In a landmark ABC News production, this forthcoming series tells the story of politics, ambition and power in the nine years of Coalition government. Following in the tradition of Labor in Power, The Howard Years and The Killing Season this three-part series captures the pivotal moments in the leadership of Prime Ministers Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison – how they gained, used and ultimately lost power. In their own words, key players in this tumultuous period of Australian political history tell all in riveting no holds barred interviews.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
An ABC News Production. Reporter/interviewer Mark Willacy. Series Producer Caitlin Shea. Executive Producer Morag Ramsay. Head of Investigative Journalism and Current Affairs Jo Puccini.
According to The Guardian Australia’s Amanda Meade, while Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison sat down with investigative journalist Mark Willacy for in-depth interviews for the ABC documentary, the broadcaster is yet to convince Tony Abbott to agree to take part.
The riveting three-part ABC NEWS docuseries will take you inside nine years of Coalition government under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison in a revealing tale of politics, ambition and power. Key players tell all in candid no holds barred interviews that capture this tumultuous period and the personalities behind it, showing how the three Prime Ministers gained, wielded and ultimately lost power.
This landmark production continues the ABC’s tradition of documenting Australia’s political history following in footsteps of Labor in Power, The Howard Years and The Killing Season.
In a break with previous series, Nemesis is told using the narration-less format with the participants taking the audience “into the room” telling their story in their words.
Interviews were conducted by Gold Walkley award winning investigative journalist and author Mark Willacy, unravelling the major events and revealing what happened behind closed doors during the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison years.
The dramatic inside story of nine years of Coalition government. Multiple leadership coups, internal wars over policy, three dramatic elections, and a global pandemic which turned Australian politics on its head.
A dramatic inside story of ambition, betrayal and revenge. This landmark docuseries is a riveting account of the nine years of Coalition government, multiple leadership coups, internal wars over policy, three dramatic elections, and a global pandemic which turned Australian politics on its head.
The Abbott Years
When Tony Abbott swept to power with a thumping victory over the Labor government in 2013 his future seemed assured. As the ultimate political warrior, he’d brought the Coalition back into power with a devastatingly effective campaign promising to ‘stop the boats’, ‘axe the tax’, ‘reduce the debt’ and ‘end the waste’. But in just under two years, he was removed as prime minister. So how did it all go so wrong so quickly?
In this episode, Tony Abbott’s allies and enemies take us through those tumultuous years, where successes were overshadowed by a politically disastrous first Budget to eye popping moments of onion eating, shirtfronting and the infamous “captain’s call” to bring back knights and dames.
As the prime minister stumbled, there were others waiting in the wings. His long-time rival Malcolm Turnbull, and his backers, talk in vivid detail about how they planned and executed a stunning political coup.
Production credit: An ABC NEWS Production. Reporter/interviewer Mark Willacy. Series Producer Caitlin Shea. Executive Producer Morag Ramsay. Head of Investigative Journalism and Current Affairs Jo Puccini.
The dramatic inside story of nine years of Coalition government. Multiple leadership coups, internal wars over policy, three dramatic elections, and a global pandemic which turned Australian politics on its head.
The Turnbull Years
With Malcolm Turnbull installed as prime minister after bringing down Tony Abbott, hopes were riding high and so were the opinion polls. But as one of Turnbull’s allies warned, when you have stratospheric popularity it can only go one way.
This gripping episode takes us from the early euphoria through to the “week of madness” which saw the Liberal Party utterly consumed by another leadership spill in the full glare of the media.
In this dramatic episode, Malcolm Turnbull and key members of the government recall the highs and lows, from besting Donald Trump in a fiery dispute with the White House and the creation of marriage equality to the infamous “bonk ban” and the weaponising of climate policy.
When it comes to the leadership spill, key players take us “inside the room” where they describe their motivations and actions which saw another prime minister dispatched.
The dramatic inside story of nine years of Coalition government. Multiple leadership coups, internal wars over policy, three dramatic elections, and a global pandemic which turned Australian politics on its head. Tonight’s final episode looks at the Morrison years.
