60 Minutes

60 Minutes returns to Nine this Sunday for 2026 with a special by Dimity Clancey on hero Ahmed Al Ahmed, who wrestled with one of the terrorists at Bondi Beach in December.

The 14th of December 2025 is a date now seared in Australian history forever. What happened at Bondi Beach on that awful day was the deadliest terrorist attack on our shores. Fifteen innocent people were killed and 40 more injured when two gunmen unleashed evil. But out of the devastation, accounts of incredible bravery emerged. And of the many people who showed courage under fire, Ahmed Al Ahmed's story is especially significant. Video beamed around the world proved how, without any regard for his own safety, he confronted and overpowered one of the attackers.

For the premiere of its 48th season, Dimity Clancey presents a special edition of 60 Minutes as Ahmed Al Ahmed returns to Bondi for the first time and reveals in extraordinary detail his role in saving countless lives. Mr Al Ahmed tells Clancey what possessed him to tackle one of the alleged terrorists, Sajid Akram, and the words he screamed as he disarmed the gunman. He also answers the question many have asked: Why, when he had the chance, did he not shoot Akram? Mr Al Ahmed provides a gripping explanation of his actions in the Bondi attack; a moment in time Australians wished had never happened, but are so thankful that people like Ahmed Al Ahmed were there to provide help.
Reporter: Dimity Clancey
Producers: Anne Worthington, Sheree Gibson

On 60 Minutes Amelia Adams reports on the Australian children removed by Italian authorities from their family living off the grid.

Catherine Birmingham and Nathan Trevallion want only the very best for their three children. For these loving parents that means bringing up their two young daughters and son without the stresses and distractions of modern life. A few years ago, the Australian family bought a tiny, crumbling house in the Italian countryside. It boasted no connected power, no running water, not even a flushing toilet. It was their idea of nirvana. And of course, for the kids, there was no formal schooling. However, bliss for this family was anything but for Italy's welfare authorities, which last November decided to save the children from their parents, by taking them away, and placing them in a locked-up foster care facility. Now Catherine and Nathan are in a desperate battle to have their family reunited. As Amelia Adams reports from the beautiful Abruzzo region of Italy, this case has attracted widespread media attention as people all over the world debate whether the family's off-the-grid lifestyle is idyllic, or idiotic.
Reporter: Amelia Adams
Producers: Natalie Clancy, Nichola Younger

On 60 Minutes this week, Nick McKenzie exposes the activities of a collapsed security and cleaning firm proprietor.

"The Playboy Predator"

Micky Ahuja wanted the world to believe he was a successful and hardworking businessman. The reality though was the complete opposite. Ahuja owned and operated MA Services, a major security and cleaning firm. For years the company thrived, but as Nick McKenzie reveals in a joint 60 Minutes, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald investigation, it was largely due to a nefarious and illegal practice. Ahuja was secretly exploiting thousands of his own vulnerable workers. He didn't pay them the legal minimum wage, and he ignored their entitlements. But of course, as the money flowed in at his employees' expense, he made sure he looked after himself. And as he got wealthier, he was emboldened. Ahuja became the playboy predator.
Reporter: Nick McKenzie
Producer: Garry McNab, Cameron Houston

Attack of the Drones
As worrying as the deteriorating mayhem in the Middle East already is, it's also an alarming glimpse into the future of war. The modern battlefield is changing at a pace never before experienced. As Adam Hegarty reports, it's being driven by technical brilliance, the rise of artificial intelligence. The fact is drones and robots, controlled entirely by A.I., are no longer the product of someone's imagination. These weapons can now hunt and kill for themselves. But there are difficult questions the world needs to consider: Does all of this no doubt impressive know-how help protect humanity? Or is it simply accelerating our own extinction?
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producer: Laura Sparkes

The Playboy Predator
Every day, journalists everywhere attend media conferences. Most are relatively straightforward, mundane events. Information is provided, questions are asked and answered. Last Tuesday though, there was an extraordinary exception to the rule. From Dubai, failed businessman Micky Ahuja invited reporters in Australia to a very strange Zoom media conference. He wanted to respond to allegations made last week on 60 Minutes that his collapsed security business exploited thousands of its workers, and that he was a sexual predator. Ahuja also used the opportunity to target investigative reporter Nick McKenzie, but as Dimity Clancey reports, he might now be regretting that idea.
Reporter: Dimity Clancey
Producers: Garry McNab, Cameron Houston

