4 Corners Vodcast: Recent Episodes
Newson1ine@abc.net.au (ABC News)
4 Corners has been part of the national story since August 1961, exposing scandals, triggering inquiries, firing debate, confronting taboos and interpreting fads, trends and sub-cultures.
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.
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.
Some employers are being pushed to their limits. For many the true cost of the worker shortage crisis is more than just financial.
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.
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.
On Monday Four Corners investigates the reasons behind Australia’s homelessness crisis.
In a rare in-depth interview, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton speaks with Four Corners about some of the issues that shaped him and his vision for Australia.
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.
Four Corners investigates the world of psychedelic drugs, including the underground supply which is being sourced by increasing numbers of people who don't want to wait for the clinical trials to be concluded.
Until recently Qantas had a reputation envied by airlines all over the world.
But now the Spirit of Australia is in damage control, beset by customer complaints and a demoralised workforce.
Four Corners reports the inside story of the decline of Qantas.
Reporter Stephen Long has spoken to current and former staff including pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers.
They tell a story of ruthless cost cutting and a divide and conquer culture.
Until recently Qantas had a reputation envied by airlines all over the world.
But now the Spirit of Australia is in damage control, beset by customer complaints and a demoralised workforce.
On Monday Four Corners reports the inside story of the decline of Qantas.
Reporter Stephen Long has spoken to current and former staff including pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers.
They tell a story of ruthless cost cutting and a divide and conquer culture.
When a smooth-talking businessman came to a working-class Australian suburb his promises of a better life were intoxicating.
Hundreds of investors believed him and bought shares in the mining exploration company he spruiked.
Instead, almost all the battlers lost their hard-earned cash, for some their entire life savings.
Four Corners reporter Caro Meldrum-Hanna goes in pursuit of the elusive businessman and the missing money people invested in his business, obtaining hundreds of internal company documents.
When a smooth-talking businessman came to a working-class Australian suburb his promises of a better life were intoxicating.
Hundreds of investors believed him and bought shares in the mining exploration company he spruiked.
Instead, almost all the battlers lost their hard-earned cash, for some their entire life savings.
On Monday Four Corners reporter Caro Meldrum-Hanna goes in pursuit of the elusive businessman and the missing money people invested in his business, obtaining hundreds of internal company documents.
On Monday Four Corners reports the inside story of a nation's descent into a civil war largely ignored by the rest of the world.
Almost 20,000 people have reportedly been killed since the military seized power in Myanmar in February 2021.
Over the past year filmmakers have worked with local journalists who have risked their lives to secretly document the army's brutal repression.
The result is a forensic investigation into the repeated use of lethal force on large numbers of peaceful protesters.
Four Corners goes behind the scenes with some of the Independent women who defied the odds and defeated high profile politicians from the two major political parties.
Reporter Louise Milligan has gained unusual access to two newly minted MPs and one Senator to document their transition to Canberra.
Four Corners has filmed personal moments, away from the public spotlight, as these new MPs begin to navigate their roles as elected MPs and Senators.
On Monday Four Corners goes behind the scenes with some of the Independent women who defied the odds and defeated high profile politicians from the two major political parties.
Reporter Louise Milligan has gained unusual access to two newly minted MPs and one Senator to document their transition to Canberra.
Four Corners has filmed personal moments, away from the public spotlight, as these new MPs begin to navigate their roles as elected MPs and Senators.
The United Nations has been at the forefront of work to uphold human rights and promote global peace for more than 70 years.
But what happens when the organisation responsible for fixing the world's problems is accused of wrongdoing and corruption?
On Monday Four Corners tells the story of several former UN insiders who allege a wide range of sexual abuse and corruption across many UN agencies.
Four Corners travels to the Solomon Islands to investigate the extent of Chinese influence and control in the strategically located Pacific nation.
Reporter Angus Grigg reveals new details about the Chinese money being used by Prime Minister Sogavare to secure his hold over the country.
