’s left her friends and family shattered and now her sister Cassie is on a one-woman crusade to make bullying a crime. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Ali Smith Island of Youth Liz Hayes has just visited a very special island. It’s a magical place where people live longer than anyone else on earth. They’re also happier and healthier. They have lower rates of cancer and heart disease and no dementia. So how do so many people live to be 100 and still tend their olive trees, drink lots of red wine and dance the night away? This Sunday, they reveal their secrets and you’ll be very surprised by what they say. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Julia Morris It’s fair to say that Julia Morris is no overnight success. For more than 20 years she has plied her trade, from stand-up to sketch comedy. In Hollywood she was told she was “too big” to be an actress but not big enough for the “larger” roles. Despite setbacks and heartache, Julia’s self-belief and determination to succeed has meant that at the age of 45, she’s now starring in a hit TV drama and hosting a national variety show. But just as things were looking up, Julia had another setback; her real life house husband was diagnosed with breast cancer. Peter Overton profiles a most remarkable woman. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Steven Burling Trail Blaiser Blaise Wyatt is not your typi
Space Oddity Life after Death Lucky Betty Space Oddity 44 years after man set foot on the moon, we’ve almost got a bit blasé about space travel. Astronauts, once galactic rock-stars, have all but disappeared from public view. But then Chris Hadfield came along. He’s been to space three times – including 6 months as Commander of the International Space Station. Chris dazzled kids and adults alike with his youtube clips of space experiments and before coming back to Earth, he recorded a breathtaking music clip that’s made him the greatest space salesman of all time. Come along for the ride as Chris Hadfield talks about soaring over the Australian outback, recording David Bowie’s famous hit, and opens up about his role in the Columbia disaster. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Life after Death As science and technology rapidly advance, we’re being faced with greater ethical dilemmas. Now it’s about life after death. You see, there’s a 36 hour window after a man dies, when his sperm remains viable, and if extracted, can be used to conceive a baby. You need a court order to retrieve the sperm, and then a Judge needs to approve its use. Liz Hayes has just met two women desperate to have children to their dearly departed. It’s the new frontier of reproductive technology, but one our courts, and our conscience, are yet to resolve. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Hannah Boocock Lucky Betty There’s no one in the world quite like Betty Klimenko. Her life began in the grimy cell of a Sydney police station. She was born dependent on drugs, abandoned by her biological mother after just seven weeks. Then Betty was adopted by a holocaust survivor. His name was John Saunders, and along with Frank Lowy, started the giant Westfield shopping empire. These days Betty is a tattooed billionaire, with a passion for V8 racing cars. So strap yourselves in, for one heck of a ride! Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor
World Exclusive: Off the Wall The Somerton Man Gentle Giants Finnan’s Legacy World Exclusive: Off the Wall Conrad Murray is the man who killed Michael Jackson. He was also Jackson’s personal doctor, who was paid $150,000 a month to keep his star patient healthy. In 2011 a jury found Conrad Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter, convinced he gave the pop star a lethal dose of Propofol, a sedative usually only used in surgery. Conrad Murray spent two years in prison for his crime and has just been released. This Sunday for the first time he tells his story about what happened that night, and reveals surprising thoughts on Michael Jackson’s controversial life. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen The Somerton Man We all know that fact is stranger than fiction and that’s very much the case with this story. It’s the true tale of espionage, a love affair and murder – that wouldn’t be out of place in the movies. The year was 1948. Communism and democracy were wrestling for world supremacy. The nuclear arms race was in high gear. And there were spies everywhere, even in Australia. Against this sinister backdrop, an unidentified body was found on Adelaide’s Somerton Beach – the so-called Somerton Man. Now, 65 years after he was buried, there are moves to exhume him, in an attempt to finally solve this lingering Cold War Mystery. This Sunday, 60 Minutes will reveal for the first time the identity of the mysterious nurse who was romantically linked to the Somerton man, and talk to the woman who claims she’s the Somerton Man’s granddaughter. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Steve Jackson Gentle Giants They’re the biggest fish in the ocean – and one of the biggest targets for fishermen around the world. The whale shark is massive, magnificent and on the brink of extinction, but in a tiny corner of the Philippines, man and shark have come to a unique compromise. Fishermen who used to hunt this marine giant, now protect
Toxic Flyer Pain Free Big Blue Death Defying Toxic Flyer For some people, flying is an anxious white-knuckle ride as they carry a pressing fear that the aircraft will crash. But there’s another risk that may be far greater, which affects us all. It’s called Aerotoxic Syndrome and it’s caused by breathing contaminated cabin air. Some experts are calling it the asbestos of the airline industry – it can result in a range of serious health problems, even death. But what’s most shocking is the way aircraft manufacturers and operators have known about the problem for years and have done nothing about it. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey Pain Free Imagine not being able to feel any pain. That’s the case for two amazing young girls called Ashlyn and Gabby. When they hit their head, they don’t feel a thing, bang their arm and it doesn’t even register – they can even cut themselves and feel nothing at all. The idea of being pain free sounds extraordinary but when you hear their stories you might change your mind. And, ironically, their condition just may lead to a breakthrough for those who suffer chronic pain. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Big Blue It’s difficult to imagine the size of a blue whale until you come alongside one. They are the biggest creature to have ever lived. But as big as they are, we know precious little about them. Hunted almost to extinction just a few decades ago, we’re now missing vital information about how to protect the blue whale. Karl Stefanovic spent a week searching the turquoise waters of the Maldives for these magnificent beasts, along with a group of Aussie scientists desperate to save them. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Hannah Boocock Death Defying It was the comedy hit of 2011. The Hang Over Part II grossed $600 million at the box office. But behind the scenes the laughs turned to tragedy when Aussie Scott McLean was nearly killed in a stunt that went terri
The Rolling Stones Print the Future Frozen Waterfalls The Rolling Stones No-one, least of all The Rolling Stones themselves, could have imagined that they’d still be together 50 years after first starting out. You might have put some money on the energetic Mick Jagger making it but who would have guessed the volatile Keith Richards would even be alive today? But, half a century on, they are the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band of all time. And they can’t stop touring the world. They will be in Australia next year continuing their 50 year celebration – an anniversary so big, it’s taking them two years to mark it. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Stephen Taylor Print the Future Ray Martin found this story equally exciting and frightening. For less than a thousand dollars, you can now own a 3D printer – hook it up to your home computer and make anything your mind can imagine. Trinkets are easy; gadgets are a breeze, even a new car’s possible. With 3D printing, it seems you can print the future and the internet is full of its wonders. But with the good, also comes potential for bad – and any number of experts are willing to show you how. Reporter: Ray Martin Producer: Stephen Taylor Frozen Waterfalls Earlier this year Liz Hayes witnessed an incredible death-defying sport. In the bitter temperatures of winter, a growing number of adventurous and audacious climbers around the world are now scaling frozen waterfalls. As they cling to brittle ice, their every move is heart-stopping – one false step and they can fall to their death. Even for the most experienced it is a serious test of their physical and mental skills. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen
The Coward’s Punch Slackline Jungle Fever The Coward’s Punch This summer has been indelibly marked by the One Punch epidemic. Cowardly thugs – drunk and juiced up on who knows what – attacking innocent young men without warning or provocation. On New Year’s Eve, 18 year old Daniel Christie was fatally hit in Sydney’s King’s Cross. He was in a coma for 11 days, before his family had to watch him die. Before Daniel, Michael McEwen was attacked by cowards at Bondi Beach, just before Christmas. He spent more than a week in a coma, as his family held a bedside vigil, knowing his life hung in the balance. It is a miracle that Michael survived but the impact on his family and the medical teams has been traumatic. On 60 Minutes, Michael speaks for the first time and gives a powerful example of why communities across Australia are saying ‘no more’. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Jo Townsend Slackline This Sunday we’ll take you over the edge in what could easily be the most extreme sport on earth. It defies gravity and belief. One man, a bouncy rope and nothing between him and the rocky canyon – hundreds of metres below. The sport is called slacklining and Liz Hayes reckons just watching it is a terrifying experience. The best slackliner in the world is a man called Andy Lewis and every time he steps out on the line he knows it could be his last. On 60 Minutes, watch as Andy walks, surfs, and dangles on the line. It’s breathtaking and sickening at the same time. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Jungle Fever It’s a foul-tasting, vomit-inducing concoction but it’s got thousands queuing to try it. Ayahuasca is an hallucinogenic cocktail made from jungle vines and everyone from Sting to Paul Simon is trekking deep into the Amazon to test its supposedly magic properties. It’s now the fastest growing area of drug tourism and Australians of all ages are flocking to Peru to share the experience. Ayahuasca is powerful en
Scott Miller – An Olympic Downfall The Great Shark Cull Scott Miller – An Olympic Downfall This Sunday, the spectacular rise and fall of Olympian, Scott Miller. In the 90s, he was the Golden Boy of swimming: a world champion, an Olympic silver medalist and a young man with so much promise. But with success came women and drugs, in abundance. The swimming pool gave way to the party scene. And the party has ended badly, with criminal convictions for drug offences, stolen goods, and prohibited weapons. On 60 Minutes, Scott Miller breaks his 13 year silence about his failed marriage to Charlotte Dawson, the drugs, the prostitutes and how he lost millions in the controversial pink batts insulation scheme. Also, you’ll see exclusive video of the police roadside sting, when he was arrested on suspicion of dealing drugs, carrying 15-thousand dollars cash. Scott’s narrowly avoided jail again and he’s now trying to rebuild his life, spending 6 months in rehab, in the hope of setting a better example for his young son. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor The Great Shark Cull Father of two Chris Boyd was savagely killed by a great white shark last November. The Coolum local, had moved to Gracetown, Western Australia to start a new life with his girlfriend Krystle Westwood. His death was the final straw for West Australian Premier, Colin Barnett who ordered drum lines and bait hooks, to start culling sharks off WA beaches. It’s sparked local, national and international outrage. This Sunday, Michael Usher speaks to all sides of this heated issue. The shark activists claim the Premier is a murderer and are using the cover of darkness to de-bait the hooks. The Premier is refusing to back down despite the fierce backlash. At the centre of it all is a grieving girlfriend. She speaks exclusively to 60 Minutes about why something needs to be done to stop more people dying. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Taylor
Mary’s Miracle The Killing Cove Remembering Levi Mary’s Miracle This Sunday, a story that will warm your heart. Comedienne Mary Coustas and her husband George Betsis – are finally happy parents to a healthy baby girl. Theirs is one of the most difficult stories to tell, because despite all of Effie’s on stage jokes, Mary’s private battle to become a mother has been heartbreaking. Over the course of a decade and through countless IVF attempts, Mary and George struggled to conceive. When they finally did fall pregnant there was more tragedy, with the stillbirth of daughter Stevie. Unbelievably, Mary and George kept on trying, returning to their fertility clinic in Greece for six more IVF treatments. Then, just as they were about to give up the parenthood dream forever, their luck changed. On 60 Minutes, Mary and George proudly show off beautiful little Jamie for the first time, and reveal there could be one more surprise in store. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Taylor The Killing Cove You’ve seen the horrific pictures of the dolphin killing cove in Japan but now there’s a bigger prize being hunted. The local fishermen have successfully caught a rare albino dolphin and are shopping it round with an asking price of half a million dollars. It’s the latest blow to animal cruelty campaigners. Liz Hayes went to The Cove, where she found two Australians determined to bring an end to the mass slaughter. What they encountered were heavy handed police, a government that doesn’t care and a curious Australian who seems to be helping the Japanese. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Remembering Levi Levi McCormack was a rare spirit. A little boy with a beautiful smile, which hid a debilitating heart and lung condition. When Karl Stefanovic first met Levi he was just 5 years old. Levi’s courage moved a nation, as he endured countless operations and medical treatments, while starting school and trying to live as a normal ch
Murder at Murphy’s Creek The Bombay Sapphire Murder at Murphy’s Creek This Sunday, a 60 Minutes Special Investigation. We pursue justice for two young nurses, who were murdered in the most horrific way. Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans disappeared on a gap year in Queensland, forty years ago. Their remains were found at Murphy’s Creek, on the outskirts of Toowoomba, two years later. In all the time since, a code of silence and a reign of terror have protected the perpetrators of this evil crime. A gang of men swore an oath on blood never to talk about that night and the entire town lived in fear of reprisals. This Sunday we reveal what really happened to Lorraine and Wendy and how the killers have escaped justice. 60 Minutes will broadcast the confession that will crack the case wide open. And reporter Michael Usher tracks down the chief suspects, two men with the most serious questions to answer. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Rice The Bombay Sapphire On Monday, Hollywood gathers for the 86th Annual Academy Awards and the stars of tinsel town will be celebrated. Half a world away, there’s a movie industry 10 times bigger. The Indian movie business, better known as Bollywood, churns out over a thousand films a year and sells fifteen million cinema tickets a day to a paying audience in excess of one billion people. Even a Bollywood flop is watched by more people than live in Australia. And right now, all those Indian movie-goers are lining up to watch an Aussie girl. Pallavi Sharda is the new toast of Bollywood, a lawyer who’s traded the suits and courts of Melbourne, for the costumes and movie lots of Mumbai! Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey
Russian Roulette The Ghost Cities of Fukushima Happy Snaps Russian Roulette 35 year old mother of two Kristy Cruise is slowly dying. A radical procedure could save her life but Australian doctors are refusing to treat her. So, Kristy is going to Russia to be blasted with chemotherapy for days, before being re-injected with her own stem cells. She hopes the treatment will stop her slow decline from multiple sclerosis. Already she’s confined to a wheelchair, with no feeling down her left side, suffering severe exhaustion and facing cognitive decline. The trip to Russia is physically, emotionally and financially taxing, but it’s Kristy’s last chance at salvaging some time with her husband and two young boys. 60 Minutes has been following Kristy on her journey and, this Sunday, the results will send shockwaves through Australia’s medical establishment. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Rice The Ghost Cities of Fukushima When a tsunami triggered the explosion at the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, the world feared the worst and for good reason. It is the most devastating nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and millions of others now live in fear of serious illness. Radiation is everywhere – in the soil, trees, food, air and water. The Japanese are trying to clean it up, but they’re fighting a losing battle. This Sunday, Liz Hayes goes inside the exclusion zone to the ghost cities, deserted and abandoned, never to be lived in again. And 60 Minutes will also broadcast a warning from one of Australia’s leading medical and nuclear experts, who says the 2020 Tokyo Olympics should be cancelled, due to radiation contamination. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Happy Snaps Few people have looked into the eyes of an attacking saltwater crocodile and lived to tell the tale – Todd Bairstow is one of them. In 2011, 60 Minutes told Todd’s unbelievable story of survival. T
On the 7th of December 2003, Daniel Morcombe was last seen waiting to catch a bus on the Sunshine Coast. Daniel was a beautiful young boy – trustworthy and punctual, so when he didn’t come home that night, his parents Bruce and Denise knew something was wrong. His disappearance sparked Queensland’s biggest and longest police case. Detectives pursued thousands of leads, but as the days turned into weeks, and then months, the hopes of finding Daniel seemed extremely remote. The months turned into years, but Bruce and Denise Morcombe never gave up searching for their boy, or looking for his killer, and in 2009 they began calling for a Coronial Inquiry.
School’s Out The Defector Don’t Look Down School’s Out For parents, few subjects are as fraught as the question of schooling. Private versus public, personal tutors, extra homework … it seems mums and dads will now do just about anything to get their kids ahead. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, the new approach to education, that will have you falling off your chair. You see, there’s no school, no classes, no teachers, no tests – NOTHING. The kids are at home and do whatever they want, whenever they want. They learn reading, writing and arithmetic during the course of everyday life. It’s not home schooling but un-schooling, a new trend being taken up by dozens of Australian families. Giving your children control over their own education may sound crazy but you’ll be surprised at some of the results. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Hannah Boocock The Defector For 17 years Marty Rathbun was a loyal deputy to Scientology’s leader, David Miscavige. But then he did what no one in the Church expected: he left. Now, Marty Rathbun is speaking out about what he witnessed inside Scientology. As the Inspector General, he was responsible for recruiting celebrities, including Tom Cruise, and pursuing those who spoke out against the Church. Ironically, Marty’s former loyal footsoldiers are now on a campaign of alleged harassment against him and his wife Monique. But this time Scientology may have met its match because Monique Rathbun has launched a major lawsuit against the Church and Miscavige. It could lift the lid on The Church of Scientology’s most explosive secrets – and for the first time, see David Miscavige having to face some serious questioning. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Don’t Look Down You’ll watch this story on Sunday and think, this guy is either mad or extremely brave. Perhaps he’s both. It’s the story of James Kingston and, no matter what you think, his exploits are truly exceptional. James is a so-
Flight MH370 The Portland Murders Flight MH370 Three weeks ago, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappeared from civilian radar. Something or someone caused two different location devices to be switched off. Minutes later, it disappeared from military radar. We now know that Flight MH 370 flew for another 7 hours in the opposite direction from its scheduled destination and crashed into the Southern Indian Ocean, 2500 kilometres from Perth. Was it terrorism or a suicidal pilot? Did its crew and passengers perish on board, turning it into a ‘ghost flight’ that flew unmanned into a vast ocean? Nothing about the flight makes sense – and nothing will bring comfort to those whose loved ones were on board. This Sunday 60 Minutes speaks exclusively to the Australian families of the victims of Flight MH 370, as they describe the agony of not knowing what happened to their loved ones for 18 days. It’s the very real and raw human face of this international tragedy. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producers: Gareth Harvey, Alice Downey The Portland Murders This Sunday on 60 Minutes the crucial breakthrough in a 23 year old double murder mystery. On the afternoon of Friday, May 3, 1991, two women were stabbed to death inside a hair salon, in the Victorian coastal town of Portland. It was broad daylight, on a busy afternoon, yet the killer has never been caught and, for more than two decades, this unsolved crime has haunted the town. Now, a new witness has come forward and new evidence has emerged. It’s led Police to dust off the cold case file and begin taking new statements, DNA samples and re-interviewing old witnesses. They have a new prime suspect and you won’t believe who it is. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Lincoln Howes
The High Seas Breathe Musical Uprising The High Seas This Sunday, 60 Minutes goes inside the multi-billion dollar cocaine war, that stretches all the way from South America to Australia. In the past 3 years, our Federal Police have intercepted nearly two tonnes of cocaine on the lucrative Pacific route. Small yachts are loaded up with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the illegal drug on the coast of Ecuador, before making the long journey here. The innocent-looking yachties breeze into our eastern waters, mostly undetected, before offloading their cargo to local dealers. Tara Brown tracks the smugglers from South America to Vanuatu and Tonga, where a boat holding 200 kilos of cocaine and a rapidly decomposing corpse was discovered shipwrecked on a remote island reef. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Rice Breathe Stig Severinsen can hold his breath for 22 minutes. That’s right, 22 minutes! He’s the world record holder but he’s not done yet. Now, Stig is using his unique powers to free dive in the most hostile of places. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, watch as Stig swims the length of three Olympic swimming pools, under metre thick ice, in freezing water, on one breath, with only one way out. It’s an extraordinary feat. But still he’s not done. Stig wants to remove his wetsuit and try it again in nothing but a pair of speedos. What happens next, could kill him. Reporter: Peter Stefanovic Producer: Steven Burling Musical Uprising Someimes miracles do happen and Charles Wooley has just seen one in, of all places, war-torn Afghanistan. As the west is withdrawing its troops and the Taliban are gearing up for a comeback, the country is bracing for an uncertain and violent future. But there is resistance against the Taliban from a most unlikely source: young girls, orphans of the 12-year war, are fighting back with beautiful music. Risking the wrath of the music-banning mullahs, these courageous kids have formed a youth orchestra.
