Four Corners

TV News and Current Affairs ABC and SBS News
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Sacrifice

Monday 10 March at 8:30pm

Four Corners investigates the War Memorial’s ties to weapons makers and a controversial transformation

For more than 80 years, the Australian War Memorial has stood as a solemn shrine to those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

This week, Four Corners reveals how this sacred institution is increasingly entwined with the global arms industry — raising troubling questions about conflicts of interest, corporate influence, and the future of the memorial itself.

In Sacrifice, Gold Walkley Award-winning journalist Mark Willacy exposes how the war memorial has accepted funding from some of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers, despite former insiders condemning the money as “dirty” and inappropriate for an institution dedicated to honouring the human cost of war.

As the war memorial undergoes a $550 million redevelopment — described by critics as an attempt to turn the site into a “Disneyland of war” — this investigation asks whether the expansion ensures the memorial’s future or undermines its fundamental purpose.

Sacrifice, reported by Mark Willacy and produced by Jonathan Miller, goes to air on Monday 10th March at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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Betrayal of Trust

Monday 17 March at 8:00pm

Betrayal of Trust: Australia’s Childcare Crisis

An extended investigation at the earlier time of 8pm

This week on Four Corners, a one-hour special reveals the deep failures and systemic issues plaguing Australia’s childcare sector.

With nearly one-and-a-half million children enrolled in childcare across the country, parents trust that their children will be safe and cared for.

And while the glossy brochures and marketing paint a rosy picture, the reality of the system is far darker, and families are paying the price.

Reporter Adele Ferguson uncovers shocking cases of child abuse, neglect, and injury, highlighting critical gaps in childcare safety and accountability.

As the $20 billion industry grows, the focus on financial gain over child welfare has sparked a nationwide call for action.

Advocates warn that without immediate reform, the childcare industry will continue to put profit over children’s safety.

Betrayal of Trust, reported by Adele Ferguson and produced by Chris Gillett, goes to air on Monday 17 March at 8.00pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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Truth/Yoorrook

Monday 24 March at 8:30pm

Australia’s first ever truth-telling commission uncovers our hidden history.

The Yoorrook Justice Commission is making history as Australia’s first formal truth-telling inquiry, shedding light on a violent past long buried in the nation’s consciousness.

Bridget Brennan, with the ABC’s Indigenous Affairs Team in collaboration with Four Corners, has been documenting the powerful testimonies presented to the groundbreaking commission in Victoria, which expose the deep and ongoing impact of massacres and human rights abuses which began when Australia was colonised.

Among these stories is the harrowing account of the Warrigal Creek massacre, where, in 1843, dozens of Aboriginal people were shot dead by white settlers in retaliation for the killing of a pastoralist’s nephew.

For Elizabeth Balderstone, the tragic history of Warrigal Creek is not just a historical account - it is a lived reality. She and Gunaikurnai elder Uncle Russell Mullett have come forward to share their story, bringing long-suppressed truths onto the public record.

“If we are to have a future where we live together with understanding,” Uncle Russell said, “we must first be willing to know our history—and accept it.”

The documentary witnesses the gruelling and deeply personal work of the Aboriginal truth commissioners, as they attempt to document the true history of Victoria.

The team also follows along as the Commission investigates the catastrophic legacy of a former Prime Minister.

Truth/Yoorrook is a fearless, definitive documentary which examines how we as a nation reckon with our colonial past and take critical steps towards truth, healing and justice.

Truth/Yoorrook reported by Bridget Brennan, produced by Ali Russell and researched by Kate Ashton goes to air on Monday 24 March at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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Crooked

Monday 31 March at 8:30pm

New evidence reveals depth of corruption of former top cop

A decade-long investigation has uncovered explosive new evidence suggesting that corrupt former NSW Crime Commission assistant director Mark Standen’s criminality was far more extensive than the public was led to believe.

While Standen was jailed for a single drug importation, he is the most senior crime fighter in the country ever to be convicted for such an offence.

