Fourth Estate

She may not call herself a journalist, but Anna Funder’s work is a fearless meditation on truth, and a masterclass in pushing the boundaries of genre to capture it.

Her writing tackles the great arcs of 20th-century history, from the totalitarian state of East Germany, to the rise of Nazism, to the shackles of patriarchy, always through the lives of real people whose courage, resilience, and quiet heroism shine through.

As part of our ongoing in-profile series, Anna joined Tina Quinn in studio to talk about her journey from Melbourne to East Berlin — the city where the stories that became her award-winning debut book, Stasiland, first began to take shape.

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As we mark 24 years since the September 11 terror attacks, we revisit the Fourth Estate archives with a special episode first broadcast in September 2021 on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

Hosted at the time by Prue Clarke — who herself was in New York when the attacks happened — this conversation digs into the media’s role in shaping America’s response, from uncritical reporting that smoothed the path to war, to coverage that overlooked the backlash against Muslim Americans and the erosion of civil liberties within the United States.

Prue was joined by Andrew Rosenthal, former editorial page editor of The New York Times, and Doha Madani, senior breaking news reporter at NBC News.

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Last week, Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador in a move that dominated headlines. But while the media focused on the diplomatic drama, the government quietly introduced legislation that would strip certain migrants of their right to procedural fairness — a story almost entirely buried by the Iran announcement.

Both developments raise serious questions about secrecy, accountability, and double standards — questions the media largely failed to ask.

Joining host, Tina Quinn, is two stalwarts of the Canberra Press Gallery - Amy Remeikis (Chief Political Analyst for The Australia Institute) and Mark Kenny (Director of the Australian Studies Institute at ANU).

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Laura Tingle is widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest political journalists, with nearly four decades spent in the Canberra Press Gallery covering every government Malcolm Fraser’s to Anthony Albanese’s.

But this year she stunned even the most seasoned observers by announcing her departure as 7.30’s Chief Political Correspondent — leaving Parliament House behind to take on a new role as the ABC’s Global Affairs Editor.

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A historic moment of civil disobedience took place across the Sydney Harbour Bridge last week, as hundreds of thousands of people came out to demonstrate against Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Kenneth Roth has just published a new book entitled, Righting Wrongs:

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All eyes are again firmly on Gaza this week as the enclave faces mass starvation that human rights groups and aid organisations have been loudly warning of for months.

Media outlets that seemed to previously play down the plight of Palestinians, and the actions of the Israeli government have flooded their front pages with graphic images of emaciated, disease ridden children, accompanied by headlines like “Stop This Now.”

The UK and France have flagged their intention to recognise Palestine as a state, and the Australian government has accused Israel of breaching international law.

So how seismic really is this apparent change in tone from our media and our politicians?

Former Middle East Correspondent David Leser, himself a Jewish man has penned a powerful column for The Sydney Morning Herald on the moral catastrophe facing his community and political leaders the world over.

He spoke with Tina Quinn about whether we actually might be at a tipping point, the plight of journalists reporting in the region and the only thing he thinks could bring an end to the bloodshed.

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For generations, First Nations people have called for a truth-telling process — a way to formally acknowledge the harm caused by colonisation and ongoing injustice.

In Victoria, that process has taken historic form through the Yoorrook Justice Commission — the first truth-telling inquiry of its kind in Australia.

Over a number of years, the commission heard thousands of testimonies, exposing the deep and painful truths of the state’s past and present.

Now, its final report has been handed to the Victorian government.

Daniel James — writer, broadcaster, and co-host of the 7am podcast was one of the author's of the commission's report, Truth Be Told.

He joined Tina Quinn to discuss what Yoorrook uncovered.

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Journalist, author and television presenter, Jan Fran joins Tina Quinn in studio to talk the launch of Ette Media, a new independent venture she's co-founded with fellow journalist, Antoinette Lattouf.

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What began as just five casual shifts behind the microphone has escalated into one of the most high-profile legal battles in Australian media.

In 2023, Antoinette Lattouf was dropped as a fill-in presenter on ABC Radio Sydney after she shared a Human Rights Watch post about the Israel-Gaza conflict, which claimed Israel had used starvation as a "weapon of war."

Lattouf took the national broadcaster to court, alleging wrongful dismissal.

Now, after a lengthy and expensive legal fight, Justice Darryl Rangiah has ruled in favour of Antoinette Lattouf.

Co-founder of Lamestream Media, Scott Mitchell and Media Reporter for Crikey, Daanyal Saeed, joined Tina Quinn to discuss both the judgment and the implications for not only the ABC, but the media more broadly.

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We turn the clock back this week and revisit former Fourth Estate host, Monica Attard's conversation with Sophie McNeil, previously the ABC's Middle East Correspondent, and Hugh Riminton, National Affairs Editor for 10 News First.

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