Brain Drain
Anyone who loves whiling away the hours surfing the internet, scrolling through social media or playing computer games on their mobile phones and tablets needs to pause and take serious note. Instead of providing entertainment, or even a way to simply pass the time, there now seems to be proof that screen time is making people less intelligent. As Adam Hegarty reports, the evidence is frightening, especially when it comes to teenagers' use of smart phones and other devices. Medical scans show significant shrinking of their brains, similar to what researchers find in elderly people with Alzheimer's disease. And so worrying is the increasing prevalence of this condition, it has been given a name: Digital dementia.
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producer: Laura Sparkes

Their Man in Canberra
With the Middle East on fire, the entire world is in crisis. Every country is feeling the heat of economic and military uncertainty. Superpower China finds itself in a particularly delicate situation. It's one of Iran's strategic partners, yet knows that actively supporting the Tehran regime is a fraught proposition. On the upside for China though, the war could be an opportunity too good to ignore; the chance, while attention is focused elsewhere, for Beijing to take Taiwan and rule the Indo-Pacific. With much to discuss, China's man in Canberra, Ambassador Xiao Qian invited Amelia Adams to the embassy for a rare, and at times robust, interview.
Reporter: Amelia Adams
Producers: Anne Worthington, Sheree Gibson

Sunday's 60 Minutes reports on North Korean workers infiltrating Australian companies, plus recovering from the White Island volcano disaster in New Zealand.

Quid Game
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un didn't become one of the world's most despised dictators by playing nice. This tyrant is rat cunning. But his pariah status, along with the sanctions many countries impose on his regime, means he has a cash problem. In North Korea, Kim needs money, and lots of it, for all those nuclear warheads and other missiles he's forever threatening the west with. So, to get it, he's come up with a devious scam. As Nick McKenzie explains in this joint 60 Minutes, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age investigation, Kim Jong-Un has ordered his agents to target Australian companies, masquerading as workers looking for remote IT jobs. And once hired, they not only help fund Kim's nefarious activities, they're able to steal our sensitive information.
Reporter: Nick McKenzie
Producer: Garry McNab

The Power of Love
Time and time again over the last six years Stephanie Browitt has proven what an exceptional woman she is. In 2019, against all odds, she survived the White Island volcano disaster in New Zealand. Her father Paul, sister Krystal and 20 others were killed. Steph suffered horrific burn injuries but has shown inspirational courage in her ongoing treatment. A large part of her miraculous recovery is because of another amazing woman, Steph's unassuming mum. Marie Browitt too has faced heartbreak difficult to describe, yet through the pain of her own grief, has been a constant source of strength for her daughter. On 60 Minutes, Sarah Abo celebrates the very powerful and special relationship this pair share.
Reporter: Sarah Abo
Producer: Natalie Clancy

In an earlier slot this Sunday, 60 Minutes reflects on 30 years since the Port Arthur massacre; and profiles swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan.

The Darkest Day
Later this month Australia marks a sombre anniversary. It will be 30 years since the Port Arthur massacre, when a lone gunman extinguished the lives of 35 innocent people. In the wake of the tragedy, with a steely resolve, then Prime Minister John Howard introduced some of the toughest gun laws in the world. On 60 Minutes, Tara Brown reflects on the shocking attack, pays respect to the victims, and acknowledges how Howard's determination to make the country safer changed Australian history. In 2026, there's no question some people have legitimate reasons to own guns, but as Brown reports, this story is a grim reminder of the importance to strictly control who has access to weapons.
Reporter: Tara Brown
Producers: Amelia Ballinger, Toni Ambrogetti

Red Dragon
Her nickname is Red Dragon, and it couldn't be more apt. Twenty-two-year-old Olympic champion swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan has a fiery determination to dominate. And dominate she does. At the Paris Olympics, her haul of three gold medals, one silver and a bronze made her Australia's most prolific athlete. But none of this would have happened if not for her biggest victory, which actually occurred out of the pool. As Tara Brown finds out, Mollie had to learn how to harness the crippling anxiety that attacked her every time she climbed onto the starting blocks.
Reporter: Tara Brown
Producer: Natalie Clancy

