Lies and secrets after five journalists are killed in cold blood | Under Investigation

Subscribe here: 9Soci.al/chmP50wA97J Full Episodes: 9now.app.link/uNP4qBkmN6 | Secrets of Balibo (2023)
If your own government can't protect you, who can? In 1975, five Australian-based journalists accepted the assignment of a lifetime. They flew to East Timor, but they never made it home. Under Investigation's experts reveal once top-secret government cables that expose the truth behind this shameful chapter in Australian history. Did government officials know the journalists were in danger? And why have their killers never faced prosecution?
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For over forty years, 60 Minutes have been telling Australians the world’s greatest stories. Tales that changed history, our nation and our lives. Reporters Liz Hayes, Tom Steinfort, Tara Brown, Nick McKenzie and Amelia Adams look past the headlines because there is always a bigger picture. Sundays are for 60 Minutes.

[@fredforsythe8310]

One look at Assange is enough to say all that is required about the governments of Australia, Britain and the USA.

[@BlackStump172]

Hear ! Hear !

[@SHARON.I]

Indeed

[@wyomingpark]

ALL corrupt to the core! Puppets for global swamp rats!

[@belindasmith9638]

What you said is ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID!.💡❤️

[@Stormlucy111]

The 5 eyes....they see but don't tell...US UK Australia Canada NZ

[@hollygrosshans3529]

Filthy greed and the quest for oil. Shameful. I had never heard of the story before, living in the US. Just goes to show how evil and corrupt this world is and how we don’t even know a fraction of the dirty deeds that go on around us. My condolences to the families that suffered and lost loved one to this tragedy.

[@LeylaTopolina]

Filthy greed and the quest for oil. Shameful. I had never heard of the story before, living in the US. Just goes to show how evil and corrupt this world is and how we don’t even know a fraction of the dirty deeds that go on around us. My condolences to the families that suffered and lost loved one to this tragedy.

[@Grammichal]

@@LeylaTopolina Why is your comment an exact copy of the one above by Holly?

[@EMS999ful]

My god, how sad for the families of those killed, but how shameful for a supposed civilized government to deny the truth and justice.

[@antoinettelewis1189]

Wars,lies and corruption go hand in hand.

[@ednaking956]

Mankinds wickedness is going to destroy this world.

[@sidious36]

Under Investigation is an excellent investigative show. Serious, informative, and respectfully done.

[@anitagoodman9002]

Shame on every Australian official that knew about this that could have spoken up or acted! That is beyond disgusting imo

[@jw-vx8im]

Spineless Aussie politicians not worth pissing on

[@merc-chef]

Considering how the Australian government treated it's people over the last few years, this is not at all surprising.

[@jw-vx8im]

Control freaks

[@sngray11]

The fact that it takes decades before we are able to uncover the truth about history is alarming. Thank you for sharing this excelsior documentary with all of us. 💗

[@shendaraalshedir5403]

I was born in September 1960, on the other side of the world, in Canada. So l was recently turned 15 when these 6 brave men were executed. There was no internet back then and at 15 didn't read many newspapers and really don't remember hearing about this horrific story of murder. Most of these men would have been several years older than l even though most of them were very young men. , Yet now as I watch this, still in Canada, at the age of 63, it affects me. I cried watching this, how these young men, so young, were also *that* brave. They never got to watch any children grow up, see any spouses again, their own parents never able to hug them again. That is what hurts. I was just 15 when young lads in their 20's were very savagely murdered. I now have 2 grown sons of my own in their late 30's now. I watch this now as a mother of young men and now understand the pain + impact on all the families. Nothing can change or make up for this loss, but the Australian government should at least give them the dignity of factual answers. And compensation.🐾🌈☮️🇨🇦🕊️

[@carlywright5127]

I think the Australian Lawyer who worked or supports Amnesty international and fought to support a freedom fighter in East timor, she is lawyer trying to free Julian Assange along with others.