The Morrison Years
Emerging from the wreckage of yet another leadership spill, Scott Morrison is sworn in as Australia’s surprise 30th prime minister. He then faces the enormous task of uniting a fractured party and winning the trust of Australians. Against the predictions of many colleagues, Morrison proceeds to pull off the “miracle” election. Then comes an ill-fated family trip to Hawaii and a global pandemic.
From “I don’t hold a hose” to “It’s not a race”, Scott Morrison explains what was in his mind during those controversial moments of his prime ministership and reflects upon the impact they had, as do his colleagues, in colourful detail.
This episode features senior members of the Morrison cabinet, including former treasurer Josh Frydenberg as well as key former state premiers who give their unvarnished accounts of their dealings with the former prime minister during the covid crisis.
As the health crisis abated, it was time for another election, but this time there would be no “miracle”.
Nemesis: Behind the Scenes
Monday 12 February 8.00pm after Media Watch
Over the past 12 months, Mark Willacy has sat down with the key political players from the Coalition – from backbenchers to Cabinet Ministers to Prime Ministers – and has conducted more than 60 on camera interviews for this landmark ABC News docuseries. Discover what happened behind the scenes as Leigh Sales talks with Mark about the making of Nemesis.
With reports today that Scott Morrison is set to quit politics, is it possible for episode 3 to have last minute edit to include notes on his resignation announcement before broadcast?
I thought Linda Reynolds, Wyatt Roy and even Craig Kelly came across well.
Some of the stuff Eric abetz said was unintentionally funny in a tragic way.
Scott Morrisons comment about the robodebt suicide was spine-chillingly cold. Seeing him on tv again brought back a lot of bad memories. But I did have a little chuckle at the way he expected the audience to believe some of the shit he was saying.
I never liked Malcolm as PM, I always thought he was a narc, acted as some good public servant, and it frustrated me that people bought it. But in this show it seems he is dropping the act and embracing his true arrogant self. Makes me respect him a bit more.
Was a very well done episode. Looks like we are going to learn a lot about some key political decisions and events from the Liberal years. Can’t wait for episode 2 and 3.
Going to be interesting to see how the ratings are not only tomorrow, but also 7-day and 28-day consolidated (if we are still getting that).
He still doesn’t admit, on national TV no less, that the Robodebt schamozzle was thanks to his royal f-up. Truly hysterical and suits his religious-based class ideology quite well. If only parliament could’ve done more than a censure motion on him.
Abbott not participating says it all about him: A narcissistic, delusional, self-absorbed, monarchy-loving twit.
Is he really deluded or can’t he speak his own mind? Almost every person interviewed agreed that Tony Abbott made a huge mistake giving Prince Phillip a knighthood (and most of Australia agreed too) but Abetz dismissed it as being nothing.
Both. Glad to see the back of the delusional fossil who was a stain on federal politics for years under Howard and Abbott, like his mate Kevin Andrews.
Can’t wait to see the Turnbull and Morrison episodes.
When Monday night rolled around, Abbott found a way to occupy himself, hosting “back to work” drinks at his office in Sydney’s MLC Centre. Back to what work you may ask!
The event, which Abbott puts on every year, drew a crowd of conservative personalities, chief among them John Howard who has an office a few floors down from Tony.
Leading “No” campaigner and serial failed preselection hopeful Warren Mundine gave a speech, while ex-senator turned monarchist campaigner Eric Abetz, the only Liberal to wholeheartedly defend Abbott on-air, was also around.
While Abbott maintained he wouldn’t be tuning into the ABC documentary, the event finished in time for those interested to get home and fire up the popcorn.
Nemesis premieres on ABC Australia across Asia-Pacific region this Saturday (February 3) at 8pm AEDT.
It was a great first episode. We got to hear views from different factions of Liberal Party. Eric Abetz and George Brandis demonstrated why they were supporters of Tony Abbott.
It was sad to re-live the stop the boats initiative and the formation of the Border Force, and of course Robodebt.