The Rules of War
In any war, the battle to defeat the enemy is obviously paramount. But there's something equally important that's often forgotten. It might be an oxymoron, but for civilized combatants, how the fighting is conducted is as significant as any victory. War is not a free-for-all. It has rules and if they're broken, there are consequences. For instance, a soldier cannot kick an unarmed, handcuffed civilian off a cliff and then order his execution. However, that's one of the allegations facing Victoria Cross hero, Ben Roberts-Smith. On Tuesday he was charged with five counts of war crime murder, arising from his multiple tours of duty during the Afghanistan war. Predictably, Roberts-Smith's arrest created worldwide headlines, but of all the commentary since, nothing has been heard from the soldiers who fought alongside him. Until now. On 60 Minutes Nick McKenzie speaks with an SAS veteran who saw Ben Roberts-Smith in action in Afghanistan.
Reporter: Nick McKenzie
Producer: Garry McNab

Looksmaxxing
For people who don't already know what "looksmaxxing" is, their first reaction might be to laugh when they see it in action. But that would be wrong because this phenomenon, not surprisingly born from the internet, is not only non-sensical, it's incredibly dangerous. And it's causing damage to Australian adolescent boys and young men. On the face of it, "looksmaxxing" is just that, a kind of self-improvement that comes from maximising appearance. But as Adam Hegarty reveals, how it's done defies belief. "Looksmaxxers" advocate drugs, surgery and even self-harm, often in the form of using a hammer to smash their faces to try to re-align their bone structures.
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producers: Sammi Taylor, Serge Negus

On 60 Minutes the family of a grandmother left behind on an island cruise want answers; plus single women freezing eggs due to a shortage of men wanting to become a parent.

Left to Die
All her life, Suzanne Rees was driven by a wanderlust that took her to far-flung parts of the world. But it was what should have been the safest of adventures close to home that ended this experienced traveller's life prematurely. Last October, the 81-year-old mother and grandmother paid $30,000 for a luxury cruise around the top of Australia on the Coral Adventurer. Its first stop was remote Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef. But there the unthinkable occurred. The ship sailed off without her. Sue was left behind, alone, and died of heat exposure. For her grieving family, how this was ever allowed to happen is beyond shocking.
Reporter: Tara Brown
Producers: Lisa Brown, Sheree Gibson

Going It Alone
Forget the joy of sex – for an increasing number of young heterosexual women in Australia, freezing their eggs has become the first step to motherhood. Fertility experts used to think the key reason for this was obvious. Having fought the good fight for equal opportunity, women would be able to enjoy the benefits of successful careers for longer. Now though, another reason has emerged. And as Dimity Clancey reports, it seems blokes are to blame. There just aren't enough good ones out there, men genuinely committed to lasting relationships, who want to be dads. The result is more and more older and single mothers.
Reporter: Dimity Clancey
Producer: Sandra Odorisio

60 Minutes this Sunday goes inside Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, plus the struggle with cost of living.

The Struggle
For many, watching the decent, hardworking people Amelia Adams meets in this story might be like staring into a mirror. That's because in reality there are millions of Australians across the nation struggling through times that are beyond tough. Predictably, the country's leaders say none of this is their fault; that events out of their control, like war in the Middle East, are having a massive impact on the economy. Perhaps the politicians are right, perhaps not, but either way it doesn't ease the significant pain so many are feeling. And it doesn't pay the bills.
Reporter: Amelia Adams
Producer: Nichola Younger

The Evil at Zorro Ranch
At first glance, the Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, named after the fictional masked crusader, looks like it could be a desert Disneyland. It's an impressive mansion in a spectacular location. But the truth couldn't be starker. The remote property was in fact one of sex predator Jeffrey Epstein's lairs. And with the release of the damning Epstein Files, the world is learning much more about the horrors that went on there. As Tara Brown reports, not only was it the alleged scene of sexual abuse against minors and young women, it was where the maniacal Epstein dreamt of developing a designer baby farm. Shockingly, there are even suggestions of bodies buried at the Ranch. So what did the authorities know about this place? And when?
Reporter: Tara Brown
Producer: Sammi Taylor

On Sunday's 60 Minutes, Meta under the magnifying glass over online safety of its younger users, plus the Eastern Paralysis Tick.