[@samantha_5]

@shendaraalshedir5403 Well said! 😢

[@Sickle_cell_warrior85]

Just Beautiful if you don’t feel anything read and watch this then ur not human and lack empathy

[@johnsonjohnson4725]

There is no valor, no honor no justice in any government on earth.

[@tara-leedawn5509]

How more people don’t know about this still blows my mind! Thank you for shining a light onto this abhorrent barbaric piece of Australian journalism history

[@elelegidosf9707]

Weren't you paying attention while watching? It is explained very clearly exactly how the information was covered up so that more people didn't know about it.

[@valerienisbet]

Most human's are on information overload these day's.

[@samlarry1599]

I 1

[@cherylcorbin-gillespie5656]

Oh it's not just Australia.. It's All Leaders to Countries that should be Doing Better but Purely Follow Evil!! Satanic Sons of Guns!? Wow this has My Eyes Open More Ave Forever More.. They need to Keep Playing This One Wow!! God Bless❤

[@joforrest1]

@@elelegidosf9707no need for the snarky response.

[@dz7090]

This is shocking, disgusting and appalling. Someone with some guts, courage, morality and humanity in our Government needs to apologise to the East Timorese and Australians for what happened. I respect Kevin Rudd for acknowledging this, but at the end of the day Whitlam gave the nod to the Indonesian Government and he is the one with blood on his hands.

[@kimbostitch7034]

Whitlam, the ambassador, and all those complicit in this Incident, are traitors; pure and simple.

[@geoffsullivan7796]

And Howard and Downer are the ones who tried to steal the East Timorese future through theft on our behalf. All our governments are to blame. WE are to blame!!

[@Bethgael]

My father was part of the closing of the Taiwanese embassy in 1973, something he was told to do in secret, since the Australian public had been told that the government would not be supporting China at that time. It took the advent of Tony Abbott for my dad to ever vote Labor again. Government in the early 1970s was diplomatically dirty, all around, supporting the big blokes at the expense of the smaller countries. Whitlam did some good things domestically, it is true, but he did so with bloodied hands.

[@grantbrendon]

I’m curious as to why this is shocking? Government’s all around the world are guilty of doing things just like this.

[@ladyguerlain3707]

Because it wasn’t widely known

[@MademoiselleRose40]

I was about 13 when this happened, I remember it clearly as Greg Shackleton was on the news every night so he was someone you felt like you kind of knew and on top of that I used to watch his wife on the TV show she was on too. I've always remembered it, it was so shocking. It's even more shocking to find out 50 years later the Australian government conspired against it's own people and a small country just so it could have oil. I hadn't known any of that till I saw this. You know politicians are slimy (even as a kid I hated Whitlam, now even more), but you just don't expect THIS level of corruption here in Australia. I suppose it'll still keep being ignored, even though this has now all come out.

[@mandyellis876]

Tragic for the East Timorese who endured not only such terrible privation at the hands of the Indonesians but complete disinterest of their plight from the international community. Tragic also for the friends and family of the newsmen killed and the utterly unconscionable deceptions and lies of the Australian government.

[@fortpark-wd9sx]

The Indonesian Suharto regime was a so-called ally of the West against the Reds. Earlier, in the 1960s, while Suharto took steps to gain power, anti-Reds killed as many as 500K Reds and pro-Reds. It was later reported while de-communization of Indonesia was going on, LBJ was receiving intelligence updates on the progress. According to the UK Guardian, the Brits then based in Singapore were also involved in the de-communization movement. After power was consolidated, Suharto helped to establish ASEAN, a grouping which then was an anti-Red supranational group.

[@tanchauee1165]

They cover it that long, so that the one who responsible won't be held accountable...

[@warrencarter194]

By 1975 Australia had already negotiated a maritime boundary with Indonesia. This gave Australia rights to all East Timorese oil resources in the Timor Sea. That is the reason why the invasion was sanctioned by Australia. A reason that Liz Hayes knows full well.

