Background Briefing
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Background Briefing tells true stories not everyone will want you to hear. We infuse investigative reporting with captivating drama, following the thread of an individual story only to find that it leads us to something bigger. It's the only podcast in Australia that does this week in, week out.
Hosted by Thomas Oriti.
We want to hear from you too. If you have a tip-off, please contact us at backgroundbriefing[at]abc.net.au
Hosted by Thomas Oriti.
We want to hear from you too. If you have a tip-off, please contact us at backgroundbriefing[at]abc.net.au
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 30, 2023 • 40min
Hitler, Stalin and Shirley Temple lived in the Australian outback
It might surprise you to learn that the names of pop stars and fascist dictators have been passed down to generations of Indigenous Australians. Reporter Erin Parke heads to the remote Kimberley to meet a man named Bing Crosby, and find out how it happened.
Nov 23, 2023 • 31min
An aspiring doctor from the 'burbs takes on medical schools for elitism
From humble beginnings, Fahad faced hurdles entering medical school. Now, he fights for equal access to medical education.
Nov 16, 2023 • 38min
How an ADHD diagnosis was the start of Natalia’s life unravelling
Natalia had a job at a prestigious university, $120,000 in the bank, a loving partner, and shared custody of her two sons. Then one day, a little over a year later, she woke up in a psychiatric hospital, where doctors told her she was experiencing what’s known as stimulant-induced psychosis.
Nov 9, 2023 • 38min
The whistleblowers who stared down threats from Australia's biggest bank
How the Commonwealth Bank tried to stop a royal commission by using dirt files, intimidation, threats and surveillance against whistleblowers and journalists.
Nov 2, 2023 • 33min
The whistleblower who believed his employer was covering up an oil spill
Three dead dolphins turn up in an oil spill.
Oct 26, 2023 • 36min
The whistleblower who exposed Australia’s secretive offshore detention system
"Simone" arrived on a remote island to help asylum seekers. But she witnessed something there that convinced her to leak over 2000 documents. Reporters Paul Farrell and Maddison Conaughton investigate what happened.
Oct 19, 2023 • 39min
The Whistleblower who brought down Australia's Dr Death
When patients start unexpectedly dying at a regional hospital, nurse Toni Hoffman takes a big risk to blow the whistle on a negligent surgeon.
Oct 12, 2023 • 29min
The Whistleblower who captured the nation — and the man who unmasked her as a fraud
Kathy Jackson was once heralded as a revolutionary who shone a bright spotlight on union corruption but she too was later found to be a fraudster who had misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars in union members' money. So who was the man responsible for blowing the whistle on her? Reporter Annika Blau investigates.
Oct 5, 2023 • 32min
The Whistleblower who helped catch a paedophile politican
After an electoral officer helped police arrest a popular state minister, her life began to unravel.
Oct 3, 2023 • 2min
INTRODUCING — 'The Whistleblowers', a new series from Background Briefing
In this 6-part series presented by Adele Ferguson, the Background Briefing team brings you the untold stories of ordinary Australians who helped bring some of Australia’s biggest and dirtiest scandals to light.