Tiny Terror
Few things are more typically Australian than a snag on the barbecue, somewhere out in the bush. For an increasing number of people though, this simple joy could be a date with death. It's because of a tiny creature called the Eastern Paralysis Tick. As Adam Hegarty reports, anyone who gets bitten by one runs the risk of contracting a largely unknown condition called mammalian meat allergy. For people who get it, and are diagnosed, the consequences mean they can't eat red meat or dairy products. However, for those who get it, but don't know they have it, the consequences can be fatal.
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producer: Anne Worthington

Get a Better Meta
The message is clear for high-profile CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his army of acolytes at the social media giant, Meta. The $2.4 trillion company needs to urgently improve the way it operates, especially when it comes to the online safety of young people who use its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. Until now Meta's line had always been, "We're doing our best." But significant losses in recent court cases, where many of Meta's long-held secrets were exposed, seem to prove the company could and should have done much better to protect users from harm. On 60 Minutes, Dimity Clancey reveals even more damning allegations about the way Meta works from two former executives no longer willing to be silent.
Reporter: Dimity Clancey
Producers: Natalie Clancy, Sheree Gibson

Sunday's 60 Minutes is a single story, a world exclusive on 4 members of a family speak out about alleged abuse by Michael Jackson.

There's no question Michael Jackson sure could entertain a crowd. From the age of six until his death at 50 in 2009, he was the master showman. The proof he could sing and dance is all through the Michael biopic currently screening in cinemas. But there's a lot about Jackson's life that's left out of the movie. In fact, the omissions are so glaring the film stands accused of attempting to rewrite history, which as Tara Brown reports is a terrible disservice to Eddie, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo Cascio. They're now adults, but when they were children, they say Michael Jackson groomed and sexually abused them over a 25-year period. In this special episode of 60 Minutes, the Cascios want the world to know what Michael Jackson was really like.
Reporter: Tara Brown
Producers: Garry McNab, Sheree Gibson

How Dare You?
It's not only likely to be the most stupid thing artificial intelligence can do, it's also one of the most frightening, and certainly the most obscene. With the press of a button on a keyboard, now any photograph of a person, any innocent happy snap, can instantly be turned into pornography. For women especially, A.I.'s deep-fake technology is driving a new wave of violence all over the world. As Dimity Clancey reports, there can be no mistake: this is not harmless computer fun, it's a form of serious abuse. And worryingly, anyone can be targeted, even the mother of one of Elon Musk's children. On 60 Minutes, Ashley St Clair and other brave victims have a message for those who use or condone deep fake programs: How dare you!
Reporter: Dimity Clancey
Producer: Lisa Brown

Sunday night on 60 Minutes the great debate: working from home or back in the office?

For the record Nine does not have a "one size fits all" approach to the question, but most staff have a hybrid work approach.

The Good Wife
In 2026 anyone coming out and saying a woman's place is in the home would surely expect immediate demands to wash their mouths out with soap. But what if the people making the very old-fashioned declaration were in fact women? As Amelia Adams finds out, that's exactly what's now happening more and more often. It's thanks to a growing movement of so-called "trad" wives, women, who with their husband's blessing or expectation, are choosing to return to traditional household roles. Put simply, he earns the cash and makes the rules, while she cooks, cleans and raises the kids.
Reporter: Amelia Adams
Producers: Sammi Taylor, Sheree Gibson

Home Depot or Office Works?
Forget squabbles over whether rugby league or Aussie rules is the better sport, now the great Australian debate is all about jobs. More precisely, if working from home or trudging into the office makes for more productive employees. Until COVID struck it was a non-argument, but when the pandemic forced everyone to isolate, a nationwide barney blew up. As Adam Hegarty discovers, not even the experts can agree on what's best. Some say flexible arrangements, that is, the home office, create happy workers and therefore help businesses boom. Others reckon that's nonsense, and that bosses have every right to see their staff in person every day. So whose side are you on?
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producer: Serge Negus

Horror at Harrods
It's not at all unfair to describe Mohamed Al Fayed as Great Britain's Jeffrey Epstein.
As 60 Minutes first reported last year, Al Fayed, the former owner of the famous Harrods department store, stands accused of the sexual assault, human trafficking and pimping of women he employed. Unbelievably, the number of alleged victims is close to five hundred. Al Fayed died in 2023, but a London Metropolitan Police investigation into his conduct continues with officers focusing on who might have helped the billionaire businessman cover up his crimes. As Tara Brown reports, at the urging of American survivor Pelham Spong, French authorities, along with the FBI, are now also looking into Mohamed Al Fayed's evil.
Reporter: Tara Brown
Producers: Anne Worthington, Garry McNab

On 60 Minutes this week Adam Hegarty speaks with distraught mothers who have been forced to give up their kids, and flown to their fathers in foreign territories.

