Mark Willacy
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Journalist. Author of ROGUE FORCES (winner of PM’s Literary Award) Signal +61477714805 markwillacy@protonmail.com. Posts/likes are my views not ABC's
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Articles by Mark Willacy
Former US spy chiefs and insiders warn Trump could interfere in midterm elections
Mark Willacy, Elise Potaka, Lesley Robinson and Inga Ting Donald Trump could take unprecedented action to interfere in the United States' midterm elections, warn former US intelligence chiefs and Trump administration insiders. As Americans prepare to head to the polls this week, Four Corners spoke to a former CIA boss, a former FBI director, and four senior advisors from Trump's first administration.
Program: Fears Trump will reject midterm results
Former United States intelligence chiefs and Trump insiders have told Four Corners they fear the administration will attempt to meddle with this week's crucial midterm elections. They're concerned the president could take unprecedented action - such as sending federal agents to the polls - and ultimately reject the results.
US midterm election officials prepare for ICE agents at polls and Trump interference
Mark Willacy, Elise Potaka, Lesley Robinson and Inga Ting Local election officials at the United States's crucial midterm elections are preparing to confront armed federal agents if they are deployed to polling booths by the Trump administration. In the US state of Colorado, Denver chief election official Paul López said voters were concerned by the threat of federal agents showing up at the polls, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
Program: Lobbyists creating 'unfair playing field'
Dozens of former defence officials - including ministers and high-ranking officers - have jumped from their government roles into lucrative lobbying firms, or into the private defence sector, an analysis by Four Corners reveals. Critics say it creates an unfair playing field. Dozens of former defence officials, including ministers, high-ranking officers and senior staffers, have jumped from government roles into lucrative lobbying firms or the defence sector, Four Corners analysis reveals.
Dozens of government insiders lobbying for defence industry, analysis shows
Mark Willacy, Lesley Robinson, Dylan Welch and Samantha Dick Dozens of former defence officials, including ministers, high-ranking officers and senior staffers, have jumped from government roles into lucrative lobbying firms or the defence sector, Four Corners analysis reveals. Critics say this "revolving door" creates an unfair playing field, where former officials can use their connections to potentially influence the awarding of multimillion-dollar contracts.
Inside Parliament House, powerful lobbyists can outnumber politicians
Mark Willacy, Lesley Robinson and Dylan Welch A senior officer in Canberra's Parliament House has received an urgent message. An interloper is in one of the break rooms. These rooms, with their kitchenette, dining table, and comfortable couches, are where Senate staffers can relax, have a cup of tea or eat their lunch in peace. But today, a gatecrasher is sitting on a couch in one of the break rooms, holding a video meeting on his laptop. Independent ACT senator David Pocock has seen this before.
More stories of heroism emerge from Bondi
Stories of survival and heroism are continuing to emerge from the horror of the Bondi terror attack. Four Corners has spoken to those who were under fire - including those who sheltered their children and lost loved ones.
'It felt like a lifetime': The six minutes of Bondi terror through the eyes of survivors
One minute Leon's daughter was sitting down to have her face painted. The next he was shielding her from bullets. "There was no place to run or hide … he was just: shoot, reload, shoot, reload." Leon was at the Chanukah by the Sea event with his family.() Jessica threw herself on her daughter. "I thought, 'I'm not letting her die in this. This isn't how she dies.
Seabed mining controversial frontier
An Australian entrepreneur says he hopes to be the first to commercially mine the international sea floor as part of a push by Donald Trump to secure critical minerals worth trillions of dollars. But the international agency in charge of the seabed has told Four Corners the US President's move to fast-track deep ocean mining is unlawful and could lead to severe damage to the marine environment.
Deep-sea mining entrepreneur Gerard Barron is banking on Trump to help him realise his dream
Gerard Barron whips out what looks, at least to me, like a fossilised dog turd from his jacket pocket. It's his prop. His killer sales moment. You know he's done this a thousand times before — to would-be investors, journalists, politicians, and airport staff wanting to know what that lumpy thing he's trying to get through security screening is. Because everywhere he goes, Gerard Barron carries this rock. This coal-coloured nugget could help him become one of the richest men on the planet.
