Four Corners - Season 61

First aired: 2/1/2021 39 episodes

Holding power to account for 60 Years, Four Corners continues to expose scandals, trigger inquiries, lead national debate and confront the issues that matter to us all. Australia's premier investigative journalism program.

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Episodes

1. Downfall: The Last Days of President Trump

Aired: 2/1/2021

A gripping account of the insurrection as it unfolded, told by those who were there. In her return to Four Corners, Sarah Ferguson confronts some of those who answered Donald Trump's call to overturn the election result.

2. President Biden

Aired: 2/8/2021

A personal portrait of the man now leading America charting Joe Biden's rise from a hardscrabble childhood where he faced bullying and discrimination based on a severe stutter, to personal tragedies and political missteps.

3. Putin's Patriots

Aired: 2/15/2021

Self-described defenders of Russia are determined to shut down anti-Putin sentiment in Australia, establishing pro-Moscow chapters as part of a propaganda war to remind the world that Russia is a force to the reckoned with.

4. Crisis in Kakadu

Aired: 2/22/2021

Four Corners investigates accusations of mismanagement and neglect which have fuelled a bitter dispute between Kakadu's traditional owners and the authority that runs the World Heritage Listed site.

5. Chairman for Life

Aired: 3/1/2021

China's President Xi Jinping and his quest for world power. An insightful look at his rise to power, how he consolidated his leadership through economic strength, populism and iron fist control, and what is his agenda?

6. Bursting the Canberra Bubble

Aired: 3/8/2021

Four Corners examines the historical rape allegation made against Federal Attorney General Christian Porter, which he strenuously denies.

7. Enslaved: Surviving a Sex Cult

Aired: 3/15/2021

In a shocking investigation, Four Corners reveals how a sex slave cult has been operating in plain sight here in Australia.

8. Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Aired: 3/22/2021

When former coalition staffer Brittany Higgins came forward to allege that she had been raped in a ministerial office in Parliament House, it horrified the country. Four Corners examines who knew what, and when.

9. Aung San Suu Kyi - The Rise and Fall of an Icon

Aired: 3/29/2021

In February, Myanmar's military launched a coup, arresting political leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In this provocative portrait, some of those who once publicly supported her say she lost her credibility during her time in power.

10. Fired Up

Aired: 4/12/2021

Four Corners investigates what is driving the Federal Government's push for a gas-fired future in the face of considerable scepticism, with many warning that the public is not fully informed about the costs of backing gas.

11. 54 Days: China and the Pandemic

Aired: 4/19/2021

An investigation into what the Chinese government knew about the COVID-19 outbreak and compelling evidence of a determined campaign to keep it under wraps.

12. Poking the Dragon

Aired: 4/26/2021

How Australia's trade with China became a political weapon. Stephen Long reveals how trade sanctions appear to have been carefully timed and targeted to cause maximum damage plus the human and financial cost of the dispute.

13. Are You Being Played?

Aired: 5/3/2021

Across the country, millions of Australians of all ages, play video games every day. Four Corners brings together gamers, industry players and psychologists to investigate the manipulative techniques used across many games.

14. Peter: The Human Cyborg

Aired: 5/10/2021

After being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), renowned scientist and robotics expert Dr Peter Scott-Morgan set out to find and apply cutting edge technology to extend his life and retain the essence of who he is.

15. Fast Fashion

Aired: 5/17/2021

With the rise of online shopping, the demand for cheap and readily available clothing has created a new fashion boom. Four Corners investigates the unglamorous, and in some cases illegal practices of the clothing industry.

16. Vaccinating Australia

Aired: 5/24/2021

Australia's success in keeping COVID from taking hold made us the envy of the world, but the slow pace of vaccine rollout has caused frustration and confusion. Adam Harvey charts how our vaccination program has fallen short.

17. Packer's Gamble

Aired: 5/31/2021

A cautionary tale of big money, back room lobbying and political influence. As James Packer prepares to walk away from the casino business he championed, those who fought against Crown say there are lessons to be learned.

18. Ghosts of Afghanistan

Aired: 6/7/2021

Twenty years on from the 9/11 terror attacks, former war correspondent Graeme Smith travels back through the cities and provinces of Afghanistan to try and make sense of the conflict.

19. The Great Awakening

Aired: 6/14/2021

A family divided by QAnon. The extreme political movement has mobilised a committed band of believers dedicated to fighting what they claim is a war against corrupt child abusing elites. QAnon has vocal devotees in Australia.

20. Post Morten

Aired: 6/28/2021

The story behind the turmoil that's engulfed Australia Post. Four Corners investigates allegations of secret privatisation plans and proposed job cuts, and examines who was really standing up for whom. In interviews with key players, we ask the decision makers to explain their actions to the people of Australia.

