The Postcode Wars: Street gangs, drugs and organised crime
Monday 12 September 8:30 PM
“It’s basically kill or be killed.” Teenage gang member
In suburban Australian streets there’s a turf war going on where teenagers are being attacked with knives and sometimes killed just for being in the wrong neighbourhood.
You fight for your area you know, as dumb as that sounds to most people, for us out here it’s something to die for." Former gang member
On Monday Four Corners goes deep inside the postcode wars. Reporter Grace Tobin has gained extraordinary access to the teenagers who are being drawn into the violence and the escalating criminal activities that follow.
“Essentially they’re being groomed, they’re being groomed for a life of crime.” Senior Detective
The program reveals the links between the teens on the streets and some of Australia’s notorious crime families and investigates the connections behind the recent spate of gangland shootings.
“The conflict’s over turf, drugs, money … they’re more ruthless, impulsive, they don’t regard the public or the community, they just do what they want to do.” Murdered victim’s friend.
The Postcode Wars, reported by Grace Tobin goes to air on Monday 12th September at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 13th September 11.00pm and Wednesday 14th September at 10am. It can also been seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEST, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.
https://twitter.com/4corners/status/1568143100014624772?s=20&t=7qGEUAUTa8DnnjPN3LrCBQ
Defining Dutton: Can the Liberals succeed under Peter Dutton?
Monday 26 September 8:30 PM
When Peter Dutton became Federal Opposition Leader in May, he declared that he wanted Australians to see the “entire person” – not just the persona shaped by his reputation as a former Queensland policeman-turned-Liberal party hard man.
On Monday Four Corners reporter Sean Nicholls puts that declaration to the test with a rare in-depth interview.
“Why have you decided to do this interview?” Sean Nicholls, reporter
“Sometimes the public only see a snapshot of you through a very quick grab in a news package or during question time. And in this role, you can show people a little bit more of the true … the full picture.” Peter Dutton, Liberal leader
In this program, Peter Dutton speaks about some of the issues that shaped him and his vision for Australia. Colleagues who’ve known him for many years also offer their insights.
“I think that what Peter Dutton has demonstrated over his time in parliament… is that he’s incredibly capable of growth and of evolving as a human being into a better person.” Former Dutton colleague
Sean Nicholls also speaks to people whose lives have been directly affected by Peter Dutton’s words and actions as a powerful cabinet minister.
“Like many politicians, he has attempted a makeover and is attempting a major makeover now as the new Leader of the Opposition. The leopard has not changed its spots. He still remains the leopard.” Dutton critic
https://twitter.com/4corners/status/1573116503288840193?s=20&t=X0O9fiS3L3TFxmxvYVVQYw
Defining Dutton, reported by Sean Nicholls goes to air on Monday 26th September at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 27th September at 11pm and Wednesday 28th September at 10am. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEST, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners
No Place To Call Home: The new face of homelessness in Australia
Monday 3 October 8:30 PM
“I don’t want a handout or anything…I work all the time. All I just want is somewhere for me and the kids to call our home.” Single mother
In towns and cities across Australia, the critical lack of affordable and social housing now means people with low paying jobs are struggling to find accommodation. They are the new homeless and they’re growing in number.
“In 2018 we were seeing about 20 people a day coming through the service… four years later we’re seeing around 80 people a day.” Manager, homeless support service
On Four Corners, Monday, reporter Louise Milligan investigates the reasons behind Australia’s homelessness crisis. She meets single working mums living in motels, cars and even tents.
“I’ve got a tent and a swag… not being able to house my son, could be that I lose my son. I could not bear to lose him.” Single mother
The crisis is particularly acute in regional towns where record high rental prices combined with a lack of available houses means low-income workers have little hope of finding a home.
“They’re really struggling. They may have good references, they may have income, but they’re being declined because there’s 20 other applications.” Real estate agent
Louise Milligan also investigates what’s being done to solve the problem.