Deep-sea mining for critical minerals has become a global flashpoint. Here is how it works
The yellow robot on the side of this ship is about to plunge into the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Its mission: to recover objects that can be millions of years old. To collect them, it has to go down. And down. Past where sunlight reaches. Its destination is the ocean floor, more than 4 kilometres below the surface. This process is at the heart of a global fight between countries and companies over whether to open up a new mining frontier.
AUKUS faces bigger tests than Trump’s ‘America first’ review, US and UK experts warn.
AUKUS faces bigger tests than Trump’s ‘America first’ review, US and UK experts warn. The deal could undermine Australia’s sovereignty. it could lock Australia into following the Americans into a confrontation with China over Taiwan. “You are in the punch-up, whether you like it or not.” The deal could undermine Australia’s sovereignty. it could lock Australia into following the Americans into a confrontation with China over Taiwan.
Deep risks ahead for AUKUS submarines
Key defence figures in the US and UK are warning of the deep risks with $300 billion dollar AUKUS submarine deal - far beyond the Trump Administration's recently announced review of the pact. In interviews with Four Corners, both senior Republicans and Democrats say low production rates and a shortage of skilled workers could delay the planned transfer of U-S Virginia-class submarines.
AUKUS faces bigger tests than Trump's 'America first' review, US and UK experts warn
Key defence figures on both sides of the Atlantic warn the risks to AUKUS run deeper than whether a review finds Australia's biggest ever defence deal is "America first" enough for Donald Trump. They've told Four Corners of the damage being done to decades-old alliances by Mr Trump's unpredictability and contempt for the US's allies, the UK's increasing focus on Europe, and concerns neither country has the capability to deliver the submarines on time or on budget.
Fears Australia's 'solemn' war memorial risks becoming a 'Disneyland of war'
It has been described as one of our most sacred places. The "heart and soul of the Australian spirit", a national shrine to sacrifice. It is a memorial, a museum, and a mausoleum. For more than 80 years, the Australian War Memorial has stood solemnly as a monument to those who gave their lives in service in conflicts around the world. But there are fears that this unique institution will be destroyed by a more than half-a-billion-dollar expansion.
War Memorial's close relationship with weapons manufacturers
The leadership of the Australian War Memorial says it'll continue to accept funding from multi-national weapons makers, despite former insiders describing it as "dirty money" from "merchants of death". Four Corners has discovered that the Memorial's chairman, the former Labor leader Kim Beazley, has paid roles with two of the big arms manufacturers.
Taking weapons makers' 'dirty money' not a problem for war memorial chairman Kim Beazley
The Australian War Memorial has dismissed calls to stop taking money from the world's largest weapons manufacturers, despite outrage from critics and historians that it defiles the commemoration of the nation's war dead. A Four Corners investigation has also found that the memorial's chairman, and former politician, Kim Beazley has paid roles with two multinational arms companies. Those links are not disclosed on the war memorial's website.
Can Trump bring peace to Ukraine? In artillery bunkers and the halls of power there is hope and scepticism
Lieutenant-Colonel Vitaly and his men sip coffee in their bunker as artillery thumps outside. We are 7 kilometres from the front line in eastern Ukraine. I can hear shells coming in from the Russian side and going out from nearby Ukrainian positions. In recent months the Russians have been throwing everything at the Ukrainian line, trying to gain more ground in the event US President Donald Trump can force both sides to the negotiating table.
Russia intensifies military on Ukraine
Russia has intensified its military offensive in Ukraine ahead of an expected push by U-S president Donald Trump to bring the warring sides to the negotiating table. The ABC's Four Corners program has been to the frontlines where Ukrainian troops describe suicidal assaults on their positions by Russian soldiers - the Ukrainians call them "meatwaves".
A killer drone squad has spotted this soldier. He has nowhere to hide
The Russian soldier huddles against the tree in the foetal position. He knows the Ukrainian drone is above him and he tries desperately to hide from it. The undergrowth is too sparse though, and the drone can see him clearly. Sitting in a Ukrainian bunker nearby, watching the live feed from the drone, I can sense the Russian's terror. He knows he is about to die. We arrive under the cover of darkness, to avoid Russia's killer drones.