The program will also examine other key industries in the Solomon Islands where Chinese state-owned companies are taking over to the detriment of local communities.
On Monday Four Corners travels to the Solomon Islands to investigate the extent of Chinese influence and control in the strategically located Pacific nation.
Reporter Angus Grigg reveals new details about the Chinese money being used by Prime Minister Sogavare to secure his hold over the country.
The program will also examine other key industries in the Solomon Islands where Chinese state-owned companies are taking over to the detriment of local communities.
In Australia and overseas there's a push to make psychedelic drugs part of mainstream medicine for the treatment of trauma and other mental health conditions.
Results from clinical trials are promising for PTSD sufferers where conventional treatments have failed.
Four Corners investigates the world of psychedelic drugs, including the underground supply which is being sourced by increasing numbers of people who don't want to wait for the clinical trials to be concluded.
In Australia and overseas there's a push to make psychedelic drugs part of mainstream medicine for the treatment of trauma and other mental health conditions.
Results from clinical trials are promising for PTSD sufferers where conventional treatments have failed.
On Monday Four Corners investigates the world of psychedelic drugs, including the underground supply which is being sourced by increasing numbers of people who don't want to wait for the clinical trials to be concluded.
The plastic surgery industry in China is booming.
Demand for cosmetic procedures is so widespread among the country's young population it's now estimated the industry will be worth $200 billion US by 2030.
On Monday, Four Corners examines the massive growth in China's beauty obsession.
The program meets the social media influencers and the ordinary young Chinese who are prepared to undergo extreme procedures to radically change their appearance.
Liberal insiders speak out for the first time about the deep divisions within the party that directly implicated former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and went all the way to the High Court.
Vaping is a multi-billion-dollar global industry that is rapidly growing in popularity amongst young adults.
It was hailed as the new way to quit smoking but there are serious concerns the product is now causing nicotine addiction in teenagers.
Four Corners investigates the explosion in vaping amongst teenagers and the booming black market which is thriving in Australia due to a failure to police the rules.
Vaping is a multi-billion-dollar global industry that is rapidly growing in popularity amongst young adults.
It was hailed as the new way to quit smoking but there are serious concerns the product is now causing nicotine addiction in teenagers.
Four Corners investigates the explosion in vaping amongst teenagers and the booming black market which is thriving in Australia due to a failure to police the rules.
Vaping is a multi-billion-dollar global industry that is rapidly growing in popularity amongst young adults.
It was hailed as the new way to quit smoking but there are serious concerns the product is now causing nicotine addiction in teenagers.
On Monday, Four Corners investigates the explosion in vaping amongst teenagers and the booming black market which is thriving in Australia due to a failure to police the rules.
Levi Bellfield is one of Britain’s most notorious serial killer but despite available evidence and tip offs, it took police several years to arrest him for the murder of three women, including British teenager Milly Dowler.
On Monday Four Corners examines the failures in the investigation into the abduction and murder of 13-year-old Milly Dowler.
This gripping film features interviews with senior police and those covering the case as evidence mounted up against the killer.
Speaking out is the murderer’s ex-partner who provided the crucial tip off which led to Bellfield’s arrest.
The ABC’s health expert Dr Norman Swan investigates the science behind the treatment in the race to solve dementia.
Half a million Australians live with dementia and for the past two decades scientists have been working on a new drug treatment they hope will combat the most common form, Alzheimer’s disease.
Monday on Four Corners, the ABC’s health expert Dr Norman Swan investigates the science behind the treatment in the race to solve dementia.
Dr Swan’s investigation also looks at evidence that lifestyle choices may help delay the onset of the disease while the world waits for a cure.
Journalist Charlie Webster has covered some of the biggest sporting events in the world. But there was one story she was never able to tell. Until now.
On Monday, Four Corners tells the story of what happened to a group of young female athletes who were groomed and abused by their running coach.
In a personal investigation Charlie Webster sets out to find her teenage running friends who all dreamt of becoming Olympic athletes, to learn the truth of what happened to them at the hands of a manipulative predator.
