The Newsreader (2021) s02e04 Episode Script

1
1998. Huh?
The year Australia is gonna chuck
itself a year-long birthday party.
What about the Aboriginal perspective?
Come on. Helen, honestly?
We've got the team here
to cover all the bases.
EVELYN: She's lying to our faces.
I don't know what more I can do.
Call an ambulance!
Kay. Kay. Kay, it's
Daddy. Come on, darling.
My daughter. I think
she might have overdosed.
That trollop from the Sun,
Donna Gillies, the gossip woman.
She's got something going to
print. She wants a response.
DONNA: Is it true
that you were committed
to the Larundel psychiatric facility?
A couple of years ago, someone was keen
to sell a story to her about me.
My advice
have something to offer her.
DALE: What if we offer
her an engagement?
Dale, there are some things that
I just would never want to trade.
WOMAN: Make it natural.
Feel your groove, yeah?
- Feel each other. Yes!
- MAN: Not literally.
DALE: I think I need you
to go over the moves again.
- Yeah.
- Just start with your feet.
Let's put aside an hour
for that later today.
ROB: Dani, do you start
with your right or your left?
- Right.
- Right. Always the right.
So, we begin with landscape images.
We're flying over beaches,
ranges, over ranges.
Whirls of red dust in the outback.
Now we're fading up on each
of you, turning to the camera,
stars of the network.
And then when the tempo changes,
that's when we cut to all
of you moving together.
If you just want to watch Danielle, OK?
So, we're just swaying side to side.
Keeping it simple, loose.
Mmm. And singing as well.
Boys on the male vocal,
Helen female.
No, I'm not I'm not gonna
pretend that that's my actual voice.
It's a group singalong, so it
won't read as your voice per se.
If she's not singing, I'm not singing.
Well, I don't think this reflects
on us as journalists. It's a promo.
It's important that the
news team's foregrounded.
Foregrounded? What does that even mean?
OK, let's bring it back into the room.
Let's get some smiles on those faces
and get those feet
moving vaguely together.
- Alright. Thank you.
- If we just get
You were just getting
it. It is looking
- Beautiful teamwork.
- You three look fantastic as well.
OK, stand by!
Playback!
SONG: with a cheer ♪
- And action!
- For a birthday like no other ♪
Right, more energy! National pride!
- Two hundred years ♪
- Alright, here we go!
Big energy now!
- In '88, the party's here ♪
- That's it!
- Tune in to Australia's year ♪
- More energy! Come on!
Here we go! Take it up!
- Let's raise the flag ♪
- Yes!
And sing the song ♪
- We'll celebrate all year long ♪
- Oh, celebrate!
We'll celebrate all year long ♪
- Here we go. Now, feel the love.
- Feel it getting closer ♪
- Feel the growing sense of pride. ♪
- Yes. Yes, yes.
Hold that feeling. Hold it.
(SILENCE)
Keep holding it.
Cutting there.
Fantastic. Well done.
- Well done, everyone. Thank you.
- I have to go again.
Can we have one one more go, maybe?
WOMAN: She's done so well
with the physical recovery.
We just we now
need to understand why.
Why Kay had those moments of refraction
into addiction and overdose.
KAY: Mum.
She's talking to you.
Oh.
I was just saying, we understand
it's not always possible, but
we find it's much better
to involve the whole family.
Oh, of course.
And Geoff would absolutely be here,
but he was called interstate for work.
Might it be possible to
conduct these sessions
a little later in the evening?
She wants the cover of darkness.
She doesn't want anyone to see him here.
Mrs Walters, I can assure you we
take confidentiality very seriously.
We've had several high-profile
people on these grounds.
Really?
- Well, who?
- It's confidential, Mum.
Oh. Yeah, of course. Sorry.
Uh well, thank you.
I'll put that to Geoff.
She's lying.
She'll never tell him.
Darling.
I might have made a lot of
mistakes, but I've never lied to you.
Not once.
(PAN SIZZLES)
Hello to viewers across the
nation. I'm Geoff Walters.