[@LectioDivina33]

Great documentary and glad its finally come to the light of the public, from what a lot of us already suspected and sad for the dead Balibo 5 + 1, their familes and the Timorse people. Unfortunately justice is not going to happen as people in government/power to this day in Australia, Indonesia and East Timor still have direct involvement and links to this tragedy from 1975.

[@flufwix]

For anyone who looks back in that era as a golden age, it wasn’t. Our governments behavior was a disgrace. Why did Whitlam think that that decision was his to make? So much for him being a champion of democracy. And no government since then has had the decency and values to do the right thing. Instead they stole East Timor’s oil and the wealth that generated. Indonesia’s was worse. How many conflicts in the past 50 years come down to ⛽️ and $$$. And nearly all Western governments have been part of it all.

[@marionm5311]

This is Absolutely Sickening. .Now that we are all absolutely Horrified with the Now Day Face of Our Lives, Please Tell me What the Hell we are Supposed to Do With this Disgusting Information.? What Now Liz. ?

[@SHARON.I]

She only the reporter. I get it though

[@christineotieno7880]

The love of money (read oil) is the root of all evil.

[@cbpaddingtonbear2606]

Yep, most injustice in the world comes down to money, power and greed. Btw tje quote is root of all kind of evil.

[@teenieneenie630]

Any esteem I held for Australia just went down the drain. Disgusting.

[@jw-vx8im]

Covid actions of the government's here caused me to loose all respect for them

[@pamelahomeyer748]

Shocking for the public -- heartbreaking for the families

[@kieranhart5776]

I WISH 60 MINUTES AUSTRALIA KEPT THEIR COMMENTS OPEN AS WELL

[@Mel_Storni]

Can the families sued the government for wrongful death and conspiracy to prevent a crime?

[@hayleymanchios8908]

Governments must be accountable to their people and give them a good life. If not the government should be prosecuted by the world.

[@raeelbakry5757]

This all happened before I was born but I’ve known the names of the Balibo Five most of my life. I wrote a paper about their murders when I was 14. As a naive teenager in Canada, I had wrongly concluded that the Indonesian government had secured the Australian government’s silence on the matter by promising business concessions but I would’ve never imagined that they knew all along and willfully let their own journalists die. I think of these five men from time to time and pray for them. Great documentary with excellent research.

[@carltongirl95]

Disgusted watching this I'd heard of the journalist's and their death's but in reality by not helping these men they were murdered by their/our government...how could they live with themselves how did they sleep at night RIP to those reporter's and I hope this is taken further...I've always known that they lied and covered thing's up I know of another case that happened in WWII with a group of Aussie soldier's lead by an Englishman Ivan Lyon to paddle in collapsible canoes into Singapore Harbour and bomb Japanese ship's...they survived the first mission but not the second mission...the Australian government lied to those men's families for decade's as well then covered up how they were captured and brutally murdered...

[@BlairSauer]

I had no idea about the total extent of the balibo five and any potential cover ups. So basically the deaths of those five journalists including the sixth who died nearly two months later were totally avoidable. Both Australian and Indonesian governments ought to have been ashamed of themselves for the whole thing.

[@conniehanses]

Absolutely awful. Have never heard of this disgusting and disturbing event. I am very sorrowful for the victims' families. 💙🌎

[@010Jordi]

Immediately reminds me of the 4 Dutch journalists that were murdered by soldiers in el Salvador around the same.

[@quolls2]

We are under government attack, taxation without representation. Repeal personal tax, tax Chinese imports, no tax for Australian manufacturers.

[@adhdizzle]

Thank you for this documentary and brining to light the history of my family’s country 🇹🇱 my dad refuged from Dili during the invasion and we always heard stories growing up but to see these documentaries and information come out is nice to know. Obviously not a nice thing that happened and is still happening but the closure is nice and knowing more about my families history is fulfilling

[@matiasbihahi5540]

❤🇹🇱

[@sintonmovie8643]

And No One Is Ever Accounted in the Govt??!