Four Corners investigates what lies behind the slick marketing and big promises to examine if crypto is a fad, a fraud or the future.
In this episode, voters who were undecided, reflect on the campaign, talk about what really swayed their votes, and offer a verdict on the way the political battle is fought, won and lost in Australia.
When Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February it came as a shock to many.
Why would Vladimir Putin want to overturn decades of stability by sparking the biggest security crisis in Europe since the end of the Cold War?
For those who have studied Putin for decades, this war has been long in the making.
Four Corners traces Vladimir Putin’s rise to power from his days as a KGB counterintelligence officer to his emergence as a global power player in the post Cold War era.
Four Corners investigates the new critical minerals mining boom and finds Australia is in the box seat to exploit a surge in worldwide demand
Four Corners investigates Aspen Medical, the health contractor hand-picked by the federal government for lucrative contracts worth more than a billion dollars.
Four Corners investigates the corporate colossus that has taken a major slice of Australia's food production sector while being exposed internationally for bribery, corruption and environmental vandalism.
From beef and pork to lamb and even salmon, JBS's products end up on countless Australian plates.
What many consumers don't know is the scandalous corporate practices behind the company.
On Monday, Four Corners investigates the corporate colossus that has taken a major slice of Australia's food production sector while being exposed internationally for bribery, corruption and environmental vandalism.
Four Corners reveals fresh allegations of serious misconduct, including torture, carried out by Australian soldiers during the celebrated military intervention in East Timor in 1999.
Gold Walkley award winning reporter, Mark Willacy, reveals a disturbing secret chapter in our military history.
The devastating floods that wreaked havoc in Australia’s eastern states and the massive destruction caused by the Black Summer fires have rammed home the terrible cost of extreme weather and its aftermath.
But Australia is not the only nation experiencing wild, dangerous and unprecedented weather.
“Dangerous climate change is no longer something we can talk about as being off in the future. It’s arrived.” Climate scientist, USA
On Monday, Four Corners brings you a sobering report from the BBC’s Panorama program that charts increasing extreme weather ‘events’ around the world.
“We’re pleading with the whole world to hear us.” Military volunteer
On Monday, Four Corners takes you into a city under siege - Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian spirit prevail. We are highly motivated, but Putin's number of jets, bombers and other weapons significantly outnumber ours.” Ukrainian member of parliament
With the city enduring indiscriminate bombing, and with Russian forces attempting to encircle the capital, Sarah Ferguson reports on the Ukrainian people resisting the Russian invasion.
A Four Corners investigation reveals the stories of Australians who say they’ve been virtually abducted by the state, stripped of their assets and stopped from speaking out, until now.
Four Corners investigates the shameful and, until now, hidden failure in public health taking place in remote Australian communities.
In Ukraine, a serious escalation of the military and diplomatic crisis is taking place.
President Vladimir Putin has gone on the attack, taking aim at western nations, accusing them of threatening the Russian state.
With growing dissent inside Russia, President Putin has sought to paint his opponents as tools of the West.
The regime has engaged in a ruthless campaign to shut down and lock up political opponents and activists.
On Monday, the activists who have risked everything are speaking out about the abusive political climate in Russia.
They're ordinary, upstanding churchgoers: carpenters, doctors, teachers, accountants, students, landscape gardeners, police officers. With families in tow, they worship every Sunday. They donate generously and often.
An ugly divide is cutting through the magnificent high country of the Snowy Mountains. At the centre of it is a question – are wild horses a national icon or feral pests?
Voters give an insight into what many in the electorate are looking for as they prepare to cast their vote, and show how big the task is for Anthony Albanese.
With an election due some time in the next few months, Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese is facing the biggest test of his political life.
His job is to convince voters that he, and the Labor party, are ready to run the country.
In part two of this Four Corners political special, voters in key seats give their assessment of Anthony Albanese’s performance so far.
These voters give an insight into what many in the electorate are looking for as they prepare to cast their vote, and show how big the task is for Anthony Albanese.