Welcome to our live coverage
from Western Australia
as this historic re-enactment
of the First Fleet
- Can we change the channel?
- Well, no-one else is going live.
Now, this journey
began seven months ago,
when these majestic ships departed
Portsmouth in the United Kingdom,
tracing our 18th-century ancestors.
And finally, today, our
helicopter's in the sky.
- You can hear it now above you.
- (HELICOPTER WHIRRS)
Let's see the fleet as it
draws close to Australia.
- What a glorious sight indeed.
- ('GOD SAVE THE QUEEN' PLAYS)
One can only imagine the sheer spectacle
as this re-enactment finally
reaches Sydney Harbour
on our 200th birthday,
watched by all of Australia
and welcomed by Their Royal Highnesses
Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
We are a young nation. A humble one.
A nation that typically shies
away from grand gestures.
But as we reflect on the
journey from 1788 to today,
it's hard not to feel a sense of
pride, a sense of sincere glory
- PAUL: Oi!
- Excuse me. How dare you?
Helen.
I am Lynus Elroy Preston of the
Wanggumara, Yorta Yorta ancestry.
This is an unlawful trespass.
You have no legal claim over
any of our lands or waters.
This is illegal occupat
You cannot scribe your lies into truth!
(SHOUTING) Australia is not a nation!
It's a crime scene!
- There is an ugly truth in this country!
- Back off, OK? Back off.
Your hands are soaked in blood!
Well, are they ever gonna cut back?
GEOFF: "Rowdy protesters briefly
interrupted a live telecast."
That's it? One line?
There's a bit more in this one.
Ah.
"A small group of protesters
disrupted live broadcasts."
That wasn't a disruption,
it was a bloody assault!
Honestly, darling, it
didn't seem that dramatic
because you handled it
with such professionalism.
Also no mention of that.
Darling, I'm worried that
Kay's starting to think
that I'm keeping you from her.
- I've visited her several times.
- I know.
But now they want to conduct
these counselling sessions.
They're of the belief that
the family should play a role
in someone's recovery.
Well, I know, I know.
But we did insist on her
committing to this facility.
We can't very well refuse
- Nothing at all in the Australian.
- the prescribed program.
It's like it never happened.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(NEWS THEME MUSIC)
Good evening.
Well, I was hoping
tonight I'd be recounting
a weekend of glorious
national celebration.
Instead, we learned
there are those among us
determined to interrupt our
bicentennial commemorations,
convinced that Australians
should feel shame
over the actions of our distant
ancestors some two centuries ago.
Saturday's protest was led by
a half-Irish radio disc jockey
who claims he's the voice
of Aboriginal Australia.
Well, I have many strong links
to genuine Aboriginal leaders,
and they agree with me.
It's time to move forward as a nation.
History is history,
and dragging us back to the past
does nothing to help the
Aborigines of Australia.
At least, not the real ones.
- (TAPE PLAYS)
- LYNUS: I am Lynus Elroy Preston
of the Wanggumara, Yorta Yorta ancestry.
This is an unlawful trespass.
You have no legal claim over
any of our lands or waters
So, his name's Lynus Preston.
He's not so much a DJ but
a community radio announcer.
He's an academic and an activist.
It looks like a whole lot of
thrashing and yelling. To me.
Well, the yelling is actually
quite a detailed speech.
She read a transcript
of it on the radio.
"You cannot celebrate away
the acts of genocide and war
inflicted upon the
true owners of this land
over 200 years of illegal"
DENNIS: Yeah, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Look, Helen, I don't know
where you're going with this,
so I'm gonna give you
the benefit of the doubt
and assume that you're
not gonna be so stupid
as to suggest an interview.
Oh, really? Oh
Geoff Walters spent four
minutes on national television
calling him a sham.
I want to see how he responds.
Bringing this guy in for an interview
is like asking Gaddafi to come
in and have a chat about weapons!
Our promo says we are gonna cover
every angle of the bicentennial.