The Point of No Return
This is a story that's upsetting to watch. 60 Minutes has obtained disturbing footage showing young Australian girls being forcibly taken from their mothers by Australian police officers, so they can be flown overseas, back to their allegedly violent foreign fathers. To any lay person, that this could even happen defies logic. However, the reason it does is due to an international treaty Australia has signed. It's called the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Originally written to protect children, Adam Hegarty reveals there are now serious questions about whether that intention remains the case. In this investigation, he speaks with distraught mothers who have been forced to give up their kids, and are demanding the federal government fix what seems like a glaring failure of duty to look after its young citizens.
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producer: Laura Sparkes

Terror at 37,000 Feet
It was a flight into hell. Two years ago, high over southern Myanmar, a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 flew into some of the most extreme turbulence ever encountered by a commercial aircraft. There was panic on board as passengers and crew were flung around the cabin. One man died and dozens more, including Australians, were seriously injured. Last week Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau quietly released a report into the tragedy. It agreed with a conclusion 60 Minutes had reached 20 months ago, that the pilots had flown straight into the path of a huge, developing thunderstorm. But why would experienced aviators do something so obviously dangerous?
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producer: Garry McNab

On 60 Minutes a story on domestic violence perpetrators, plus Cleo Smith nearly 5 years on from her abduction.

Need to Know
Anthony Monteleone is a truly contemptible, vicious human being. His complete opposite is Maria, a kind and caring single mother of three young boys. When the two first met however, Monteleone fooled Maria into believing he was a good man. But just a few weeks into their relationship, she realised the truth when Monteleone tried and nearly succeeded in stabbing her to death. As she recovered from her wounds, what this incredibly brave woman also discovered was that he had a violent past. She says if she had known about it, she never would have gone near him in the first place. As Dimity Clancey reports, because of her near-death experience, Maria is now determined to protect other women by campaigning to have the abusive histories of domestic violence perpetrators made public.
Reporter: Dimity Clancey
Producer: Anne Worthington

Cleo
It's always a pleasure to report good news, and this Sunday, 60 Minutes has a very special story update. Remember Cleo Smith? She's the little girl who was abducted from her parent's tent at a remote Western Australian beach back in 2021, and held for 18 days by a drug-addled drifter, before being rescued in a massive police operation. Well, almost five years on, Cleo is thriving.
Reporter: Tara Brown

This Sunday on 60 Minutes, anger over the govt.'s Budget and complaints put directly to the Treasurer.

Off the Plan
There was a time, not that long ago, when federal budgets came and went with relatively few eyebrows raised. Back then, it seemed the main worry for most Australians was the perennial increase in taxes on beer and smokes. Today though, five weeks on from treasurer Jim Chalmers delivering his and the Prime Minister's latest vision for the country's finances, including their proposed fix for intergenerational inequality, the arguments about the budget's merits or failings continue apace. The good news is economists believe what the government wants to do will most likely work. The bad news, however, is the experts say it will take at least 20 years. It's little wonder so many Australians, especially wannabe first homebuyers, are so off the plan. On 60 Minutes, Tara Brown meets with angry Australians negatively affected by the budget, and in a robust encounter, puts their complaints directly to the treasurer.
Reporter: Tara Brown
Producers: Amelia Ballinger, Nichola Younger

Breaking Point
According to those who knew him best, there was no better worker than Brian Stronach. Smart, reliable and always willing to knuckle down and put in the extra hours. Everyone has their limits though, and as strange as it sounds, Brian's unquestionable competence ended up being his failing. His dedication to his workplace was so taken advantage of by his employer that it ultimately led to his death. Put simply, at the age of sixty-one the job killed him. But as Adam Hegarty reports, what his family still can't fathom about the tragedy of losing Brian is that he worked at one of Australia's most prestigious universities – a place that should protect its staff, but didn't.
Reporter: Adam Hegarty
Producers: Laura Sparkes, Toni Ambrogetti