“I’ve never had so many people come to my electorate office as I have in the last 12 months with similar stories, and they’re heartbreaking . . . we are trying to move as quickly as we can.” Government minister
No Place To Call Home, reported by Louise Milligan, goes to air on Monday 3rd October at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 4th August at 11.00pm and Wednesday 5th at 10am. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEST, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.
https://twitter.com/4corners/status/1575287887075024896?s=20&t=yzvTdBvWHBqITkEhlbyppw
The topic of this week’s story is DNA: The End of Crime?.
Breaking Point: The real cost of Australia’s worker shortage
Monday 17 October 8:30 PM
“We’ve reached breaking point. None of us have anything left.” Paediatric nurse
Australia is in the grip of a national labour shortage. From hospitals and hotels through to farms and factories there’s an urgent need for workers.
“We need more people, there’s a lot of work to be done, we need pruning to be done, we have machineries, we need operators, we need pickers. . . so many things need to be done – I don’t have people.” Farm manager
On Monday Four Corners reporter Adam Harvey investigates the professions and businesses where worker shortages are having a profound impact. The problem is particularly acute in regional towns where almost every sector is struggling.
“I’ve found my colleagues crying in the treatment room or in the storeroom and you meet up with your friends after work and they’re on the verge of a breakdown as well.” Health worker
The crisis is not only impacting the current generation of workers. The national shortage of teachers means Australia’s next generation of workers are also being severely affected.
*"At any one time there could be classes that are collapsed or merged with other classes or sometimes uncovered. And some of the classes that are uncovered are sort of senior classes, so the kids are old enough to be safe, but they’re not getting that instruction.**. . .*That’s not good enough. It’s not good enough for my town. It’s not good enough for any town in Australia.” High school teacher
The federal government has promised to speed up Australia’s visa processing system to bring in more foreign workers including registered nurses who are desperately needed.
“It’s a well-known saying, working short-staffed is like drunk driving. You can get away with it nine times out of ten, but then something terrible’s going to happen. So things do go wrong.” Registered nurse.
Some employers are being pushed to their limits. For many the true cost of the worker shortage crisis is more than just financial.
“I don’t know what the future looks like, whether it’s with me or without me or what I’m going to do next. It’s just very difficult to get up in the mornings and see this happening and again, knowing that it can be resolved. We just need a better system.” General manager
Breaking Point, reported by Adam Harvey goes to air on Monday 17th October at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 18th October at 11pm and Wednesday 19th October at 10am. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEDT, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners
https://twitter.com/4corners/status/1580363051437461504?s=20&t=LP8y75UHMP4fxMHwNx_XBw
How Many More? The crisis of the murdered and missing First Nations women
Monday 24 October at 8.30pm
“It’s a Black woman gone missing, disappeared off the face of the Earth and no one could locate her. They didn’t care. They didn’t care.” Relative of missing Indigenous woman
In Australia Aboriginal women are among the most victimised groups in the world, murdered up to 12 times the national average. Their deaths rarely make the headlines.
“I’m talking about a national silence when it comes to the murders of First Nations women.” Friend and colleague of murdered Aboriginal woman
On Monday Four Corners features a special investigation into Australia’s murdered and missing Indigenous women. The story is reported by the ABC’s Indigenous Affairs Editor Bridget Brennan. For the first time on Four Corners three First Nations women have come together to investigate a national crisis. Bridget Brennan, a Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta woman is joined by producer Suzanne Dredge, a Wiradjuri woman, researcher Brooke Fryer, a Dharawal woman and Queensland Journalist of the Year Stephanie Zillman. In the absence of any official data, their research reveals for the first time the staggering number of Indigenous women who have been murdered in the last two decades.
“This is a serious human rights violation. We call it Indigenous femicide.” Human rights advocate
The program tells in detail the stories of three Aboriginal women, and the events which led to their shocking deaths. Bridget Brennan and the team examine the cries for help that went unheard and investigate the appalling lack of resources for women at risk of domestic violence.
“We are still responding to domestic violence as though they’re one-off incidents. No one is looking at that full pattern and nobody is then managing that risk.” Gender-based violence researcher
The Federal Government has announced a plan to end violence against women and children within one generation. With Indigenous women most at risk there are hopes the plan will deliver on its promise.