Not EVERY angle, Dale!
Not EVERY angle, OK?
We're going to do the the
pretty ships. We'll do Princess Di.
We'll do concerts! We'll do Princess Di.
Oh, and if you want
some variety Charles.
And Geoff has a point.
It's been 200 years.
At some stage gotta get over it, hey?
I think Lynus would probably have
a few things to say
about that statement.
- That statement?
- Mm-hm.
What are you saying? I'm a racist?
(SCOFFS) I'm the least
racist person in this place.
Half my footy team are blackfellas.
- Blackfellas.
- Yeah.
Look, we all know what
he's gonna say, OK?
So, what's the
follow-up with the fleet?
- When are they leaving Fremantle?
- Why don't we say to Lindsay,
"We'll give you four minutes of Di
for a minute and a half of Lynus"?
- I'd like two.
- This is what he's going to say, right?
He's gonna yell at YOU,
he's gonna turf YOU,
and he's gonna find a way to blame me.
- Let me give it a go.
- Oh. Oh, wow!
The moment has finally come
when Dale Jennings has
overestimated himself!
- I never thought this would happen.
- LINDSAY: Yep?!
I am so excited to see this.
Dale! What do you want?
By '74, there were three
of them on the team.
Actually, four. Barry Kayton.
He was unreal. Full-back.
They were just like the rest of us.
We ate together, showered together,
went to the pub together
after every game.
- Rob, stop.
- St?
Lindsay would like four
minutes of, uh, Princess Diana.
Four minutes? What about Lynus?
(DENNIS LAUGHS)
Dale! Congratulations, mate!
Like, what a great outcome.
I did not see that coming.
LINDSAY: Dennis! In here!
Realistically, is there
four minutes of story?
There hasn't been much Diana
footage coming through lately.
You know what? She is just
clearly a really depressed woman
who hates every choice that
she's ever made in her life.
Maybe that's your story.
LINDSAY: Just do
pregnancy speculation!
This is the last full
story we ran on Di.
Prince Harry's first day at school,
all the way back in September.
I couldn't figure out why
there'd been such a drought,
so I started combing
through the print clippings,
and basically, Charles went to
Balmoral Castle for the summer
and Diana stayed in London.
- Which is not unusual.
- Mm-hm.
But now it's December
and Charles is still there
and she's still in London.
They've been living apart for months.
MURRAY: Maybe they prefer
getting saucy on the phone.
Well, some couples are into that.
- Their body language is dire.
- Mm-hm.
Have any other outlets
verified where they are?
No. And they've cancelled their
last five official engagements.
I think if you put it all together,
there's only one
conclusion you can draw.
The royal couple have separated.
They just haven't announced it yet.
(LAUGHS) They haven't separated!
You should see ME dropping the kids
off at school. I'm barely human.
Forget the four minutes.
We're gonna need six.
Because I have an exclusive
that reveals a fracture
in the royal family
that's gonna threaten the
whole bicentennial tour.
Oh, what have you got?
Well, that's what the whole
country will be wondering
why you promote the hell
out of it for 24 hours.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but
you have got something?
Yeah. Yeah. And we're gonna
cover it in in detail.
If
If you give us two
minutes with Lynus Preston.
Oh, fuck me, Dale! You too?
What is it with you people?
Two minutes with Lynus
for six minutes of Di.
Mate, do you want me
to show you the ratings
for the night Helen
made us do land rights?
It's filed under N for
'never fucking again'!
Lindsay, you know if you promote
the hell out of this story,
you'll get the biggest
numbers of the year.
Alright.
HELEN: Hey, Dale, do you want
to go and grab some lunch or
I just got you two minutes with Lynus.
- Beg your pardon?
- Two minutes with Lynus.
- Does Lindsay know?
- Yeah.
Yes, he does. And he hates it.
But I've got a killer Diana story.
- Do I have to cover Diana?
- No, that's just me and Noelene.
Oh, my God. Thank you so much.
Oh! Can we do the lunch thing later?