No Limits Brave Face Greek Tragedy No Limits The tragic tackle which has left rising rugby league star Alex McKinnon with a broken neck and the prospect of never being able to walk again, is a sobering reminder of just how unforgiving spinal injuries can be. John Maclean knows it better than anyone. 25 years ago, he too was an up and coming footy player when he was struck down in the cruelest of ways. While on a training ride on Sydney’s M4 motorway, a truck smashed into John, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Not that life in a wheelchair has held him back. He’s since achieved the most incredible feats – from swimming the English Channel to finishing the Hawaiian ironman. But John has never given up hope of walking again. Now, John’s achieving things that are astounding the medical world and redefining what might be possible for people with spinal injuries. Reporter: Georgie Gardner Producer: Garry McNab Brave Face There are many faces of courage and the most unlikely people can end up heroes. One such hero is Samantha Barlow. For nearly a decade, she’s been fighting the most terrible eating disorders. But that’s only been half the battle. Because Sam’s also had to endure the unimaginable trauma of being abused by the very person who was supposed to make her well – her psychiatrist, Dr Ming Tan. It was the most appalling breach of trust and Samantha wasn’t the only girl Tan abused. But he wasn’t bargaining on Samantha’s guts and determination to take him on. Sam’s courage would see this sick psychiatrist brought to justice. Reporter: Ray Martin Producer: Jo Townsend Greek Tragedy Nearly 80 years after the end of World War 2 and the downfall of Adolf Hitler, Nazism is very much ‘alive and kicking’ right across Europe. In fact, neo-Nazi groups are on the rise again. They’re well-organised, often violent and they’re muscling into mainstream politics. Nowhere more so than in Greece, where the economic cri
Francis Old Souls Moving the Mob Francis This Easter, as one billion Catholics celebrate the resurrection of Christ, their Church is undergoing an historic rebirth. That’s because Pope Francis is unlike any pontiff of modern times. His railing against church excesses has made Francis millions of fans among the faithful. But beyond the rhetoric, the challenges are colossal. Among them, child sexual abuse at the hands of the clergy, the Vatican’s stand on contraception, homosexuality and the role of women. For Pope Francis, it is the culmination of a lifetime’s work, a life that might have turned out very differently if the girl next door had said ‘yes’. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Gareth Harvey, Nick Greenaway Old Souls When Tara Brown first met British girl Hayley Okines she was nine years old, going on 90. You see, Hayley suffers from Progeria – a rare ageing disease that sees kids struck down by the same illnesses that cripple their grandparents. Most of them don’t live long enough to become teenagers but thanks to a medical breakthrough, Hayley’s now 15. Finally, the Progeria kids might stand a fighting chance. And if you think Hayley’s inspiring wait till you meet her American pen-pal, Adalia Rose. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Rice Moving the Mob It’s a story as epic as a Hollywood blockbuster and it’s playing out, right here, in our own back yard. The greatest cattle drive in more than a century has been snaking its way from north west Queensland, deep into southern New South Wales. The mass migration evokes the glory days of our pioneering stockmen, those droving legends who would risk everything to move their mob. Today’s characters are just as compelling and just as willing to take a punt. It is one of the greatest gambles the bush has ever seen. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producers: Garry McNab, Grace Tobin
Reverse Stroke Wild Patagonia Reverse Stroke Every ten minutes in Australia, someone suffers a stroke. It’s our second-biggest killer and has left nearly half a million survivors living with crippling disability. Despite the dramatic medical advances in other fields, there’s only so much that can be done for a stroke patient – which makes the work of one clinic in America so tantalising. The new therapy is controversial and heavily criticised, but the patients say it’s truly miraculous. This Sunday, Michael Usher meets the woman who was left paralysed by a stroke three years ago and became trapped inside her own body. She could hardly walk or talk. What happens in the next 3 minutes, has to be seen to be believed. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Jo Townsend Wild Patagonia There are very few places left on the planet that can be called pure wilderness. Patagonia, on the southern most tip of South America is one such place – a landscape of myth and legend. This Sunday, Allison Langdon travels to this remote land and uncovers the most breathtaking landscape. You’ll be in wonder at the giant glaciers – kilometres wide and hundreds of metres tall – as they fall away into the water below. Scientist Dr Stephan Harrison has been studying these beautiful ice flows for 20 years and says they hold a dire warning for the future of Planet Earth. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway
Fatal Obsession Elisha Fatal Obsession This Sunday a story of love, betrayal, and murder. Rachelle Yeo was a woman living in fear. She’d just ended an affair with a man who refused to accept it was over. That man, Paul Mulvihill, was obsessed. He had a wife and children of his own, but he wanted Rachelle, too. And because he couldn’t have her, Mulvihill committed an unspeakable act of revenge. Paul Mulvihill’s obsession has left two families destroyed – Rachelle’s and his own. 60 Minutes will take you inside the mind of a sociopath. Watch as Paul Mulvihill protests his innocence in an extraordinary video recorded just days before his conviction. And see the troubled existence of Paul’s wife, struggling to come to terms with his secret affairs and ultimate vengeful murder. Theresa Mulvihill’s already scared of the day when Paul will be eligible for parole, 22 years from now. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: Stephen Rice, Grace Tobin Elisha Many of you will remember Elisha Neave, the young Gold Coast mother battling a deadly gene that predisposes her whole family to breast and ovarian cancer. Elisha fought an extraordinary battle against the disease, all the while determined to save others from suffering the same ordeal. She never gave up. But after the bravest of fights, Elisha died in the early hours of Wednesday morning, surrounded by her family and friends. Now, her wonderful family is determined to make sure Elisha’s legacy lives on. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Rice
A Mother’s Love The Wolf Rio Bravo A Mother’s Love This Sunday, all around Australia, we’ll be celebrating our mums. And the mum you’ll meet is particularly special. Zoe Gonzalez gave birth to her first child, William, 18 months ago. Little William is the pride and joy of Zoe and her husband David. He’s also a living tribute to a mother’s determination and devotion. You see, William has a life-threatening heart condition – so serious that doctors advised Zoe to terminate her pregnancy at 20 weeks. Zoe defied them. Now, William’s remarkable improving health is the greatest gift a mum could hope for, and on Mothers’ Day they’ve got some more good news. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Hannah Stenning The Wolf When the film ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ hit cinemas recently, it was a box office hit. The Hollywood juggernaut was based on the real life story of Jordan Belfort. The one-time stockbroker spent 22 months in prison for fraud and money laundering, after ripping off investors to the tune of more than a hundred million dollars. Today, Jordan Belfort insists he’s a changed man. In fact, he’s coming to Australia, selling his tale of redemption and the importance of ethics in business, at high price seminars. But the real ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ may not be all he seems – and authorities in the U.S. want to know what’s happening to his new found fortune. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Rio Bravo Hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet is a gargantuan challenge. You need world-class infrastructure and now, more than ever, the tightest possible security. The world’s elite athletes and their fans need to be guaranteed of their safety. In July, the Football World Cup will play out in one of the world’s most volatile cities: Brazil’s incomparable Rio de Janeiro. And as if that’s not enough – the Olympics will be there in 2016. The only problem: Rio is South America’s most f
Ricky The Forgotten Girls Ricky There’s something about Ricky Martin. As one of the world’s most successful entertainers, he’s blessed with a spellbinding passion and energy that few can match. He’s sold millions of albums and earned millions of dollars. But getting there wasn’t easy. It’s taken years of dedication and hard work for the boy from Puerto Rico to make it to the top. Along the way, he’s faced some extraordinary challenges – the toughest being his decision to tell the world he was gay. Since that day, Ricky Martin’s life has blossomed, becoming a father to two beautiful boys and achieving even greater musical success. This Sunday, Ricky Martin speaks from the heart about his personal demons and his family. Liz Hayes gets swept up in Ricky’s world, from his home in Puerto Rico to South America’s biggest musical festival in Chile, and one thing is for sure, he’s more popular than ever. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen The Forgotten Girls They screamed but no one heard them; vulnerable girls who were neglected, beaten and abused by men who were supposed to be caring for them. Parramatta Girls Home in Western Sydney was run like a prison camp for teenagers, who were rounded up and judged by authorities to be in moral danger. But whatever those dangers may have been, there’s no doubting the terror and torment that was in store for some girls inside this Government Institution. For more than four decades, the victims of that systemic abuse have kept their silence – cowered by fear and shame. Now, those vulnerable young girls are strong women with their own daughters and granddaughters. This Sunday, they take Tara Brown back to the derelict building that was meant to save them, to confront their fears head on. It’s an extraordinary act of courage as they pursue justice against their abusers. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Laura Sparkes
Love Scam The Cahill Express Russian Revolution Love Scam Despite the umpteen warnings and thousands of tragic stories, more and more Australians are being duped by get rich quick schemes and love scams. Australian police estimate 2 million dollars leaves Australia every week, never to return, as part of a scam. And that’s just the money they know about. For one 67 year old grandmother from Western Australia, an online friendship has cost much more than her life’s savings. Jette Jacobs flew to South Africa believing she was starting a new relationship with 28 year old Jesse Omokoh, but just days after meeting him, Jette was found dead in her apartment. This Sunday we pursue the man police believe killed Jette Jacobs, and the search for Omokoh took us all the way back to Nigeria. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Steven Burling The Cahill Express When the Socceroos line up in Brazil next month for the World Cup, there’s no doubt it’s going to be tough. But our top goal scorer, Tim Cahill, will be there to bolster our hopes. It will be the 34 year old’s third World Cup and almost certainly his last. It’s an emotional time for a man who doesn’t like to show his emotions. But Tim Cahill has millions of reasons to smile. After a magnificent career in England’s premier league and a bank balance to match, he’s now being paid handsomely to play his favourite game in America. Liz Hayes spent a week with Tim, his wife, and four children in New York as he prepared to don the green and gold again. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Russian Revolution When we first broadcast the story about Kristy Cruise, the young Gold Coast mother struck down by multiple sclerosis, the response was simply extraordinary. Kristy was so determined to beat her MS that she flew to Russia to undergo a ground-breaking stem cell treatment not available here in Australia. It’s not a cure, but it can stop the disease in its tracks. And for the thousand
World’s Biggest Family Turia Pitt New Hope World’s Biggest Family This Sunday, a story that couldn’t get much bigger. A story which proves that no matter how many places you’ve been, the world can still throw up surprises. Tara Brown has just visited a family in a far flung backblock of India. It’s a family with a big difference; it’s the biggest family in the world. If you think your home life is occasionally chaotic and often expensive then wait till you see this. There’s Mr Ziona, his 38 wives, their 94 children, their 33 grandkids, and they all live under the one roof! They’ve got their own school, football stadium, and an omelet for the family dinner requires 480 eggs! Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey Turia Pitt Turia Pitt is unstoppable. It’s now three years since she was horrifically burnt in that Kimberley bushfire while competing in an ultra marathon. When we last caught up with her, Turia took a huge leap of faith and removed the black face mask she’d worn since that terrible day. This Sunday you’ll see just how liberating it has been for Turia. She’s competing again – on the bike and in the water. And now, for the first time, she’s returning to the remote outback where her life changed forever. For a woman who has overcome so much adversity, it will be the ultimate test of courage. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Ali Smith New Hope Parents will sacrifice everything to give their children the best chance at life. And right now, 35 Australian families are in Canada for one last shot at helping their kids with learning difficulties, to read, write and add up. It’s a giant leap of faith: they’ve left their homes, their jobs – and often split their families – to enroll their children in a program that, on the surface, looks nothing like education. The Arrowsmith School in Vancouver is all about re-wiring the brain, so that kids with conditions like dyslexia can, for the first time, learn
Lion Man Rory’s Story The Eagles Lion Man This Sunday meet the extraordinary man who’s known as “The Lion Whisperer”. Kevin Richardson’s bond with Africa’s dominant predator is as astonishing as it is touching. He’s devoted his life to understanding and protecting the mighty Lion which is battling human encroachment and shrinking habitat. Along the way, he cuddles them, tickles them, even sticks his head in their jaws! Despite Kevin’s research, it’s now feared that within just twenty years there will be no lions “born free”. Join Allison Langdon as she tracks some wild lions for a unique African experience. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Steven Burling Rory’s Story It’s the sort of news no parent can imagine being told – that your child has a rare tumor the size of a football in their abdomen. But that’s exactly what’s been growing inside 11 year old Rory Williams. Rory’s plight is very close to us at Channel Nine. His dad Grant is a colleague and mate, and Rory is the godson of reporter Ben Fordham. Grant, Rory and Ben have come together to tell this story in a bid to raise awareness about the lifesaving work of the medical teams at The Sydney Children’s Hospital on the eve of the Gold Telethon Appeal. And while they were filming this story, the Williams family has been rocked by more shocking news. Now Grant has cancer, too. Reporter: Ben Fordham Producer: Steven Burling The Eagles In the pantheon of Rock ‘n’ Roll, few bands have soared as high as The Eagles. Quite simply, they’re one of the most enduring rock groups of all time. Even in our digital era, their signature song Hotel California has been downloaded over one million times. But the highs have been matched by terrible lows. The Eagles kicked off in 1971 – broke up spectacularly ten years later – then went back on the road in 1994. And, more or less, that’s where they’ve been ever since. Now they’re on their way back to Austr
Abduction Game of Drones Abduction This Sunday, a special investigation into the abduction of two teenage girls 17 years ago. Vanessa Conlan and Jessica Small were only 15 when they were taken from the main street of Bathurst, west of Sydney. The girls were driven out of town by an unknown man, until he stopped and they ran for their lives. Vanessa managed to escape, but Jessica hasn’t been seen since. For years, local police did next to nothing about the girls’ abduction and Jessica’s suspected murder. But nearly two decades on, this cold case is finally cracking. 60 Minutes speaks to the key witness who saw Jessica’s final struggle, the person who found crucial evidence eight months later, and tracks down the man who may know where Jessica is. At the middle of it all, is a heartbroken mother, a distraught best friend and one dogged detective. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Laura Sparkes, Grace Tobin Game of Drones Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No – it’s a drone. These small, agile flying machines are revolutionising the way we see the world. Drones are the new frontier in aviation – from sport to policing, wedding videos to war-fare, these incredible gadgets can go anywhere and film anything. Soon, they’ll be able to do anything too. You see, their applications are only limited by our imagination. Charles Wooley visits the high tech nerve centre of drone research where you can play tennis against them and fly them with the wave of your hand. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Stephen Rice
Parent Power The Assassin Parent Power A parent’s love knows no bounds, especially when a child is diagnosed with a deadly disease. But what lengths would you go to if the disease was so rare that pharmaceutical companies saw no profit in developing a cure? Well, more and more parents of desperately sick kids are taking matters into their own hands. Armed with passion and the power of the internet, they’re bringing urgency to the usually glacial pace of drug discovery. This Sunday, Michael Usher talks to one Australian couple whose son and daughter have developed an ultra-rare fatal genetic disease. They’ve found a cure and established a medical trial, only to face the impossible decision – which child will they save? Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Lincoln Howes, Jo Townsend The Assassin Gavrilo Princip fired the deadliest shot in history. One bullet that richoted around the world and defined the course of the 20th century. Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, triggering the beginning of World War One and the unprecedented carnage that would follow. Sixty thousand Australians would make the ultimate sacrifice on the field of battle. This week marks 100th anniversary of the Archduke’s assassination. Charles Wooley revisits the exact spot where the world changed forever and meets the assassin’s family, who claim he’s a hero. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Nick Greenaway
5 Seconds Of Summer Forced Marriage 5 Seconds Of Summer This story is about an unlikely group of Aussie teenage lads who’ve formed a band called 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER. 5SOS, as they’re known, are topping the music charts all over the world, and collecting millions of fans to boot. Teenage girls go wild for them, but they’re not a boy band. They write their own music and are determined to be original and authentic rockers, not manufactured popstars. The boys have just played to a packed Wembley Stadium in London. And Peter Stefanovic took their Mums along for the ride. Reporter: Peter Stefanovic Producer: Steven Burling Forced Marriage This Sunday the most extraordinary story of kidnap, survival, escape and hiding. 13-year-old Rania Farrah was supposed to be on the trip of a lifetime, a tour of historic Egypt with her older brother. Instead, the Sydney teenager would be taken captive by her father’s family in Syria, and held against her will. She endured horrific beatings and the most horrific breaches of human rights. She would be married off to her cousin, a man she’d never met, in a land she didn’t know. Young Rania was a prisoner in the secretive and sinister world of forced marriage. But refusing to be defeated, she secretly plotted and pulled off a daring escape back to Australia on the day she turned 18. Now, she’s forced to live in hiding, fearful her father will track her down and kill her. On 60 Minutes, Rania very bravely speaks to Liz Hayes in the hope of lifting the veil on a hidden crime that affects hundreds of Australian women. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: Steven Burling, Steve Jackson
Riding The Monster The Pink Panthers Curing Cancer Riding The Monster When you think of the biggest waves in the world, it’s a fair bet that England’s south coast isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. It’s not a coast or a country that contributes much to the world of pro-surfing. Which makes Andrew Cotton all the more exceptional. Andrew is a mild-mannered plumber from Devon who happens to be a super-surfer, master of the biggest waves on the planet. In fact, he’s ridden what some have dubbed the biggest wave ever. Earlier this year he took off on a monster whipped up by a fierce storm in the Atlantic Ocean. This Sunday, he shows Tara Brown how he survives when these mountains of water crash over him. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey The Pink Panthers The French Riviera is the summer haven for the richest of the rich. Millionaires and billionaires go there to laze in the sun, drink cocktails and shop. Hard on their Gucci heals is a gang of thieves, the likes of which police admit they’ve never seen. They’re called the Pink Panthers and their jewels of choice are diamonds. So far they’ve stolen nearly half a billion dollars worth in brazen raids across Europe and Asia. They hit hard and fast, taking their loot, before making their getaway – all in under two minutes. The cops chasing them say the Pink Panthers are about to strike again, but they have no idea where. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Curing Cancer It could be one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the 21st century – a cure for childhood cancer. That’s what researchers are on the verge of, right now in America. Desperately sick children, previously given no chance of survival, are now cancer free. It’s all thanks to a dedicated group of scientists who are using one of the most notorious killers of our time – HIV – to fight leukaemia. This Sunday, see the miraculous recovery of little Austin. We first met him last Septembe
Gorilla Warfare The Coward Kylie Gorilla Warfare In the dark heart of Africa lies a place very few people have seen. It’s called Virunga. And it’s home to one of the last populations of mountain gorillas in the world. Despite decades of civil war and brutal poaching the gorillas are clinging on, protected by rangers who are literally prepared to die for the cause. Every month, a ranger gets killed by a poacher. Now a Belgian Prince has put himself between the gorillas and harm’s way, but he’s facing a new, more dangerous threat. Big oil is threatening to move into Africa’s oldest national park, and they’re much more brazen than the poachers. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway The Coward It is the story of our times: young men with a skin-full, randomly attacking innocent people, with catastrophic consequences. Michael McEwen is the victim of a sickening one punch attack, who’s surprised everyone with his will to live. But there’s another, rarely heard side of the story. Who are these violent young men who leave people like Michael fighting for life, and why do they do it? Well, one of these cowards has now shown considerable courage. Daniel Clementson is brutally honest about what drove him to almost kill someone with just one punch. It’s a confronting insight into the mind of an aggressor, when a moment of madness can change lives forever. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Jo Townsend, Grace Tobin Kylie Kylie Minogue has been part of our lives for nearly 30 years. She first burst onto the scene as Charlene in Neighbours, the tough, street-smart girl from Ramsay Street who took the knocks and dished them out. Now at 46, she’s a bonafide superstar, one of our greatest ever exports, but there’s still a lot of Charlene in Kylie. You see, deep down she’s still the girl from the suburbs of Melbourne, and more than ever she’s enjoying her return to Australia. Karl Stefanovic sat down with Kylie to reflect
Gerard Baden-Clay tried to portray himself as ‘Mr Middle Class’ – a successful small-businessman, proud father and loving and devoted husband. But the real Gerard was the complete opposite. He was an incompetent real estate agent whose business was hemorrhaging money; he was intolerant with his three young daughters and he was a womaniser who wasn’t even faithful to his long-term mistress. But why Gerard Baden-Clay thought all his problems could be fixed by killing his beautiful wife Allison, only he knows. So far he’s not saying, but after being convicted of murder, he now has a lifetime in prison to think about it. This Sunday 60 Minutes takes you inside the extensive police investigation which led to Baden-Clay’s prosecution. · Tara Brown meets the forensic and detective team who painstakingly put together a circumstantial case so strong, the jury had to convict.
MH-17 Dame Helen Unholy War MH-17 It’s been the most painful of weeks as Australians have watched in anguish and anger at the slow recovery of bodies from the crash site of MH-17. And for the families of those onboard, it’s still a long and torturous journey, before their loved ones come home. Making sense of it all will take even longer. Michael Usher has spent the week in Ukraine, and from the Prime Minister down, they feel Australia’s pain but the search for answers is excruciating. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Stephen Rice, Grace Tobin Dame Helen Dame Helen Mirren has never been more popular. The long-time leading lady with a career spanning four decades is known for her class, wit and no-nonsense attitude. She’s a legend of the theatre, small screen and box office, collecting Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globes for her roles portraying various monarchs. She’s practically royalty herself. So for Karl Stefanovic, scoring an audience with the sassy Dame in Los Angeles was part thrilling, part terrifying. Because she’s certainly a lady who says exactly what she thinks. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Jo Townsend Unholy War It began with the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers by Palestinian extremists. Then came the retribution killing of a fifteen year old Palestinian boy by Israeli extremists. Now this most brutal of conflicts has again spiralled into dreadful bloodshed. And once again, it’s the vast mass of ordinary people who are trapped between the fanatics in their midst. This Sunday, Allison Langdon takes you inside the Jewish settlements on the West Bank, and to the war raging on the Gaza Strip, as Hamas and the Israeli Defence Force try to blast each other away. Reporter: Allison Langdon
Green Rush Giants of the Deep Scotland the Free Green Rush Marijuana as medicine – especially for children – is something most people have a very firm view about. That is, they’re against it! But this story will likely change your mind; it certainly changed Michael Usher’s. In parts of America, prescription pot is legal and, many believe, saving lives. Politicians, doctors and patients are also shifting their thinking and there’s now a green rush to legalise cannabis for medicine nationwide. Here, it is a crime, forcing Australian families to break the law to help their children. But they don’t have to do that in the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado where Michael has been to investigate how the medical marijuana business works in practice – and to meet the little girl who’s helped change the laws across America. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Phil Goyen, Grace Tobin Giants of the Deep They’re the biggest fish in the ocean – making them one of the biggest targets for fishermen around the world. The whale shark is massive, magnificent and on the brink of extinction. But in a tiny corner of the Philippines, man and shark have come to a unique compromise. Fishermen, who used to hunt this marine giant, now protect it – reaping a financial bonanza from tourists. And everything had been going swimmingly, until a group of Western environmentalists turned up. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey Scotland the Free Charles Wooley admits this story is personal. You see, it’s the story of his birthplace – Scotland – and the historic decision it must make in September. Scots will vote on whether to remain part of Great Britain or to ‘go it alone’: to finally be free from the “Sasinacks”, the English, who have lorded over them for centuries. There will be many whose knowledge of Scottish history extends only as far as Mel Gibson in the movie Braveheart. But for Charles, the argument over Scottish independ
Baby Gammy The Australian parents of baby Gammy and his twin sister speak in an exclusive interview to tell their side of the story.