“Enough is enough, we’re all sick of hurting, sick of crying and we’ve all literally had enough.” Relative of murdered indigenous woman
How Many More? reported by Bridget Brennan goes to air on Monday 24th October at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 25th October at 11pm and Wednesday 26th October at 10am. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEDT, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners
War Games: What would conflict with China mean for Australia?
Monday 31 October at 8.30pm
“If war breaks out, it will be total war . . Don’t think by providing air bases in the northern part of Australia it will be saving Australia” Chinese insider
Tensions between China and the United States over Taiwan are the highest since the 1970s. With President Xi Jinping publicly warning he will take Taiwan by force if necessary, military strategists are now war gaming just what such an act of aggression would mean for the Pacific and Australia.
“In a potential conflict with China over Taiwan, there is a chance that Australia could become a target. Particularly if Australia were to join the fight directly or were to provide additional over flight and access rights to U.S. forces.” US military strategist
On Monday Four Corners reporter Angus Grigg investigates how a war between China and Taiwan would play out. He talks to the experts who are mapping the war games and the impact they would have.
“It is likely to go on for weeks, if not months, if not longer. And as that happens, you’re going to have continued fighting and loss of life, not only for the United States and its allies and partners and China, but also on the ground in Taiwan with some of the civilians who are going to suffer the most from this conflict.” US military strategist
Some strategists are predicting an assault on Taiwan by China could happen as early as 2025. In any future conflict Australia would play a key role.
“We are willing to be the tip of the spear, to provide a base, not just for U.S. Marines, but most importantly, for their long-range power projection of heavy bombers. It’s very hard to think of a more open commitment that we could make, a more open signal to the Chinese that we are going along with American planning for a war with China.” Defence and security analyst
As President Xi secures an unprecedented third term in office there are warnings that it’s now a question of when not if a conflict over Taiwan will occur.
“Do I think the current environment is the most dangerous I’ve seen in my lifetime? That is a big question. I’ve had a long lifetime. . . . . In terms of this part of the world, this is the most dangerous situation I’ve experienced.” Former defence intelligence official
War Games, reported by Angus Grigg goes to air on Monday 31st October at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 1st November at 11pm and Wednesday 2nd November at 10am. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEDT, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners
Four Corners’ season final Monday 14 November.
Stopping Putin: Did Western powers fail to prevent war in Ukraine?
Monday 7 November 8:30 PM
“We’re not preparing for anything. We’ve already been through hell here.” Donbas civilian
When Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in February this year, for many it was a continuation of a war that had begun eight years earlier.
“When there is shooting, we’re told: ‘You are used to it!’ But you can’t get used to that. We can only try to avoid danger.” Donbas civilian
On Monday Four Corners traces the current war in Ukraine back to 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea and supported the separatist movements in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas. The program talks to key participants who worked on the many failed negotiations for a ceasefire.
“Vladimir Putin uses lying as an element of negotiation. We must know that he is lying, tell him that he is lying. Lying is part of the discussion.” Former French President
“I took Putin to be aggressive, ruthless, oppressive, but not reckless. I was: ‘He’s not gonna do that! He’s not that crazy!’ And he did it.” Former advisor to US President
Western leaders unsuccessfully tried to end the war in Donbas. Critics say they placed too much trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It was rubbish. You can’t enter into a win-win partnership with Putin because his mentality is a KGB style mentality. He can’t, he plainly can’t understand win-win.” Former Ukrainian foreign affairs minister
The film by French documentary maker Anne Poiret also tells the stories of civilians caught in the separatist war in Donbas. The team filmed in two towns close to the frontline in the months leading up to the February invasion.
“I built this wall behind the shed. It will protect the children when they play here in summer. We’re machine- gunned from over there. The wall is riddled with bullets.” Mother of three
Stopping Putin goes to air on Monday 7th November at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 8th November at 11pm and Wednesday 9th November at 10am. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEDT, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners
https://twitter.com/4corners/status/1587948471352721410?s=20&t=q9nAVA9NRXCrRSoyAcnjKg
Locking Up Kids - Season Final
Monday 14 November 8:30 PM
Locking Up Kids: Australia’s failure to protect children in detention
“I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.” Boy in detention
‘Steve’ was in solitary confinement inside Perth’s Banksia Hill Detention Centre when he was subjected to a commonly used restraint known as ‘folding up’.