Yeah. I'll give you as
much lead time as I can.
OK. Thank you!
It didn't matter who was black and
who was white. We were a footy team.
You know, we'd hang out together.
(LAUGHS) Some of those
boys were just Oh!
My mate, um Deano, he
was like a brother to me.
I'd even go to the
mish every now and then.
Just special occasion things,
you know, like funerals and whatnot.
Rob, you don't have a
racist bone in your body.
Oh, thank you, Jen. Thank you.
I mean, I would have thought
it was it was pretty obvious.
I've never known you to
catch up with a Deano.
What?
You catch up with all your old
footy mates, but never Deano.
Well, we all shot off in
different directions after footy,
but we were close.
I've never known you to catch
up with any Aboriginal player.
Sorry, is this 'cause
of what Helen said?
Deano was my mate, but
he lives out in Gunbower.
- He works on a farm.
- A farm?
Yeah. What's wrong with that?
He works on a farm?
And you're on television every night?
He's a labourer. He's a country
boy. He's good with his hands.
- He didn't want to work on the telly.
- Neither did you.
(CHUCKLES) Noelene, I just don't
think you're understanding me.
You know Diana?
I mean, she was 19 she was only 19
when she actually met Charles.
- Really?
- Yeah.
I mean, far out. I made some
horrible choices when I was 19.
- (SNORTS)
- (CHUCKLES) I did.
And he was in his 30s,
too. Like, it's a big gap.
Do you remember when
she collapsed last year?
- That footage?
- No. No.
She collapsed, and then she's
being led off by these
by these two bodyguards,
and and Charles is just
he's just walking behind her,
like he, um like he was
annoyed by her or something.
- Sounds awful.
- Yeah. I don't like him.
I don't think she likes
him either! (LAUGHS)
I think she's fucked. I
think she needed a Dale.
Oh, that's my royal commentary,
anyway. I'm gonna have a shower.
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello. Jennings residence.
DALE: Oh, hi. It's me.
- Hello, me.
- Hi.
Do you know where Gran's
engagement ring is?
I know exactly where it
is, darling. Are you?
Would you be able to bring it to me?
- I could drive down tomorrow.
- Uh, when?
I can come first thing. You
tell me when's too early.
Yeah, the morning's good.
OK, I've got to go. Thanks, Mum. Bye.
In the evening, we'd
stroll down by the river ♪
And as the golden moon
shines brightly up above ♪
WOMAN: You right there, bub?
Hello. Um, I'm Helen
Norville from News At Six.
I called several times yesterday
hoping to speak with Lynus Preston.
He's on air at the moment.
I'm his Auntie Tiny. Come
on, I'll introduce you.
Oh, I don't want to
intrude if he's on air.
He'll be fine.
LYNUS: That was the black Elvis himself,
Uncle Roger Knox, singing Koori Roads.
And that takes us to our last
half-hour of love song dedication,
so, all you mob out
there, you know what to do.
Dial on in if you're a sister
that wants to let that fine
brother know how neat he is,
or if you're a brother that's too shy
to approach that beautiful black queen.
Just give me a call, my bred, and
I'll help you unlock that groove.
Speaking of groove, how about
a splash of bright lights
for the beautiful disco queen herself?
Beautiful black queen Marcia Hines
with Your Love Still
Brings Me To My Knees.
Here we go, you mob.
Don't hurt yourself, now.
(SONG FADES IN)
Speaking of divas, Miss Helen Norville.
I believe I've been dodging your calls.
Uh, yes, you have indeed.
I don't want to take up
too much of your time,
but I wanted to speak with
you about an opportunity
- Miss Norville. Miss Norville.
- to potentially
We have a rule here.
Never interrupt Marcia.
Whoo! Ooh!
- It's a good song. You know the song?
- I do. Mm-hm.
Here. I'll turn it up for you.
Come on, Miss Norville.
I know you can move it.
- Um, I'm
- Come on.
First, it's in the shoulders.
The shoulders, and then move them hips.
That's it. That's it! That's it!