Rush of Love Brave Knight Brothers in Arms Robin Williams Rush of Love This could be the strangest love story you’ll ever see. A high flying London banker falling head over heels for a convicted drug mule serving life in a Bali prison. She is Nikki Butler, a mother of two, and wealthy finance worker. He is Scott Rush, one of the infamous Bali Nine drug couriers. They’re in love. In fact, they’re engaged. Scott proposed in his cell. Nikki said yes. It sounds completely ridiculous — but it’s true. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey Brave Knight Liam Knight has had a horrendous 20 months. In January last year Liam was speared through the skull with a metal pole, thrown by a teenage gatecrasher at an 18th birthday party. It was a miracle Liam survived. This afternoon, Liam’s assailant was sentenced to a minimum of 8 years for his crime. Because he’s a minor, we can’t name him, but “DS” will be eligible for parole when he’s 24, young enough to resume the football career he told the court he loved. Liam Knight loved footy too. He also loved surfing, but both have been taken from him because Liam has been given the life sentence of permanent brain damage. This Sunday, Liam Knight and his mother Mary can finally talk freely about what happened the night of the attack, and the teenage girls who invited the gatecrashers. Viewers will see the impact on Liam’s life, and how his permanent brain damage is a daily battle for mobility and against seizures. It’s an emotional warning every parent and teenager must see. Brothers in Arms Ever since the Edgerton brothers were boys, they’ve been embarking on adventures together. From the backyard bushland they’d knock around in as kids – to the backlots of Hollywood, Joel and Nash have been brothers in arms. Joel stars in front of the camera – most famously opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby. Nash is a director and stuntman – whose roles are often more high
Curtis Landers Justice Overboard Barnesy Curtis Landers Curtis Landers is about as lucky, and as unlucky, as they come. Back in May, the 15 year old was a rising footy star when a routine tackle went terribly wrong. Badly dislocating his spine, Curtis was initially diagnosed a complete quadriplegic. His parents were told their boy would never walk again, and even struggle to breathe on his own. The outlook could not have been more bleak. But there’s always hope, and Curtis has defied the odds. This Sunday, it’s the feel good story of the year, as Curtis walks out of hospital and back onto the football field to kick a ball with his mates. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Hannah Stenning Justice Overboard Susan Neill-Fraser is behind bars – a grandmother convicted of murdering her partner, Bob Chappell. Convicted by a jury of her peers, she was sentenced to 23 years. But there’s one problem: Susan Neill-Fraser is innocent. That’s the unqualified conclusion of some of the finest legal minds in the country, including our leading expert in miscarriages of justice. Charles Wooley first looked at Susan’s case a year ago, and was convinced there was enough reasonable doubt to acquit her at trial. Now, the case to set her free is even stronger, if not undeniable, thanks to the new and compelling forensic evidence which 60 Minutes will reveal for the first time this Sunday. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Laura Sparkes Barnesy “Legend” is a word that’s often bandied about, and not always justified. If ever there was a dead set legend it’s Barnesy. Born in Scotland, raised in Adelaide, adored across the country, Jimmy Barnes has been belting out hits since the early seventies. While he won fame and notoriety as the front-man of Cold Chisel, it’s now thirty years since the band split and Jimmy went solo. There, through it all, has been his loyal wife Jane. Their partnership is rock and roll’s greatest love story. The hell-rais
The Father's Day Massacre: Bravery. Courage. Defiance. Heartbreak. They’re not words you normally attach to Father’s Day but Sunday, September 2nd 1984 was a Father’s Day like no other. It was the day two rival bikie gangs went to war in the car park of a Sydney pub, leaving dozens of people wounded and seven dead, including an innocent 15 year old girl. The notorious Milperra Massacre remains the worst single outbreak of bikie violence the world has ever seen. This Father’s Day marks 30 years since that bloodbath stunned Australia. In this special edition of 60 Minutes, Michael Usher takes viewers inside the massacre like never before. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Garry McNab
The Slipper Scandal It was one of the great political scandals of our time. When Peter Slipper ratted on the Liberal Party and accepted the Speaker’s job in Federal Parliament, he helped prop up a Labor Government that was on the verge of collapse. The sexual harassment claim and publication of vile and disgusting text messages that soon followed, would destroy Slipper and further destabilise the minority Gillard government. When the whistleblower and alleged victim decided against continuing his case, most thought that was the final chapter in a sordid and grubby political chapter. This Sunday, 60 Minutes will reveal that The Slipper Scandal lives on, and festers inside the current government led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott. James Ashby, the man at the centre of those dramatic events breaks his silence for the first time. What he tells Liz Hayes will rock the Abbott Government. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice
The Great White The Dark Web Birdsville The Great White Just as we start lifting our gaze towards summer, we’re confronted with the chilling news of another fatal shark attack. When 50 year old Paul Wilcox was taken by a great white shark off Byron Bay this week, he became the fourth confirmed shark fatality in Australian waters in just 12 months. It seems shark attacks are becoming more frequent – and this latest incident, being at one of the country’s most iconic beaches, makes it all the more confronting. But a leading group of shark researchers believe we might have it wrong when it comes to sharks, especially great whites. And they’re going to extraordinary lengths to prove it. This Sunday they take Allison Langdon on the dive of her life. Face to face with a great white shark, outside the cage, and totally exposed. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway The Dark Web This Sunday, we’ll take you into a world you probably never knew existed. It’s called the Dark Web, and it accounts for 90 per cent of the internet. It’s easy to find, and once you’re there, you can get whatever you want – drugs, weapons, even order a hitman. Scarier still, it’s totally untraceable. It’s the new place Australian teenagers are buying drugs and, as you’ll see, for some it has deadly consequences. 60 Minutes delves into this subterranean realm, as the F-B-I hunt for one of its masterminds. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: Stephen Rice, Grace Tobin Birdsville Long before cricket, rugby league or Aussie Rules became the collective obsession of the nation, one sport reigned supreme. Horse racing was our first national sport. In fact, a settlement couldn’t be called a “town” unless it had a racetrack. These days many of those country tracks have closed but not in Birdsville, in outback Queensland. For more than 130 years they have staged and run the Birdsville Cup. It may not stop the nation, but this day of boozing, brawling
Plane Graveyard Lifesaver A Cuban Revolution Tony & Gaga Plane Graveyard This Sunday, take a flight through the twilight zone to the big hangar in the sky. The place where jumbo jets go to die. The great aeroplane graveyard. Charles Wooley was given a one way ticket to the middle of nowhere (but somehow he made his way back!) to report on this most amazing of spectacles. You might think it’s a story about the decline of the airline industry, but in fact it’s the exact opposite. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Stephen Taylor Lifesaver Dr John Swinnen is a lifesaver – by training and nature. The Australian surgeon has swapped the comforts of life in Sydney for the dangers and devastation of Gaza in the Middle East. He’s been working around the clock to help the thousands of people injured in the recent war with Israel. It’s a conflict saturated in politics and opinion, but for Dr John Swinnen all that matters is helping people. Guest reporter Mark Burrows discovered a deep compassion in a man who knows what it’s like to lose a loved one. Reporter: Mark Burrows Producer: Howard Sacre A Cuban Revolution Cuba has become a bucket-list holiday destination for thousands of Australians. A unique place to enjoy balmy weather, salsa dancing and plenty of cocktails. While that may be true for tourists, it’s a world away from reality for those who actually live there. The romance of Che Guevara has long since faded in this communist stronghold. 3 streets back from the bars and the beach – the poverty and oppression begins. But that could be all about to change, because three years after the Arab Spring, the internet is finally coming to Cuba. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Tony & Gaga This is a musical collaboration as bizarre as it is perfect. Tony Bennett is the legendary 88 year old crooner who has been singing professionally since the 1940s. Lady Gaga is the most avant-garde name in pop music today. For all their dif
Special Report: Female State Stand Up Australia Our Best Bloke Special Report: Female State It wasn’t so long ago that the world hadn’t even heard of Islamic State, or ISIS, but this past week, U-S led air strikes against the extremist, fanatical group confirmed its status as the new global terrorist threat. ISIS controls a vast swathe of territory across Iraq and Syria. And its influence reaches well beyond the Middle East. On Tuesday night, a Melbourne teenager was shot dead after stabbing two police officers who wanted to question him over alleged threats against the Prime Minister and, last week, counter terrorism police conducted the biggest ever raids in Australia, after intercepting plans of a local ISIS member to kidnap and publicly behead a random victim. And so the world is rallying to help in the fight against ISIS but, on the ground, it’s a war fought largely by the Kurdish people of northern Syria and Iraq. And within their ranks is a brave and unique force of women: the Kurdish female freedom fighters. These mothers, wives and daughters are highly trained, committed and absolutely fearless. They will stop at nothing to protect their homes and their families. They are the front line in the global war against ISIS. Tara Brown has just spent a week in northern Syria and Iraq, and witnessed these courageous women in action. Many of them are teenagers, most are young women in the 20s and 30s. They’ve all been forced to delay any thoughts of study, career, travel or family – to preserve the way of life we so easily take for granted. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey Stand Up Australia We do it all day long and you’re probably doing it right now. Sitting. It’s become as normal as breathing. We now sit down every day for longer than we sleep. And the latest research says sitting is as bad as smoking. It sounds dramatic because it is. Excessive sitting has been linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. A
The Alarming Truth The Courageous Dr Davis Neil Diamond Trail Blaiser Update The Alarming Truth It was Australia’s most deadly house fire. Ever. Eleven people, eight of them children, were killed as an inferno engulfed the home in which they were sleeping. Two families, together for a cousins sleepover, ripped apart by tragedy. Three years after that fatal fire at Slacks Creek, south of Brisbane, the scars remain raw for the survivors. Disturbingly for the rest of us, authorities have not heeded the lessons from the tragedy. As this 60 Minutes special investigation reveals, Australia’s most popular fire alarm, the one that’s likely fitted in your home, is unlikely to save you. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau The Courageous Dr Davis This is a story of courage and inspiration. Dr Ian Davis was in the prime of his life, and part of the team charged with curing leukemia, when he diagnosed himself with motor neuron disease. He knew straight away he had very limited time left, so Ian set out to achieve more than most of us would in a lifetime. He’s jumped out of planes, jammed on stage with Pearl Jam, set up his own brewery, and ridden a specially designed bike from Brisbane to Sydney to raise money for MND research. Then Ian began reading books to his unborn son, in case he lost the use of his voice, or worse still, never got to meet him. Ray Martin has been with Ian every step of the way on this emotional journey, and was there when Ian’s final wish came true. Reporter: Ray Martin Producer: Jo Townsend Neil Diamond There are stars. There are superstars. And then, there’s Neil Diamond. He’s not so much in a class of his own, as an entire galaxy. Neil Diamond has sold more than 125 million albums, among the biggest selling artists of all time. For more than half a century he’s been writing and performing hits. And at age 73, this “solitary man” has no intention of slowing down. Allison Langdon took Neil
John of God Shallow Water Blackout U2 Bruce and Denise John of God John of God claims he can cure any disease. He’s a Brazilian spiritual leader who’s been courted and praised by everyone from Presidents to Oprah Winfrey. Tens of thousands of sick and elderly people flock to his casa every year in the hope they’ll be cured of their diseases. He operates on some of them, and claims to deliver divine healing onto others. It’s big business, too: from therapeutic crystal beds, to blessed bottled water and costly magic pills, John of God’s devotees must dig deep into their pockets for the healing and enlightenment. Now he’s bringing his religious show to Australia next month, so Michael Usher went to investigate John of God’s medical and spiritual credentials. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Phil Goyen, Grace Tobin Shallow Water Blackout One moment 12-year-old Jack MacMillan was happily splashing about in the family pool. Within minutes, he was dead. There was no cry for help, no desperate fight for his final breath. Jack was the victim of a deadly but little-known condition called Shallow Water Blackout. It’s brought on by the simple act of holding your breath underwater and its thought to be the number one cause of drowning among competent swimmers. Kids are at risk in backyard pools right across the country and, believe it or not, they’re even more at risk in swim squads at the local public pool. Swimming Australia is scrambling to re-issue it’s guidelines around hypoxic training but, as Allison Langdon discovered, even our top swimming coaches can’t agree on what’s safe for our kids. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Lincoln Howes U2 Over the last 40 years, U2 has risen from the rough streets of Dublin to become global superstars. Just last month they caused a sensation when their latest album was released to Apple’s half a billion iTunes account holders, for free. Some critics said it smacked of desperation, wh
Who Killed Irma? Foo Fighters Tommy and Nathan Who Killed Irma? This Sunday, a murder mystery like no other. Two apparently unrelated crimes, 11 years apart. One is a relatively harmless teenage prank. The other a cowardly murder of a Canberra grandmother. 72 year old Irma Palacsics was bashed and murdered in her own home in 1999. Fifteen years on, the killers probably thought they’d got away with it, but a recent break-in at a local “pitch and putt”, has this cold case warming up. Extraordinary new forensic science has linked the two crimes and, now, a son is about to betray his killer father. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Laura Sparkes Foo Fighters Dave Grohl has to be the nicest guy in rock and roll. He’s the front man for Foo Fighters – one of the most successful bands in music history. He’s also a middle aged suburban dad with three beautiful daughters. Now, Foo Fighters are about to release their 8th studio album, Sonic Highways. And Dave, who’s worth a cool $200 million, is riding high. He showed Allison Langdon around his studio, his cars, his hometown and tells stories about Coldplay, Prince Harry, Nirvana and being busted in Australia. Be warned: he’s got a wicked sense of humour and he swears like a trooper. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Stephen Rice Tommy and Nathan On Tuesday, Australia will again stop everything for the Melbourne Cup as 24 horses and jockeys thunder around Flemington. Of course, winning The Cup is the pinnacle of any racing career. And this year, no jockey wants it more than Tommy Berry. But he doesn’t want victory for himself. Tommy is riding for his identical twin brother Nathan, who died earlier this year from an acute form of epilepsy. Nathan was also a jockey and, come Tuesday afternoon, Tommy says they’ll be together in the saddle riding for Cup glory. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Nick Greenaway
Sandakan Dirty Business John Cleese Little Legend Sandakan Australia is a nation well-versed in the cost of war. From Gallipoli to Afghanistan, Iraq to Vietnam, we honour young Australians lost on the battlefield. For the servicemen and women who come home, there can be a heavy, often invisible cost. It’s called Post Traumatic Stress. Treating the psychological scars of conflict can be challenging, but one group of veterans has found a remarkable form of therapy. Allison Langdon recently joined them on the infamous Sandakan death march route in Borneo. Despite being one of the deadliest chapters in our military history, this trek was all about life. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway Dirty Business Banks are supposed to be held to the highest corporate standard and they’re never shy to tell us when they’re doing things right. But there’s a story that our big four banks are not telling you. It’s a story of alleged forced evictions and land acquisitions – families losing the homes they’ve held for generations. And it’s been happening with the financial backing of Australian banks. The Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ and NAB are all accused of putting profit before people. You see, the banks have invested in, or financed, big overseas agricultural companies in poorer, developing nations. The result is land grabs on a scale that would be condemned if they happened here in Australia. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen John Cleese There aren’t too many comedians who could boast that they’ve changed the face of comedy, but John Cleese can, even if he’s far too modest to make such a claim. From Monty Python to Fawlty Towers, John Cleese has created some of the funniest and most enduring characters of our times. And at 75, he’s showing no signs of retiring. He’s just penned an autobiography, and while it explains a lot about the man, one thing he can’t explain is why John Cleese makes us laugh. Report
The Siege Survivors On Monday, December 15, 2014, gunman Man Monis took control of the Lindt Café in Martin Place, Sydney, holding 18 people hostage. Next Sunday on Channel Nine, a 60 Minutes special report will tell the whole story of what happened inside the café, according to the hostages who saw it all. Eight of the survivors have told their story to Liz Hayes, and for the first time they reveal their detailed and harrowing accounts of the terrifying ordeal, and how they fought for their survival. They include: Paolo Vassallo, 36, father of two Lindt Café Kitchen Supervisor Paolo started work at the Lindt Café in the same week as Tori Johnson in October 2012. They were close friends. That morning his two children (one three, one six months old) and his wife were still asleep when he left for work, and he didn’t get to say goodbye. That would play on Paolo’s mind as he struggled with his decision to make a run for it. When John O’Brien and Stefan Balafoutis escaped out the front door, Paolo took his chance. Harriette Denny, 30, secretly pregnant Lindt Café Barista Harriette would arrive for work every morning half an hour early to have coffee with Tori before preparing to open the café. She is the mother hen of the café workers, who was also 14 weeks pregnant. Only one other person in the café knew Harriette was carrying a child. Joel Herat, 21, student Café Worker Joel was running late for work that day. He was in the kitchen when Monis took control of the café, and was passed a knife and scissors by Jarrod Morton-Hoffman and told “we might need these”. Joel would facilitate hostage videos being uploaded to YouTube and social media. Jarrod Morton-Hoffman, 19, student Café Worker Despite having worked at the café for 10 months it was Jarrod’s first ever morning shift. Jarrod would prove to be the crucial link between police negotiators and Monis, repeatedly calming him down through the course of the day and eve
Great White Menace Sean Pollard has a remarkable tale to tell. On October 2 last year he was attacked by a Great White Shark at a remote surfing spot near Esperance in Western Australia. The shark charged at Sean three times, taking a big chunk out his board, then his legs, and finally biting off both of his arms. Just when Sean thought he was gone, he managed to tear himself free, only to get hit from behind by a second Great White. It’s the first known attack of its kind – anywhere in the world. Unbelievably, Sean’s will to live overpowered his pain, shock and loss of blood. He kicked like crazy until catching the wave of his life, backwards and upside down, to get away from the sharks. But he was still 50 metres from shore, at one of Australia’s most remote beaches, and 700km from the life-saving surgery he needed. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, Sean tells Michael Usher his extraordinary story of survival and good luck, and thanks the inspiring locals who helped save him. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Garry McNab Wild Reese To be a Hollywood veteran before you turn 40 is no mean feat, but then Reese Witherspoon did start making movies when she was just 14. By 29 she had won an Oscar, but despite all her wealth and success she couldn’t land the roles she wanted. Her career was floundering. So Reese took matters into her own hands and started making films herself. She has produced two of the standout films this summer, Gone Girl and Wild, in which she also plays the lead role. Her resurgence started with an Australian business partner and their shared desire to make movies about strong women. In this raw and emotional interview, Reese Witherspoon goes back to her childhood home, her high school, and opens up about her mother, grandmother and her own personal pain. Reporter: Charlie Rose CBS 60 Minutes Siege Survivors Last Sunday, Australia was in awe and overcome by the bravery and strength of the survivors of the Lindt Café Siege, esp
The Ebola Saint It’s the violent and deadly virus that is threatening the population of West Africa and has the rest of the world extremely scared. Already more than 23,000 people have been infected and 9000 have died from ebola. This week on 60 Minutes, Michael Usher goes to the epicentre of the crisis in Sierra Leone, seeing firsthand the devastation facing those struck down by the virus. It’s a lonely and awful death. Caring for the victims is a very special Australian volunteer nurse who is on her third trip to the ebola death zone in 12 months. Every day, Anne Carey and her brave colleagues risk their lives to give hope and comfort to the sick and dying. The frontline battle against this highly contagious virus is terrifying and desperately sad, but Anne’s selflessness and compassion shines like a beacon. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen American Sniper As movie stars go, Bradley Cooper would have to be Hollywood’s brightest. And after his compelling performance in American Sniper he has received his third Oscar nomination in as many years, a feat that puts him alongside Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson and Spencer Tracy. The 87th Academy Awards will be presented this weekend and this 40-year-old bachelor will be taking his mum along as his date. Now, as he sits down with 60 Minutes America, Cooper reveals why he is so much more than a movie star – in fact he’s just traded Hollywood for Broadway. Reporter: Steve Kroft Producer: CBS 60 Minutes Happy Gilmore On a surfboard Stephanie Gilmore is poetry in motion. A stunning combination of beauty, grace, and skill. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. When a brutal assault rocked Steph’s world, some feared her competitive days were over. In a raw and honest interview she recounts the attack to Karl Stefanovic and reveals the deep impact it has had on her life. She also takes Karl on her rigorous training regime and shows off her ultra-competitive streak on the golf co
It has been a century since our diggers landed on that godforsaken shore in Turkey and after all those years, memories, books and films, you might think we know everything there is to know about Gallipoli. Well, we don’t – far from it. Across Australia, in dusty forgotten boxes, hidden gems are finding the light of day – long-lost stories of unsung heroes and family secrets. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, the untold stories that will change the lives of four Australian families: · The boy soldier, Jack Harris – our youngest soldier to fight and die at Gallipoli. · The kindergarten mates who stumbled across each other on the battlefield, one saving the other’s life. Their story was secret until a life changing meeting by their descendants nearly 100 years later. · The secret diaries of an Australian nurse, and how their chance discovery leads her grandson to meet his family for the first time a century on. · The Aussie surgeon who incredibly fought for both the Turks – and the Australians. These are the unknown stories of Australian sacrifice, service and mateship – the amazing lost stories of ANZAC.
Catching a Monster He’s considered Australia’s worst paedophile, and for four years Peter Scully was on the run. He thought by hiding out in a remote corner of the Philippines he was beyond the reach of the law. But Scully was wrong. In this exclusive report, 60 Minutes has been given unprecedented access to the international investigation for this terrifying criminal. Joining the Australian Federal Police and special agents in the Philippines on their global manhunt, our cameras were there when Scully was finally caught. Now, behind bars, and facing multiple charges, Tara Brown comes face to face with our country’s most depraved predator. What he has to say for himself will leave you stunned. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Saving David Warner David Warner is Australia’s most polarising cricketer. As a child growing up in a housing commission estate, Warner dreamed of playing for his country, but just 18 months after smashing his way into the Australian side he almost threw it all away. This Sunday on 60 Minutes he takes Peter Overton back to where it all began and opens up about the two girls in his life – fiancée Candice Falzon and their baby daughter Ivy Mae. He talks candidly about the punch-ups, the twitter tirades, the on-field sledging, and the woman he credits with saving him. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Garry McNab Bikini Atoll Bikini Atoll is a paradise lost. This tiny spec in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is beautiful beyond belief, with turquoise waters, luscious fertile lands and incredible sea life. But for 12 years it was the site of the world’s worst ever nuclear testing regime. Now, more than 60 years on, Bikini is once again a Garden of Eden, but just like the biblical garden, its fruits are forbidden. Everything there is contaminated and the island is a ghost town. Allison Langdon journeys back in time to this ancient atoll and dives deep on the seabed where both untold, and unsettling, t
Jihad Jake A week ago Melbourne teenager Jake Bilardi drove a van laden with explosives into Iraqi troops on a failed suicide bombing mission. He was acting under his assumed name, Abu Abdullah al-Australi. Only a year earlier Jake was a normal Australian kid studying for his Year 12 exams. The youngest of six children, he was brought up an atheist. So how did a suburban kid end up as the new face of radicalisation and martyrdom? It’s a story as non-descript as it is frightening. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Ali Smith, Stephen Rice Martin’s Miracle Martin Pistorius was a bright, fun-loving, happy young boy when a mystery illness stole his life away. Martin fell into a virtual coma and lost his intelligence, his memory and his ability to function. Four years later he slowly started coming back to life, but had no way of telling anyone. For six more painful years he could see and hear everything, but no one knew he was “there”. Then one miraculous day, a relief nurse saw that behind Martin’s eyes was an incredibly bright brain at work. With her help Martin proved his awakening and began his inspiring journey back to life. Now he has finished school, university, moved countries, and has a successful career. He has also discovered something much more elusive, which he never thought he’d experience – Martin has found true love. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau, Gareth Harvey Who Shot The Red Baron? It is one of the Great War’s unsolved mysteries. Who shot down the famous Red Baron? German pilot Manfred von Richthofen was renowned for his daring aerial manoeuvres and precision aim. He shot down more allied planes than any other pilot and had 80 confirmed kills to his name. The red flash of his fighter plane would strike fear into enemy pilots, but in April 1918, as the war was nearing its end, von Richthofen faltered and chased a plane across enemy lines. Canadian pilot Roy Brown intercepted him, fired his gun
Serial Murder: Major Investigation A child abducted. Then another. And another. Three Aussie kids missing. All from the same street. All within five months. Then, a child’s remains found. And again. And again. All in the same bushland. A serial killer is at large. But no one is brought to justice. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, a major investigation into a 25-year-old cold case. 60 Minutes will reveal fresh evidence, and speak to a new witness. Reporter Michael Usher tracks down the man police believe is the prime suspect. Is he the serial killer? Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Nick Greenaway, Grace Tobin Finding Cobber In 2008, after years of searching, Lambis Englezos found the lost diggers of Fromelles: more than 200 Australian soldiers who were hastily buried in a mass grave during the First World War. Despite government and bureaucratic resistance, Lambis proved the bodies were there. Subsequently the diggers were exhumed, given proper burials, and many finally identified, to the great comfort of their families. Now Lambis has done it again. For the past four years he’s honed in on what he believes is the mass grave of 143 Australian soldiers on the Gallipoli peninsula. And you won’t believe it, but once again our government is turning its back. Reporter: Peter Stefanovic Producer: Stephen Taylor Life on Mars Are we alone in the universe? Or is there life out there? This question has long plagued mankind. NASA’s rovers, Spirit and Curiosity, have come very close to finding an answer, discovering evidence of water on Mars, but the search for life goes on. Now NASA is gearing up for the next rover mission, and an Australian will play a crucial role in this quest for extra-terrestrial beings. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen
Farmers Fight Back Imagine being kicked out of your own home with no warning. The locks changed. All your treasured belongings and memories trapped inside. That’s what is happening to thousands of families across the country as the big banks threaten and bully them into submission. If it was happening in our capital cities there’d be a national outcry, but these evictions are happening in rural areas, away from the public glare. Until now. This Sunday, 60 Minutes will expose the sneaky tactics of our biggest banks as they kick farmers off their land, and families out of their homes. Our cameras capture the moment the receivers move in, and even threaten a farmer with the Tactical Response Group. But these farmers and their families aren’t gonna take it anymore. Reporter Michael Usher is there as they storm back onto their properties, confront the new owners, and have a showdown with police. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Grace Tobin, Stephen Rice Italian Sisters It is the biggest international child abduction case in living memory. An Australian mother kidnaps her four daughters from their father in Italy, claiming he is an abusive monster. The Australian Embassy in Rome illegally assists in smuggling the girls to Australia. Two years later the four sisters are dragged kicking and screaming back to their father in Italy. They were hysterical and confronting scenes we wouldn’t forget easily. 60 Minutes first exposed the mother’s con, the father’s heartache and our embassy’s unforgivable role in 2012. Now, three years on, for the first time in an exclusive interview with Tara Brown, the girls have their say. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey Ice Crystal meth, or ice, is the perfect destructive drug. It’s easy to make, cheap to buy, highly addictive, and it’s everywhere. Now the Prime Minister has commissioned a new taskforce to tackle this national crisis. And you don’t need to touch ice to be its victim. It’s int
Jessica Silva On Mother’s Day 2012, 23-year-old Jessica Silva stabbed and killed her partner, the father of her young son. Last month she walked free from court, despite being convicted of manslaughter. Now for the first time Jessica tells her tragic tale of survival. She was the victim of domestic abuse, suffering years of verbal and physical attacks by her partner, James Polkinghorne. On that fateful night, Jessica made a split-second decision to save herself and her family. In this 60 Minutes exclusive, Jessica opens up about her life with Polkinghorne and recounts what happened the night that ended in his death. And she makes a nerve-wracking trip to see his father to seek his forgiveness. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Laura Sparkes Public v Private It’s one of the most anxious questions facing parents – which school will give my child the best start in life? The great public-versus-private debate has raged for years. Will the local high school suffice, or do you need to pay big bucks for a private education? Independent schools might offer smart uniforms, high-tech gyms and advanced facilities, but is it worth the ever-increasing fees? A child born today will cost more than half a million dollars to put though private school. Are parents getting their money’s worth? Reporter Tara Brown speaks to families, educators and experts on both sides of the debate to uncover the truth about secondary education. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Sam Smith He is arguably the biggest name in music at the moment. Sam Smith cleaned up at this year’s Grammy Awards and is now a global superstar. Such is his success that it is hard to believe that just two years ago he was serving beers and cleaning toilets at a London pub. 60 Minutes travels with Sam back to where he wrote his debut hit album, Lonely Hour, and to the tiny church where he first performed for family and friends. Sam opens up to Allison Langdon about his sexuality,
This Sunday 60 Minutes aims its cameras at the Royal family of Brunei, accusing the Sultan of hypocrisy. Plus Ed Sheeran and an unknown Gallipoli tale.
