Undeterred by legal threats, intimidation and denials by politicians and police, Phil Dickie kept digging into the crime syndicates running illegal prostitution and gambling in Queensland. His reporting set the scene for an inquiry by Tony Fitzgerald, QC, that resulted in the axing of senior political and police figures and widespread reforms.

This is a critical time in the history of Australian democracy with thousands of journalists losing their jobs due to the transformation of the media's business model. The rise of fake news and spin is poisoning public debate. It is time to reflect on the incalculable worth of original in-depth reporting and its value to a healthy democracy and informed public sphere.

Democracy’s Watchdogs provides an oral history through interviews with past and current Australian investigative reporters who exposed corruption and held powerful government, criminal and corporate interest