7NEWS returns to Balibo 50 years on – This Sunday at 9.40pm on Seven and 7plus
It was one of the darkest days in Australian journalism – the murder of five young television reporters and crew in East Timor, caught in the crossfire of a clandestine invasion. Now, 50 years on, 7NEWS returns to Balibo to honour their legacy and speak to the families still fighting for justice.
In a powerful special report airing this Sunday at 9.40pm on Seven and 7plus, 7NEWS Reporter Nick McCallum travels to East Timor to mark the anniversary of the deaths of Seven and Nine journalists Greg Shackleton, Tony Stewart, Gary Cunningham, Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters, who were killed by Indonesian troops in 1975.
The program features exclusive interviews with the journalists’ families, East Timor President José Ramos-Horta, and experts who reveal how the Australian Government knew what was coming and chose to remain silent.
Evan Shackleton, son of Greg Shackleton, told 7NEWS: “I have an overwhelming pride for all those men that were doing their job and made a decision knowing that there were dangers involved to complete the job that they were sent there for, which was to find the truth.”
Nick McCallum revisits the house where the journalists spent their final night and speaks to those who have turned tragedy into legacy.
He said:
“Standing inside the house where the Balibo Five spent their final night, you can’t help but feel the weight of what happened here. It’s quiet now, but the echoes of that day still linger.
“We’ve had the privilege of speaking with the families, some for the first time in decades, and hearing their reflections on what justice and legacy mean today.”
7NEWS: Balibo Five – 50 Years On – This Sunday at 9.40pm on Seven and 7plus
Media Release – Seven
TV Central Seven content HERE
7NEWS returns to Balibo 50 years on