Grand Canyoning Grandparents Glenn Singleman and Heather Swan have a job that is as far from normal as most could imagine. A typical day sees them strapping themselves into wingsuits to soar like birds, defying death and gravity. The last time Liz Hayes was with the pair, Glenn’s attempt to fly from a hot air balloon at 37,000 feet almost ended in disaster. Three years later and not discouraged, Glenn and Heather have been planning their greatest wingsuit challenge ever: to fly across the Grand Canyon. To most it looks impossible, but “impossible” just doesn’t cut it with this high- flying duo. Everything seems to be going smoothly, until landing. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Wesley’s Homecoming It is one of the most heartbreaking decisions any mother should have to make: give up your son in order to save his life. That’s what Wesley Koni’s mother did after he was horrifically burned inside the family’s grass-hut home in the rugged and remote highlands of Papua New Guinea. It was 1993 and Wesley was just a toddler. The right side of his face, arms and chest fused into an indescribable mess of skin and scar tissue. Wesley was brought to Australia for lifesaving treatment, but the weeks would turn into months, with one surgery after another, and 22 years later he’s had 30 major operations. Now Wesley is heading home to see his mum. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Stephen Taylor
MH17: Special Investigation It is one of the most shocking war crimes of modern times. A passenger jet shot out of the sky, killing 298 people, 38 of them Australian. The images of the wreckage and debris of Flight MH17 strewn across the fields of Ukraine are seared into our memory. Australia’s leaders vowed to hunt down the killers, but nine months on no one has been held to account. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, reporter Michael Usher travels deep into Russian-controlled, eastern Ukraine to conduct a forensic investigation, painstakingly piecing together the evidence that leads to the very spot from where the missile was fired, finally revealing the proof about who shot down MH17. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Rice A Wife Basher Australia is facing a hidden crime wave. Domestic violence. One Australian woman is being killed every week, and those who survive are left with the most horrible physical and psychological scars. As a community we’ve only scratched the surface of the shame and secrecy surrounding this vile scourge. Some brave women have found the strength to speak out about their abuse, but too often the gutless perpetrators of domestic violence, either kill themselves or run a mile, before they can be held to account. Not this Sunday. Tara Brown sits down face to face with a wife basher. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Gareth Harvey, Grace Tobin Standing Tall The beautiful little kids in this story are just like yours and mine, but for one faulty gene. They’re the one in 20,000, for who statistics on dwarfism become a reality. The impact, is life-long, but now a team of Australian researchers is on the verge of a revolutionary new treatment for the most common form of dwarfism: achondroplasia. It’s a drug that actually grows the bones of children with the condition, and for the first time these kids have a chance of a life of standing tall. In this heart-warming story Karl Stefanovic meets two very special families, an
The Paedophile Hunter How would you know if your children are being groomed online? Preying on kids has exploded in the digital age as social media makes targeting victims chillingly easy for paedophiles. Their false identities and shifting online profiles mean police face an almost impossible task to catch them. The statistics are frightening. But now vigilantes are using the paedophiles’ own techniques against them. Leading the chase are people like Stinson Hunter, the Paedophile Hunter. This Sunday, Allison Langdon joins Stinson on the hunt for paedophiles and while the ethics are questionable, the results are undeniable. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Steven Burling The Missing Hour 12 people died in Grantham, Queensland when devastating floods tore through the town in January 2011. Dozens more people clung to their roofs, or were swept away before being rescued by helicopter. Locals have always maintained that a wall of water, which they describe as a monster, hit them with devastating impact and no warning. The only thing that could have caused that wall of water, was the collapse of a quarry wall, owned by one of Australia’s wealthiest families. But no one has believed the locals, and they were ignored by the first commission of inquiry. This Sunday, reporter Michael Usher goes back to Grantham and 60 Minutes will reveal the key evidence towards solving the mystery of this catastrophic event. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Jo Townsend North Korea North Korea is the world’s last belligerent stronghold for old-style communism. Led by Kim Jong-un, it remains a secretive and seemingly trigger-happy regime that makes it next to impossible for western media outlets to visit. Nine News Europe Correspondent Tom Steinfort was invited inside North Korea for a rare state guided tour of this bizarre state. He was tracked, watched, and likely listened to, as he was given the propaganda tour, and introduced to dozens of “happy” North Ko
My Brother’s Face When Joshua Aversano was hit and killed in a car accident, his sister Rebekah and her family were asked an impossible question, to donate his face to save the life of another man. Incredibly, they said yes. As a result, Richard Norris is probably the greatest medical miracle in the world right now. His face, bones, teeth, tongue, skin and hair are another man’s – they belong to Joshua. Richard is the recipient of the world’s first full face transplant. This Sunday Richard, his family, and his new love tell their remarkable story to Allison Langdon. And after 3 years, Rebekah Aversano meets Richard for the first time – the man who now wears her brother’s face. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Laura Sparkes What’s the Buzz? Who would have thought that the humble honey bee could be driven to extinction? It may sound apocalyptic but, right now, bees are being pummelled by a perfect storm. Pesticides, loss of habitat and a rapacious mite are just some of the forces threatening the Australian honey bee’s very existence. It’s arguably the single greatest threat to our ability to feed ourselves. Without bees, there’s no pollination, no life, no food. The stakes could not be higher. This Sunday Charles Wooley traverses Australia to meet a ferocious army of committed bee keepers and scientists on the war-path to save the precious bee. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau
Cardinal Pell The Catholic Church is in crisis. The Bishops and Archbishops of Australia have put themselves on a collision course with the victims of child sexual abuse. Last Sunday, 60 Minutes broadcast an interview with Peter Saunders, the man handpicked by Pope Francis to sit on the new Pontifical Commission into the Protection of Minors. His comments about Cardinal George Pell rocked the Vatican and triggered a backlash from the leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia. This week, 60 Minutes will respond to Archbishop Denis Hart and the Archbishops of Australia who have closed ranks around Cardinal Pell. 60 Minutes will also reveal new insights into the way the Catholic Church responds to these matters, proving once again that their first priority is to protect the Church and not its victims. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey Fatal Distraction They are intelligent, hard-working, upstanding parents who made one fatal mistake. They are responsible for the death of their own babies by leaving them in the car, usually on a hot day. Busy lives, a change to the daily routine, or being forgetful for just a moment – that is all it takes to cause tragedy and suffering that will stay with these parents for a lifetime. They have faced the most serious of charges, however experts say they are not criminals but victims, and it could happen to anyone. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Jo Townsend Unlocking Autism Autism affects a quarter of a million Australian families. For the children, their siblings and their parents, it can be an emotional battle every day, just to get through life. But a remarkable grandmother is performing musical miracles and unlocking autism in the suburbs of Melbourne. As reporter Tara Brown discovers, Daphne Proietto is finding a doorway into the world of autistic children, revealing the rich talents that hide inside them. For more than 15 years, these kids have been sitting down at Daphne’s piano to be set fre
To Walk Again When Dan Nicholls dove into the surf at Bondi Beach, he had no idea his swim would change medical history. You see, Dan hit a sandbank, and became a quadriplegic. Doctors told him he’d spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, with no use of his legs, and limited function of his arms and hands. They didn’t count on Dan’s dad, David. He made a promise to his son – to walk again. Over the next 12 years he raised millions of dollars for research and gave it to an eccentric British neuroscientist with the instructions to fix his son’s spinal chord. Up until now, a cure for paralysis has been deemed impossible. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, Dan and David will reveal the amazing results of their global quest, and you’ll see a world first – a once severed spinal chord, repaired completely, and a man once confined to a wheelchair – walking again. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Secret Sugar It is the dietary villain of our time, a bittersweet ingredient lurking in our food. We have always known that too much sugar is bad for us, but the sweet stuff has been usually the preserve of soft drinks and chocolates. Not anymore. The amount of hidden sugar in our foods has grown to the point, where the average Australian is consuming between 30 and 40 teaspoons of sugar every day. What’s more startling is that many of the foods marketed as healthy are in fact chock-full of sugar. This Sunday 60 Minutes takes you inside the food laboratories where big food companies are spending millions of dollars searching for the “bliss point” in their food – the perfect ratio of sugar to get you hooked on just about anything. Reporter: Leila McKinnon Producer: Garry McNab Just Ad Droga You’ve probably never heard of David Droga but his reach and influence is vast. He’s the knockabout advertising guru who has taken on the world and won, making him one of the most powerful Australians on the planet. He’s the boy from Snowy Riv
Heroes of Ravenshoe They say the true test of your character is what you do when no one is watching; how you respond in times of crisis. Ten days ago the people of Ravenshoe in Queensland showed they’re made of pretty extraordinary stuff. Devastation struck their town when an out-of-control ute hit a gas bottle, triggering an almighty explosion inside the Serves You Right café. A fireball engulfed the café, and people and debris were sent flying out the door. The first reaction of the locals was to put themselves in harm’s way. Some braved the flames and the gas to pull survivors from the wreckage, while others showed little regard for their own safety to free the unconscious driver. All the while, a second gas bottle with half a tonne of liquid gas threatened to go off. This is the story of a very special town, where the locals have looked each other in the eye and said, “You can count on me, mate.” Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Garry McNab After the Blast Australian soldiers Lieutenant Garth Callender and Trooper Matt Millhouse are as tough and courageous as each other. A roadside bomb exploded next to their armoured vehicle in Baghdad 11 years ago. While Garth suffered terrible injuries from the blast, he is fully recovered, a husband and father of three girls. For Matt the story is vastly different. Despite emerging from the blast without so much as a scratch, today he is an old man in a young man’s body. Matt’s brain is dying – he is the shadow of the soldier, husband and father he was just a few years ago. As Ross Coulthart investigates, there is a silent killer facing our soldiers and Matt is just the first of many who are going to suffer. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Steven Burling Switched at Birth It is the impossible choice that no mother should ever have to face: Surrender the child you have lovingly raised for the last four years, to take back the child you originally gave birth to. It’s an unimaginable d
Belle Gibson: The Whole Hoax It was the lie that rocked Australia. A young, beautiful woman is given the terrible news she has inoperable brain cancer and only four months to live. Belle Gibson is courageous – she tries chemotherapy and radiotherapy before turning to alternative medicine to battle the disease. Thankfully it seems to work and she tells the world through social media, encouraging others to try the same. It’s a truly inspiring story. Hundreds of thousands of sympathetic followers and fellow sufferers live every step of her journey and celebrate her success as she becomes the poster girl for the alternative wellness industry. There’s an award-winning app, and a cookbook. But it is all a lie. Belle Gibson doesn’t have cancer – she never did. Until this day, Belle claims unscrupulous natural therapists duped her into believing she was dying, but this Sunday 60 Minutes will reveal the proof that this is a lie too – Belle Gibson is not a victim. She is a fraud. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor Negotiating with ISIS Australians are renowned the world over as intrepid travellers. In fact last year alone we made more than nine million trips overseas. What if one of us were to be kidnapped and held hostage for a ransom? Should the Australian government pay up? Well don’t hold your breath. Like the United Kingdom and the United States, Australia refuses to negotiate with terrorists, but in Europe it’s a very different story. They do pay, and their citizens are released, largely unharmed and free to live a normal life. You might agree with Australia’s tough stance, but what if it was your loved one? Your mother or father, your daughter or son? Would you want our government to pay? Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen
In March last year, in a devastating split second, Alex McKinnon’s life changed forever. The 23-year-old National Rugby League player went from a supreme athlete on the cusp of greatness to a broken man, battling like never before just to stay alive. What upended Alex’s world was an illegal and sickening tackle. The Newcastle Knights player was dumped on his head during a match against the Melbourne Storm. He had no way of protecting himself. Alex was instantly paralysed and is now a quadriplegic. We demand toughness and brutality in our footy codes – in fact, the bigger the hits, the louder we cheer. But we never think injuries like this can happen. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, for the first time Alex McKinnon and the people closest to him share their remarkable story of how they’re using love to save his life.
Seeing is Believing Sometimes you’ve just got to marvel at the brilliance of technology and the ingenuity of the minds behind it. In one of the greatest scientific advances ever, doctors and engineers have developed the bionic eye. Giving the miracle of sight to the blind is now a reality. Although the technology is in its early stages, it is already changing lives. People who have been completely blind for decades are now able to distinguish shapes, light and movement. This Sunday 60 Minutes is there as a bionic eye is switched on the first time, and a man who’s been blind for 30 years, gets to see his grandchildren for the first time. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Laura Sparkes Race for Life This Sunday, four Australian heroes will compete in the toughest amateur cycling race in the world. Alongside them will be comedian Hamish Blake, and Tour de France champion Cadel Evans. Together they’ll cycle the equivalent of eight vertical kilometres in three days, as they climb through the Italian Alps. These men and women bravely served their country in wars and other conflicts, but in doing so developed an awful condition which has no definitive treatment or cure. So perhaps even more bravely, they are now hoping to fight their way back, healing themselves by surviving one of the most demanding feats of endurance. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers: Gareth Harvey, Ali Smith Charlie’s Fightback For 50 years Charlie Phillott and his family worked the land on Carisbrook Station in outback Queensland. They enjoyed the good seasons and endured the bad. They learnt to save when they could and spend when they had to, but they always kept the bank manager happy. That is until the ANZ came along. Overnight the bank crippled Charlie’s business and hounded him into financial oblivion. A year ago the Phillotts were forced to walk away from Carisbrook, bullied by the bank into leaving their home. But don’t think the bank has won, because Charlie Phillo
Special Investigation: Spies, Lords and Predators It’s shaping up to be the biggest political scandal in Britain’s history. There is new evidence that some of the country’s most respected men were in fact depraved paedophiles. Leaders that were preying on children as young as eight and nine. Many of the kids were trafficked from state-run homes and other institutions to be abused by MPs, Lords, and spies. They were protected from on high by a secret code, and have never been held to account for their horrific crimes. This Sunday, 60 Minutes investigates the scandal and the cover up, speaks to the victims and the witnesses, and confronts a member of the notorious paedophile information exchange. Reporter Ross Coulthart also reveals how children were killed in order to protect this network of predators – and how the driver to the Australian High Commissioner could hold the key to blowing this case wide open. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Stephen Rice The Cold Rush At the very top of the world, a hot new business is booming in the freezing waters off Canada. The business is iceberg harvesting – and the cold rush is on. Fishermen turned cowboys are hunting, shooting and lassoing these giant blocks of ice before taking their catch to market. You see, these icebergs make water so pure it’s like nothing you have ever drunk. As Charles Wooley discovered, the vodka is pretty good too. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Phil Goyen
Screen Addicts Investigates Internet Addiction Disorder. It's now a genuine psychological illness ruining lives and even changing the way our brains process information. Worse still, experts are seeing dangerous signs in toddlers. Matters of the Heart Spends time in Fiji with inspirational volunteers, Australian doctors and nurses who are saving the lives of dozens of Fijian kids. Elon Musk Meets Elon Musk an engineer and entrepreneur worth more than 15 billion dollars. His next venture is truly out of this world: the colonisation of Mars.
Mick Fanning: Back in the Water Speaks to Australian surfing legend Mick Fanning about the great white shark attack during a surfing contest, all captured on live television. Testing Times Looks at Europe's pill checking program and whether it should be implemented here in Australia. Increasingly more young lives are being lost to "party drugs". One such life was 17-year-old Gemma Thoms who died after taking ecstasy at the Perth Music Festival. Imran Khan Meets one of Pakistan's cricket greats Imran Khan. In the 20 years since his retirement from international sport, Imran's popularity has soared. But he has become what he said he never would - a politician, one who is now in line to become Pakistan's next prime minister.
MH370 517 days ago Perth man Paul Weekes boarded flight MH370 to fly to Beijing. It was a routine flight on one of the world’s safest planes, yet he and the 238 other passengers and crew have not been heard from since. What happened to the jetliner that fateful night is now one the biggest aviation mysteries of all time. Was there a catastrophic mechanical failure? Was it an act of terrorism? Or did a suicidal pilot deliberately crash into the ocean? Despite an enormous search, it wasn’t until two weeks ago that a part of a plane’s wing was discovered on a beach on Reunion Island in the western Indian Ocean. That part has now been identified as being from the Malaysian Airlines plane. For Paul’s wife Danica and her two young sons Lincoln and Jack, it’s the final realisation that he’s never coming home. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Gareth Harvey Stop the Killing It is the most “unjust” law in the land. In some states, it is still possible for violent men to kill their wives or girlfriends and then use the unbelievable excuse that she provoked them, when just over the border the same crime would attract a murder charge. It is the archaic law of provocation, where a woman is blamed for her own death because she drove the man she loved to take her life, provoking them to kill. In court, murder charges are downgraded to manslaughter and prison sentences are drastically reduced, in some cases to just a few years. It’s as close to a licence to kill as there is, and it has to stop. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Terry Terrific Terry Vo was just 10 years old when a seemingly harmless game of backyard basketball almost turned deadly. A devastating freak accident while attempting a slam dunk saw the hoop, backboard and part of a brick wall collapse on top of him, completely severing both his hands and left foot. Terry’s story and the skill of medical teams in saving his hands made headlines around the world.
Special Investigation: Bugged, Tracked, Robbed It’s impossible to imagine life without smartphones. Everything about our lives can now be contained in the palm of our hand. Personal details, professional contacts, banking details, photos, medical data, it’s all there, so you’d expect your smartphone to be secure. But in this special investigation Ross Coulthart discovers, we are facing the biggest threat to our privacy that the world has ever seen. The sensitive data contained on our phones is in fact open for anyone to see. Anyone in the know can bug or track your phone, from anywhere in the world. It’s long been the dirty little secret of international espionage, but now, organised crime, commercial spies and potential terrorists are exploiting this security loophole for their own gain. How it’s done has never been revealed before. This Sunday in a world exclusive 60 Minutes goes inside the world of hackers and spies to expose just how vulnerable we all are. This is the end of privacy as we know it. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Stephen Rice The Wooley Mammoth Australia is in the midst of a raging obesity epidemic and as our waistlines get bigger and bigger, so is the incidence of heart disease and the risk of heart attack. Six months ago, reporter Charles Wooley had his own health scare, after heart scans revealed his arteries were clogging up. Charlie was ordered to lower his cholesterol and cut the carbs. In fact he went one step further – Charlie’s gone Paleo. He’s replaced potato with cauliflower, and beer with red wine. His journey of self-discovery has taken him around the world and back again, including a meeting with the founder of the Paleo diet. So is it all it’s stacked up to be? This Sunday on 60 Minutes – you be the judge. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producers: Jo Townsend, Phil Goyen The Golden Girl After the devastating Ashes loss, the Australian cricket team has been the target of the nation’s frustration
World Exclusive: Missing in Syria The rise of ISIS has been shocking on so many fronts, not least because of the young Australians it recruits to carry out its horror. And so it was when Oliver Bridgeman was recently revealed as the latest convert to Islam, who went missing after he told his family he was going to Indonesia to do aid work. Then this Aussie teenager – rugby player and school captain – hit the headlines as our latest teen terrorist. So how did this blonde jihadi from country Queensland end up in Syria? And is he a terrorist? In this world exclusive 60 Minutes tracks down Oliver Bridgeman to find out what’s taken him to one of the most dangerous places on earth. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey, Ali Smith Friends for Life When Australian teenager Doujon Zammit was murdered on holidays in Greece in 2008, his mother and father put aside their grief to donate his major organs. That selfless act saved the lives of four people, including Kostas Gribilas who received Doujon’s heart. It was a gift that would set these two families on a life journey like no other. Kostas and his fiancé Poppy since moved to Australia – around the corner from Doujon’s parents, Oliver and Rosemarie. They are now best friends – at their wedding Oliver was Doujon’s best man. And the best friends have been there through more heartbreak – this time together. On Sunday, reporter Liz Hayes tells this remarkable story of love, sacrifice, and loss and the friendship that has held them all together. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Howard Sacre Cool to be Clever Before you bemoan “the kids of today”, let 60 Minutes introduce you to 18-year-old Jack Andraka. Just a few short years ago, Jack was a bullied teenager – a self-confessed science nerd who had revealed he was gay. Then he lost a close family friend to the most unforgiving of diseases, pancreatic cancer. That’s when Jack had his Eureka moment and made a discovery that turned th
Charlie’s Victory It’s been a long, hard fight. Charlie Phillott is the 81-year-old farmer from outback Queensland who took on the might of the ANZ Bank… and won. The bank forced his family off Carisbrooke Station, their property of 50 years. But the ANZ didn’t bargain on Charlie’s dignified determination. He certainly won’t be bullied. And, this week, the ANZ made the most extraordinary back-down. ANZ Chief Executive Mike Smith flew 2,000 kilometres from the bank’s Melbourne headquarters to personally apologise to Charlie. And that’s not all that happened during this extraordinary encounter. It’s the most dramatic development yet in the story that 60 Minutes has been following for much of this year: the desperate plight of farmers across Australia forced off their farms by the ANZ. Charlie’s win is a breakthrough. But there are lots of questions for the ANZ boss about how this all happened, and what now for the many other distressed farmers just like Charlie. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Grace Tobin Dawn French Dawn French is the roly-poly, rambunctious queen of UK comedy. We know her as one half of French and Saunders – perhaps the most successful British female comic act in history. She was the Vicar of Dibley for 13 straight series. And she’s a successful author and novelist to boot. Now Dawn French is coming to Australia with her one-woman show that sold out across the UK. But for all her public brashness, Dawn is a remarkably private person. Fame, she says, is “toxic” and she avoids it at all costs. So when Liz Hayes had the opportunity to spend some quiet time with her in the beautiful corner of southern England she calls home, it was an offer too good to refuse. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Gareth Harvey Unbeatable Julia Watson has an unbeatable spirit. And she needs it. The mother of four from Frankston in Victoria has incurable cancer, and has been given just months to live. She’s giving other cancer s
Special Investigation: Where is William? One year ago a little boy vanished while he was playing in his grandmother’s backyard. One moment William Tyrrell, dressed in his favourite Spiderman suit, was playing games with his mum and sister, the next he was gone – as if he’d disappeared into thin air. Initial panic by his family slowly turned into the darkest of despair and a whole year later they are simply heartbroken. Who would take their vivacious, funny, innocent three-year-old boy? It’s a question that torments one of Australia’s toughest and most experienced detectives, who is heading the taskforce into William’s disappearance, and this Sunday 60 Minutes has unprecedented access to that investigation. For the first time William’s parents speak openly to reporter Michael Usher about their boy, in the hope that someone may have the courage to reveal information that will bring William home. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Laura Sparkes, Grace Tobin Women of Hart Jessica and Ashley Hart are the homegrown sisters who are our hottest catwalk exports. These days they call New York and Los Angeles home. It’s a long way from growing up with their single mum, Rae, in the suburbs of Melbourne. Their story is more than your typical rags-to-riches tale. The girls owe their success to their mother and the incredible sacrifice she made so they would always have each other. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Steven Burling
Undercover in China What you’ll see on 60 Minutes this Sunday will leave you gobsmacked. It’s Australia’s next drug crisis and experts say it will be larger and more devastating than the ice epidemic. Synthetic drugs are powerful, mind-altering chemicals, and they are killing Australian teenagers. They are designed to mimic the effects of cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana – some are 60 times more potent than LSD, but your first hit could be your last. No one knows the devastation of this clandestine world better than Perth dad, Rod Bridge, who lost his son Preston to a synthetic drug two years ago. Rod set out on a quest to discover where these killer drugs were coming from. In this special investigation, 60 Minutes follows Rod on his undercover mission that leads him all the way to the drug bosses of China. They are the biggest producers of the synthetic drugs which are flooding into Australia undetected on an unprecedented scale. Rod bravely wears a listening device and hidden cameras through several dangerous meetings with the drug bosses. It’s a rare glimpse into this sinister world. 60 Minutes will be offered at least 5 different types of synthetic drugs in various meetings for import to Australia. The drug dealers demonstrate how they pack the drugs to get past the Australian Border Force – in fact they think our Customs is a joke. The drug lords will offer 60 Minutes 200 kilos of one drug alone, and multiple quantities of other drugs. 60 Minutes will reveal how delivery is guaranteed within 7 days, and if not, you get your money back. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice
