Wendy Bacon
Encyclopedia
Professor Wendy Bacon is an Australian investigative journalist who now heads the Journalism Program at the University of Technology, Sydney
. She was awarded Australian journalism's highest prize, a Walkley Award
in 1984 for her articles about police corruption in New South Wales
.
Wendy Bacon wrote a series of articles in the National Times newspaper on the attempted bribe and murder of Detective Michael Drury in the 1980s and this story formed the basis of the award-winning ABC television series, Blue Murder
.
Bacon has worked in both print and television, working for Nine Network
's Sunday Program and for Sixty Minutes, The National Times and The Sun-Herald
, and Dateline on SBS
.
Wendy Bacon is the daughter of a doctor and the sister of the late former Premier of Tasmania, Jim Bacon
. Educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College
, she attended the University of Melbourne
in the mid 1960s where she was active in the anti-Vietnam War campaign.
In the late 1960s, Bacon attended the University of Sydney
, where she edited the student newspaper, Tharunka. She was also part of a group that distributed a publication called the Little Red Schoolbook
which had explicit information about sex.
When she was 23, Bacon was convicted for exhibiting an obscene publication and jailed at Mulawah Women's Prison for eight days. Her brief experience in prison led her to later co-found the support group, Women Behind Bars
, in Sydney and also exposed her to incidents of police corruption.
Bacon enrolled in graduate law school in 1977. Upon graduation in 1979 she applied to join the NSW Bar, but was rejected on character grounds as an unsuitable person. In his judgment Justice Reynolds stated that the decision was "a question of whether a person who aspires to serve the law can be said to be fit to do so when it is demonstrated that in the zealous pursuit of political goals she will break the law if she regards it as impeding the success of her cause".
Despite this she rapidly became a well-respected journalist. During the 1980s, Bacon was involved in reporting the case of High Court judge Lionel Murphy
, charged with perverting the course of justice, who allegedly had connections to organised crime but was acquitted. Bacon received a Walkley award in 1984 for her exposure of official corruption in New South Wales.
Since 1991, Bacon has been an academic at the University of Technology, Sydney, where she teaches journalism. She continues to write as a freelance investigative journalist, with a series of articles about one police officer's corrupt framing of his ex-wife eventually leading to the overturn of a miscarriage of justice. Bacon also runs courses in freedom of information law for Fairfax Media.
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
. She was awarded Australian journalism's highest prize, a Walkley Award
Walkley Awards
The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including...
in 1984 for her articles about police corruption in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Wendy Bacon wrote a series of articles in the National Times newspaper on the attempted bribe and murder of Detective Michael Drury in the 1980s and this story formed the basis of the award-winning ABC television series, Blue Murder
Blue Murder (mini-series)
Blue Murder is a two-part Australian television miniseries produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1995, and is based on true events. Given its confronting content, the DVD release was classified MA 15+...
.
Bacon has worked in both print and television, working for Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's Sunday Program and for Sixty Minutes, The National Times and The Sun-Herald
The Sun-Herald
The Sun-Herald is an Australian tabloid newspaper published on Sundays in Sydney by Fairfax Media. It is the Sunday counterpart of The Sydney Morning Herald. In the 6 months to September 2005, The Sun-Herald had a circulation of 515,000...
, and Dateline on SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
.
Wendy Bacon is the daughter of a doctor and the sister of the late former Premier of Tasmania, Jim Bacon
Jim Bacon
James Alexander Bacon, AC was Premier of Tasmania from 1998 to 2004.-Early life:Bacon was born in Melbourne; his father Frank, a doctor, died when Jim was twelve, leaving him to be raised by his mother Joan. He was educated at Scotch College and later at Monash University, but he did not graduate....
. Educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College
Presbyterian Ladies' College
Presbyterian Ladies' College is the name of several independent girls' schools in Australia, affiliated with either the Presbyterian Church of Australia or the Uniting Church in Australia...
, she attended the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in the mid 1960s where she was active in the anti-Vietnam War campaign.
In the late 1960s, Bacon attended the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, where she edited the student newspaper, Tharunka. She was also part of a group that distributed a publication called the Little Red Schoolbook
The Little Red Schoolbook
The Little Red Schoolbook is a book written by two Danish schoolteachers, Søren Hansen and Jesper Jensen in 1969, which was controversial upon its publication. The book was translated into many languages in the early 1970s.- Synopsis :...
which had explicit information about sex.
When she was 23, Bacon was convicted for exhibiting an obscene publication and jailed at Mulawah Women's Prison for eight days. Her brief experience in prison led her to later co-found the support group, Women Behind Bars
Women Behind Bars
Women Behind Bars is a play by Tom Eyen.A camp spoof of the exploitation films produced by Universal, Warner's, and Republic Pictures in the 1950s, this black comedy is set in the Women's House of Detention in Greenwich Village...
, in Sydney and also exposed her to incidents of police corruption.
Bacon enrolled in graduate law school in 1977. Upon graduation in 1979 she applied to join the NSW Bar, but was rejected on character grounds as an unsuitable person. In his judgment Justice Reynolds stated that the decision was "a question of whether a person who aspires to serve the law can be said to be fit to do so when it is demonstrated that in the zealous pursuit of political goals she will break the law if she regards it as impeding the success of her cause".
Despite this she rapidly became a well-respected journalist. During the 1980s, Bacon was involved in reporting the case of High Court judge Lionel Murphy
Lionel Murphy
Lionel Keith Murphy, QC was an Australian politician and jurist who served as Attorney-General in the government of Gough Whitlam and as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1975 until his death.- Personal life :...
, charged with perverting the course of justice, who allegedly had connections to organised crime but was acquitted. Bacon received a Walkley award in 1984 for her exposure of official corruption in New South Wales.
Since 1991, Bacon has been an academic at the University of Technology, Sydney, where she teaches journalism. She continues to write as a freelance investigative journalist, with a series of articles about one police officer's corrupt framing of his ex-wife eventually leading to the overturn of a miscarriage of justice. Bacon also runs courses in freedom of information law for Fairfax Media.