An officer twisted his legs into a figure four before sitting on top of him. The practice is banned in other youth detention centres because of the risk of suffocation and death.
‘It is excruciating. It is painful. And the children cry out for help, ‘Stop, stop, stop’. . . . And it continues.” Mental health worker
On Monday Four Corners will show for the first time the dangerous restraining practice used by Western Australian officers on children. Reporter Grace Tobin has obtained exclusive footage from inside Banksia Hill.
“He’s screaming out, he’s telling them he can’t breathe. I’ve never heard my son scream like that before.” Mother of boy
Ten youth detention officers are currently under investigation over allegations of excessive force. The families of detained children have told Four Corners mistreatment inside the youth detention centre is widespread.
“I want people to see it to understand that these young boys are in pain, they’re hurting, and they need to be believed that these things are happening to them,” Grandmother of detainee.
Four Corners will also reveal the ongoing mistreatment of children inside the notorious Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in the Northern Territory. It comes 6 years since the program first exposed the abuses of children inside the facility which resulted in a royal commission calling for its closure.
“I’ve seen incidences which have quite frankly shocked me.” Children’s commissioner
Australia is one of the only countries in the developed world to still lock up children as young as 10, a position condemned by human rights advocates.
“In 100 years’ time, people are going to look at us and say, “They’d lock kids up who were 10 and 11 and 12? What were they thinking to do with this?” We’ll be considered barbarians by future generations because we lock 10-year-olds up.” Former Royal Commissioner
Locking Up Kids, reported by Grace Tobin goes to air on Monday 14th November at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 15th November at 11.00pm and Wednesday 16th November at 10am. It can also been seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEST, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.
https://twitter.com/4corners/status/1590478916606885888?s=20&t=w2UZVSw31a6AGcCyqCwriQ
Gold Walkley to 4 Corners team
Earlier former Executive Producer of 4 Corners Sally Neighbour won a Walkley for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism.
A big day for Neighbours 
Returns Monday 30 January along with Media Watch and Q+A.
From ACMA
ABC Four Corners breaches Code of Practice
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) breached accuracy and fair and honest dealing requirements of its Code of Practice in its Four Corners double episode program ‘Fox and the Big Lie’.
However, the ACMA’s overall assessment was that the program came close to, but did not breach, the high bar set by the impartiality standards in the ABC’s Code.
The ACMA investigation found the ABC omitted relevant contextual information in the program in a way that materially misled the audience.
In one case, the ABC reported the appearance of two Fox presenters at a 2018 Trump rally without disclosing that Fox had issued a public statement censuring the two presenters. This omission left it open to viewers to conclude that Fox News had either endorsed or at least did not object to the appearances.
In a further omission of relevant facts, the ABC also failed to report on the role social media played in inciting the Capitol Hill riots.
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the ABC has an obligation to present facts accurately and in context.
“By omitting key information, the ABC did not give its audience the opportunity to make up their own minds about Fox News,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
The ACMA also found that in approaching a Fox News host for an interview, the ABC did not appropriately inform her about the nature of her participation in the program as required by its Code of Practice.
“Both audiences and participants are entitled to the full picture. In this case, by omitting information the ABC did not do justice to the story or provide all relevant facts to its audience,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
The program included a considerable range and number of opinions, several of which were expressed in strong terms and were subjective personal accounts. These expressions of opinion are not subject to code accuracy standards but were considered by the ACMA against the ABC’s impartiality requirements.
“Current affairs programs such as Four Corners are not precluded from presenting a particular perspective on an issue or reaching a particular conclusion. But that needs to be balanced against requirements to gather and present information with due impartiality.
“The ACMA considers that ABC could have taken greater care in striking that balance in this program to avoid perceptions of partiality,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
ABC statement on ACMA findings
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has rejected the overwhelming majority of issues raised by Fox News in its complaint about the Four Corners report “Fox and the Big Lie”.
The program remains an important and impartial ABC investigation into the role of Fox News during a critical juncture for democracy in the United States. The ABC stands by the journalism in the program and the team who produced it.
