Background Briefing

With growing evidence that concussion is linked to long term brain injuries, collision sports are on notice. But the AFL's concussion experts have attacked the evidence. Reporter Wendy Carlisle investigates the AFL’s concussion games. (This program was originally broadcast on 22 June 2014.)

Away from the Canberra spotlight the Palmer United Party made an audacious play for power in the NT, shaking up the status quo and a lot more. Ann Arnold travelled north to investigate the new force in Territory politics. (This program was originally broadcast on 13 July 2014.)

Monika Chetty died from severe chemical burns three weeks after she was found in bushland. The identity of her attacker is not yet known, and the police are still investigating but there is mounting evidence that she was involved in a fraudulent marriage visa scheme. Hagar Cohen investigates. (This program was originally broadcast on 6 April 2014.)

Forty years ago highly dangerous asbestos insulation fluff was pumped into Canberra and NSW homes by a contractor known as 'Mr Fluffy'. In Canberra houses are being bulldozed and cancers are being discovered. Di Martin investigates the Mr Fluffy fiasco. (Originally broadcast on 10 August 2014.)

Obesity is now the leading cause of premature death and disease and doctors are commonly seeing obesity-related illnesses in children that they didn’t see 20 years ago. So what happened to the national obesity strategy? Sarah Dingle investigates.

If you have a hearing test in Australia there’s a good chance your audiologist is on a bonus to sell you a hearing aid. So why has a practice that’s not acceptable in other parts of the health profession become industry standard in audiology? Hagar Cohen investigates.

Ebola had crippled three African nations before the world woke up when it reached the US and Europe. Wendy Carlisle charts the rapid spread of the virus and the belated response of nations, like Australia, best equipped to treat it. 

Animal welfare activists are at war with pig farmers, targeting and secretly filming piggeries across the country. They say it’s the only way to force changes to farming and slaughtering practices, but farmers say their livelihoods and families are being threatened and they’re fighting back. Ann Arnold investigates. 

The Abbott government is tying the success of its Direct Action policy to a clean coal technology that is still in the very early stages of development. Paddy Manning tracks the quest for the clean coal holy grail and investigates the men getting unspeakably rich from the search.

Minor offender Mark Payne was on 24-hour suicide watch in a maximum security South Australian prison cell when he died. No one noticed because Yatala prison had a fatally inadequate electronic monitoring system. Sarah Dingle investigates.