- This flame that burns within ♪
- Whoo!
My heart will never die ♪
Whoo!
(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS)
(KNOCK AT DOOR)
- Hey.
- Is she here?
No. OK.
You might need to get it resized.
Your gran was well, you
know quite an ample woman.
Yeah, we can do that after.
Do you have a plan?
Yeah. I'm gonna do it here.
I've got the chef at Mietta's
to prepare us a special meal
and I've got four
bouquets of flowers coming.
So, Helen will just she'll come home,
she'll think it's an ordinary night,
and then she'll walk into a
sea of flowers and fairy lights.
Tonight?
Yeah.
And you're sure?
Yeah.
Yeah, of course.
Sorry. I just
I just wasn't sure
this was gonna happen.
(CHUCKLES) Mum.
(CHUCKLES)
So, I I'm assuming you know that
Geoff Walters railed against you
for an entire segment on Monday night?
He completely misrepresented
what you were trying to say.
He even questioned your
heritage, your Aboriginality.
What happens when you add milk to tea?
- Sorry?
- It's still tea, isn't it?
Listen, I read what you were
going to say on that broadcast,
and it was passionate and forthright
and urgent, and you were cut off.
Yeah.
I'd like to give you
a dedicated interview.
With me, tonight, on News At Six.
We have a huge audience.
It's mainly middle Australian.
You'd have the opportunity
to respond to Geoff.
And you'd also be able to get
your message out to the viewers,
challenging them to
to meet you halfway.
Why halfway?
We could record it here. In your studio.
I could have a crew here in 40 minutes.
Just got to go to another
meeting. Now, actually.
You can come if you want.
The protest in Fremantle
when the fleet arrived?
Nah, that was just the beginning.
There's a march being organised
for Invasion Day up in Sydney.
Now, that that's
gonna be a proper blackout.
Biggest corroboree we've
ever seen in our lifetime.
Oh, I should have told you.
You're not the only one
here that finds me, uh
urgent, was it?
There's this French fella here
shooting a documentary about me.
Says he's "award-winning". (LAUGHS)
Gabriel. This is Miss Norville.
Uh, Julian and Tim.
Hi. Helen.
- You two know each other?
- Uh, Tim
- We both worked
- used to work at News At Six.
Right. Well,
Helen here is trying to convince me
that prime-time news is ready
for a troublemaker like me.
Well, if you'll excuse me,
my beautiful Caucasian people.
Let's get set up, s'il vous plait.
You ain't going to hear anything
from back here. Come on, bub.
We're gonna go to Hyde Park, ain't we?
Well, a few of the mob are still talking
about stopping at Hyde Park, Uncle,
but we all still hold the view
that we think it's important
to carry on the march all the way
to Lady Macquarie's Chair, yeah?
- What? Chair?
- The harbour.
Yeah, they've set up
a tent embassy there.
They'll be waiting for us.
You know? That's what we spoke
about in our last meeting.
Yeah, well, I wasn't
at the last meeting.
But I'm here now.
And I think it's important that
we all stick together in Hyde Park.
All the clan groups united. One mob.
Yeah, but there's no historical
relevance in Hyde Park, Uncle.
Look, the point of invasion
happened at the harbour, yeah?
- That's where the battle lines are.
- "Battle lines"?
You need to play the white
man at the white man's game.
You know, if we're there screaming
and shouting and carrying on,
they ain't gonna see us.
They ain't gonna hear us.
The world's just gonna see
a mob of angry blackfellas.
With all due respect, Uncle, I
want the world to see our anger.
I want them to see our
pain, you know? Our humanity.
You know, in fact, I demand it.
I'm done waiting for a chair
at the table of democracy.
You know, how many times have we died
waiting for that to happen, Uncle?
(OTHERS AGREE)
HELEN: Thank you. Thank you so
much for letting me see that.
And and it's it's that passion
that I'd really kind of like to capture.
And I'm just wondering if maybe
maybe I could call the crew
and we could we could
even start shooting here now.