Voters assess the key moments of Scott Morrison's prime ministership, and share their opinions of his leadership.
Four Corners reveals how business is still booming for the Obeids and funding their lavish lifestyle.
Four Corners tracks the property price boom that’s fuelling risky and irrational behaviour and investigates what is driving it.
Four Corners, in a joint investigation with The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, exposes the alarming practices in the multi-billion-dollar cosmetic surgery industry and reveals how the regulatory system is failing to protect Australians.
Four Corners reveals the inside story of Sony Music, where fear and intimidation stalked the corridors for decades.
Despite authorities around the world promising to close loop holes and crack down on the myriad of offshore services, Four Corners reveals how this industry is flourishing.
Almost half of Australia's premier soccer clubs are owned or controlled by foreign entities. Four Corners investigates the powerbrokers dominating Australian soccer.
Next week on Four Corners, a major investigation into a parallel financial universe that's out of reach for most Australians.
Months in the making, this exposé reveals who's benefiting, who's behind it, and how the authorities are being left in the dark.
Around the world a new type of crime is being carried out and it goes right to the heart of what we eat.
Food fraud is a highly lucrative criminal enterprise that affects a huge range of products.
Criminal syndicates are infiltrating the global food suply chain, undermining the ability of consumers to trust what is on the label and what ends up on their plate.
In this fascinating film, international food investigators show the many and varied scams they have uncovered and who is behind them.
Former members of this group reveal the secretive practices used to instil fear and maintain discipline among followers.
Four Corners takes you into the fall of Kabul. In interviews and videos from those on the ground, the program captures the drama and the chaos of the last 16 days.
The second part of this Four Corners special examines the case being made against high profile Fox News presenters and Trump backers.
Four Corners investigates how Fox News became a propaganda vehicle for Donald Trump and helped destabilise democracy in the United States.
In this most recent decade, Four Corners has continued to excel, as showcased by a wave of investigations: from exposing people smuggling networks and cruel practices in the greyhound industry, to the use of shackles and spithoods on juveniles in "Australia's Shame", the appalling practices of the banking industry and the revelations of a toxic political culture in "The Canberra Bubble".
To mark the program’s extraordinary milestone, Four Corners broadcast a special episode with highlights from the show’s six decades.
Four Corners is the longest running series on Australian television and a powerhouse of investigative journalism - fearless and forensic, holding power to account for 60 years.
Then-Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett criticising Four Corners and Sally Neighbour ahead of the broadcast of 'Kennett's Culture' in 1997.
Four Corners examines how Australia was left dangerously exposed by its vaccine rollout failings.
A joint investigation by Four Corners and triple j Hack shows how dangerous content is being served up to unwitting users with sometimes devastating consequences.
By the 1970s, Four Corners was a fixture on the television landscape, covering a decade of social and political upheaval.
Four Corners charted the course of the feminist movement with reports on the taboo subjects, helped set the environmental reform agenda and covered the tumultuous time in Australian politics.
The 1980s brought changes to Four Corners – a new timeslot, a new one-subject-a-show format, a new theme song and a new host.
The program delivered powerhouse investigations that shook the nation and changed the country, including exposing police corruption in Queensland in 'The Moonlight State' and, in a worldwide scoop, uncovering a French secret service plot to bomb the Greenpeace vessel the Rainbow Warrior.
New technology changed the way Four Corners could tell stories in the 1990s, including using video journalists and smaller cameras.
Four Corners exposed white collar criminals including the disgraced entrepreneur Alan Bond, filming a confrontation that became an iconic moment in Australian television. Some of the most powerful programs were intimate and personal accounts of life-changing moments.
Stories of terrorism, war, and the growing tide of asylum seekers dominated the 2000s. Four Corners traced the life story of the lead 9/11 hijacker and revealed how Al Qaeda and its affiliates had operated in Australia for years.
The program revealed people smuggling networks operating out of Indonesia and also exposed rampant bribery and match fixing in cricket.