An Evil Betrayal Belinda van Krevil’s life reads like a rap sheet of horror. She’s been dubbed “Belinda Van Evil”, and for good reason. She ordered the execution of her father, and nearly stabbed to death the man she loved. She did it all in the name of her brother, Mark van Krevil – a serial killer who’s locked up for life. Just a few weeks ago Belinda was released from prison for the second time, surely her last chance at freedom. This Sunday she tells Allison Langdon that the community shouldn’t feel scared that she is back walking amongst us. But what happens when Belinda realises the ultimate betrayal? Will she be able to keep it together? Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Special Report: Bombing ISIS Over 400 Australian men and women are currently fighting an air war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. None of them have spoken publicly until now. The Royal Australian Air Force has sent a squadron of jet fighters, along with mid-air refuelling aircraft and surveillance planes, to tackle the growing threat of Islamic State. While it may sound as though there is safety in being a few thousand feet above the enemy, this week Michael Usher learns that these brave air men and women face very real threats. In this exclusive report, 60 Minutes goes inside the cockpit with our courageous soldiers as they drop bombs to take out ISIS. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Howard Sacre Cosmetic Versus Plastic Cosmetic surgery is a billion-dollar industry in Australia. Per capita, we spend more on cosmetic procedures – breast augmentation, tummy tucks, nose jobs – than any other nation on earth. And make no mistake, it is an industry, one run mostly by entrepreneurs dubbed “cosmetic cowboys” by the medical profession. Unlike plastic surgeons, most of the thousands of cosmetic surgeons operating in Australia have no specialist surgical training. And most of their operations take place in what is basically an office. Mos
Five Little Heroes This week on 60 Minutes we meet five extraordinary children. These young heroes saved their mother’s life – and their own – from an armed intruder. What makes this story even more heartbreaking, the armed intruder was their father. Every week in Australia one woman is killed by her partner. Domestic violence is a frightening scourge. Usually the stories we hear are told by women – their tales of survival and resilience. But we never hear from the children, the silent victims of family violence. This Sunday we see the story from the eyes of five incredibly courageous kids who saved their mother’s life. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey, Grace Tobin Breaking Ice The ice epidemic is gripping Australia, and despite everything that has been said and written about the dangers that come with the drug, the crisis is only spreading. It seems impossible to stop, but there is hope for those lucky enough to get help. However, the severe shortage of rehabilitation places means only those who pay can get saved. The rest are forgotten – until they crash a car or murder an innocent victim. This Sunday 60 Minutes goes inside the rehab centres to see how lives and families are being saved. It’s a crucial development in this war on ice, because we’re all at risk and this war will take a lot more time and money to win. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Steven Burling Jane’s Legacy In life, Jane McGrath was an inspiration. A beautiful and courageous champion for women with breast cancer. Her passion for helping others led to the McGrath Foundation, which funds much needed breast care nurses, especially in regional Australia. The Foundation is celebrating 10 years and now a host of pink nurses support and care for breast cancer patients right across the country. It is an extraordinary achievement, and seven years after we lost Jane McGrath, her legacy and her compassion is alive and present. Reporter: Charles Wooley P
Shark Alarm There’s no doubt about it, sharks are attacking humans at the highest rate in recorded history. As the shark culling debate rages, the warmer waters are bringing the ocean’s most feared predators closer to shore. What to do about the growing number of shark attacks is confounding marine experts and governments. Protect the sharks? Or protect us? Shark attack victim Sean Pollard doesn’t waste time on the politics of the debate – it’s just too raw for him, because 12 months ago he looked a Great White Shark in the eye as it took his left arm, right hand and almost his life. Sean’s battle has been worse than anyone could imagine, not helped by the constant spate of shark attacks. This week on 60 Minutes, Michael Usher follows his remarkable progress, as his mates help him back into the water, and onto his board. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Garry McNab No Homework As students start the grind of the final term of the school year there is something that needs to be discussed: homework. It’s a chore for both kids and their parents. Most children only do it because teachers set it, believing it’s good for their education. Now, new research says – for primary school kids at least – homework has no impact on academic results. In fact, young kids would be better off flexing their muscles rather than bending their brains. And that means there’s a whole new breed of parents saying “NO” to homework. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Jo Townsend Cold Chisel Cold Chisel are Australia’s favourite rock band. Formed in Adelaide in 1973, they are responsible for creating a hard-rocking pub sound that continues to influence bands to this day. While it has been 30 years since they officially called it quits, Chisel never really left us. And as Liz Hayes discovers, the sense of brotherhood that inspired their music all those years ago is just as strong today. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Steven Burling
Dr. Fraud It doesn’t get any lower than ripping off the dying and the disabled, but that’s exactly what one disgusting scammer is doing to Australians suffering from diseases like Multiple Sclerosis and Motor Neurone Disease. The promise: that a clinical trial for a miracle new stem cell treatment will slow or stop their symptoms. At least 70 patients – many of them Australian – have paid up to fifty thousand dollars each to secure a spot. For some, it is their last hope. This Sunday, we expose this highly sophisticated, multi-million dollar scam that has ruined lives and left families shattered. And we track down the heartless conman – the mastermind who calls himself “Doctor Doug”. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Stephen Rice No More Dementia Ageing. It’s inevitable. We all want to make it into our senior years, but no-one wants to get there to find it’s not much fun. The greatest challenge is dementia. It’s estimated 400-thousand Australians will be diagnosed with dementia in the next five years and that number will more than double in 30 years. So the race is on to try and find better treatments, if not a cure. America is leading the hunt, and this week we meet a group of elderly men and women who hold the key. They are taking part in the world’s largest and longest study into dementia, and the results are changing what we know about the disease. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen The Beef Boom There’s a new boom sweeping across Australia and it’s attracting the shrewdest brains and fattest wallets in the land. It’s beef – it has been branded the new iron ore, and it’s big business. Where mining was the only show in town, now, the cattle industry is riding high. After years of drought, dwindling prices, and the live export controversy, properties you couldn’t give away are today worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The smart money is snapping them up – Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, Gina Rinehart, a
The Croc Wrangler Matt Wright should have “Danger” as his middle name. He loves nothing more than jumping into his helicopter to whip across the outback, only to then wrestle with a rogue crocodile or two. It’s exploits like these that are making Matt an international star as The Outback Wrangler; a modern day Crocodile Dundee. But it’s not all about fame and fortune. Matt’s very real and dangerous job is protecting locals in the Top End from the growing number of giant crocodiles. This Sunday, 60 Minutes goes along for the ride as Matt hunts a five metre monster weighing more than a tonne. It’s a white knuckle ride. Reporter: Peter Stefanovic Producer: Nick Greenaway Das Liars Volkswagen is right in the middle of a corporate scandal of epic proportions. The German auto giant has been caught lying, on a spectacular scale. 11 million of its ‘clean’ diesel engine cars were equipped with software deliberately programmed to cheat pollution tests. A blatant con that is highly illegal. In Australia, 10 Volkswagen models have now been suspended from sale, and 77-thousand vehicles face recall at the very least. Volkswagen’s ruthless drive to be world number one, hid a dirty secret – diesel engines that couldn’t deliver on high performance and still meet environmental standards. Michael Usher goes inside the Volkswagen lie, and meets the small band of engineering students who’ve brought a giant to its knees. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Gareth Harvey
Rescue from Syria Ashley Dyball and Reece Harding. Both fine young Australians. Gifted sportsmen. From good families. Side by side on the front line against Islamic State in Syria. Just 3 months ago, Reece stood on a landmine, while out on patrol and died. Now his mother Michele, and Scott and Julia Dyball are on a mission to save Ashley. This Sunday, 60 Minutes travels with Michele, Scott and Julia as they make the perilous journey through northern Iraq, and cross the border into Syria searching for Ashley. Michele is revered as the mother of a martyr – a stark reminder for the Dyballs. Deeper they go into the war zone to find their son. It’s a journey of heartache and reunion, charged with emotion, fraught with danger, and finally uncertainty as the Dyballs ask their son to come home. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Gareth Harvey, Ali Smith Lorna Jane Women are wearing their gym gear everywhere: to the shops, school pick-up, even out to lunch. And it’s all thanks to one woman, Lorna Jane. She has singlehandedly turned daggy leotards into what she calls “active wear”. It’s the look good, feel good concept. And Lorna Jane is looking and feeling very good. She has built an active wear empire along with her husband, “Bill the Butcher”. And they’ve just knocked back half a billion dollars for their business. But in recent months Lorna Jane’s been accused of discriminating against larger women, and fostering a bullying culture. Allison Langdon goes inside the active wear empire to find out the truth about Lorna Jane. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Stephen Taylor The Little Devils There’s a new, highly controversial plan, to save the Tasmanian Devil. The facial cancer which first developed 20 years ago, is so widespread that 90 per cent of devils are now gone. On mainland Australia, a network of zoos and wildlife parks has built up an insurance population and some want to release their Devils into the wild. They believe this
Spy Catcher It’s one of Australia’s biggest mysteries, involving drug trafficking, money laundering, CIA spies and claims of murder. The collapse of the infamous Nugan Hand Bank wiped out tens of millions of dollars, most of it from mum and dad investors. When Frank Nugan, one of the founders of the bank, was found dead it meant just one man knew where the money was, and the answer to many more questions. Then he disappeared – vanished from the face of the earth. For 35 years he’s been out of reach of the Australian authorities – but now 60 Minutes has finally caught up with Michael Hand. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Stephen Rice A Riotous Affair Amy and Dan first laid eyes on each other as the Cronulla riots raged around them – a notorious day of violence that flared in Sydney’s south ten years ago and brought shame to our nation. Frightened by the riots, Amy and Dan retreated to a quiet club some kilometres away from the alcohol fuelled racism. The hours passed, and they fell in love, but as they emerged from the club a vigilante group of teenagers set upon them. Dan told Amy to run, before being bashed to the ground and stabbed – almost to death. This is a love story like no other, because Amy returned to ride in the ambulance with Dan to hospital and waited as doctors worked to save his life. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Laura Sparkes Humpback Heaven The fate of the mighty humpback whale is one of the great environmental success stories of our time. Once on the brink of extinction, numbers are now healthy. And Australia’s so called “humpback highways” are crowded with these magnificent mammals. They’re also returning in force to remote and little-visited corners of the world like Tonga. This Sunday, Allison Langdon experiences the unique chance travellers and scientists are sharing in the Pacific – to swim with humpback whales. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway
Terror in Paris: Emma's Survival The young Australian woman who survived the Paris terror attacks tells 60 Minutes about her ordeal. Nineteen year old Emma Parkinson was inside the Bataclan Theatre on Friday the 13th of November, and was shot through the hip during the attack. 60 Minutes Reporter Ross Coulthart interviewed Emma in Paris. She describes the attack inside the music concert, the moment she was shot, and how she escaped. It’s a gripping story of clarity in the face of terror. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producers: Stephen Rice, Rebecca Le Tourneau, Alice Dalley Adele: The Interview Adele is the most successful singer of our time, with an astonishing ten Grammys, four Brit Awards, an Oscar and a Golden Globe. It’s no surprise that this record-breaking British talent from modest beginnings in Tottenham is on track to becoming a billionaire by the age of thirty, but perhaps most amazing is that all the accolades, all the commercial success, have been squeezed into just two albums. Her third album – 25 – was released today, again putting Adele’s incredible voice centre stage, punching out soul-piercing songs with extraordinary power. There is much more to this awe-inspiring singer than the voice that has captivated the world. On 60 Minutes, Liz Hayes discovers a woman who despite having one of music’s biggest voices is refreshingly irreverent and very candid. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producers : Rebecca Le Tourneau, Steven Burling Who Killed Matthew? There can be no more heartbreaking job for a parent than what Mark and Faye Leveson have done for the past eight years. Every weekend they head off into the bush to dig for the remains of their son Matthew, who was last seen leaving a Sydney nightclub in 2007 when he was 20. Police believe he was murdered but there’s no body, no blood, no weapon. But there are a whole lot of lies from Michael Atkins, Matthew’s much older partner. In 2008, Atkins was charged with Matthew’s murder, bu
The Bell Tolls: Special Investigation From parish priest in Ballarat to third in charge at the Vatican, George Pell’s rise through the Catholic hierarchy has been impressive. But he’s been dogged every step of the way by what he knew, and what he did, about the sexual abuse of children at the hands of paedophile priests. If it wasn’t for Richard Carleton’s interview with the Cardinal on 60 Minutes in 2002, he might just have been believable. But he has since appeared to be a liar, and someone willing to go to great lengths to protect his own reputation. This week 60 Minutes presents damning new evidence against Pell. He has always argued his intervention on behalf of child abuse victims was innovative, independent and compassionate. But now, secret documents reveal it as a cynical smokescreen designed to protect the Catholic Church at all costs. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Gareth Harvey Troye Sivan They’re called Generation Like, sharing every detail of their lives from the most mundane to the most intimate – and the smart ones are making a fortune. Eight years ago Troye Sivan started uploading videos of himself, doing anything and everything, to YouTube. Now this 20-year-old entrepreneur from Perth earns $500,000 a year doing it, and his millions of followers can’t get enough. Time Magazine named him the world’s second most influential young person after Malala Yousafzei, the Nobel Peace Prize winner. But YouTube also gave Troye Sivan the chance to promote his real passion, singing and songwriting. And now it’s time to go mainstream. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau World’s Oldest Baby This is a beautiful story about love and hope that’s been 23 years in the making. When Alex Powell turned 15 his doctor told him he had cancer and needed to start chemotherapy straight away. It was the early 1990s, and neither doctor nor teenager thought about preserving Alex’s fertility. Luckily his stepmother did.
All of them were average Australians leading normal lives until they were hit with the worst tragedy and loss. Immediately and irrevocably their lives were transformed, but they have refused to withdraw into the darkness of their grief. With enormous courage they have stepped forward, out of obscurity and into the limelight, in the hope of making a difference. And as you will see, they have succeeded. Louisa Hope who refuses to be defined by the Lindt Café Siege Bruce and Denise Morcombe who’ve dedicated their lives to improving child safety Turia Pitt and Michael Hoskin have raised more than $800,000 for Interplast Ralph and Kathy Kelly have changed laws to reduce alcohol related violence Noelle Dickson has led the campaign to change Victoria’s bail and parole laws Oliver and Rosemarie Zammit actively promote organ donation Rod Bridge who’s successfully petitioned for synthetic drugs to be banned substances Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Stephen Taylor
Roshani Roshani Priddis was born into unimaginable poverty in Sri Lanka. When she was six weeks old her mother made the heartbreaking decision to give her up in order to save her life. Roshani came to Australia, to the Priddis family in Tamworth, NSW. They gave her a new life and all of their love. She grew up in a comfortable home and went to good schools. Roshani even lived her dream of becoming a singer – on Australian Idol and last year’s The X Factor, when she shot to No. 1 on iTunes. But here in the lucky country something has always been missing and 28 years after leaving Sri Lanka, Roshani is embarking on a search to find her long lost mother. Allison Langdon joined her for this incredible journey full of emotional twists and heartbreaking turns. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Jo Townsend El Chapo He was the world’s most wanted drug trafficker. For decades, the ruthless Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman destroyed millions of lives and reaped billions of dollars. But when he was finally captured a few weeks ago, pulled out of a sewer in Mexico wearing a filthy singlet over his middle-aged paunch, El Chapo looked more like El Cheapo. While law enforcement authorities rejoiced at his arrest, they are not even close to mission accomplished in the brutal war against drugs. In fact, the reality is just the opposite. Business is booming. El Chapo’s Sinaloa cartel rules with murderous force and record quantities of drugs are still being smuggled around the world. Australia is the new market place where the street value of a kilo of cocaine is 10 times that of America. Liz Hayes goes inside El Chapo’s secret tunnels, patrols the dangerous drug streets of Mexico and speaks to the drug cops who hunted El Chapo. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen
Taken Chances are you will find this story incredibly hard to believe. It’s confronting and confounding, but it really happened. Raised in middle-class Sydney, Katie Lang’s future was almost assured – exciting and prosperous. But her big mistake was to fall in love with the wrong man. Katie thought Damion Baston wanted to be her boyfriend. What he really wanted was to be her pimp. He used violence to control her, turning her into a sex slave and trafficking her around the world. But what this monster didn’t anticipate was Katie’s strength, and when she was finally able to escape his abuse, she set about plotting her revenge. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Laura Sparkes Cyndi Lauper If you didn’t know better you’d swear the word quirky was invented to describe singer Cyndi Lauper. Everything about her is unique, from her highly distinctive voice to her individual fashion sense. But thank goodness for Cyndi Lauper. Her catchy hits – some of them silly, all of them heartfelt – helped us get through the 1980s. The songs continue to get airplay around the world, but today Cyndi’s enjoying a career renaissance with her Broadway musical, Kinky Boots. She is also raising her considerable voice for those without a voice, the alienated and the less well-off, and she wants Australian politicians to start listening. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen
Trapped This tale almost defies belief. When Australian Amaal Finn took her daughter to Egypt on a family trip, she could never have imagined the terrible chain of events that would unfold. Once there, Amaal’s husband convinced her to sign documents written in Arabic. She did as she was asked, but what she was signing was a form, banning mother and child from leaving Egypt. This single act of betrayal has sentenced Amaal and her six-year-old daughter Zareen to a life removed from everyone and everything they have ever known. For nearly three years they have battled bureaucracy and the courts to see this travel ban overturned. Meanwhile her former husband, Mazen Baouimy, has returned to a comfortable life in Australia where he defiantly refuses to assist Amaal and his daughter in any way. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Steven Burling Home Groans Here’s the good news: for the past 30 years we’ve all enjoyed watching the value of our homes skyrocket. Now the bad: the housing boom is about to end, and for many Australians – both homeowners and investors – it’s going to end in tears. While you think you’ve heard this all before, remember we now have the highest household debt in the world. Worse still, we have become so blasé about the way we borrow money, we’ve forgotten the consequences – most importantly, that we need to pay it back. So if you have a home loan and you want to stand any chance of surviving a wipeout, you need to be very, very careful. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Grace Tobin Sky High There are 20 billion reasons why the federal government had to get the decision right in selecting the F35 as the next fighter for the Royal Australian Air Force. It is by far our biggest defence purchase ever, but with 72 F35s on the way we are apparently getting a great bang for our buck. The sales pitch boasts that the combat jet is a flying supercomputer loaded with so much weaponry and “gee whiz” stealth technology th
Where is Baby Tegan? It’s a simple question with a diabolically difficult answer. Is Tegan Lane dead or alive? She was last seen as a two-day-old being carried out of a Sydney hospital by her mother Keli, an aspiring Australian Olympian. That was 20 years ago, but the mystery of what happened to baby Tegan after that has never been explained. Instead there has been any number of theories and wild accusations, mostly to do with the bizarre behaviour of her mother, Keli Lane – sordid stories about sexual affairs and secret pregnancies. In 2010, Keli was found guilty of murdering Tegan, even though her body has never been found. Now, in a last desperate bid to prove she is not a baby killer, Keli’s parents, Sandra and Robert, break their silence. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau More or Less Food glorious food – we obviously need it to live, but what’s staggering is just how many of us it is killing. Enormous appetites have made us the third fattest developed country on earth, and one million Australians are now so obese their only real hope of a normal life is increasingly radical weight loss surgery. If it goes well there can be extraordinary transformations, which prove less really is more. But should we be operating on young children? And how young is too young for these drastic operations? Tara Brown first met 14-year-old Ashlee Young two years ago as she made the difficult decision about whether to go under the knife. Ashlee today will amaze you. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Gareth Harvey and Steve Jackson Off the Edge This is a story that was almost over before it began. Just days before Liz Hayes was to film with real-life skiing Superman JT Holmes, he was trapped in an avalanche and buried alive for six minutes. As with everything JT does, this ordeal was captured on camera. JT tells Hayes he’s unfazed by his brush with death and he puts it down to one of the risks of being an extreme sportsman. JT Holme
Preacher of Hate We now have a frighteningly clear picture of the next terrorist who will attack Australia on home soil. Chances are he’ll be a lone wolf, a young radicalised Muslim man armed with whatever is at hand: a knife, a gun, a car. As we have seen already on the streets of Melbourne and Sydney, his victims will be selected at random. But it’s unlikely this young jihadist will be acting alone. Lurking in the background will be one of a new breed of online recruiters, charismatic and ready to exploit pent-up grievances and anger. This week, for the first time, you will meet one of these hate preachers. His name is Abu Haleema, and he lives not in Syria or Iraq, but in the safety and comfort of London. In this exclusive 60 Minutes investigation, we reveal for the first time the big following Abu Haleema already has in Australia, and just how he is spreading his online message of hate and terror to our kids. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Saving Baby Willow Baby Willow is three months old. She’s beautiful and perfect, and thankfully for her, blissfully unaware of the angst she has caused her parents, Sam and John Callahan. When Sam was pregnant a routine scan revealed a deadly tumour on Willow’s lung. The outlook for the unborn baby was bleak until a very clever and courageous Melbourne surgeon decided to defy the odds and attempt a high risk in-utero procedure never before performed in Australia. It was delicate and dangerous surgery – and just the beginning of an incredible battle by an extraordinary group of medicos to save Willow, all captured by 60 Minutes cameras. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Rebecca Le Tourneau, Alice Dalley Mummy Dearest In the ultra-competitive world of digging up the past, the significance of new archaeological discoveries is often measured against the greatest of them all – King Tutankhamun. Ever since the discovery of Tut and all those golden riches in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings almos
Living the Dream When Jarryd Hayne announced he was quitting rugby league to chase a long-held ambition to play American football, people thought the “Hayne Plane” was plain crazy. Why would this NRL superstar give up the fortune and the fame he earned in Australia to follow a dream all the experts said couldn’t be realised? Hayne himself had doubts. He didn’t know if he’d be good enough for American football, he didn’t even know the complicated rules of the game. All he knew was that he wanted to give it a go. So he did. This Sunday on 60 Minutes, an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at Hayne’s incredible journey – from saying goodbye to his family and former team mates to landing in LA with nowhere to live; the search for an NFL team willing to give him a go; and the highs and lows of competing in the world’s toughest sport. It is raw, unprecedented access to a young man brave enough to live his dream, and a reminder to everyone that the impossible can be possible. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Laura Sparkes Not Welcome Home Australia’s spy agency, ASIO, has declared 19-year-old Oliver Bridgeman from Toowoomba an enemy of the nation. It suspects him of being a terrorist. Bridgeman says the accusation is not true, and that far from being a risk, he is a humanitarian aid worker. His problem, though, is that for the past year he’s been living in Syria, a country destroyed by civil war and overrun by Islamic State extremists. Now Bridgeman wants to come home, but our government refuses to lay out the welcome mat. On 60 Minutes, his distraught parents break their silence and tell Tara Brown of their anguish at the betrayal of authorities who up until now had promised to help them bring their son home. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Gareth Harvey, Ali Smith Trump It was once hard to believe but is now looking more and more likely that Donald Trump, the billionaire property developer and loudmouth reality TV star, could
The Russell Street Bombings: The killer’s confession as he plots his release from prison, Liz Hayes and 60 Minutes crews attacked in Sweden, a country at breaking point and finally some good news for Amaal Finn, trapped in Egypt with her daughter.
Barney dreamt of being a professional surfer until a car crash left him a quadriplegic. Tough times followed, but now Mick Fanning is literally helping him get back on his feet. Michael Usher reports from Molenbeek, a Brussels suburb many locals call “terror town” and the greatest scandal surrounds the murder of a beautiful young woman who was having an affair with a high-ranking apparatchik.