Top Ukrainian official warns Russia has 'hatred' for foreign fighters like captured Australian Oscar Jenkins
Russia has "a deep-seated hatred" of foreign fighters like Oscar Jenkins, a top Ukrainian official has warned, as DFAT investigates reports Vladimir Putin's soldiers have killed the captured Australian. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also said Moscow's forces do "not adhere to any conventions, including those regarding the treatment of prisoners of war", like Mr Jenkins.
ABC journalist Mark Willacy on the moment a bang jolted Sydney to Brisbane Qantas flight
It wasn't the bang or the shudder that made my blood run cold. It was the plane's urgent struggle to get altitude. I had my earbuds in and was rocking to Pearl Jam as the plane built up speed for take off. I'd just closed my eyes as the wheels left the tarmac. That's when the bang jolted flight QF520 and its passengers and my eyes flashed open. I've flown airlines around the world for decades. I've flown onto an aircraft carrier, having me head almost snapped off.
'The cartel scouts are watching us': Driving the dangerous road to Trump's border wall
/ Posted 7 minutes ago At the end of Trump's unfinished border wall, America's divisions over immigration are laid bare. Jim Chilton doesn't look like someone who could stand up to the blood-soaked brutality of the notorious Mexican drug cartels. He's 85, and there's only one of him. All he's packing is an old bolt-action rifle and a handgun. But the veteran cattle rancher has plenty of Arizona grit. "I'm a cowboy, not a wimp," Jim says.
This issue has divided America for decades. Could it stop Trump from becoming president again?
Cindy Hans pops up her rainbow umbrella and shields a young woman's face as she steps out of her car. "Morning. We're here to walk you in," Cindy tells her. "I like your shirt; very nice." Cindy is part of a team of volunteers — or what's called an "escort" — at the Camelback abortion clinic in suburban Phoenix, Arizona. She had an abortion when she was 17 and now, aged 70, has dedicated her life to helping other women access the same treatment.
Project 2025 plan to empower Trump prompts fears for the future of US democracy
He survived an assassination attempt. He's as defiant and determined as ever. And if Donald Trump is returned to power by American voters this November he'll have an "army" at his disposal — at least 10,000 people, recruited to help implement his controversial agenda. The director of a network of conservative groups, Paul Dans, has told Four Corners his organisation Project 2025 has prepared a detailed "battle plan" and has the people trained and ready to execute it.
What is Project 2025?
After yesterday's shooting, Trump supporters say nothing will stop the former president's march towards re-taking the White House and if he's re-elected this November, Donald Trump will have an army of more than 10,000 recruits ready to push his controversial agenda. Four Corners spoke exclusively to the leader of the conservative network behind 'Project 2025,' which has prepared a detailed masterplan for a potential Trump administration.
People who worked with Donald Trump on the man who wants to be president again
The last thing I expect to get sitting in Anthony Scaramucci's Manhattan boardroom is a lesson in astrology. But when you're talking Donald Trump, the conversation can veer in any direction. "He fits his astrological sign, the Gemini, where there's like two people inside of one body," says Scaramucci, who is wearing white sneakers with his investment banker business suit. "He has a soft side to him and can be charitable.
Over dinner at the Elysée Palace, talk of submarines was on the menu, but ...
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Scott Morrison was on the cusp of landing the deal of his prime ministership. But Emmanuel Macron still had time to torpedo it
It was a stunning summer evening at the Elysée Palace, and dinner with the French president was about to be served on the terrace overlooking the garden. Under white umbrellas, gloved palace waiters in white bow ties and black tails ushered Emmanuel Macron and Scott Morrison to their seats. A small bowl of crimson and scarlet flowers sat on the table between the two men, as the fountain on the lawn sprayed jets of water. "It would've been nice to just enjoy it, to be honest," Morrison says.
Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg shared curries, games of pool and a love of Yes, Minister. But there was something the PM had not told his loyal deputy
James Hacker : Why wasn't I told? Sir Humphrey Appleby : The Home Secretary might not have felt the need to inform you. James Hacker : Why? Sir Humphrey Appleby : Perhaps he didn't know either. Or perhaps he'd been advised that you did not need to know. James Hacker : Well, I did need to know. Bernard Woolley : Apparently the fact that you needed to know was not known at the time that the now known need to know was known.