And now sources and official documents indicate he protected criminals, sabotaged investigations, and is believed to have helped facilitate multiple imports of illegal drugs.

Investigative reporter Janine Cohen has been following Standen’s case for 14 years, uncovering new details that challenge the official narrative.

Now, in his first ever on-camera interview, Standen insists he is innocent — but law enforcement colleagues and others who knew him tell a different story.

As calls grow for a deeper inquiry, Four Corners exposes the full extent of a betrayal that shook Australia’s justice system.

Crooked, reported by Janine Cohen and produced by Mary Fallon with Dylan Welch, goes to air on Monday 31 March at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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The Power of Xi

Monday 7 April at 8:30pm

This week Four Corners unpacks the rise of Xi Jinping, China’s most dominant leader since Mao Zedong, and the global consequences of his rule.

With rare access and deep reporting, Frontline correspondent Martin Smith investigates Xi’s path to power, his ideological vision, and how he has reshaped China’s relationship with the world.

Once dismissed as a compromise leader, Xi Jinping seized total control through a ruthless anti-corruption campaign, silencing dissent and tightening the Party’s grip.

His “China Dream” envisions a dominant China—militarily, technologically, and on the world stage.

But Xi’s grip is being tested.

Economic instability, mass protests, and international pushback challenge his vision for a resurgent China.

As tensions over Taiwan escalate and China’s future grows uncertain, The Power of Xi reveals the stakes of his rule—for China, the U.S., and the world.

The Power of Xi, a PBS Frontline Production goes to air on Monday April 7th at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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Can Climate Scientists Save the World?

Monday 14 April at 8:30pm

BBC Journalist Richard Bilton travels the globe meeting brilliant scientists racing to turn the tide on climate change – people whose ideas could reshape the world.

From volcano labs in Iceland, to disappearing glaciers in Switzerland and to sun-reflecting clouds in Australia, he finds bold experiments aimed not just at cutting emissions but removing carbon from the atmosphere.

The film, Can Climate Scientists Save the World? zeroes in on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, where researchers are working to protect coral with technology as delicate as it is daring.

This is a story of urgent action, hope, and a global effort to future-proof our earth.

"Can Climate Scientists Save the World?” goes to air on Monday 14 April at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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The Agent Inside

Monday 21 April at 8:30pm

Inside a dangerous terror network in Australia — the man who infiltrated it speaks out.

One year after the Wakeley church stabbing shocked Australia, a former secret agent who infiltrated the country’s jihadist underworld unmasks himself.

In an extraordinary Four Corners exclusive, the former ASIO agent reveals to investigative reporter Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop how a resurgent Islamic State (IS) network is radicalising Australian teens and plotting violence.

He exposes the network’s links to a global web of terrorist leaders.

The agent spent years inside extremist circles, helping authorities thwart attacks and stop IS terrorists.

Now, with teenage terrorism and hate crimes on the rise in Australia and around the world, he’s stepping out of the shadows to sound the alarm.

The Agent Inside reported by Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop and produced by Kyle Taylor goes to air on Monday 21 April at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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Statement on Four Corners program ‘Sacrifice’

The ABC Ombudsman’s Office has investigated a complaint from the Council of the Australian War Memorial regarding the Four Corners program ‘Sacrifice’ and released its detailed investigation report, which has found no breach of the ABC’s Editorial Policies on any grounds.

Extensive media coverage has been given to the Council’s claim that the program inserted construction noise into the Last Post ceremony and created an impression ongoing works disrupted a commemorative event.

The Ombudsman’s finding is that “the episode did not suggest that construction noise from the development site had disrupted a Last Post ceremony”.

It says: “We think that Four Corners is correct that no reasonable viewer would interpret this series of scenes as a continuous sequence. Even a viewer who might have got the impression that the recording of the Last Post was live audio from the ceremony in the first or second scene would have understood that it was then “borrowed” as a unifying musical soundtrack for the following (related but separate) scenes.”

