In July 1985, far-flung Norfolk Island became the centre of a real life international spy thriller. Four French agents sail there after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. Australian police take them into custody on behalf of their New Zealand counterparts but then, bafflingly, they let them sail away, never to be seen again. On the 40 year anniversary of the bombing, award-winning journalist Richard Baker goes on an adventure from Paris to the Pacific to get the real story - and ultimately uncover the role that Australia played in the global headline-making affair.
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In July 1985, far-flung Norfolk Island became the centre of a real life international spy thriller. Four French agents sail there after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. Australian police take them into custody on behalf of their New Zealand counterparts but then, bafflingly, they let them sail away, never to be seen again. On the 40 year anniversary of the bombing, award-winning journalist Richard Baker goes on an adventure from Paris to the Pacific to get the real story - and ultimately uncover the role that Australia played in the global headline-making affair.
In our final episode, we hear from one of the spies in his own words, and of the many lives he lived. New details of suspected police informants and political cover ups are unveiled. And Kiwi detectives rue an opportunity lost.
Richard and a crew of French journalists creep closer to tracking down the spies. And the truth about Australia’s involvement in letting them go becomes ever clearer as a top Government voice speaks out about the scandal.
A monumental cover-up is underway in Paris. Meanwhile in Canberra, politicians and officials get their story straight about the events on Norfolk Island as journalists start to dig. And global pressure beats down on Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific as nuclear-armed powers exert their influence.
A midnight raid is launched to capture the French spies. But Kiwi detectives get a shock when the Australian Government sets them an impossible deadline to gather evidence. Richard learns of Australia’s manipulation of nuclear policies in the Pacific and hears of the real physical and emotional fallout of the testing, direct from the Pacific Island community.
As they await the arrival of a plane load of Kiwi detectives, Norfolk island’s three police officers are warned about the dangerous secret agents in their midst. A game of cat and mouse begins as police and locals shadow the Frenchmen around the tiny island.
A small yacht moored off Norfolk Island and its crew of four mysterious, hard-partying Frenchmen suddenly become of interest to New Zealand police. The detectives are investigating the fatal bombing of Greenpeace’s flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, more than 1000 kilometres away in Auckland Harbour. 40 years on from the bombing, journalist Richard Baker flies to Norfolk Island to find out what really happened - because he’s got a hunch there’s more to this case than the public have ever known.
For 24 hours, Australia had four French intelligence agents involved in the bombing of Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior yacht in custody on Norfolk Island…then let them go just as New Zealand police were gathering evidence to lay charges. On the 40th anniversary of the bombing that shook the world, award winning journalist Richard Baker travels to Norfolk Island to talk to the locals involved about what happened, and ultimately uncover why Australia would have made it so hard for the Kiwis.
In July 1985, far-flung Norfolk Island became the centre of a real life international spy thriller. Four French agents sail there after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. Australian police take them into custody on behalf of their New Zealand counterparts but then, bafflingly, they let them sail away, never to be seen again. On the 40 year anniversary of the bombing, award-winning journalist Richard Baker goes on an adventure from Paris to the Pacific to get the real story - and ultimately uncover the role that Australia played in the global headline-making affair.
