australian television information archive

Without Fear Or Favour

Episode 1 (90min telemovie)
May 02, 1996
Written by Cliff Green
Directed by Julian McSwiney

A mysterious fax from an unknown source sets the Sunday Mercury political reporter Georgi Singer on to an investigation that threatens to overturn the inner sanctums of the government — and onto a collision course with her editor, Bill Wyatt.

Crime Reporter, John "Plod" Proudfoot, investigative hotshot David "Gibbo" Gibson and human interest writer Tess MacDonald uncover the unexpected angles of a psychiatric patient. News editor Ross Wheeler works the phone chasing up the mystery of the body down the mine shaft in faraway Coober Pedy. The stories all come together in the Sunday Mercury — but not quite the way they started.

Starring: Geoffrey Rush as Bill Wyatt, Victoria Longley as Georgi Singer, David Roberts as Dave 'Gibbo' Gibson, Susan Lyons as Nell Roberts, Terry Kenwrick as John 'Plod' Proudfoot, Julie Forsyth as Tess MacDonald, Ernie Gray as Ross Wheeler

Featuring: Sue Ingleton as Sylvie Waterman, Bruce Alexander as Dave Reynolds, Gerald Lepkowski as Kevin Kinsella, Ross Thompson as Shaun O'Brien Paul Gleeson as Dermot Madigan, Jason Clarke as Nathan Cohen, Sapidah Kian as Lisetta Fracaro, Ann Burbrook as Sue Kinsella, Fiona Corke as Karin Grunewald, Michael Veitch as Rocco Kostas, Nicholas Hammond as Jack Koper, Alfred Nicdao as Eddy Ho, Toni Joel as Julie Goldbloom, Andrew Weldon as Ronnie Porter, Robin Ramsay as Simon Hayes, Beverley Evans as Lynn Gibson, Pamela Rabe as Clare Bannister, Robert Grubb as Ritchie Munro, Deidre Rubenstein as Steffi Petrakis, Bob Hornery as Mont Deeming, John Dicks as Speaker, Michael Carman as Nick Loder, Anthony Hawkins as Hamish Godbold, Richard Moss as Alex Clayton, Peter Farago as Kevin Lynch, Karen Davitt as Megan Muller, Damien Pree as Constable Kenny Doyle, Christie Sistrunk as Constable Laurie Nerfman, Mickey Camilleri as Sandra, Wilhelmina Stracke as Jane, Susie Dee as Elizabeth, Stephan Whittaker as Mark Harris, Graham Dow as Old Man, Julian Branagan as Panel Beater, Grag Saunders as Tony Curruthers, Shanyn Asmar as Helena, John Lee as Jim Mulvaney, Marijke Mann as Dulcie Mulvaney, Serge De Nardo as Fan, Rex Callahan as Emilio, Anne Holmes as Gail Clayton, Esme Melville as Mrs Keen, Jennifer Jarman-Walker as Rube Muller, Luke Elliot as Clinton Muller, Katrina Oxley as Rhonda Muller, Sheridan Campagnino as Yvonne Muller, Leo TAylor as Paul (Cop), Susie Cato as Michelle Lancaster, Robert Menzies as Peter Dalgarno, Anna Davey as Woman, Richard Bligh as Noel, Matt Hayden as Eric, Ian Salt as Punter, Ian Henderson as TV Newsreader, Tim Sullivan as Member for Warrandale, Peter Maver as Carl Nitschke

Biggest Thieves In Town

Episode 2
May 09, 1996

The media is publicising the plight of two Aussie battlers who have lost their life savings in a bank heist, but Plod works his police contacts to expose the truth. Gibbo's big leak on the forthcoming budget results in a surprising proposition from the Treasurer, Clare Bannister. Georgi takes on the Government again when she is given evidence of questionable dealings between a cabinet minister and a land developer. The Sunday Mercury goes big on the expose — and receives an unexpected retaliation from the government.