[@nchengeeyong8864]

Corporate greed is the most evil thing we have here on earth.When you understand the relationship between corporations and governments then you see how blood doesn't scare these people's: money money money.My condolences to the families of the six brave journalists and moreso to the Timorese people..Shame

[@tanyaross7542]

Maybe we should look into the rest of the corruption that whitlem done, especially playing around with the constitution that is still hurting Australia today

[@Southerngirl612]

Very odd to see a comment section not shut down from this channel.

[@aquacantstopwontstopspiritual]

Secerts and lies has been around for centuries it’s just getting worst

[@CC-qg6zl]

The United Nations have one agenda: one world government, the great reset. That's what I understand.

[@CourtneyTunbridge79]

Wow, this is absolutely disgusting that this is apart of our history and that it doesn't seem to many of us know, having said that, I myself wasn't born until the end of 1979 so maybe that's why. My hubby is RAAF and each year we send a team over to East Timor to help them with building roads and infrastructure, things like that and at the same time the USA will send a ship that's akin to a floating medical centre, they provide medical services and dental services for free, they just come to a set point get checked out by the Dr's, get immunisation if they want get any medicines they may need, then onto the dentist, as mamy of them chew that beetle nut shit their teeth have often turned bright red, my hubby said it's crazy to see. Anyways now I know why we do this each year, to try and make up for what our government ALLOWED to happen, nothing can forgive their complicit behaviour and whay our government did, it's disgusting. My hubby told me the East Timorese people are some of the nicest people you will ever be lucky to meet, I hope one day they will all be able to heal from what's happened to them and their country. ❤❤❤ R.I.P not only to the 6 Australian's killed but to ALL the innocent lives stolen over that 24yrs ❤❤❤❤❤❤🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊

[@elelegidosf9707]

Why do they keep showing us close-ups of the studio equipment (camera boom and cameras) used to record the participants in the studio? Most bizarre.

[@reolabranch]

Impactful story. Thank you so much for sharing this heinous tragedy

[@Hiway.to.Heaven]

I watch Under Investigation from Northern California. I love this program and I think Liz Hayes is one terrific journalist!!!!!

[@diegopereira7281]

This documentaire is School of jornalism, congrats 🥰🤩😍🇧🇷❤️❤️❤️

[@markosmond2658]

Is this why Whitlam got the flick’ and why it was kept secret. How about releasing the queen’s reason for showing Whitlam the door.

[@carlywright5127]

I read someone state he was against a certain country enplacement of Pine Gap. In Australia Surveillance or whatever it is.

[@catthylaprade2681]

Good for you to make this public. Very proud to watch your show UI

[@chrislim7615]

ln plain clothes,how disgustingly sad!

[@peterkimani6226]

This is sooo sad. The East Timorese people have suffered so much just because of greed of two nations. East Timorese people needs to be heavily compensated by both nations. These actions deserve heavy consequences. The five journalist were sacrificed by their own country.

[@wexfordgirl1]

Keep referring to the five but what about the 6th that was shot on the wharf? Why does he not merit inclusion in the list of murdered?.

[@technofeeliak]

Did you have to get your government's permission before reporting on this or did they give you the order to publish it?

[@SHARON.I]

😅

[@trayray3412]

I'll go with it was given to them to distribute

[@secretdiva9414]

@@trayray3412I rekon Dutton put them onto it.

[@jasonevans4291]

We have always had weak leadership in Australia! It's Embarrassing

[@JerjerB]

Thank you for bringing more light to this issue 🙏

[@maiaja4]

Under Investigation is such a brilliant show!! It exposes the real truths, as sad as it is, I want to see more truths and revealing who was corrupt in covering it up!!! This is awesome, because it demands real answers!! I keep looking for all the new shows from Under Investigation, I haven't missed an episode yet!! I also love former detective Gary Jubelin, he is brilliant and so informative when he appears, although not in this one!! Great job too, to Liz!! Well done also to all on the panel!!

[@Oso420]

Investigative journalism is the noblest of profession's!