Eye Catching That venerable crime-fighting institution, Scotland Yard, is currently recruiting good-lookers. No, it doesn’t need more attractive police officers, but rather people with a talent for never forgetting a face. They are called “super recognisers” and they’re the tiny percentage of humans who have the ability to distinguish and differentiate one person’s face from millions of others, even if they’ve only seen that face once, and even if it was years or decades ago. British police have now formed an elite squad of “super recognisers” and their investigative results are so impressive that Australian police are now taking a closer look. And that means if you’ve got something to hide, you’d better watch out. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Germ Warfare At 24, Sam O’Sullivan thought he was invincible. An elite athlete and rising Aussie Rules star, nothing could stop him. Then one day seven months ago he felt slightly ill. At first he thought he had a hangover, then possibly the flu, but he didn’t get better. It turns out an extremely rare flesh-eating superbug had somehow invaded his body and was devouring his muscles. The microbe, called Necrotizing Myositis, was as virulent as it was frightening. Doctors said if Sam was lucky he’d survive, but they’d have to amputate limbs. The more likely outcome, they warned, was death. Sam O’Sullivan’s only hope was to go to war against this killer germ. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Gareth Harvey, Alice Dalley Ship Happens When it comes to fun and adventure on the high seas, Australians lead the world. Every year more than a million of us are farewelled by family and friends as we head out on a cruise. And because business is so full steam ahead here, shipbuilders in Germany are working overtime to construct even bigger and more opulent ships. As Michael Usher discovered, the ocean liner assembly line is an astonishing sight that’s only matched by the mega
Tough Treatment For any parent, a sick child is always a concern. So imagine the devastation of Perth parents Angela and Colin Kiszko when they were told their six-year-old son had an aggressive brain tumour. They put their trust in the doctors and were relieved when he came through gruelling surgery. But when Angela and Colin were told their boy would need chemo and radiotherapy, they refused to give consent. What followed was a bruising and protracted battle – over a doctor’s duty of care and a parent’s right to choose. And all the while a little boy’s life was left hanging in the balance. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Mary Ann Jolley, Alice Dalley The Write Stuff Here’s a terrible statistic: there are one million schoolkids in this country who can’t read properly. As a nation we should be ashamed. But if we’re serious about fixing the problem, maybe we need to pay attention to a former punk-rocking anarchist whose formula for the write stuff is to be very wrong. Children’s author Andy Griffiths is happily – and defiantly – disgusting. In his page-turners, no bodily function is too repulsive: pooing, farting and vomiting rule. It’s guaranteed that kids will be revolted. They’ll probably laugh a lot too. But best of all, without even realising it, they’ll be reading. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Out of this World Charles Wooley is not usually lost for words, but when he met the star of this story for the first time he was speechless. She’s a complete diva, mysterious and unpredictable. She makes visitors travel to the end of the earth to see her, and then more often than not snubs them by not even bothering to show up. Wooley was one of the fortunate ones though when the Northern Lights – the Aurora Borealis – deigned to greet him in all her heavenly splendour. And when he did manage to speak, all he could say was … aaaahhhhh. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Nick Greenaway
Beaconsfield: The Whole Story There are few stories of survival more incredible than that of Todd Russell and Brant Webb. When disaster struck at the Beaconsfield mine in Tasmania ten years ago this month, the pair dug deep to defy the odds. A massive rock fall had claimed the life of workmate Larry Knight, and Todd and Brant knew their number could be up at any moment. For two nerve-wracking weeks they lay entombed deep underground as the nation held its collective breath. And when it finally came, their rescue was an extraordinary moment of elation. But it didn’t end there. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Nick Greenaway Desperate Measures When George Pickering visited his son’s deathbed last year he had plans to do more than just say goodbye. His beloved boy Georgie had been declared brain dead after suffering a stroke and medical staff were about to switch off life support. Wracked by grief, the 59-year-old father was determined that wouldn’t happen. He stormed the ward with a loaded gun and threatened to kill everyone. A SWAT team surrounded the hospital as the standoff dragged on for three terrifying hours. But what happened next took everyone by surprise. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen
Surprised by Five When Kim Tucci fell pregnant she was as thrilled as any mother-to-be. A brother or sister for her two young daughters … or so she thought. So imagine the shock for Kim and her husband Vaughn when they found out she was expecting not one baby, but five. Naturally conceived quintuplets are extremely rare – a one in 55 million chance. What’s even rarer is the opportunity to witness this remarkable journey from start to finish. This Sunday you will see the story of five little miracles as we follow Kim and Vaughn through the highs and lows of pregnancy, birth and beyond. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Garry McNab, Alice Dalley The Wild Man David Attenborough and Charles Wooley go back a long, long way. As a kid, Charles was spellbound by his earliest wildlife programs on black and white television. Then as a reporter in his thirties, he was thrilled to interview him. It’s fair to say they’ve both aged a bit since. And on the eve of Attenborough’s 90th birthday they met again in London. As you will discover, Sir David is still pushing the boundaries. He is more outspoken than ever about the state of the planet and has also become a bionic man, with two new titanium knees. And just as he has always done, he will dazzle your senses with something new and quite incredible – this time the cutting-edge technology of virtual reality. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Nick Greenaway
The Sleeping Curse We all know what it’s like to have a bad night’s sleep, tossing and turning for hours and facing the next day tired and cranky. Well imagine the nightmare of waking up but never getting back to sleep ever again. That’s the cruel reality for a handful of families throughout the world. Fatal Familial Insomnia is an extremely rare and debilitating brain disease with no treatment and no cure. It steals your sleep, your mind, your motor skills and ultimately your life. For Queensland brother and sister, Hayley and Lachlan Webb, this terrifying disease could strike at any time – a family curse that they are determined to break. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producers: Ali Smith, Jo Townsend Blasphemy on Broadway Matt Stone and Trey Parker have made a fortune out of offending everyone. For nearly two decades this wicked comedy duo has been writing and voicing the controversial cartoon South Park. Along the way they’ve poked fun at just about every celebrity and minority there is. Their latest comedic assault is on stage – a highly successful Broadway show called The Book of Mormon, which, as the name suggests, has the Mormon religion well and truly in its sights. Like everything Matt and Trey do, nothing and no-one is off limits. This duo has made a career out of offending people…so consider yourself warned. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Bonobo Business Of all the animals on earth, the bonobo is one of our closest genetic relatives. No wonder then, they could teach us humans a thing or two. Closely related to the chimpanzee, the bonobo is the rarest and most intelligent of the great apes, a peace loving primate a million miles from its violent chimp cousin. Bonobos are caring and compassionate – females rule the roost, aggression is rare and life involves plenty of fun and copious amounts of sex. But as you’ll see in our report, the bonobo lives in only one place in the world – the war-ravaged Democratic
Made in Mexico It’s the biggest gamble childless couples wanting to experience the wonder of parenthood can take: the decision to venture down the complicated and all too often corrupted path of commercial surrogacy. In Australia, paying someone to carry a baby for you is illegal, but it’s a different story in countries like Mexico where laws are open to greater interpretation. There, making babies has become a big but very risky business. David and Nicky Beard were so desperate to become dads they paid a huge amount of money to a baby broker in Mexico. What should have been the happiest time of their lives became a Mexican stand-off as these new dads faced coming home without their newborn babies. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Boy Oh Boy These days we should probably be calling Boy George Man George because he’s now been wowing – and wooing – his adoring fans for more than three decades. His is a singing and performing career which has soared to the dizzying heights of number one hit records and never-ending radio airplay. Boy George has also had some stumbles along the way, but hey, what pop star hasn’t made headlines for the all the wrong reasons? Now he’s getting the old band, Culture Club, back together for a worldwide tour that will start in one of his favourite countries, Australia. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Gareth Harvey Richard Carleton It still seems like only yesterday, but this week actually marks ten years since former 60 Minutes reporter Richard Carleton died. Carleton was an icon of TV reporting in this country, and will always be remembered for his brilliant and provocative interviews. He took no prisoners, and many a politician, thug or dictator withered after a Carleton grilling. He died suddenly while on assignment in Tasmania, just a few minutes after filing his report on the Beaconsfield mine disaster, and this Sunday we look back at his unique and memorable career. Producer: Howard
Fighting Back Like many young Australians, Airdre Mattner from Adelaide wanted to explore the world. But what happened to the 25- year-old primary school teacher in Seoul, Korea, should be a warning to every traveller. She thought Seoul was a safe city, but she was wrong. During a night out someone spiked Airdre’s drink. Unable to get help, she was abducted by one man then handed over to two others who raped her. As awful and unimaginable as the assault was, Airdre’s ordeal became even more distressing when she reported the crime to Korean police. Investigators made her feel as if it was all her own fault. Incredibly, sex attacks on foreign women are becoming increasingly common in South Korea and neighbouring Japan, but Airdre Mattner is bravely refusing to let the perpetrators get away with their crime. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Grace Tobin Sister Act Cate and Bronte Campbell are the fastest female swimmers in the world and among our strongest hopes for gold medals at the Rio Olympic Games later this year. But what sets the Campbell sisters apart from many other athletes is their ability to ignore the increasing hype about their success. Swimming is important to them, but refreshingly, Cate and Bronte are best friends first, rivals second. However, they are still determined to win at Rio, and they know that means one sister will have to beat the other. Reporter: Peter Overton Producer: Jo Townsend Mutiny on Norfolk It’s only a tiny scrap of land in the South Pacific, but Norfolk Island has a long history that dates back to the mutiny on the Bounty. Half of the island’s 1800 residents actually trace their ancestry back to Fletcher Christian and his band of mutineers. Understandably, Norfolk Islanders are proud and protective of their piece of paradise, but they now fear they could lose it. Earlier this year the Australian government shut down Norfolk Island’s parliament, claiming the island is broke and the locals are incapabl
Bad Grandpas Crime is never a laughing matter but the sheer audacity and extraordinary ingenuity of a gang of pensioner-aged British crooks has certainly made many people smile. Last year the daring villains used their substantial experience to plan and pull off the biggest burglary in English history. The Hatton Garden vault in the heart of London held hundreds of safe deposit boxes, full of jewellery, cash and other treasure. It was said to be impenetrable until the bad grandpas proved that boast a lie. They got away with over $25 million worth of loot. But the old-timers made one mistake, and it would cost them dearly. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Gareth Harvey Saving the Children Eleven years ago Tara Winkler was a naive 19-year-old living a sheltered life in Bondi when she decided to travel to Cambodia for a holiday. Prosperity to poverty was certainly eye-opening for her, especially when she visited little children in the country’s many orphanages. Tara fell in love with them – it’s impossible not to – and she vowed to rescue as many kids as she could. She started up her own charity and home and raised her profile back in Australia to raise money for the orphans of Cambodia. Then she discovered she had been completely fooled because, as it turned out, most of her “orphans” had parents and families. But instead of giving up she decided to expose this cynical tourist trap, and then save the children in a completely new way. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Laura Sparkes Beirut: What Went Wrong? Today the Nine Entertainment Company released the findings of an inquiry into what went wrong when 60 Minutes tried to tell the story of Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner and her attempts to regain custody of her two children. Michael Usher speaks with one of the report’s authors, founding 60 Minutes Executive Producer, Gerald Stone. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Howard Sacre
Who Killed Josh? No one deserves the torment Ingrid Bishop has suffered in the last six years. It started when her son Josh Warneke, 21, was attacked and killed after a night out in Broome. But what compounded this mother’s trauma was the incompetence of the West Australian police. They bungled their investigation for two and a half years before they finally arrested a suspect. Gene Gibson is now in prison for killing Josh Warneke but Ingrid is convinced the evidence against him is so flawed, the police got the wrong man. She’s so sure Gibson didn’t kill her son that she’s now fighting to have him released. But if it wasn’t Gene Gibson, then who killed Josh Warneke? Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Ali Smith Fast & Fabulous It’s not always the case with sports stars, but the hype that goes with the mere mention of Anna Meares is completely justified. Eleven world championships make her the greatest female track cyclist in history. Happily for Australia, but unfortunately for her competitors, she’s not finished yet. Anna’s hard at work preparing for Rio, her fourth Olympic Games. But as you’ll see in our report her exhausting, and exhaustive, training schedule is also a distraction from sadness on the home front: the bust-up of her marriage. Reporter: Peter Stefanovic Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Breaking the Curse Krystal Barter was perfectly healthy when seven years ago she decided to have both her breasts surgically removed at the age of 25. She took the drastic action because her family history meant there was a strong chance she would develop breast cancer later in life. It was a traumatic time but since then Krystal has bravely campaigned to educate women all over the world about this cruel genetic curse. Now there’s someone else she needs to save – her own daughter. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Alice Dalley
Our House These days the great Australian dream of home ownership has been replaced with the great Australian whinge that for most people, it’s no longer possible. What’s left is the great Australian divide between the haves and the have-nots. The reason why buying a home is so expensive seemingly defies the rules of economics, but the reality means it’s cheaper to call Paris or New York home instead of Sydney or Melbourne. Want-to-be home owners might be down, but they’re not out and as you’ll see, there are ways to turn dilemma into opportunity. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Jo Townsend and Sean Power American Villain As a footballer, there was none better than OJ Simpson. As a human, there aren’t too many worse. It’s more than twenty years since Simpson was famously charged with murdering his former wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. The court case, an eight month spectacle fuelled by the public’s obsession with celebrity, ended with the jury’s surprising ‘not guilty’ verdict. But two years later a civil court decided Simpson was liable for the deaths, and ordered him to pay more than thirty million dollars in compensation. In 2008 OJ Simpson was jailed for 33 years after a botched armed robbery in Las Vegas. The one-time American hero is likely to be paroled next year, which means more torment for the victims’ families. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Parental As Anything As every mother and father knows, there’s no rulebook for the right way to raise children. Good parenting is just as much about good luck as it is about good management. This week Karl Stefanovic meets parents who pursue a more ‘unconventional’ path to bringing up their children. And while you may not agree with what they do, remember that like the rest of us, they’re as proud and loving of their children as anyone else. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producer: Jo Townsen
For the first explosive time, the full shocking story of Australia's most crooked cop.
Keep Out! What would you do if someone walked into your backyard, dug a big hole and put a fence around it with a sign saying ‘No Trespassing’? In all likelihood you’d shout and scream and call the police. But what if when the police came they threatened to arrest you, not those who wrecked your property and locked you out? In many parts of rural Australia this is the outrageous scenario now playing out between farmers and big gas companies, whose relentless – often ruthless – quest for new sources of gas seems to have no limits. In a special 60 Minutes investigation, Michael Usher reveals evidence showing the high-pressure, secret tactics used by some gas companies which are driving hard-working country folk from their land. Queensland farmer Kane Booth used to have a multi-million-dollar cattle business until three coal seam gas wells were drilled on his property. He says the wells affected the water supply on his land, rendering it useless for fattening his cattle. He’s now been forced to abandon the property and sell off his herd. Not surprisingly, Kane and his young family are devastated, but have vowed to fight on. However, a similar battle on a neighbouring property has had a tragic outcome. George Bender fought a coal seam gas company for years, blaming it for polluting his property. But it turned out to be a battle of attrition he was never going to win. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Laura Sparkes Top Price You have to marvel in awe and wince in pain at Toby Price’s commitment to being the best off-road motorcycle racer in the world. At last count, the 28-year-old daredevil from the Hunter Valley had racked up 27 broken bones. His worst riding injury three years ago fractured vertebrae in his neck, which left him perilously close to becoming a quadriplegic. His mum, Pauline, and dad, John, might disagree, but Toby reckons the rewards of hurtling through the desert at breakneck speeds justify the risks. In January this year he be
Oscar Pistorius: the Interview From Paralympian to pariah, Oscar Pistorius is now a shamed figure. On July 6 he will be sentenced for murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He shot her at his home in South Africa on Valentine’s Day 2013 and then concocted a convoluted story about mistaking her for an intruder hiding in the bathroom. The courts didn’t accept his defence, and he is now facing at least 15 years in prison for the crime. As he waits to hear his fate he has decided to tell his story publicly for the first time. The interview, with British reporter Mark Williams-Thomas, is a macabre and at times graphic insight into the night Reeva was killed. Pistorius explains in excruciating detail his recollection of what happened, and its aftermath. The Blade Runner is both defiant and tearful, but the big question is whether his performance will influence public opinion. Pistorius didn’t seek the court’s permission for the interview, and by doing it he has further outraged Reeva Steenkamp’s grieving family. Reporter: Mark Williams-Thomas, ITV Doomsday Vault Imagine for a moment if a comet strikes the earth, or a super volcano erupts, blacking out the sun for years. Or worse still, there’s a nuclear war. Only a small number of human beings would survive and they – or hopefully we – would have to be incredibly well prepared for the future. But just how would we restart our lives when the sun shines again? Where would we get the seeds to grow the crops to feed ourselves? Luckily, scientists have been imagining the unimaginable and have built an incredible facility, hidden deep in the remote mountains of the Arctic Circle. Appropriately, it is known as the Doomsday Vault. Reporter: Charles Wooley Producer: Nick Greenaway
Great White Hope The mantra of marine experts is that the risk of being taken by a shark while swimming, surfing or diving is so miniscule it’s not even worth thinking about. But it seems lately the rate of shark attacks has been increasing dramatically. Every new incident, every tragic death or horrific injury, invariably leads to heated debate about the need to cull sharks so humans can be safe in the water. On 60 Minutes, a breakthrough which could save man and beast – new technology whose makers are confident will keep us apart. But as Ross Coulthart reports, there’s only one way to find out if it really works and that involves getting very close to very large sharks. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Nick Greenaway Not So Great Britain When Britain voted to leave the European Union just days ago the rest of the world was caught completely unaware. Almost immediately, however, the decision assumed the proportions of an ugly divorce as politicians on both sides of the English Channel began bickering about the logistics of how and when to sever ties. Brexit has also created disturbing divisions in England, especially over immigration policy, but as Liz Hayes reports from London, there is one man who could not be happier. Nigel Farage is the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party and the key architect of the split from Europe. He’s spent the last 17 years working towards this very moment. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Steven Burling I, Robot Advances in technology mean scientists and engineers have been able to create robots that literally have minds of their own. Liz Hayes meets Sophia, Herb and Baxter, and explains how they’re making our lives easier. These robots work non-stop and never whinge. But perhaps there is too much of a good thing because of a growing risk that these bundles of technological wizardry are becoming too smart for their – and our – own good. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen Election 20
Going for Broke In the brutal assessments of the election disaster for Malcolm Turnbull, many experts said the Coalition’s proposed changes to the superannuation system cost it desperately needed votes. The Prime Minister and Treasurer had claimed super was becoming a tax rort for the wealthy, and there wasn’t enough benefit for low and middle-income families. But fiddling with the retirement funds of any Australians is sure to raise tempers. And there’s an even bigger problem. Thanks to the new rules, and because we’re all living longer, most retirees will run out of money in their 70s and 80s, just when they need it most. In this special report for 60 Minutes, the Nine Network Finance Editor, Ross Greenwood, questions the government’s motives in making the changes and says by going for broke, it risks making superannuation even more confusing for all Australians. Reporter: Ross Greenwood Producer: Jo Townsend Reboot of the Nerds There was a time not so long ago when the geeks at school suffered serious teasing. But these days it’s all changed. Now many students aspire to be nerds. They’re honing their skills in digital technology because they know in the very near future that’s where the important careers – and big money – will be found. In fact almost every job will soon require a substantial degree of digital expertise, including computer programming. Brisbane schoolboy Taj Pabari is a great example of what’s needed and what can be achieved. At just 16, he’s already a businessman, with his own tech company, and an international team working towards a big future. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Ali Smith Look Who’s Talking A few weeks ago at the Cincinnati Zoo in the United States a three-year-old boy fell into the gorilla enclosure. A huge silverback appeared to rescue him, but then started to toy with him like a rag doll. Eventually zookeepers shot the animal. It was distressing but they said it was the only way to sav
Paradise Lost If you’re thinking of holidaying in Samoa, you’d be wise to think again. The brochures show an idyllic South Pacific paradise and promise a welcome as warm as the sun. But that can never be the truth while a sadistic thug named Lauititi Tualima lives there. He’s Samoa’s most dangerous criminal. Remarkably he spends most of his time in prison, but security there is such a joke, it’s no deterrent to Tualima’s life of extreme violence. Australian tourists Angie Jackson and Tommy Williams found themselves prey to this man and they’re very lucky to still be alive. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Garry McNab, Sean Power The Divided States of America The United States of America right now feels more like the divided states of America. The recent shootings of black Americans by police officers has sparked nationwide protests, led to a mass murder and left many wondering if the country’s racial divisions are deeper than they’ve ever been. This week Michael Usher travelled to some of America’s most racially segregated communities and discovered a simmering underbelly of anger and resentment that’s very close to erupting into open war. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Phil Goyen Absolutely Outrageous For devotees, it’s simply “Absolutely Fabulous” news. Two of the most acerbically-written characters ever created for the small screen have been given the Hollywood treatment. Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley are back playing the somewhat hopeless, often sozzled, but always funny Edina and Patsy, in the Ab Fab feature film. The original television series ran for three years in the early 1990s, and their outrageously bad behaviour made the pair famous all over the world. So, when Liz Hayes was summoned to London for an audience with Jennifer and Joanna, there was no way she was going to refuse. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Steven Burling
The Killer Downstairs Sometimes greed is so consuming it blocks out all human reasoning and logic. How else can anyone explain Adeel Khan’s actions? Two years ago, Khan, 46, deliberately blew up his Sydney convenience store so he could claim $225,000 in insurance. The blast was so destructive the two-storey building crumbled to the ground and three innocent lives, including an 11-month-old baby, were lost. That Adeel Khan thought he could get away with the crime is as outrageous as the act itself, and next week this evil man will be sentenced for murder, manslaughter and arson. But no amount of prison time will be long enough for the grieving families of those he killed. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Rebecca Le Tourneau Running Mates It should have been a triumphant week for Donald Trump, but despite being formally nominated as the Republican Party’s candidate to take on Hillary Clinton in the US Presidential race, the New York billionaire faced some serious embarrassment. As a result, instead of being a showpiece of conservative politics, the 2016 Republican National Convention will more likely be remembered for chaos and farce. To try to help re-unite the party, Trump announced that the Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence, would be his Vice-President if he made it to the White House. It was considered a smart and safe choice until they sat down for an extraordinary interview with American 60 Minutes reporter Lesley Stahl. It’s a revealing insight into what life might be like with a President called Trump. Reporter: Lesley Stahl (CBS 60 Minutes) Producers: Richard Bonin and Ruth Streeter What Happens in Vegas That memorable tourist slogan “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” is particularly apt for Human Nature. You remember Human Nature? The Australian boy band of the 1990s, four high school mates with a passion for pop harmonies. Well, the boys became men, and in 2009 Toby Allen, Phil Burton and brothers, Andrew and Mike Tierney, decid
MH370: Special Investigation Aviation experts frequently remind us that flying on modern jet planes is the safest form of transport. However those assertions are meaningless while the fate of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 remains unknown. It’s more than two years since the Boeing 777 disappeared off the face of the earth. An exhaustive and expensive search in the southern Indian Ocean has failed to turn up anything. It’s due to end soon, which has further distressed the grieving families of the 239 passengers and crew who are presumed dead. Frustration at the lack of clues has led to significant reassessment about MH370, and as Ross Coulthart discovers in this 60 Minutes investigation, there’s now growing evidence that authorities have been ignoring more credible theories about what might have brought the jet down. Reporter: Ross Coulthart Producer: Gareth Harvey Mind Boggling Depending on your memory, you may or may not recall a story 60 Minutes made five years ago about a small group of extraordinary people who can remember every detail of their lives, stretching back decades. They can remember where they were and what they did on any particular day in any particular year. Scientists are intrigued by this rare ability and hope a better understanding of it might one day lead to cures for sufferers of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Since the original story went to air, the number of people diagnosed with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory has grown from 10 to 60 – and now includes the first Australian. Twenty-six-year-old Becky Sharrock’s mind retains so much detailed information it almost defies belief; she can even recite every word of every Harry Potter book. But while the idea of a super memory might sound appealing, it can also be a curse. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Grace Tobin The Man Who Saw Everything While you may not be familiar with his name, you will certainly know Nick Lee’s work, because if you’ve w
When adoption goes wrong. Tara Brown uncovers the heartbreaking trade in unwanted children. And Allison Langdon's toughest assignment ever - diving the freezing waters of Antarctica for a close-up encounter with ferocious leopard seals.
Meet two little girls trapped in the wrong body. Emma & Izzy were born boys and now want to be female forever, plus Alison Langdon on the sets of China's massive movie industry & meet the scientists who can tell you how smart your dog is.
Roxy Jacenko breaks her silence on her husband's insider trading conviction & her battle with breast cancer, Liam Bartlett on the bloody streets of the Philippines as President Rodrigo Duterte tells the nation it's ok to kill drug dealers.
She's back! Pauline Hanson makes a spectacular political return with more confidence than ever and a new secret weapon & Michael Usher's red faced moment with one of the world's biggest stars - Barbra Streisand.
Meet the woman with multiple personalities, plus the secret trade in war planes and on location with Australia's beauty magnate Napoleon Perdis.
Australia's richest grandparents put their hope in dope to save their very ill granddaughter, diving over the edge- the Aussie taking on a death defying sport and Charles Wooley goes back to where he came from.
The desperate older mums risking everything to have a child; and would you take the heart of a serial killer? Plus a walk down memory lane with Crowded House.
What really happened to Phoebe Handsjuk, who was found dead at the bottom of a garbage chute? Olivia Newton-John's revealing interview about her difficult private struggles and Tom Hanks shows us why he really is Hollywood's Mr Nice Guy.
Death in a café, did Jessica kill her beautiful best friend by putting cyanide in her coffee? One brave Aussie's fight for our right to die and the last Bee Gee, Barry Gibb, making sure the show goes on.
Allison Langdon talks to Australia's most controversial cricket captain, Michael Clarke; inside doomed flight MH17 and BMX champion Sam Willoughby facing his biggest challenge.
Ross Coulthart investigates Australia's creepiest cold case; the incredible Aussie women turning motherhood into big business; and a breakthrough treatment for sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis.
The unsuspecting partners of men hiding vile secrets, could you report the man you love? The Aussie Gem of Africa - educating the poorest kids in the world. Inside the Clinton campaign for President. And the poison princess - guilty.
What happened to baby Darcy when he was left in the care of someone his mother thought she could trust; Charles Wooley finds the world's best whisky very close to home; and Donald Trump's hero, the notorious Sheriff Joe.
In an extraordinary interview with Liam Bartlett, Gable Tostee tries to explain his version of events on that terrible night; Jerry Seinfield, the world's most famous comedian, discusses the exacting science of his everyday humour.
Pregnant journalist Elle Halliwell's impossible choice – to save her baby or herself; a life of extremes - growing up as the son of notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar; Rugby great Peter FitzSimons' war on sugar.
New technology keeping sharks and humans apart; the problem with pokies & the legal firm taking on the gambling giants; a 60 MINUTES classic from 1984 – Japan's boot camp for lazy businessmen.
The deadly Irukandji jelly fish coming to a beach near you; a brave 16 year old boy speaking out about violence; and Bob and Blanche's endless love.
Making students smarter by making school fun; Ashleigh's family has been haunted by a dark legacy, now she wants to face her fate; plus an interview with Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.
Where's Peter? The most infamous outback crime in Australian history. Survivor Joanne Lees courageously returns to the Northern Territory to search for her murdered boyfriend, Peter Falconio
Why did Mason's mother agree to marry the monster who murdered her 16 month old toddler; the miraculous survival of a fisherman thrown overboard in shark infested waters; and the absolutely glamorous Aussie queens of fashion magazines.
After 37 years in the force including a decade as top cop, Commissioner Andrew Scipione is about to hand in his badge; why so many young men like local footy star Jake Fitzsimmons are struggling to cope; and Canadian crooner, k.d. lang.
A very modern family – a mother and son becoming the father and daughter; and, new hope for millions of Australians in the age of anxiety - the ground breaking research which could help sufferers of the crippling condition.
How Australia's schools are combating religious extremism, trying to de-radicalise militant students; the Aussie woman who married an American murderer; and the fortunate life of Peter Holmes à Court, now saving kids in Africa.
Australia's 'extreme vetting', who is coming here from Syria and Iraq? The best childcare and parental leave in the world, why can't we have it too? The Great Barrier Reef, disappearing before our very eyes.
It was the crime that made us cry but now Samantha Knight's killer may be freed. Why the evil predator should never be released. Temper tantrums in the glamorous world of fashion. And how did a granny killer end up living in a nursing home.
On 60 Minutes, champion cyclist Anna Meares fighting to save the coach who made her great and Liam Bartlett gets cheeky with Aussie superstar Tina Arena in Paris.
From humble school teacher to The Hornet, the unlikely Aussie boxing champ, Jeff Horn; The great escape – families say goodbye to the rat race, hello to a permanent holiday; the strangest breakthrough in medicine, saving sight with a tooth.
Kelly Rowland, singing superstar and Beyonce's best friend. Liz Hayes confronts the Ku Klux Klan. The QLD farmer bullied by 'big gas' refuses to give up. And never forgetting Aussies who go missing.
How Glenn Dickson's mates refused to let him die after he was attacked twice by a massive bull shark; & the worst case of big bank greed – destroying a successful business by making its loyal and honest owners deal with a convicted crook.