Dark Horses

Episode 3
May 16, 1996

Plod has to outwit a freelance reporter to get an exclusive interview with a woman who believes her sister was murdered. Tess discovers there's more than meets the nose in a story of the privatisation of the city's sewerage farm. Bill Wyatt sends Georgi and Gibbo to chase down elusive developer Mil Pascoe and get an interview for the Sunday Mercury. But it's junior reporter Nathan Cohen who stumbles onto the biggest interview of his short career.

Every Picture Tells A Story

Episode 4
May 23, 1996

The Mercury Media Group is beset with rumours of takeover from a West Australian media tycoon. Bill has to decide whether or not to sack the paper's brilliant but impossibly arrogant photographer. Georgi exposes the real story behind the establishment of a film studio in the city. Plod has an exclusive on a strange link between a murderer and Treasurer Clare Bannister. They're vying for page one — but then at the last minute a new story breaks and Gibbo beats them to the punch.

Devil's Work

Episode 5
May 30, 1996

Nell takes over the editor's chair when Bill has to go to Western Australia to be grilled by the media tycoon who's bought a significant interest in Mercury Media. Tess MacDonald and general reporter Karin Grunewald combine to expose the links between the exploitation of migrant clothing workers and a well-known fashion house. News editor Ross Wheeler takes on a curious story of an exorcism that ended in tragedy — and makes a creative breakthrough for himself.

Indecent Obsession

Episode 6
June 06, 1996

David "Gibbo" Gibson finds an unexpected ally in the Treasurer, Clare Bannister, as he tracks down a story exposing paedophiles in high places. General reporter Kevin Kinsella, who hasn't had a story in the paper for three weeks, moves heaven and earth to defeat cheque book journalism and gets an exclusive interview with the parents of a baby who has just survived an intricate operation.

Paper Tigers

Episode 7
June 13, 1996

Bill Wyatt and Georgi Singer are on opposite sides when industrial trouble affects the Sunday Mercury. The Sunday Mercury's star Canberra correspondent, Jack Koper, comes to town to cover a by-election. Tess and Nathan are faced having to sacrifice hard won stories when the journalists are called out on strike and Bill and Nell have to bring the paper out themselves with the help of Simon Hayes.

Mother's Day

Episode 8
June 20, 1996

Police reporter John "Plod" Proudfoot retreads the ground after a controversial Soggies raid and finds all is not as it seems. Property developer Mil Pascoe hits the news again and Georgi and Gibbo work together to expose his connections to the Government. But again, it's not all as it seems.

A Very Dangerous Game

Episode 9
June 27, 1996

Tess MacDonald is working secretively on an exclusive story only to see it almost blown by Nathan. David "Gibbo" Gibson begins a dangerous personal and professional game play with Treasurer Clare Bannister. Georgi Singer is devastated when one of her stories is blown by the Government — and Bill Wyatt has some thinking to do when she accuses Gibbo of being the leak.

The Best Seat In The House

Episode 10
July 04, 1996

Tess takes over Rocco's column for the week and discovers the delights of reporting the gossip. Gibbo is treading on thin ice professionally and personally. But all newsroom rivalries are put aside and everyone comes together when tragedy overtakes the Sunday Mercury's foreign correspondent.

All The News That's Fit To Print

Episode 11
July 11, 1996

Gibbo is given a story that threatens the career of the Opposition Leader. A colourful racing identity friend of Sylvie Waterman's comes out of jail and wants her to write his biography. Georgi finally strikes pay dirt in her long investigation of the connections between developer Mil Pascoe and the Government. Gibbo faces a crisis in his domestic life.

Private Tears

Episode 12
July 18, 1996

Kevin Kinsella writes the moving and personal story of his and his wife's experiences on the IVF program. The Sunday Mercury is accused of breaching Parliamentary privilege and Georgi has to appear before the Privilege's Committee. Treasurer Clare Bannister makes her long awaited move on the Premier's job. But Premier Munro has his own plans.

Bad News Is Good News

Episode 13
July 25, 1996

The Government has called an election and it's the last week of the campaign. Gibbo's story on a young cop who shot a psychiatric patient forces him to examine his own life. Bill is under siege from fans of a dead rock star, objecting to the Sunday Mercury's obituary. Georgi is on the campaign trail and it looks like an Opposition victory. On the Saturday night they all gather to cover the counting of the votes — and the result.