Season 2011

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Tonight, Liam Bartlett revists QLD after the floods and how the insurance companies arnt paying up. Ray Martin looks at lap-banding and how children as young as 13 are opting for this procedure instead of a healthier lifestyle.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Victorian plumber Peter Walsh was struck down with the dreaded pneumococcal bug and lost his hands and feet, but that was til an extraordinary micro-surgeon decided to give him a helping hand, literally. Also Michael Usher is in London, post the big wedding.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Liam Bartlett looks at our immigration system at breaking point and the influx of asylum seekers. Ali Langdon examines how our Asian students are topping the class and Michael Usher checks out the increased cases of female adultery.

Olympic champion Alisa Camplin tells of her son Finnan's congenital heart disease. Liz Hayes goes deep into the American South to meet the folk of Westboro Baptist Church who hate Australia and celebrate our natural disasters. Also how can a 24 year old Aussie working in Canada disappear without a trace?

Tonight Alison Langdon investigates the very dangerous sport of cave diving. Liam is with a band of bushies and backpaers in the Kimberley to take out the ugly and unstoppable cane toad population that is wiping out native wildlife. Also New York's latest serial killer and no one's sure how many women he's murdered, but more bodies are turning up...

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Join the team of reporters as they investigate, analyse and uncover the issues affecting all Australians.

Just one click. That's all it takes to wreck a young life forever. Liz Hayes explores the dangers of sexting and explains how it can destroy your life forever. Plus, who could ever forget Stacy Keep? The young mum lost her 18-month old daughter, her mother and mother-in law in the Queensland floods. Well, six weeks ago, the Keep family welcomed a little baby girl into their lives. She's helping them heal but it's hard to move forward when there are still so many questions about the events of the past.

It was the most sickening and cruellest of crimes. Last year, Rachelle D'Argent's estranged partner kidnapped their three-year-old daughter, Yazmina and did the unthinkable. Tonight, Rachelle tells her tells her harrowing story for the first time. Also, Ray Martin meets a group of returned Aussie diggers who have overcome their catastrophic injuries in the hope of representing Australia once again - only this time it's on the sporting field.

There really is magic in the story of Harry Potter. Almost 15 years since J.K. Rowling published that first Potter novel, Harry is finally packing up his wand for good and Charles Wooley was in London to witness the magical final chapter. Plus, it's been hyped as the comedy event of the year. And "The Hangover 2" is certainly a very funny movie. But there haven't been too many laughs behind the scenes. Tonight, meet the Aussie stuntman who, after a horrific accident on set, was that was left fighting for his life.

Kidnapped and held captive for 18 years, Jaycee Lee Dugard not only had her youth stolen from her but was forced to mother children to her captor. 60 Minutes presents a compelling exclusive with this young woman who triumphed over evil.

Just last Thursday, Derryn Hinch was sentenced to five months home detention. A fortnight before that, he was on an operating table, receiving a life-saving liver transplant. We've been following the highs and lows of Derryn's battle to survive for five years now and more than anything, he's incredibly grateful for this second shot at life. Plus, meet the blokes who have travelled to the very ends of the earth to find love.

Imagine the shock, 50-years-old and staring down at two blue lines on a pregnancy test. Plus, Charles Wooley catches up with music legend, Rod Stewart at his home in London.

Meet two young Australians who refuse to accept the doctor's verdict that they 'will never walk again'. Plus, every year, hundreds try it, all determined to conquer swimming's Mt Everest and cross the English Channel. However, if they saw what happened to Melbourne girl Chloe McCardel, they may think twice before taking the plunge.

Michael Usher has just returned from an extraordinary encounter with Sarah Ferguson, Liam Bartlett is on the ground in England to make sense of the madness of late, and for two decades now The Wiggles have been enchanting children worldwide and making millions along the way. But on the eve of a massive tour to mark their 20 year milestone, came a frightening blow.

According to the latest research, when it comes to binge drinking, young women are now doing their best to match the blokes. What was once considered embarrassing and outrageous behaviour is now celebrated as the norm. So why do they do it? Plus, Charles Wooley explores the world that is Internet shopping.

Eight years ago, Bruce and Denise Morcombe were like any other parents. Then their 13-year-old son, Daniel, was abducted. Now they're trying to protect other children in the hope that no family will ever have to go through such agony again. Plus, meet Mike Rutzen - a man who happily goes swimming with Great Whites, even hitching a ride, now and then.