The deadly storm which caused a mass asthma epidemic. When will it strike again? The billionaires' tough advice for first home buyers; and Elle Halliwell celebrates her first Mother's Day with her new baby boy.
The truth behind Cassandra Sainsbury, A south Australian woman incarcerated in Colombia on Drug smuggling charges and the story of the sexual abuse of a 12 year old girl in one of Queensland's elite private schools.
Liz Hayes with comedic duo Hamish & Andy still as popular as ever after 15 years plus Ross Coulthart with a major 60 Minutes investigation into one of Australia's most infamous cold cases.
As a 5 year old, Joel got lost from his family in a busy market in the Philippines-30 years later he returns in an emotional search for his mum; plus Channel 9's inspirational Matt Callander and his courageous battle against brain cancer.
The images of the 'boy in the hood' locked up in detention, shocked the nation. Now Dylan Voller tells his harrowing story; How to be rich and famous playing computer games; and inspirational Turia Pitt faces her greatest challenge.
The secret Diana tapes – what the Princess revealed about her miserable life inside the Palace; the second coming of pop phenomenon Lorde; and the heartbreaking anguish of pro-boxer Davey Browne's family.
Liz Hayes meets the legendary Sir Paul McCartney, still rocking after all these years; the secret facility in Australia where the dead speak; and Liam Bartlett explains why peace in the Middle East is such a long way off.
Julie Randall was diagnosed with incurable cancer but she refused to die. The inspirational story of Patient 71; Charles Wooley rues why he can never afford to retire; & Liz Hayes reports from the frontline - war on the streets of Chicago.
Ralph & Kathy Kelly's enormous courage – they lost both their sons in unthinkable circumstances, but they continue to help others; Where will you go when the apocalypse strikes?; and clever farmers turning pests into profit.
Inside the Aussie Church where women must submit to their husbands- one woman bravely speaks out- taking on the head of the Church- her very own son; Ice-skating's Olympic knee-cap scandal 20 years on; and Richo- the man who would not die.
A family fights for justice for their murdered daughter, as Liam Bartlett confronts a suspect; & the crazy, dangerous life of Aussie adventurer and author, Rusty Young.
On 60 MINUTES, courage beyond words: How three complete strangers put themselves in a gunman's line of fire to save a young woman's life; and lipstick queen Poppy King, refusing to let critics smudge out her career.
Internet "Influencers" laughing all the way to the bank; the controversial test that could eliminate Down Syndrome; Rock 'n roll royalty, Chrissie Hynde and Stevie Nicks; & what Laurie Oakes really thinks about our politicians.
Liz Hayes finds out if the US military is really "locked & loaded", ready for nuclear war; the victim and the judge fighting for a better legal system; and the woman allergic to everything in the world, even her husband.
Tara Brown reports on Mark and Faye Leveson's heartbreaking battle to discover the truth about their son Matt's death; And swimming with the friendliest giants of the sea, the curiously named, Dwarf Minke Whale.
Peter Stefanovic investigates the case of the 14 year old who calmly shot his parents point blank and endeavours to unravel the reasoning behind the act; a riddle that has baffled police. Then we met the friendly New Yorker public transport thief Darius McCollum and discover how his obsession is challenging authorities.
Olivia Newton John tells Karl Stefanovic how she'll beat her latest cancer diagnosis; the young boy who wanted to be a girl, now wants to be a boy again–but is it too late to change back; & the accidental rock star, Jack Johnson.
The world's greatest racehorse, Winx, and the happy team behind her success; the man who stared down Osama bin Laden and pulled the trigger; plus exclusive access all areas with Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins.
Cassie Sainsbury speaks from prison. Why did she try to smuggle cocaine out of Colombia?; Singing superstar Shania Twain comes out of hiding; and shark attack victim Glenn Dickson gets back in the water.
The incredible fight for survival of 2 young backpackers as they try to escape a monster at Salt Creek; plus access all areas with superstar P!NK and her beautiful young family.
The sordid Hollywood sex scandal, Tara Brown speaks with one of Harvey Weinstein's victims; Model murder – who killed the girl with the stunning blue eyes?; Sir Richard Branson's great survival; and the end of the road for Aussie cars.
How a town on the other side of the world could unlock a cure for Australian Alzheimer's sufferers; Beating a broken justice system; A new direction for One Direction's Niall Horan; and a woman's extravagant life in a billionaire's harem.
Can billionaire Elon Musk fix our shocking energy crisis?; Personal trainer Michelle Bridges, the biggest winner of The Biggest Loser; & Barefoot Bushman Rob Bredl introduces Charles Wooley to the monster croc that tried to kill him.
Hannah wants to play footy with the other girls but she's banned by the AFL because she was born a boy; how the children of murderers live with the dark secrets; & 40 years of INXS – the band's moving tribute to Michael Hutchence.
Ben Debono's young wife died after a medical misdiagnosis & he wants to know why; Could Donald Trump's presidency be jeopardised by dodgy deals with Russia?; and Australia's oldest cold case – the 400 year mystery of the Batavia massacre.
A 60 MINUTES special investigation: Deep inside North Korea, as the secretive, rogue nation prepares for a war that could end the world; plus Charles Wooley gets a new job at the NT News, the cheeky Top End fish and chip wrapper.
The tough dilemma facing IVF couples with unused embryos – donate or destroy them; Supergroup U2 still on song, and message, after 41 years; and the inspiring wanderlust of a beautiful, young Aussie adventurer.
The deadly storm which caused a mass asthma epidemic. When will it strike again? plus Liz Hayes meets the legendary Sir Paul McCartney, still rocking after all these years.
Kidnapped and then auctioned as a sex slave, but is glamour model Chloe Ayling a victim or a publicity seeker; The Barnaby Joyce saga - Liz Hayes' exclusive interview with Malcolm & Lucy Turnbull; and crypto-madness – is Bitcoin a Bitcon?
After years on the run Australia's most dangerous con-man is finally caught and it's all captured on camera; how to combine sex & politics but not cause a scandal, NZ's remarkable new PM, Jacinda Ardern; & the one and only, Robbie Williams.
D for disgrace - the degrading initiation rituals at University residential colleges and why 'hazing' is not a harmless tradition; plus the Aussie surfers defying death, riding 30m monster waves at Nazare.
Finally some hope for the victims of the notorious Daruk Boys Home. A breakthrough in a major police investigation means arrests are imminent; plus the only Australian survivor of the deadly Waco cult speaks for the first time.
In an Australian cricket team full of stars, Usman Khawaja stands out. He’s a fine batsman and an agile fielder, but there’s something else. He’s a Muslim. In fact, Usman is the first Muslim to ever wear the baggy green cap. He says it hasn’t always been easy being different to his teammates, and in the past he has hated the attention placed on his faith. But now he is proud to celebrate it. And as Allison Langdon discovered, “Ussie” also has something else to celebrate. It’s something even better than scoring a century: his upcoming wedding to Rachel, who, for her future husband, has happily gone from being a good Catholic to a good Muslim.
60 Minutes first went to air on February 11, 1979, under executive producer Gerald Stone and with reporters Ray Martin, George Negus and Ian Leslie. Today, 60 Minutes is Australia’s leading current affairs program with a proven record of excellence over three decades. Liz Hayes, Allison Langdon, Tara Brown, Ross Coulthart, Charles Wooley and Liam Bartlett investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.
The illegal immigrant who became a proud Aussie and world famous surgeon; The mystery of a lost WW2 bomber and the desperate search to bring an Australian hero pilot home; & going for gold, the incredible courage of a young paratriathlete.
How an extraordinary police bungle allowed an evil predator to continue his reign of violence against women; and a 60 MINUTES Exclusive investigation - the secretly recorded video which exposes a shameful industry.
Fighting the deadly Mexican drug cartels to save a generation of young Australians; Love at first sight, the Royal fairytale of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; and Aussie heartthrob Simon Baker comes home.
A medical alert for all Australians, the deadly dangers of the flu. But will a super vaccine save lives? Vladimir Putin's man in Canberra warns we're headed for World War 3, and comedy genius Barry Humphries' brand new character: Himself.
Teenage tormentors no longer leave their taunts in the schoolyard. Is it too much to ask that women be paid the same amount as men for doing the same job? And not too many 21-year-old men can boast a Ferrari in their garage and a pop star girlfriend by their side.
The unlikely menace on our roads - why more and more Aussie Mums are being driven to drink; plus digging for answers - one man's incredible crusade to find his brother's killer.
A 60 MINUTES Special Event. Where is MH370? Tara Brown asks the world's best aviation crash investigators to pinpoint the location of the doomed 777 airliner. Can a four year long mystery finally be solved?
What now for the Royal newlyweds, Harry and Meghan; An insider confesses the banks' dirty secrets; & two Australians on opposite sides of the volatile and deadly Jerusalem divide.
Exclusively on 60 MINUTES, Tara Brown reveals how Police investigated Australia's most evil family and found the murderer of schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer; plus the most spectacular film set in the world, 11 kilometres under the sea.
Allison Langdon investigates degrading initiation rituals and shocking sexual assaults at university residential colleges; plus the ultimate adventure high in the skies over Antarctica.
A young mother trying to protect herself and children from a violent partner picks up a knife. The attacker lunges and the knife pierces his chest by a tiny 14mm. He dies and she's charged with murder. Tara Brown investigates a tragedy.
How China is buying influence in the South Pacific and why it has Australia worried; Liam Bartlett's investigation into fake aboriginal artefacts; plus the latest chapter in the bizarre case of the kidnapped glamour model.
A 60 MINUTES Special Event: Liam Bartlett meets Dhakota Williams, the daughter of Australia's most notorious gangster, Carl Williams. At 17 and now all grown up, she wants answers about her father's violent life – and death.
A family's ingenious plan to control their autistic son's extreme violence. But to succeed they must make a heartbreaking decision; Plus, the Royal scandal of the missing Princess – abducted on the high seas and not seen since.
Allison Langdon reports on the tragedy of the fishing dive boat, Dianne, which capsized off central QLD last year, with the loss of six best friends. Now the sole survivor tells of his miraculous survival.
Inside the police investigation that proved Melbourne student, Henri van Breda killed his family, & for the first time, the girlfriend who still says he's innocent; Plus, saying thanks for a most precious gift.
The NAPLAN curse – Australian schools in crisis, anxious students and stressed-out teachers; plus inside America's House of Horrors, why 13 children in one family spent more than a decade chained up, tortured and starved.
A family's controversial decision to genetically engineer their baby to be a lifesaver; a quirky magpie called Penguin who thinks she's human; & close up, the stunning but ferocious rivers of lava flowing from Hawaii's Mt Kilauea volcano.
Beautiful 6-year-old Isabella dreams of being able to walk, but will her wish come true in Mexico? Should the ISIS bride and her Aussie baby be allowed to call Australia home? And the littlest drovers defying the drought in the Long Paddock.
Charles Wooley finds out why Australians are so happy to hate. But is the age of outrage killing free speech? Plus, unmasking the man accused of being the Golden State Killer, one of the worst serial predators in history.
Teenagers refusing to go to school and ignoring family & friends because they're hopelessly hooked on video games. Plus, stop laughing this is serious! How a famous Hollywood comedian saved an innocent man on death row.
The disappearance of Lyn Dawson has remained a mystery for 36 years. Now her daughter Shanelle speaks about the case, and the serious accusations against her father, Chris; Plus, Australia's deadly addiction to prescription painkillers.
The outlook might be tough for home owners with mortgages but there are ways to beat the banks; Cloning your pet dog – is it cutting-edge science or barking mad? And Nicole Kidman's great friend, Aussie author Liane Moriarty.
A very committed doctor makes a very serious confession which could end up sending her to prison; Why Australians are sick of politicians behaving badly in Canberra; and hit man Rod Stewart's incredible life of excess in the fast lane.
A SPECIAL EDITION OF 60 MINUTES: Allison Langdon reports on the tragedy of the fishing dive boat, Dianne, which capsized off central QLD last year, with the loss of six best friends. Now the sole survivor tells of his miraculous survival. (Repeat)
Stormy Daniels reveals how 90 seconds of what she describes as “the least impressive” sex she has ever had has led to one of the most titillating political scandals in United States history; 60 Minutes investigates the question of whether kids do better in single sex or co-educational classes, and the determination of the co-education lobby to make them history within 20 years; and the story of transgender athlete, Hannah Mouncey's, quest to play in the AFLW.
When Corryn Rayney was found murdered, police immediately suspected her husband, the high profile lawyer Lloyd Rayney, to the exclusion of everyone else. But detectives got it wrong, meaning the real killer remains unknown and unpunished.
Is there such a thing as safe nuclear energy? And could it be the answer to Australia's crippling electricity bills? Plus, the great footy player Johnathan Thurston reveals the highs and lows of his extraordinary life and brilliant career.
A 60 MINUTES major investigation: The frightening truth about Takata airbags, the deadly time bombs that could explode at any moment in more than a million cars in Australia; plus, the life threatening illness caused by social media.
Uncovering the truth: An Australian father's desperate search for answers about his 20-year-old daughter's death in paradise; plus Baywatch star, Pamela Anderson's unusual love for WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange. But can she save him?
An Aussie #MeToo outrage: Why is a young sexual assault victim being silenced by the law, and can Hollywood save the day? Plus, the brave warrior women protecting Africa's elephants; & a Willy Wonka adventure inside Lego's magical HQ.
Sobering new research reveals as little as one drink a day is causing us harm; The decades old secret that could crucify the Hillsong Church; & after 50 years on stage and screen, a star is born – Why Jacki Weaver is the toast of Hollywood.
The 'Superbrat' speaks his mind! John McEnroe on how to make tennis better and why Nick Kyrgios is its future; Daughters divided – is their father a murderous monster or has he been wrongly convicted? And, the unlikely Aussie star at NASA.
Australia's finest TV reporters remember their greatest adventures in a special edition of 60 MINUTES. The stories behind the stories in a celebration of 40 years as the country's favourite current affairs program.
Liz Hayes' exclusive interview with Stormy Daniels, the adult entertainer who seduced U.S. President Donald Trump; Also, the high flyer behind Qantas, & the one and only, Robbie Williams.
Charles Wooley finds out why Australians are so happy to hate. But is the age of outrage killing free speech? Australia's deadly addiction to prescription painkillers, plus Aussie heartthrob Simon Baker comes home.
Where is MH370? Tara Brown asks the world's best aviation crash investigators to pinpoint the location of the doomed Boeing 777 airliner. Can a four year long mystery finally be solved?
Sick of cold-call scammers? Liam Bartlett tracks down the crooks trying to steal your money; plus, we go inside Sydney's crumbling skyscraper, can it be saved; and, Allison Langdon's exclusive interview with tennis bad-boy, Bernard Tomic.
Tara Brown discovers the measures Scientologists take to avoid external scrutiny; plus, Could Australia’s obsession with so-called “wellness” actually be causing us harm?; and, an exclusive interview with funny-man Hamish Blake and is author wife Zoë Foster Blake.
Helping hand or dangerous health risk? Joe Donor's worldwide mission to impregnate women desperate for babies; the Muppets from Sesame Street celebrate 50 fabulous years; and an inspiring little legend's big day at school.
For four years Adrian McManus cleaned up after the iconic pop star at his Neverland Ranch. Her allegations about Jackson's abuse of children in his care will shock the world.
An Australian mother's desperate meeting with the Malaysian Prime Minister, pleading for help to restart the search for missing airliner, MH370; and the serial offender who's seriously funny – what makes Ricky Gervais laugh out loud?
The woman who says she saw one of Australia's most shocking murders breaks her ten-year silence; plus, the most unlikely political marriage of Pauline Hanson and Mark Latham. But how long can their honeymoon last?
Two days on from a shocking terror attack, the good people of New Zealand are trying to make sense of the incomprehensible. Why did evil target them? Sarah Abo reports from Christchurch, speaking to eye-witnesses of the unspeakable violence.
An epic adventure to the most dangerous place on earth – Tara Brown visits the legendary Snake Island; plus, the divisive population debate, is Australia already too full? And the high life of Australia's tallest man.
Evil in the outback – how the chance discovery of two bodies, five years & 1000km apart, were connected and helped police catch a monster; plus, 50 years on, one of evil-cult-leader Charles Manson's female accomplices could soon be freed.
On 60 MINUTES Liz Hayes investigates the terrifying case of the innocent man falsely accused by his fiancé of violent sexual crimes. How the woman he loved fooled police into believing she was a victim when in fact she was an evil liar.
Liam Bartlett exposes the great Australian con, why recycling plastic is a load of garbage; Britain no longer great, a country divided by Brexit; and the scientific breakthrough that's a giant leap forward for spinal injury patients.
The epidemic of loneliness, a condition more dangerous than smoking; the shocking secrets of a mysterious cult-like church operating in Australia; and our greatest cricketer, the hard-hitting Alyssa Healy.
Conflict in the classroom – what happens when angry parents think they know more than teachers; a World Exclusive interview with Julian Assange's father; & two very funny amigos, Steve Martin and Martin Short, make mischief with Liz Hayes.
Liz Hayes investigates the disaster of Boeing's 737 MAX jetliner. Why two supposedly state-of-the-art and safe planes crashed killing 346 people; why pilots now fear flying the 737 MAX; & whether Boeing could have averted the catastrophes.
Remembering Christopher, the beautiful young man who happily went to work one day but didn't come home; How the most spectacular islands in the world are drowning; & the price of a bigger pay packet. Could it be bad news for Aussie workers?
Two Aussie surfing mates in the fight of their lives to protect paradise from greedy Chinese developers; the child protestors wagging school to save the world; and a 60 MINUTES tribute – Bob Hawke's wonderful larrikin life.
The inspiring story of the Aussie woman with over 2000 personalities. How her brain conjured up the different characters to protect her from abuse, and even more incredibly, how they all worked together to bring an evil monster to justice.
Four decades after the death of Azaria Chamberlain, an eerily-similar dingo attack on Fraser Island. Charles Wooley tells how a baby boy's parents fought to save their son; plus a trip to the moon with Apollo 11 astronaut, Michael Collins.
The nicest man in music, singer/songwriter Guy Sebastian, reveals his greatest joy and most painful heartbreak; plus, Sarah Abo meets Australian 'Sugar Babies', beautiful young women living lives of luxury, all paid for by rich, older men.
Incredible bravery! On 60 MINUTES Tara Brown investigates how a young female backpacker saved her own life after being taken and held hostage by a depraved South Australian farmer. Her ingenuity is not only amazing, but inspiring.
Are child geniuses born brilliant or are pushy parents responsible for their kid's super-skills; Charles Wooley's hell of a holiday at Australia's ghost resorts; and why President Trump is not the only world leader building massive walls.
Aussie actor John Jarratt famously played a psychopath in "Wolf Creek", but then two years ago, he was accused of being a monster in real life. In a 60 MINUTES exclusive, he takes Tara Brown inside the legal battle to clear his name.
A Royal saga like no other: Why the glamourous princess wife of Dubai's billionaire ruler is hiding in a $150m London mansion; plus, Australia's unwelcome, scary new neighbours – Liam Bartlett confronts the ISIS extremists on our doorstep.
The story that Crown Casino doesn’t want you to see. A 60 Minutes, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald major investigation months in the making.
Olivia's Gift: Liz Hayes joins Olivia Newton-John and her daughter Chloe for a raw and powerful 60 MINUTES exclusive. How a devoted family and an unconventional treatment are helping her face up to the greatest challenge of her life.
60 MINUTES most talked about story ever: Tara Brown catches up with Bianca Saez, the inspiring & charming woman with the worst case of Tourette's; plus, how our tech billionaires are saving Australia; and Mike Munro's dark family secret.
When is a confession to murder not a confession? Tara Brown tracks down a man who told police he abducted and killed 3-year-old Cheryl Grimmer 49 years ago near a Wollongong beach. So why hasn't he been prosecuted for the terrible crime?
The wonderful Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs, but living and loving an inspiring life; Plus, Liam Bartlett reports from the Hong Kong battlefront; And President Donald Trump's worst nightmare - insiders dishing dirt on their boss.
Karl Stefanovic finds out why Meghan Markle has lost her sparkle, and what the young royal must do to regain the love. Plus, Australia's most despised man walks free from prison; And is the popular weed killer, Roundup also a human killer?
Exposing a dirty secret – how some churches still practice a form of gay conversion therapy; plus, the daddy of all boy bands, the Backstreet Boys make a triumphant return; and a major victory for Jeni and her army of 2000 personalities.
A 60 MINUTES Major Investigation: Damning allegations that elite soldiers from Australia's special forces committed potential war crimes during the conflict in Afghanistan, including the executions of innocent and unarmed civilians?
A 60 MINUTES Exclusive: The police sniper who saw everything at the Lindt Café siege in Sydney tells Liz Hayes why he didn't pull the trigger to shoot the terrorist who'd taken 18 innocent hostages, & the regret he's lived with ever since.
Liam Bartlett confronts one of Australia's worst conmen, a creep who's preyed on well-to-do women and fleeced them of everything they have; Plus, Wham superstar Andrew Ridgeley remembers his best friend and musical partner, George Michael.
On 60 MINUTES, Karl Stefanovic gets thrown to the sharks to find out if human's fear of the maneaters is justified; plus, after spending 13 years in jail for murder, an elite Australian athlete fights to clear his name.
Explosive images – police accused of crossing the line and losing control; Plus, in Australia's crippling drought, who are the water rats wasting our most precious resource; And, a father and son's history making dash to glory ... or death.
Karl Stefanovic reports on the TV star prepared to kill to boost the ratings of his show, & why the audience loved it! Plus, the creepiest place on earth – Liam Bartlett visits 'Pervert Park', and reveals why it could be good for society.
The Jeffrey Epstein scandal – Tara Brown reports how a New York billionaire masterminded an international sex trafficking ring of young women, and why wealthy and powerful men, including HRH Prince Andrew, are now implicated in the saga.
On 60 MINUTES: Internet sensation Constance Hall reveals how being a bogan blogger is big business; Why Australia is seeing red at China's moves in the South Pacific; Plus, a father and son's history making dash to glory ... or death.
On 60 MINUTES, a Chinese spy defects to Australia. His shocking revelations are guaranteed to infuriate Beijing. How China conducts questionable activities around the world, including its attempts to infiltrate the Australian government.
A hero farmer, horribly injured in a freak accident, is saved by a brilliant surgeon and the most extraordinary technology; the revolutionary way to cure chronic pain in teenagers by inflicting more pain; and the Chinese spy storm.
Sick of cold-call scammers? Liam Bartlett tracks down the crooks trying to steal your money; plus, an epic adventure to the most dangerous place on earth – the legendary Snake Island; & two very funny amigos, Steve Martin and Martin Short.
Decades after the death of Azaria Chamberlain, a similar dingo attack on Fraser Island. How a baby boy's parents fought to save their son; and, the nicest man in music, Guy Sebastian, reveals his greatest joy and most painful heartbreak.
On 60 MINUTES Liz Hayes investigates the terrifying case of the innocent man falsely accused by his fiancé of violent sexual crimes. How the woman he loved fooled police into believing she was a victim when in fact she was an evil liar.
Scientology's dirty little secret - where is the wife of the Church's ruthless leader, David Miscavige? Plus, two Aussie surfing mates in the fight of their lives to protect paradise from greedy Chinese developers.
Tara Brown catches up with Bianca Saez, the inspiring & charming woman with the worst case of Tourette's; how our obsession with wellness is making us sick; & the child protestors wagging school to save the world.
How the most spectacular islands in the world are drowning; plus the high life of Australia's tallest man; and a trip to the moon with Apollo 11 astronaut, Michael Collins.
All new 60 MINUTES. Tara Brown finds out what Australia can do to prevent a repeat of this summer's deadly bushfires. Plus, the latest from Buckingham palace on Harry and Meghan's daring escape, and the Aussie who predicted all the drama.
Borce Ristevski killed his wife of 27 years, Karen, in a crime that shocked many Australians. On 60 MINUTES their only child Sarah breaks her silence about the loss of her beautiful mother and explains why she still loves her father.
A 60 MINUTES special investigation: Why Australia's largest casino business continues to gamble with its future; plus, the sensational trial of Harvey Weinstein, and the woman he hired to demolish the MeToo movement.
The parents who waged a vicious four-year war against the school principal, refusing to surrender, even though they've lost everything; plus, the courageous sexual assault survivor who wants the world to know her name and story.
Liam Bartlett investigates the world of pain caused by the coronavirus, where it started and how it might be beaten; plus the enduring Dolly Parton, 50 years at the top but still busier than ever; & more charges laid at the home of horrors.
How far would you go to protect your family? Ben Batterham was charged with murder after a home invader he chased down, died; Plus, on the hunt for a billionaire drug dealer, one of Australia's most wanted crooks; & the Coronavirus latest.
60 MINUTES' special COVID-19 coverage continues. As the entire world confronts defining moments, what can Australians do to lessen the health and economic impacts of Coronavirus? How to stay well and keep working.