21. Watchdog or Lapdog?

Aired: 7/5/2021

How the casino regulator failed to stop crime at Crown. Industry insiders with decades of experience speak for the first time about how the regulator allowed crime to flourish under its nose. Their revelations expose how and why Crown was not held in check and they say Crown is not the only one that needs to accountable.

22. Scandal

Aired: 7/12/2021

The rise and fall of an Australian billionaire. From Bundaberg to the boardrooms of the international corporate elite, how did Lex Greensill make and lose a fortune, leaving a trail of creditors and investors in the lurch.

23. A Deadly Ascent: Life and Death on Mount Everest

Aired: 7/19/2021

Mount Everest has become big business with multiple companies selling the promise of an adventure of a lifetime. But surging numbers of inexperienced climbers have been swarming the mountain, with deadly consequences. Now the elder statesmen of the climbing community warn that change is needed to protect both Everest and those who climb it.

24. TikTok

Aired: 7/26/2021

Data mining, discrimination and dangerous content on the world's most popular app. In a joint investigation by Four Corners and triple j's Hack, Avani Dias uncovers the many techniques TikTok is using to know about its users.

25. Lockdown

Aired: 8/2/2021

How Australia became trapped by COVID-19. Despite millions of people staying at home, the number of infections is climbing with the virulent Delta strain. How issues of supply and hesitancy left Australia dangerously exposed.

26. Are you scared yet, human?

Aired: 8/9/2021

Artificial intelligence is changing our lives in ways that were once dismissed as the stuff of science fiction. The technology has the capacity to improve our lives, but it also presents potentially grave risks.

27. Fearless and Forensic For 60 Years

Aired: 8/16/2021

Four Corners is the longest running series on Australian TV and a powerhouse of investigative journalism: fearless and forensic, holding power to account for 60 years. A special look at highlights from the show's six decades.

28. Fox and the Big Lie (Part 1)

Aired: 8/23/2021

The first of a two-part Four Corners special on Rupert Murdoch's Fox News. Sarah Ferguson examines how the network promoted Donald Trump's propaganda and helped destabilise democracy in America.

29. Fox and the Big Lie (Part 2)

Aired: 8/30/2021

Fox News insiders reveal how the network changed once Donald Trump entered politics and Rupert Murdoch took over. Part 2 examines the politics at work within the network and fear this alliance has put US democracy in peril.

30. The Fall of Kabul

Aired: 9/6/2021

Four Corners takes you into the fall of Kabul. Interviews and videos from people on the ground capture the drama and chaos of the last 16 days and show the desperate lengths people were resorting to for a chance at freedom.

31. Bearing Witness

Aired: 9/13/2021

Exposing the secretive world of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Former members reveal the secretive practices used to instil fear and maintain discipline among followers. Those who have escaped say it's time to hold them to account.

32. Food Fraud

Aired: 9/20/2021

A new type of crime that goes to the heart of what we eat. Criminal syndicates are infiltrating the global food supply chain, undermining the ability of consumers to trust what is on the label and what ends up on their plate.

33. A League of Their Own

Aired: 9/27/2021

Big money, sportswashing and the power play to control Australian soccer. Almost half of our premier soccer clubs are owned or controlled by foreign entities. Who are these powerbrokers and what are they getting out of it?

34. The Pandora Papers

Aired: 10/4/2021

In a major international investigation Four Corners reveals the secrets of the Pandora Papers. Despite authorities promising to close loop holes and crack down on the myriad of offshore services, this industry is flourishing.

35. Facing the Music

Aired: 10/11/2021

The inside story of Sony Music, where fear and intimidation stalked the corridors for decades. Former employees break their silence to expose a toxic workplace culture where appalling behaviour was normalised and covered up.

36. The Life and Times of Angela Merkel

Aired: 10/18/2021

For 16 years, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been a trailblazing leader on the world stage. After 30 years in politics she has chosen to leave public life at the height of her popularity, having remained an enigma.

37. Cosmetic Cowboys

Aired: 10/25/2021

Behind the glitz and glamour of cosmetic surgery lie some ugly truths. Adele Ferguson exposes alarming practices in this multi-billion-dollar industry and reveals how the regulatory system is failing to protect Australians.

38. Going, Going, Gone

Aired: 11/1/2021

What's driving Australia's property frenzy. Despite fears of a collapse, the pandemic saw house prices rise at the fastest pace in decades. Stephen Long tracks the property price boom fuelling risky and irrational behaviour.

39. Obeid Inc

Aired: 11/8/2021

The secret deals making the Obeid family millions. Angus Grigg has been on the financial trail uncovering secret business dealings and how business is still booming for the Obeids, funding a lavish lifestyle.