[@premierhoner614]

WOW, it's shocking to see something like this had happened in Australia of all places. Never I had thought.. Shocking Australia government, shocking... From Capetown South Africa.... 😢😢

[@shopsshire9282]

I was just three years old when this happened and of course my wonderful government I'm from the states gave weapons to Indonesia what a surprise.😢😢😢 So we were all about the oil too.

[@jw-vx8im]

Nothing has changed. And we keep voting for the same

[@Aran_chini]

I remember too clearly the atrocities committed by Indonesia and its croney militias on the Timorese people from 1975 onwards, and the extraordinary courage of the Fretelin resistance. I hope Australia’s final efforts under the Howard government to achieve Timorese independence provides some atonement for the despicable misconduct of evil politicians and government officials. The Australian “diplomats” mentioned at 37:35 should be named - they don’t deserve anonymity and we deserve to know.

[@chrislim7615]

Wht a cowardly act,soo evil really;)*!!!

[@kiwisafa101]

History, full circle...Julian Assange....I thank my everything I am not Australian, for my government will do nothing for me. Argue the proof and careless individuals that can NOW do the right thing. Or, again, DO NOTHING.

[@sueguyan8101]

Never heard of this before. Sha.eful and disgusting, politicians wonder why we don't trust any of them. RIP to all those who died in this atrocity.

[@savage_optimist]

The parallels between this and what's happening right now in Gaza are staggering and heartbreaking.

[@matiasbihahi5540]

Proud to be Timoresse 🇹🇱❤️

[@ubaldo014]

this case is still under investigation, Indonesian invaded of the East Timor since 1975 in Balibo and who's killing the Australian journalist what's the purpose they killed the journalist?

[@davidjma7226]

Because they were going to do their job! As in ......report on the truth about the massacre that was about to take place.

[@davidjma7226]

Whitlam (ALP) is the only Australian prime minister to have ever been removed from office against his will. If he was courting Suharto he was definitely shonky. And deals like the one done with Indonesia for East Timor reinforce that opinion.

[@SHARON.I]

They saw things the murderers didn't want reporting on. Did you watch this?

[@MonaLisa-lu8zi]

Good question. The answer would have to encompass all the actors. I suspect that one group organises the invasion and the second group, the co-conspirators are the foot soldiers. It also must be seen by personal benefit. This explains why not just the murders but the aftermath, the destruction of their motał remains. Those who desecrated the bodies were doing this with the view, who is brave enough to condemn. They had their orders. They were allowing their masters know, what they were capable of. The spoils were yet for distribution. Disgusting. This makes sense if you consider the cover up.

[@anitagoodman9002]

Id like to know why it's still referred tip add the balibo 5 when they're were 6 journalists in east Timor and 6 that were murdered granted 1 was not in balibo but it seems as though it could be easy to change it to the east Timorese 6 acknowledging every murdered Australian in East Timor and every murdered Timorese person it's only pushed under the rug because people allow it to be

[@MoatenGat]

This was great, well done. Never knew that this happened, Also powerful statement that you have to use proton to continue to research this.

[@bradthurkle7217]

Saw a doco on this or acturly mite of been a movie. It was cold blooded murder. How they got away with it gets me?

[@BlackJack-sx1jw]

They got away with it because nobody really cared about it. Like the same thing didn’t happen to Khashoggi? Again, nobody cared. We really don’t care enough to give up cheap oil. I think the murder of a journalist should always be a capital offense.

[@chrislim7615]

Wht a shame n cowardly act,absolutely a ruthless scarifice??!!

[@lizzparis9060]

👏🏻Liz Hayes w/a dream team! Thanx for your Investigative Truth‼️

[@garrettmeadows2273]

The American government wrote the book on such nefarious tactics.

[@sparky7915]

Money rules supreme. Nothing else matters. Shame on the politicians. Sad.

[@colette6984]

This is horrific and so evil! 😢

[@matthewottosen7492]

This is so Australian. Shame on our government

[@nancycornett9949]

Thank you!