60 MINUTES’ special coverage of the Coronavirus crisis continues with a special live edition of the program featuring up to the minute reports from Tom Steinfort, Sarah Abo and Tara Brown.
Continuing coverage of the Coronavirus crisis in a special, live edition of 60 MINUTES. Why so many Australian passengers are dying on the ships of shame carrying COVID-19; plus, stopping the export of vital medical equipment to China.
EXCLUSIVE: Released from a Colombian jail, Cocaine Cassie tells 60 MINUTES what really happened; Why China is being sued for $6 trillion for misleading the world about the coronavirus crisis; & the bio-tech arms race for a COVID-19 vaccine.
For the first time, inside the most dangerous places in Australia, the COVID-19 ICUs; plus, has the World Health Organisation failed in protecting us from coronavirus; & turning 'cute' into cash, meet social media's influential mini-moguls.
Trading blows! Why China is furious with Australia; How coronavirus revealed the true cost of a holiday on the high seas; The unsung heroes whose detective work flattened the COVID-19 curve; Plus, inspiring news for Tourette's girl, Bianca.
Royal scandal: The costly and dangerous divorce that might actually be good news for three runaway princesses; Will the world ever discover a vaccine for COVID-19?; & how champion surfer Tyler Wright survived a devastating wipeout on land!
The loudest voices in the country – how breakfast radio stars Kyle and Jackie O turned 20 years of shock and awe into a $100 million business; plus, the brave mum who took the law into her own hands to protect herself from her ex-partner.
From love match to screaming match. On 60 MINUTES the explosive tit-for-tat allegations that doomed the footy star & lingerie model's dreams of 'happily-ever-after' lives. For the first time, both sides of this twisted tale have their say.
Suspicious minds with extreme ideas. Why so many people are listening to COVID-19 conspiracy theories; Is there a peacemaker able to stop the violence in the U.S?; & the worst case of medical negligence which doomed a beautiful baby girl.
A major year-long investigation by 60 MINUTES and The Age newspaper reveals serious misconduct in high office. Nick McKenzie is the reporter.
Exposed! Australia's most notorious conman Peter Foster, busted red-handed over his most evil act yet.
What really happened to Madeleine McCann? Liz Hayes investigates the prime suspect in the little girl's abduction & the shocking new evidence against him.
Caught! Rich socialite, Ghislaine Maxwell, the suspected wicked accomplice of teenage sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein arrested and now facing justice.
The lockdown superannuation splurge, fast money now but an enormous cost for our future; Will Beijing's interference in Hong Kong kill the great city?
Enemy of the state. Bashed and threatened, the Aussie student who has enraged Beijing. So why has he been abandoned by his own university?
The ultimate insider: Dr Mary Trump is not only the US President's niece, she's also a clinical psychologist. She knows her Uncle Donald's secrets and wants to share them.
Five-star stuff up. What really went on in Melbourne's quarantine hotels & how Coronavirus managed to escape back into the community.
Is this the cruellest experiment ever conducted? Identical twins and triplets, separated at birth so a psychiatrist could study what happened as they grew up alone.
60 MINUTES cameras are given unparalleled access inside Melbourne's Red Zone, the dangerous frontline in the ongoing battle to beat COVID-19.
A major investigation by Nick McKenzie will set alarm bells ringing through the corridors of power in Canberra; & Tara Brown's exclusive interview with Dr Anthony Fauci.
Liz Hayes, Tara Brown, Tom Steinfort, Liam Bartlett and Sarah Abo investigate the issues affecting Australians.
Accused of monstrous crimes, a law-abiding family is arrested and locked up. There's only one problem – there's not a shred of credible evidence to support the police case.
On 60 MINUTES, the medical stuff-ups killing our loved ones. It's the most important, and personal story of Liz Hayes' career but one she never wanted to tell.
A best friend turned vocal enemy tells all about the U.S. First Lady, Melania Trump; Why surviving COVID-19 is just the beginning of the battle for sufferers.
For the first time, a brave woman tells of her incredible escape from the Claremont serial killer, as Liam Bartlett investigates why police couldn't catch the monster sooner.
Inside the bitter U.S. Presidential race, with Donald Trump and Joe Biden battling to outdo each other with insults and scandals.
The real reason vicious trolls are allowed to thrive on the internet – they're money-making machines for greedy tech-giants; plus, a royal scandal like no other.
Tax cheats beware: Investigative reporter Nick McKenzie reveals details of the worldwide hunt for millions of dollars stashed away by Australian tax evaders.
Australian survivors explain the catastrophic moment the White Island volcano erupted and question why more lives couldn't be saved; and, meet the Labradorables.
The wild life of the outrageously wealthy King of Thailand. He prefers crop tops to crowns so is it any wonder his subjects are disgusted; More turmoil at the White House.
An Australian woman tells of her nightmare assault by officials at Qatar's international airport; Special Forces shame – soldiers accused of shocking war crime.
A special edition of 60 MINUTES recognises the sacrifices and applauds the efforts we've all made to combat the Coronavirus pandemic..
Police shame: Cops who turn violent, attacking their families when they go home, while their colleagues look the other way; plus, hospitals without doctors – the deadly embarrassment of our ailing rural health system. Will it ever be fixed?
Released from a Colombian jail, Cocaine Cassie tells 60 MINUTES what really happened; Plus, turning 'cute' into cash, meet social media's influential mini-moguls.
Royal scandal: The costly and dangerous divorce that might actually be good news for three runaway princesses; plus, is Basil Fawlty the greatest comedy creation ever? Or the most offensive?
Borce Ristevski killed his wife of 27 years, Karen, in a crime that shocked many Australians. On 60 MINUTES their only child Sarah talks about the loss of her beautiful mother and explains why she still loves her father.
Cruelty beyond belief: Identical twins and triplets separated at birth so a psychiatrist could study what happened as they grew up alone; how surfer Tyler Wright survived a devastating wipeout on land; & beating lockdown with Keith Urban.
Accused of monstrous crimes, a law-abiding family is arrested and locked up. There's only one problem – there's not a shred of credible evidence to support the police case. Tara Brown investigates an extraordinary miscarriage of justice.
How far would you go to protect your family? Ben Batterham was charged with murder after a home invader he chased down, died; Why the smoke from the catastrophic bushfires was worse than the flames; & the always charming Dolly Parton.
2021 season premiere of 60 Minutes. Where’s Melissa Caddick? And where are the millions of dollars she took from her own family and friends?
The first pictures of Australia’s COVID vaccines being manufactured; inside China’s cover up of the pandemic; and lawyer Michael Cohen reveals Donald Trump’s secrets.
The secret video diaries of Dubai’s Princess Latifa from her palace prison. Plus, Britney Spears’ fight to reclaim her life.
A 60 MINUTES investigation: Following the money trail in the Melissa Caddick case. Plus, why X-rated social media is proving so lucrative for young Australian women.
Inside the doomsday QAnon cult, tearing Australian families apart with outlandish conspiracy theories; plus, fighting to be heard: a brave victim's campaign to get a violent murderer and rapist back behind bars.
Murder in paradise. A mother's desperate plea for answers about her beautiful daughter's killer, as a global search continues for the runaway suspect; plus, how sporting legends of yesterday are helping to fix football's biggest headache.
Australia's leading current affairs program with a 42 year history. Liz Hayes, Tara Brown, Tom Steinfort, Liam Bartlett and Sarah Abo investigate the issues affecting Australia.
The truth about Robin Williams’ tragic demise; The dangers of working from home during the COVID pandemic; & a timeless Royal scandal like no other.
A special investigation by Nick McKenzie exposing one of the nation’s dirtiest secrets; plus, how an inexcusable failure of the justice system led to a father’s shocking crimes against his own children.
Tom Steinfort confronts a disgraceful love rat whose menacing ways have destroyed women's lives; plus, how ripping off the rich turned super-scammer Anna Sorokin into a star.
Courageous teenagers talking tough about sex, determined to end the confusion over the meaning of consent. Plus, social media's newest and most powerful influencers.
Why making billions of dollars from cryptocurrencies is not enough for the tech-boffins, who think they’ve now invented the next ‘big’ thing; plus, how 15 years of heartbreaking rejection turned Amy Shark into an overnight music sensation.
The bizarre story of a home invasion gone fatally wrong. How the intended victims of the attack, ended up on the wrong side of the law in what they say was an act of self-defence.
A global 60 MINUTES investigation exposes the depravity of one of the icons of modelling, agent Gérald Marie, accused of decades of shocking sexual abuse against supermodels.
How Kate Middleton has become Catherine the Great, the jewel in the crown of the royal family; the Aussie neighbours who became billionaires with one simple idea; plus, not so sweet, Lord Sugar, the toughest boss in the world.
While Australia suffers for criticising China, New Zealand is cozying up to the Communist regime. Plus, Superstar singer to Olympic swimmer, Cody Simpson’s career U-turn.
Nick McKenzie tracks down Australia’s most wanted criminal fugitive and Piers Morgan responds after being targeted by the cancel culture movement for criticising Meghan Markle.
An exclusive interview with Thomas Markle, who wants the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to forgive him before it's too late; & making sense of Australia's trillion dollar housing boom.
Tara Brown at the frontline of the war to defeat cybercrime, the most powerful threat the world has ever faced. Plus, the baffling medical mystery of ‘Foreign Accent Syndrome’. Meet the women who are Aussies one minute, but Irish the next.
Experts on the frontline of the COVID-19 battle tell Tom Steinfort the secrets to making our country safe from the virus.
The incredible story of a fisherman who was swallowed by a humpback whale. How Michael Packard escaped the giant of the deep is heroic and truly remarkable. Plus, looking overseas for vital clues to beat the COVID pandemic.
Adrift, injured and clinging to life. A father & his young daughter’s terrifying ordeal after their yacht capsized and they were stranded in the ocean; The desperation of Aussie women trying to be mums; & Britney Spears demands her freedom.
Unforgettable and unforgivable: the unthinkable crime that continues to haunt the world. How could two ten-year-old boys abduct and brutally murder two-year-old toddler.
The push to jab as many Australians as quickly as possible, and what will happen if we don’t succeed; Change for good – why menopause doesn’t have to mean misery for women; & volcano survivor Stephanie Browitt says thanks to unsung heroes.
Elizabeth Holmes was the darling of Silicon Valley, until it was discovered her success was really a $9 billion fraud. Plus, how and why COVID is now targeting young Australians.
The clandestine operation to infiltrate and expose a toxic and rotting world of hate. Reporter Nick McKenzie’s eight-month long special investigation will outrage Australia!
Award winning reporter Nick McKenzie's investigation unmasking members of Australia's neo-Nazi movement and their links to international terror networks; & the Taliban tells what their victory in Afghanistan means for the rest of the world?
When Kathleen Folbigg’s four babies died unexpectedly, the law said she was a killer and locked her up. But now eminent scientists have discovered a genetic mutation which they say proves she’s a victim, not a villain and should be freed.
How did $13 billion of JobKeeper money end up going to thriving businesses that didn’t need the help, and why don’t they have to repay the cash?
The Aussie supermodel exposing the ugly secrets of an iconic fashion brand; the price all Australians must pay for COVID freedom; and the tiny town that rescued 7000 stranded plane passengers in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.
The celebrity church rocked by revelations of evil. Brave victims of assault explain why they’ll never forgive Hillsong; plus, Beijing’s brutal takeover of Hong Kong. Is it the end of freedom in one of the great cities of the world?
Inside the Gabby Petito murder investigation, an American tragedy played out on social media and police body cameras.
A major investigation by journalist Nick McKenzie exposing shameful behaviour at a prominent Australian company; & why legendary Watergate reporter Bob Woodward says Donald Trump’s antics as a bad loser might actually make him a big winner.
How did a great adventure become a shocking murder? Gabby Petito’s heartbroken parents promise to find the truth about their precious daughter’s death.
The dodgy deals rocking the British Royal family. How much more embarrassment must the Queen endure? Plus, the real-life Aussie Iron Man who says his incredible jetpack flying machine is a blast-filled glimpse into the future of travel.
Winning the fight for flight. How the flying kangaroo was saved from extinction; The Aussie building engineer wrongly jailed in Baghdad, pleading to be rescued; James Bond is back, but what happens when Daniel Craig meets a 007 imposter?
A major police breakthrough in Australia’s most baffling mystery, the case of the missing high-country campers; Nick McKenzie investigates serious political rorting.
Sarah Abo investigates the horrific abuse of Australian women at Qatar airport; plus, the blunt warning from China – prepare for a Cold War!
A warning for Australians visiting the beach this summer; Hollywood director Peter Jackson's latest blockbuster – the real story of the breakup of the Beatles.
A Nick McKenzie special investigation: Criminal gangs caught on camera laundering millions of dollars of dirty money in Australian pubs and clubs; plus, the world’s most ruthless tyrant, silencing his critics with savagery beyond belief.
How Kate Middleton has become Catherine the Great, the shiniest jewel in the crown of the royal family; Inside the doomsday QAnon cult; and, meet the Labradorables, the internet superstars guaranteed to make everyone smile.
The Samurai Killing: The bizarre story of a home invasion gone fatally wrong. How the intended victims of the attack, ended up on the wrong side of the law after killing the violent intruder, in what they say was an act of self-defence.
The incredible story of a fisherman who was swallowed by a humpback whale. Plus, why X-rated social media is proving so lucrative for young Australian women.
The world's most petulant rogue regime caught out in a hidden camera sting, which reveals the extent of its evil. Robin Williams' wife and friends explain the truth about the comedian's death.
Courageous teenagers talking tough about sex, determined to end the confusion over the meaning of consent. Plus, outspoken British TV star Piers Morgan takes on the cancel culture movement.
The celebrity church rocked by revelations of evil. Brave victims of assault explain why they'll never forgive Hillsong; plus, how 15 years of heartbreaking rejection turned Amy Shark into an overnight music sensation.
The baffling medical mystery of 'Foreign Accent Syndrome'. Meet the women who are Aussies one minute, but Irish the next; plus, the New York miracle man of 9/11.
A 60 Minutes world exclusive: Three months on from Cleo Smith’s abduction and remarkable rescue, her parents want to tell their story.
A 60 MINUTES Exclusive: Australia's first lady, Jenny Morrison speaks her mind, telling Karl Stefanovic why she dislikes politics; plus, fears for the safety of the Chinese tennis star who accused a Communist Party leader of sexual assault.
Inside the court case that humiliated Prince Andrew. Why the disgraced royal settled the matter instead of defending damning allegations he sexually abused a 17-year-old girl; & the man who says he's found doomed airliner MH370.
An Australian exclusive: Inside the hero of Ukraine's secret war bunker, Tom Steinfort meets President Volodymyr Zelensky; and, the two multi-billionaires turning green into gold.
Australia's most despicable lover caught out. He steals the hearts of unsuspecting women to get to his real prize - their money; Sarah Abo & Chris Uhlmann examine the results of the federal election.
An Australian baby found alone in a Mexican church sets off a major police investigation to identify the child and locate her missing Aussie mum Tahnee Shanks in Mexico plus more on the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case.
A joint 60 MINUTES, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age major investigation. Award winning reporter Adele Ferguson uncovers frightening evidence about an industry getting more toxic by the second.
A Nick McKenzie special report - how one brave woman blew the whistle to expose a national scandal; plus, Sarah Abo joins supergroup KISS on their tour of Europe.
Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters, including Liz Hayes, Tara Brown, Liam Bartlett, Michael Usher and Charles Wooley, as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians. Each week, Peter Harvey brings your opinions to the table in his mailbag segment.
Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters, including Liz Hayes, Tara Brown, Liam Bartlett, Michael Usher and Charles Wooley, as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians. Each week, Peter Harvey brings your opinions to the table in his mailbag segment.
Aussie actor Madeleine West’s toughest part ever. Her real-life role in helping police snare a monster; plus, can Donald Trump really make it back to the White House?
Investigating the truth – the good and the bad – about weight loss injections like Ozempic; Plus, the secret witness who could finally help crack the Madeleine McCann case.
Finally a significant breakthrough in the 27-year-long JonBenét Ramsey murder investigation; Plus, the massive hit Jimmy Barnes neither expected nor wanted.
New hope in the decade-long search for MH370; A young boy’s great escape after being stolen by his own mother; the hair-raising confessions of tennis great, Andre Agassi.
On Sunday's 60 Minutes, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess, the Salt Creek monster and Australia's BMX Olympic hope, Saya Sakakibara.
On Sunday's 60 Minutes a mother reveals how the criminal justice system let down her daughter, plus a profile on Matchbox Twenty.
On Sunday's 60 Minutes Adam Hegarty talks to Royal insiders plus advocates of cryogenics.
On 60 Minutes Adam Hegarty continues his royal family reports with more "Crown and Out" scrutiny, while Nick McKenzie reports on Chinese influence in Fiji.
He's not only one of the world's wealthiest men, Elon Musk is also one of the smartest. There's no doubt he's an impressive high-tech visionary. As the boss of electric car maker Tesla, Musk's long-held dream has been to produce fully autonomous vehicles. For the last decade he has repeatedly declared Tesla's vaunted "autopilot" feature has been on the verge of solving the complex challenges of self-driving technology. But in a special edition of 60 Minutes, Musk is accused of exaggerating the capability of Tesla's achievements and lulling drivers into a false sense of security. This investigation, produced by The New York Times, reveals a serious gap between expectation and reality that's already led to several fatal crashes.
They are statistics that could not be more damning: One in five women in Australia over the age of 15 has experienced sexual violence. Yet only 13 per cent of sexual assaults are ever reported. But then the numbers get even worse. Few of the cases that are reported make it to court, and even fewer end in a conviction or a substantial punishment. It's no surprise many survivors of these attacks accuse the justice system of causing more harm than good. They say that when giving evidence, they're often made to feel blamed. But as Amelia Adams reports, some women have now had enough and are courageously fighting to force change.
An interview with the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who says the Bondi Junction stabbing attack has "shocked the nation." "So many families would've been out and about yesterday," Albanese told 60 Minutes. "It's a very large shopping centre that I'm very familiar with, and the thought that people have lost their lives and many others injured, and of course thousands traumatised by the events of yesterday directly, comes as a great shock in a peace-loving nation like Australia."
They look mightily impressive. They're relatively young. And they've cost more than three-and-a-half billion dollars to buy and operate. According to the top brass at the Defence Department though, Australia's 46 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters are useless junk. Others say that they're dangerous, as the country tragically saw last July when one crashed near Hamilton Island killing four Australian airmen from the 6th Aviation Regiment. It seems no surprise then that the helicopters have been taken out of service, and as the story goes, are about to be dumped in a great big hole at a secret Defence location. But what if it turns out that these machines aren't as bad as we're being told? In a special report for 60 Minutes, Andrew Probyn, the National Affairs Editor for 9News, investigates the very real possibility that there's another reason for the terrible accident, and it's one that has nothing to do with the reliability, or otherwise, of the MRH-90.
On 60 Minutes how has a secret weapon brought down hundreds of high-ranking United States government workers? Plus kayaker Jess Fox is profiled.
On 60 Minutes the dangers of dating apps, plus the young woman whose brain could provide clues to treating conditions like dementia.
Who is the real Daniel Edmund Duggan? It's a simple question, but the answer is highly contested and has enormous consequences. For his family and a large group of supporters, he's a hero. A former U.S. Marine fighter pilot turned proud Australian citizen; a loving husband and devoted dad. For others though, namely the United States government, he's a traitor, accused of supplying China with top-secret military information. For the past 19 months, Duggan has been sitting in Australian prisons fighting attempts to send him back to the United States. As Dimity Clancey reports, a decision about his extradition is expected within weeks, but if the Americans get a hold of him and can prove the allegations, he faces up to 65 more years locked up. It's a thought his wife Saffrine and six children are struggling to comprehend.
For all the wrong reasons, everyone knows of Belle Gibson. A decade ago, she claimed that she'd beaten terminal brain cancer by rejecting conventional treatment in favour of natural remedies. Her cure made her a hero of the wellness industry. And not only did she love the worldwide attention her inspirational story attracted, she profited from it to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. But this medical miracle was all a lie, a twisted invention of the charlatan's mind. Today, the pain inflicted by Belle Gibson's deception still hurts her many victims, including her big brother Nick Gibson. In an emotional interview with Dimity Clancey, he describes how his life has been destroyed by his heartless sister.
On Sunday's 60 Minutes, Tara Brown unravels Byron Bay's underbelly while Adam Hegarty reports on a push to ban social media amongst kids.
On 60 Minutes this Sunday, Nick McKenzie reports on new scientific evidence raises serious questions in the case of Robert Farquharson.
Sunday's 60 Minutes investigates why the Australian Border Force is failing at stopping people smuggling.
60 Minutes reports on allegations encircling Sean Combs aka 'Puff Daddy / P. Diddy,' plus infiltration of student rallies in Australia.
On 60 Minutes, Adam Hegarty speaks to Boeing whistle-blowers while Dimity Clancey investigates painkillers known as nitazenes.
Russell Hill and Carol Clay didn't deserve to die. Four years ago, on a camping adventure in Victoria's remote high country, they had a chance encounter with Greg Lynn. Only he now knows the precise details of what happened, but there was a dispute that turned violent. The couple, both in their 70s, were killed. Last Tuesday, in an unusual verdict, a jury found Lynn guilty of murdering Carol though not guilty of murdering Russell. But the conviction of the former Jetstar pilot does not mean it's case-closed just yet. On 60 Minutes, Sarah Abo reveals disturbing secrets about Greg Lynn's past that authorities need to investigate further.
The Police Commissioner who lost his young son in a hit and run road crash, turns tragedy into hope; Why President Joe Biden’s granddaughter isn’t welcome at the White House.
As a boss of the militant CFMEU for 12 years, John Setka was as tough and feared a union leader as Australia has ever seen. In that time, he made plenty of noise, but late on Friday afternoon, with barely a whimper, he suddenly quit. What Setka didn't mention in his resignation announcement was his decision to stand down followed his refusal to answer questions put to him by 60 Minutes, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Financial Review. Reporter Nick McKenzie had wanted Setka to explain why his Victorian construction branch had been infiltrated by underworld figures and outlaw motorcycle gang members. In leaving, Setka said he hoped his resignation would end further scrutiny of the CFMEU, but McKenzie's report, which has been nine months in the making, will only enhance calls for more investigation into the menacing ways of this out-of-control union.
In a special report from Paris, Tara Brown speaks to the Aussie champions of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Hitting home: The smacking issue Three out of four Australian parents still smack their kids to keep them in line. That's come as a real shock to child welfare agencies. So much so, they want the government to ban physical punishment altogether. As Peter Harvey reports, there's no way some parents will stop smacking � they're never going to spare the rod and spoil their child. The Boss: Glen Boss and The Melbourne Cup Even if you're not a racing fan � we defy you to watch last year's Melbourne Cup and not be moved, not be on the edge of your seat as Makybe Diva heads for home. The crowd roaring, jockey Glen Boss down low in the saddle, the finish line in sight, the champion's third Melbourne Cup in a row � it was a truly unique achievement for both horse and rider. Makybe Diva's retired now, but Glen Boss is still going strong, hungry for more Melbourne Cups. Saving Corporal Lyon This is MASH � 21st-century style. There's no Hawk Eye or Honeycutt scrounging for supplies, making do with the army's cast offs. That was Korea in the '50s. This is Iraq, 2006, where doctors, nurses and medics are revolutionising combat medicine with mind-boggling science and good old fashioned guts.
GIRLS WILL BE BOYS It's their idea of a fun night out but there's nothing pretty about it. Half-naked, foul-mouthed women throwing down too much booze and throwing themselves at too many men. And to cap off the evening, they're just as likely to pick a fight. They're called ladettes or yobettes, a new breed of young woman hell-bent on outdoing the blokes and they're truly frightening, violent, selfish, with no sense of shame. But not only are they hurting those around them, far more worrying is the damage they're doing to themselves. KNIGHTLEY ATTRACTION You have to keep reminding yourself she's only 23. Because Keira Knightley's already got a body of work most Hollywood veterans would kill for. It seems years ago now she kicked off her career in the cult movie "Bend it Like Beckham" before finding her sea-legs in "Pirates of the Caribbean". Of course, these days Keira's better known for her stunningly glamorous roles. But off-screen this superstar's anything but a preening princess. As Michael Usher discovered, she's earthy, irreverent, one of the boys. THE BEAR AWAKES We all prayed those days were over. But Russia is on the prowl again, in an angry mood and still armed to the teeth with a massive arsenal of nuclear weapons. The bear slumbered for 20 years after the collapse of communism, crippled by its basket-case economy and rampant corruption. But new-found wealth and a growing sense of pride under Vladimir Putin have fuelled a dangerous new nationalism. Now the old belligerence is back. And, as Liam Bartlett reports, suddenly the world is on the brink of a new Cold War.