Marathon runner Heather Scott recounts the moments she and her fellow competitors stared death in the face - trapped in a narrow gorge, a raging fire bearing down and no escape in any direction. Plus, take a look inside Australia's toughest boy's school. For decades now, Frank Dando has been picking up the pieces and at 81 years of age, Frank and his committed band of teachers have never met a teenage rebel they couldn't tame.

Allison Langdon’s report ‘The Awakening’ will prove that true love and devotion can produce miracles. This story follows brain injured Sam Goddard who would be unable to walk and talk if not for the dedication of his fiance, Sally Neilsen. Liz Hayes’ report ‘Haunted’ looks at Robert Geeves, a man unlucky in love. With two of the women in his life experiencing tragic and suspicious ends, 60 Minutes meets a a third woman who also claims her life was shattered by Geeves. Liam Bartlett’s report ‘Drama Queen’ features the Hollywood legend Joan Collins who emerged from the Golden age of Hollywood.

Features current affairs stories from across Australia and the globe. Dr Hellfried Sartori claims he can cure terminal cancer. It isn't true, of course. But what makes Dr Sartori's scam truly despicable is that he doesn't just empty out his victims' bank accounts, he poisons them. Plus, less than a year out from the London Olympics, Liam Bartlett catches up with world champion hurdler, Sally Pearson.

The Love Trap Most of us have figured out by now, that transferring our life savings into a Nigerian bank account is a mug’s game. We know there’s no royal fortune. No multi-million dollar return. In fact, no hope of ever seeing our money again. Maybe that’s why the men behind those dodgy emails have moved on to scams that are more sophisticated and far more callous. Now they don’t just bankrupt their victims, they break their hearts as well. So we decided to take them on at their own game. We set up a sting of our own and it wasn’t long before the sharks took the bait. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: David Alrich Cliffhanger What you’re about to see on Sunday night defies belief and the laws of gravity. A young man, clinging to the side of a sheer rock face, a thousand metres up – with no ropes, no harness, nothing to catch his fall. All that’s keeping him from plunging to his death are his toes and finger tips. This madness is called free-soloing and no rock climber in the world does it better than 26-year-old Alex Honnald. Using only his body strength and amazing mental stamina, Alex scales sheer cliff walls as high as the world’s tallest buildings – completely unassisted, simply for the thrill. And if you’re anything like us, just watching this report from American 60 Minutes’ Lara Logan, will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. Reporter: Lara Logan, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: Jeff Newton Thinking Positive It wasn’t so long ago, that AIDS was a guaranteed death sentence. And thanks to those confronting ads in the 80s, we all knew it. They weren’t exactly subtle – in fact, they scared the hell out of us. But the shock tactics worked and the rate of HIV infection in Australia plummeted. We thought we had it all under control. That we were playing it safe. But guess what. The infection rate has shot up again. And surprisingly it’s now straight women who are among the most vulnerable. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Steve Burling, Danny Keens

The Empty Nesters It had to happen, eventually. That generation of stay-at-home kids has finally grown up and flown the coop. Peter Overton first met these coddled twenty and thirty-somethings five years ago. Back then, they were sleeping in their childhood bedrooms, letting their parents pay the bills and stashing away money for a future that never seemed to arrive. Well, it has now. And their Mums and Dads couldn’t be more pleased, most of them, anyway. They’re celebrating, happily spending their hard-earned savings on something completely different – themselves. Reporter: Peter Overton/ Producer: Sandra Cleary Time Bomb Heart attack is only supposed to happen to the middle-aged and the elderly. But every week, up to ten young Australians die because their hearts simply stop. They suffer from a condition known as SADS – Sudden Arrhythmic Disease. And for most victims, a heart attack is their first and only indication that anything is wrong. Only a lucky few discover they carry the rogue gene before it’s too late. But as Ellen Fanning reports, sometimes that knowledge can be a terrible burden. Reporter: Ellen Fanning/ Producer: Paul Steindl Dame Helen Sometimes, it’s the late starters who finish first but it’s a rule that doesn’t often apply to Hollywood. Dame Helen Mirren is a spectacular exception. Her career only took off when she was in her forties. And when it did, she managed to shatter another movie star myth, by proving an actress could combine beauty and brains. Along the way, she’s become a Dame of the British Empire, and an international pin-up girl for ageing gracefully. But when Liam Bartlett was granted an audience with Dame Helen in Berlin, he soon found this Oscar-winning screen queen is not one for airs and graces. Reporter: Liam Bartlett/ Producers: Gareth Harvey, Sandra Cleary

