This week on Best of 60 Minutes: 5 December 2010

Sunday, December 5 at 7.30pm on Nine

Damien’s War                                               

We’re always hearing about the desperate plight of Africa’s wildlife, especially the elephants and rhinos that are so cruelly hunted down for their tusks and horns. All most of us do is sound concerned and maybe hand over a few coins to a wildlife charity, but recently Liam Bartlett met an Aussie guy who’s actually out there making a difference. Damien Mander has been called a conservation Rambo, a former commando who’s using his expertise to save Zimbabwe’s big animals. Now it’s the poachers who are finding out what it feels like to be hunted.

Reporter: Liam Bartlett

Producer: Nick Greenaway

Original TX: 3 October, 2010

 

Dying for a Tan                                

In all her time with 60 Minutes, Liz Hayes hasn’t come across anyone braver than Clare Oliver. Clare was just 26 years old when Liz met her. She was in the final stages of skin cancer with only a few days left to live, but she was determined to make those days count. Her final wish was to warn other young people about the dangers of tanning. It’s a message worth repeating.

Reporter: Liz Hayes

Producers: Hugh Nailon, Julia Timms

Original TX: 2 September, 2007

 

Freaking Out                                    

Well we can truly say, we’ve seen it all. And when you get a good look at the Lizard Man, the Stalking Cat and the Horned Man in action, you’ll understand why. They call it extreme body modification. But that doesn’t begin to cover it. It’s more a total transformation. These guys aren’t satisfied with a few tattoos, spiky hair and an earring, they sport real cat-like whiskers, real horns, even a real forked tongue. They claim it’s living art – the ultimate in self-expression. Or maybe, it’s the ultimate 21st century freak show.

Reporter: Peter Overton

Producers: Hugh Nailon, Garry McNab

Original TX: 9 March, 2008

 

U2                                          

Nowadays when we go to a rock concert, we expect a spectacle. But in the early nineties, the towering scaffolding, multiple stages and technical whiz-bangery that accompanied U2′s world tour was something quite new and extraordinary. Those were the days when U2 was the world’s biggest band and its lead singer, Bono, was probably the coolest dude on the planet. So tootling around Dublin with the man himself was quite a treat for Tracey Curro, until she realised that, as a driver, Bono made a terrific pop star.

Reporter: Tracey Curro

Producer: Stephen Taylor

Original TX: 7 November, 1993