“Fox and the Big Lie” is an example of the ABC’s commitment to high quality reporting on key topical issues of great interest to Australians.
Central to the Four Corners program – presented by respected journalist Sarah Ferguson and produced by an award-winning team – was an examination of the conspiracy pushed by President Trump and his advisors that the election was stolen, including via a communist plot to manipulate US voting machines, switching Trump votes to Democrat candidate Joe Biden.
While the ACMA investigation rejected most of the wide-ranging complaints made by Fox News, it has made three findings that the ABC has consistently disagreed with during the course of the ACMA’s investigation.
The ABC has considered the findings and has serious concerns that the ACMA’s interpretation of the ABC’s Code of Practice will have negative consequences for the future production of strong public interest journalism.
The ABC believes that some subjective elements of the ACMA report and media release are inconsistent with the established approach to accuracy and fairness under the Code and may place undue pressure on content makers when selecting an editorial focus, for fear of a potential breach. The ABC further believes this contradicts the express direction in the Code, that the standards are to be applied in ways that “do not unduly constrain journalistic enquiry”.
The ABC is also deeply concerned at the ACMA’s subjective characterisation of the program, and whether this aligns with its statutory role to review compliance with the ABC Code of Practice.
Specific concerns the ABC has from the ACMA report include:
- An expectation the ABC should be obliged editorially to include an assessment of the role of social media in the Capitol riots (January 6th) in circumstances where the program had six months earlier dedicated a full episode to the riots. The ABC notes the editorial focus of “Fox and the Big Lie” was not the role of social media or the riots per se but the promotion by one of the world’s most powerful media corporations of the erroneous claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
- An expectation the ABC should feature an historical corporate PR statement by Fox that did not directly answer questions the ABC had submitted to Fox on a specific topic.
- When the ABC encountered Fox presenter Jeanine Pirro on a street in New York, unplanned, it politely put a question to her that she declined to answer, and then filmed her walking away. Pirro did not speak a word to the ABC film crew. The ACMA’s criticism is that the ABC ought to have given her more details about the program despite Pirro walking away to interact with fans on the street.
- The ACMA’s description of what it calls emotive and strident language, criticising the ABC’s use of the word “mob” to describe the January 6 rioters. The definition of “mob” is a large group of people, especially one that is disorderlyand intent on causing trouble or violence.
The ABC will further consider the implications of the findings and the ACMA’s interpretation of the code. As always, the ABC will focus on the interests of the Australian public and ensure its journalism is not compromised.
ABC Director, News Justin Stevens said: “The ABC strongly disagrees that the program is not impartial.
“Fox and the Big Lie” was a strong and measured piece of public interest journalism and a world class report by Sarah Ferguson and the team. This was a comprehensive investigation analysing the role Fox News played in helping promulgate the ‘big lie’ – that the 2020 US Presidential election was stolen. It is as relevant now as it was when it was first broadcast.
“It is important the public does not lose faith in the democratic process of free and fair elections and journalism like this plays a key part in that. This was an outstanding two-part documentary and we stand by the journalism in the program.”
https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2022-12/abc-four-corners-breaches-code-practice
Good to see ACMA is doing its job - for the ABC this adverse finding from ACMA is thoroughly deserved and long overdue. Four Corners and “Fox and the Big Lie” show how far left wing political activism has infiltrated the ABC. ABC can give the finger all it likes to ACMA but they are an impartial regulator and have called it out.
Do better in future Aunty!
Perhaps you can start by employing a few people who aren’t inner suburbs hipsters with a masters in wokery and PC.
Good to know the ACMA thinks its job is to tell broadcasters how to cover a story. That’s Sky shut down in six months then.
I totally disagree. Fox News clearly played a part in Donald Trump’s journey to the White House (even though the two parties had disagreements of late), and the Capitol Hill riots, and Four Corners just pointed out the facts.
There has been rarely a current affairs report analysing Fox News Channel and I reckon this will be the first of many.
The same could be said of the ABC’s coverage of the Parliament House sexual assault case - the ABC would have seen it in its own interests for a change of government here in Australia and getting female voters to vote Labor or Teal was a big part of that.
ACMA has shown that the regulatory regime here can sometimes work.