Senior Liberals asked to describe Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison in one word reveal intriguing theory
It was a word game I played with all my interviewees. Surrounded by cameras, microphones and lights, they had no chance of escape. The game went like this: describe in one word Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. Interviewed for the ABC's political docuseries Nemesis, those in the hot seat were either ministers or backbenchers who had served under one or two or all three of these Liberal prime ministers.
The inside story of how an affair, a press conference and a 'bonk ban' blew up ...
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The inside story of how an affair, a press conference and a 'bonk ban' blew up a political partnership
Barnaby Joyce watched the prime minister's press conference on TV with molten fury, his weathervane face deepening in colour from scarlet to crimson. "I was furious," the then-deputy prime minister recalls. "I didn't see him as a prime minister. I just saw him as an idiot." By February 2018, Malcolm Turnbull and Joyce had been in a political partnership for two years, the former big city lawyer and merchant banker and the erstwhile pub bouncer and bush accountant enjoying an unlikely friendship.
深入澳洲自由党内斗之二：党员披露前总理阿博特下台的残酷内幕 - ABC News
这是一场碾压式的胜利，自由党议员们都挤到了跨党派议员的横凳上。“这是过去50年来最突出的选举结果之一，”前内阁部长格雷格·亨特（Greg Hunt）这样形容道。 在托尼·阿博特（Tony Abbott）的领导下，联盟党在2013年取得了胜利。阿博特是一位不屈不挠的保守派战士，他的许多前同事至今仍认为他是他这一代人中最有效的反对党领袖。 昆士兰州参议员詹姆斯·麦格拉斯（James McGrath）说：“他拿起一块砖头，就冲着工党去了。” “他是来自角色分配部门的一名政治战士。他喜欢战斗，”前自由党总检察长乔治·布兰德斯（George Brandis）说。 “那就是‘停止偷渡船、减税、减债以及停止浪费，”从自由党资深党员转为独立议员的罗素·布罗德本特（Russell Broadbent）回忆说。“就四项声明。他就这样不停地抨击来抨击去。” 澳大利亚执政时间第二长的前总理约翰·霍华德（John Howard）指出，自自由党成立以来，只有四个人领导自由党从反对党翻身成为执政党，分别是：孟席斯（Menzies）、弗雷泽（Fraser）、霍华德和阿博特。“这是一项了不起的成就，”他说。...
'Quite crackers': Liberal insiders reveal the moment they knew Abbott’s prime ministership was over
It was a victory so crushing, Liberal MPs were spilling over onto the crossbenches. "One of the most emphatic election results of the last 50 years," is how former cabinet minister Greg Hunt describes it. The Coalition's 2013 triumph was spearheaded by Tony Abbott, the relentless conservative warrior who many of his former colleagues still regard as the most effective opposition leader of his generation.
深入澳洲前联邦政府“宫斗”大戏：自由党内恶性竞争摧毁两位总理的政治生涯
这是一场彻底自我毁灭的政治竞争，一位内阁部长将其比作“被绑在自杀式炸弹上”。 “特恩布尔和阿博特的争斗非常激烈，不仅对自由党内部，而且对政府而言，长年累月都是如此，”前联盟党部长布里奇特·麦肯齐（Bridget McKenzie）说。“你知道会发生一些可怕的灾难性事件。” 在接受澳大利亚广播公司（ABC）政治专题片《复仇者》（Nemesis）的采访时，数十名前联盟党部长和议员谈到了自由党巨头托尼·阿博特（Tony Abbott）和马尔科姆·特恩布尔（Malcolm Turnbull）之间的恶性竞争，以及他们之间无情的内讧如何削弱了两人的政府，并推动摧毁了彼此的政治生涯。 阿博特和特恩布尔的争斗早在他们进入自由党会议室之前就开始了。他们参加了许多相同的辩论，但几乎总是站在对立面。 前副总理巴纳比·乔伊斯（Barnaby Joyce）说：“一个上的是河景中学（Riverview），一个上的是文法中学（Grammar）。”他指的是悉尼最负盛名的两所私立学校。“他们都是天主教徒，但一个来自天主教会的右派，一个来自左派。他们不喜欢彼此。”...