[@theresarossi6306]

The women and children's fear on there faces is so sad

[@scottduke2809]

I was screaming about this in the 1990s while at university (USA) and i couldn't get anyone to listen. i was even writing and orally presenting researched essay to my english and sociology classes and their reactions were very cold, i was just an 'angry conspiracy nut'. So sad it took 50 years but nonetheless i am very happy to see this reported in the mainstream media.

[@catsario7512]

Riveting. Thankyou for another fine story

[@milliefreja]

The journalist should never have mentioned UN.

[@Dornie51]

OMG I've never felt such anger and disgust over my government in my life 😡😡😡

[@farhanatoerien3437]

Woah what an episode- really quite historic and important and the approach and framing taken here and the voices heard - brilliant work team!!!

[@jaysonayres543]

Never trust politicians

[@jw-vx8im]

Especially Dan Andrews and the state daddy of WA

[@SHARON.I]

Great series 👏 ❤

[@melaniebrown768]

Great show for Liz! Great guests that actually showed their strength by their good works even in the midst of tragedies, lies, and secrets.

[@anjummirza1452]

Excellent coverage...

[@sarahchan-reeves8829]

Prayers & condolences to the surviving families & loved ones of these brave everyday heroes. You deserved so much better 💔😢 As horribly sad as it is, the Australian Govt betraying its people, the people who gave them their power, the people who are just everyday Aussies trying to do their job doesn't surprise me. They literally do this everyday with things such as paying benefits to those in such need. But the amount theyre given is so low, they need to choose between paying the rent/bills or eating. Essentially destroying so many families, as well as individuals. So yeah, to hear this just doesn't surprise me at all sadly 💔😢

[@linuxchrome4]

You're comparing benefits to getting murdered? Mate...

[@RustedPlastic11111]

Labors dirty secrets BEST THING John Howard ever did was send in Australian Forces into, East Timor Australia contributed an Infantry Battalion Group force to the western border region (Sector West) of East Timor. Their role was to prevent insurgency operations by the pro-Indonesia Aitarak Militia forces. Australia also contributed a Communications Management Team. Saved the Slaugter of Many🎯 SOMETHING FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS TO THING ABOUT, WHO WOULD SELL US OUT🎯

[@ellenthom34]

I love this channel and Liz Hayes. When journalists did investigation.

[@adammarshall9846]

If people arent sure how far government goes to hide their dodgy behaviour, this is a perfect example 👌👌

[@lily_m3538]

Amazing the dark things that happen in Australia given its small population and isolation.

[@lindayaya59]

Terrible what the Australia government did six inocent people. And hundred of thousands of others. Shame on Australia. Please send all our comments to the government. Thank you everyone for bringing it to light. May the familys of those involved never have to pay for the sins of the father!😂

[@mikeellis4345]

Governments of any political stripe will always do slimy shitty things to individual people. Always. Including Australian governments.

[@rollyherrera623]

Dying to chase a story will never be a safe journey....There will always be an opportunity cost.

[@billdunne5266]

again this is what investgations should be and what the human needs to know,respect to 60 minutes,Bill in Ireland.

[@Naali358]

LIZ IS BY FAR THE HEAVIEST SPEAKER IN THIS WHOLE SERIES

[@Doktracy]

I just watched the movie The Balboni Five, it was amazing!

[@sandywalker2636]

Unfortunately the Aussies look like the worst culprits in this sh*tshow. They got to sell all the weaponry to Indonesia and in return got inexpensive oil, not to mrntion all the bribes and payoffs that undoubtabley happened. Total greed.. Why couldn't they have made a deal with the Timors for the oil instead???

[@Queen_-gg5jn]

This absolutely aweful

[@bennym5244]

If it was reported as cross fire then what benefit was it to Australia to not have pulled the five journalists out?

[@kickbackweyoung]

I just want to comment I love this channel!

[@kambrose1549]

Just after the us defeat in another jungle nation. Apart from being a cynical cover up I guess the government didn't want to get into a similar fight. Very sad that these brave journalists were callously abandoned and killed.

[@jujutrini8412]

It’s all about the oil!