The Age investigative duo Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker first reported in May 2009 that the polymer banknote firm Securency, a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank, had used corrupt methods to secure contracts overseas.
Since the initial report, the story has snowballed to include over 100 exclusive reports by the pair; allegations of corruption, bribery, prostitution and counterfeiting were revealed in the ensuing reporting.
The story engulfed the Reserve Bank and another of the RBA's subsidiaries, Note Printing Australia, Austrade, and a number of notable figures overseas. It led to the sale of Securency by the RBA and the arrests of a number of senior figures at the company, the collapse of a banknote deal in the UK, and the strengthening of anti-bribery laws in Australia. More recently, in February this year, Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens admitted the RBA knew of the corrupt methods used by the company two years before it became public.
For their reporting on the scandal, Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker won the 2011 Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism, the 2011 Grant Hattam Quill Award for Investigative Journalism and the 2009 Quill Award for Best News Report in Print (with Philip Dorling).
When two crime reporting kings came together to hold court, reporter Kate Osborn was in the audience. Here's her take on the wit and wisdom of The Age's John Silvester and Seven News veteran Norm Beaman.
Immediacy is what sets broadcast journalism apart from its print counterpart, and there's nothing more immediate than a live cross. It's difficult to do, and even harder to do well. Nine News reporter Brett McLeod shares some of the tips that made him one of the best in the business.
Few events live in the minds of Melbourne's media like the Black Saturday bushfires. On the third anniversary of the fires, Channel Seven's Kate Osborn looks beyond the history-making images to the people who created them: the photographers and cameramen who chronicled the week, and found themselves driven to extraordinary professional and personal limits.
Dealing with people who are dealing with grief is one of the most difficult parts of a journalist's job. Just as every story is different, so is the reaction of those involved when approached by the media. Ten News reporter Ben Lewis has noticed a shift in attitudes, particularly among media-savvy young people, who are finding themselves increasingly empowered.
A long-awaited overhaul of federal suppression order laws should clear up confusion for courts and journalists. Minter Ellison lawyers Sandip Mukerjea and Mark Silberer say it's a win for open justice and 'the suppression state.' Victoria, should follow suit.
In a year that had its fair share of revolutions, resignations and natural disasters, ABC News Breakfast'sMichael Rowland recalls the news highlights and lowlights of 2011.
2011 was a bumper year in the world of sport with unbeaten streaks, smashed records and tales of personal triumph. Herald Sun Sports Journalist Jon Anderson rates his top sporting highlights.
Forget the doomsayers who bemoan the contraction of the media industry. There’s plenty of work out there, argues Channel Seven’s Kate Osborn, as long as you’re prepared for some hard slog. And she says Gen Y journalism students could learn a thing or two, from RMIT’s Class of 2000.
Of all the elements in a TV news story, the one that is likely to gain the most criticism is the piece to camera, or PTC. When used well, the PTC allows us to see the impact of a story through a reporter’s reflections. From Michael Buerk in Ethiopia to Philip Williams in Beslan, Brett McLeod discusses the common criticisms and effective use of the 'Piece to Camera.'
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In this week's Buzz: the state of investigative journalism, video games as an educational tool for reporters and CNN journalists open up on their most embarrassing reporting mistakes.
www.womenformedia.com.au is a new online directory connecting journalists to more than 100 senior Australian business leaders who are willing to provide media comment.