Abbott considered sending 'large military deployment' to Ukraine in wake of ...
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Out of power and off the leash, senior Coalition figures have opened up about their nine years in government
Barnaby Joyce is squirming in his seat. At one point he grips the armrests so hard I think he's about to rip them off. He is clearly uncomfortable watching the footage we are showing him. On the laptop screen in front of him is Malcolm Turnbull from a 2018 press conference. The then-prime minister is lashing his deputy over his affair with a staffer. "Barnaby made a shocking error of judgement in having an affair with a young woman working in his office," intones Turnbull on the screen.
Out of power and off the leash, senior Coalition figures have opened up about ...
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What will Scott Morrison's legacy be?
For the past 18 months or so - the ABC has been working on a documentary series about the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments - how the three Prime Ministers gained, wielded and ultimately lost power. The first of three shows begins on Monday night - and the journalist behind it - Mark Willacy joined me earlier to discuss what the program - it's called 'Nemesis' - reveals about Scott Morrison's time in politics.
Crossing the Line
1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title). Stream or download thousands of included titles. Access to exclusive deals and discounts. $16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime. Pre-order for $39.95 Publisher's Summary There is no doubt the truth would have been concealed and our concerns buried without Nick McKenzie's relentless pursuit of justice.' SAS Afghanistan veteran War is brutal. But there are lines that should never be crossed.
Ben Roberts-Smith alleged to have directed the killing of elderly imam in Afghanistan
Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith directed one of his SAS comrades to kill an elderly man who was dragged from a mosque in Afghanistan, according to allegations uncovered by ABC Investigations. ABC Investigations can reveal the disgraced war hero's alleged involvement in the killing, which sparked a diplomatic row for Australia.
Ben Roberts-Smith revealed as soldier accused in Brereton inquiry of directing ...
Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith directed one of his SAS comrades to kill an elderly man who was dragged from a mosque in Afghanistan, ...
Ben Roberts-Smith revealed to be soldier alleged in Brereton inquiry to have directed the killing of an elderly imam in Afghanistan
Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith directed one of his SAS comrades to kill an elderly man who was dragged from a mosque in Afghanistan, according to allegations examined by the Brereton inquiry into alleged war crimes.
20 years since Iraq war began, debate rages on war powers
A former SAS soldier has been charged with murder - following a years-long investigation into alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. 41 year old former trooper Oliver Schulz was shown in an ABC Investigations-Four Corners story in 2020 - shooting an Afghan man in a wheat field in Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan. He'll face Queanbeyan Local Court tomorrow morning over the 2012 killing. Broadcast 53m ago53 minutes agoMon 20 Mar 2023 at 6:30am
Police arrest former SAS soldier shown in Four Corners video
Police arrest a decorated former SAS soldier who was shown in a Four Corners program shooting an Afghan man in a wheat field. He is expected to ...
Australian soldier removed from secretive jihadist hunting unit for 'shoving' phone up colleague's skirt
An Australian special forces soldier has been removed from a secretive multinational operation tracking foreign jihadists after multiple allegations of sexual harassment from other members in the program.
Australian soldier removed from secretive jihadist hunting unit for 'shoving' ...
An Australian Special Forces soldier is removed from a secretive multinational operation tracking foreign jihadists after multiple allegations of ...
The 2022 Winners of the Prime Minister's Literary Awards are here!
Six categories, six winners. The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards have announced the six books that represent outstanding literary talent in Australia and have made a valuable contribution to Australian cultural and intellectual life. Let’s learn more about the winners… Fiction: Red Heaven by Nicolas Rothwell Beginning in the late 1960s in Switzerland, a boy’s ideas about life are being shaped by two rival influences.
Australian commando under investigation over 2012 Afghanistan rotation
Tonight, the second part of our investigation into Australia's elite commando regiment in Afghanistan. 7.30 has new accounts of a deadly raid carried out in Helmand province in 2012. Multiple witnesses have told 7.30 that seven Afghans were killed, some allegedly shot after they were detained by a small group of Australian soldiers. We'll hear an account of a commando's remorse at his alleged actions in that operation.
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