High Stakes Everyone knows it. Even police admit they’re fighting a losing battle against the illegal drug industry. But the war just got even harder. Right now, in Australia, you can get the potent effects of ecstasy, cocaine or cannabis straight over the counter and completely legally – thanks to the booming industry in synthetic drugs. By mimicking their illicit counterparts with clever chemistry, the drug makers can stay one step ahead of the law. And while our police and politicians play catch up, the men behind these crafty alternatives have become a new breed of drug lord – untouchable, unstoppable and very, very rich. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Being Brad He’s got the most confident swagger in the business. And who could blame him? Even compared to other Hollywood stars, Brad Pitt’s life is utterly charmed. With looks that make women go weak at the knees, he shares his life with the equally stunning Angelina Jolie. Together they balance their happy brood of children with careers that go from strength to strength. But when Tara Brown spent some time with him in Tokyo this week, the man who has it all, dropped a bombshell. At the peak of his fame, the world’s biggest film star is ready to call it a day. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Stephen Taylor, Sandra Cleary Time Bomb Imagine a job where the slip of your finger can mean sudden death. Every day, Australia’s navy clearance divers put their lives on the line, dismantling bombs on battlefields like Afghanistan and Iraq. But lately their steady hands have been needed closer to home. In Papua New Guinea there are areas that hold deadly reminders of World War Two – bombs, mines and mortars left behind by the Japanese occupation. Just watching these guys work is heart-stopping and fascinating. Because our bomb disposal exercise became a mission of discovery. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Nick Greenaway

Trouble in Paradise It’s Australia’s playground. Tourists from all over the country and around the globe, are drawn by the Gold Coast’s glittering image of surf, sand and sun-drenched beaches. But the sleek high rises and glossy billboards, can no longer hide the fact that our premier holiday strip has also become Australia’s crime capital. Rapid growth and high unemployment have fuelled an underworld culture of drugs and violence and a crime rate spiralling out of control. And no wonder, when you discover, local police are being denied even the most basic crime-fighting resources. The city may be celebrating at the prospect of hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but for many who live there, the Gold Coast has lost its shine. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Steve Burling, Ali Smith Cyber War Right now, a bitter global war is raging. But you won’t be seeing military hardware or armed troops on the evening news. This is a silent, covert battle, waged in the secrecy of cyberspace for the control of our information and data. And we are not just talking about identity theft or corporate sabotage. By accessing highly sensitive computer files, hostile governments can now cripple power grids, water supplies, even nuclear facilities without firing a single shot. Creating a national catastrophe has never been easier. And the new weapon of choice for the world’s terrorists is the humble laptop. Reporter: Michael Usher Producers: Danny Keens, Hannah Boocock The Guru Busters It’s a land steeped in superstition and for thousands of years Indians have revered the otherworldly and the fantastical. But that’s made them easy targets for self-proclaimed gurus eager to make a quick rupee. Right now, a million or so of these spiritual shysters are peddling their trade across the length and breadth of the subcontinent. They spruik miracle cures and perform seemingly impossible feats of magic, charging extravagantly for their dubious services. They’ve always done a brisk business. That is, until the guru busters came along. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producer: Gareth Harvey

Broken Hearts Who could forget that smile? Or the amazing tale of bravery that went with it? Alisa Camplin stole our hearts when she won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Only later did we discover that she did it with two fractured ankles. But Alisa knows that broken bones are nothing. In March, her son Finnan, was born with congenital heart disease. His fight to beat his illness was as inspiring and heroic as any of his mother’s achievements. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Stephen Taylor, Julia Timms Eminem His real name is Marshall Mathers. But you probably know him as Eminem – that firebrand American rap star playing sold out shows in Melbourne and Sydney. Depending on your tastes, he’s either a foul-mouthed gangster wannabe or a song writing genius. But whatever you think of Eminem’s music, you have to admire his fight. Here is the poor white kid who never made it past year nine but somehow managed to claw his way to the top. And that’s not the half of it, as Anderson Cooper of American 60 Minutes discovered when he took the singer on a stroll down memory lane. Reporter: Anderson Cooper, CBS 60 Minutes Producer: Tanya Simon Frozen Fortunes Liam Bartlett wondered what on earth he’d done wrong when we packed him off to the desolate wilds of Siberia. After all, it’s not the kind of place you generally visit willingly. People used to be dragged there in chains and then worked to death. But this gigantic frozen slab of Russia is getting an image makeover. It may never rival New York or Paris as a tourist destination. But, right now, there’s a minerals boom going on that dwarfs anything that’s happening in Australia. And, if you’re an investor right now, icy Siberia is hot, hot, hot. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Howard Sacre