The Australian War Memorial commemorates the men and women who have lost their lives fighting for our nation. It is appropriate the public be fully informed about issues affecting one of Australia’s most significant shrines. ‘Sacrifice’ examined links between the memorial and the global arms industry and raised important questions about conflicts of interest, corporate influence and the memorial’s future.

The ABC stands by this piece of public interest journalism by reporter Mark Willacy and the Four Corners team, which brings important issues to the public’s attention. Both the ceremony and the Last Post were presented respectfully and in context.

It is regrettable that News Corporation in its reporting of the Council’s complaint has attempted to link this editorial issue with the Anzac Day coverage the ABC provides for Australians each year across our platforms.

Anzac Day is one of the largest and most important events the ABC covers. The ABC’s coverage includes a live broadcast of the Anzac Day Dawn Service from the Australian War Memorial and live coverage of dawn services, local marches and other key commemorative events in towns and cities around Australia. We are proud of the ABC’s role in this significant national event.

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True Colours

Monday 28 April at 8:30pm

Beyond the campaign slogans, who has what it takes to lead the country?

As Australians prepare to vote — a record number remain undecided — Louise Milligan examines the character, track record, and campaign strategies of the two men vying for power — Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton.

In a volatile global moment and amid a cost-of-living crisis, the stakes for leadership have never been higher.

True Colours goes beyond the slogans to ask: who should voters trust to lead in these uncertain times?

Louise and the Four Corners team hit the road with the Labor and Liberal campaign buses, chasing leaders around the country, trying to get answers to the questions that matter to Australians.

From bleary 5am departures to last-minute location changes and the choreography of media pack scrums, True Colours offers a rare insight into the high-stakes theatre of election campaigning.

True Colours, reported by Louise Milligan and produced by Alex McDonald, goes to air Monday 28th April at 8:30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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The Fugitive

Monday 5 May at 8:30pm

Caravan plot “mastermind” speaks for the first time

Over summer, organised crime cast a terrifying shadow over Australia.

The Jewish community in Sydney was left reeling — shaken by a wave of attacks that culminated in the discovery of a caravan packed with explosives and a list of Jewish sites.

NSW police have maintained that the crimes are connected, that a mastermind has orchestrated more than a dozen attacks.

In the months following the caravan’s discovery, a name began to emerge: Sayit Erhan Akca—a figure well-known in Sydney’s criminal underworld, currently on the run from Australian authorities.

Reporter Mahmood Fazal travels to the country where Akca is hiding to seek answers about his involvement and to challenge his account, in the hope of piecing together the truth of what really happened.

In his first ever TV interview Akca makes stunning admissions, raising questions about how authorities have responded to this unprecedented wave of crime and hatred.

The Fugitive reported by Mahmood Fazal and produced by Mayeta Clark and Lesley Robinson goes to air on Monday 5th May at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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FOUR CORNERS: Hammered – inside the Bunnings machine

Monday 12 May at 8:30pm

We love Bunnings — it’s where we go for our weekend sausage sizzle and to fulfill our DIY dreams.

But what if the store Australians trust most is not as benign as it would have us believe?

Bunnings has quietly become one of Australia’s most dominant and profitable retailers, with rivals saying its market power matches Coles and Woolworths combined.

Yet it faces none of the scrutiny of the big two supermarkets.

Critics also claim it’s a corporate predator systematically picking off independents, shutting down competition and abusing its dominance with suppliers.

For its part Bunnings insists it’s just another competitor in a crowded field.

Four Corners’ Angus Grigg and Emilia Terzon from the ABC business team dig into Bunnings’ unchecked dominance, its soaring profits, and whether regulators have turned a blind eye while it reshapes Australian retail.

This is the untold story of how Bunnings became a national icon — and what we lose when one brand dominates the backyard.

Hammered reported by Angus Grigg and Emilia Terzon, produced by Elise Potaka goes to air on Monday 12 May at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. See more at abc.net.au/news and on ABC News social media platforms.

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