Uh, I've got to go to
lunch with my cousins.
- Lunch with your cousins?
- Mmm. It's a fortnightly thing we do.
I can't be the one to break tradition.
Hey, you like yum cha, though?
Lynus, our bulletin's at six o'clock.
If I want to shoot that story,
edit it and get it on today
- Yum cha, cha-cha-cha! ♪
- Hey!
- It's the yum cha dance.
- Seriously, I'm not gonna be
- Proper ceremonial dance, this one.
- There's not enough time to do
Yum cha Come on, Helen.
They've got the deadliest
spring rolls. Come on.
Yum cha, cha-cha-cha. ♪
Here, wait up, Auntie! I'm hungry!
Yep, he did the same thing to us.
It's a test. You probably got that.
Oh, and as for Gabriel,
they think he's the
next big thing in docos.
Not that you're not great.
I just Look, if I'm honest, I just
I don't see Lynus agreeing
to the News At Six.
DALE: Hmm.
This one mentions a reconciliation
meeting set up by the Queen.
I've read that a few times, and I can't
- find any actual evidence to support it.
- (PHONE RINGS)
- Dale Jennings.
- Hey, Dale, um, listen, can you make sure
that Dennis holds the
slot for the Lynus story?
- Where are you?
- Uh, I'm at a yum cha restaurant.
- But have you shot it yet?
- No, I haven't.
Listen
Dale, Tim is here. Tim Ahern.
He's he's working for some French
guy doing a documentary on Lynus.
Huh.
Did you know that he'd moved into doco?
No.
OK, can you just make sure
that they hold the story?
- OK.
- Thanks.
Kay, how are you feeling now?
I just
I feel like a failure.
I felt like everything that
I do is insignificant
and you're both ashamed of me.
Since when?
Since school.
Are there more specific moments
or feelings you could mention?
Um
Parent-teacher nights.
And can you describe why
those nights were difficult?
Well, Dad, you, um
- you never showed. Ever.
- Of course not.
Well, your father was
a nightly newsreader.
He was working to support us.
And, Mum, you would go on for days after
about how embarrassing it was
if the teachers mentioned
a single problem.
I mean, you'd have to concede,
it was rarely a single problem.
I mean, the things I
heard in those meetings.
Truancy. Language.
Congratulations were hardly in order.
Huh! Parent-teacher night!
I hardly saw my father at all.
He worked so hard,
he was too tired to hold his
morning coffee to drink it.
But I knew that he did
that for my benefit.
I think what Kay might be describing
is a sense of expectation,
disappointment
I was never disappointed in Kay.
How could I be?
Every time we spoke, she went on and on
about how wonderful everything was.
Work. Boyfriends.
Of course, I now know it was all lies.
Well, I learned to lie.
I knew you both had no
interest in hearing the truth.
Honestly!
It's a disease of the modern world,
people casting themselves as victims.
The fact is, we gave you the childhood
most people could never dream of.
And for you to sit here and attempt
to blame your mother and I
- I'm sorry. I can't do this.
- for your own drug addiction
(CLEARS THROAT)
- (ALL CHATTER)
- LYNUS: Here, how much?
Here. Please, let me let me.
No, no, no, no, it's
fine. We got it. It's fine.
You come to my country, my land,
I'll show you traditional custom.
- Yum cha!
- (LAUGHTER)
Lynus, if you want to be on the news
(SILENCE)
If you want to be on the news tonight,
we're gonna have to shoot
within the next hour.
- What about tomorrow arvo?
- No, I'm sorry.
It's it's got to be today.
Thing is, I've got to drop
these takeaways to my nephews.
(LAUGHTER)
Alright. (CLEARS THROAT)
Thank you.
Helen! Don't, Auntie.
(LAUGHTER)
Helen?
Helen.
- Hey, just wait.
- (SCOFFS) You know what?
I HAVE waited.
I have waited for hours.
I am trying to give you an opportunity
to get your message
out to a huge audience,
and all you have done is wasted my time.
- Well, why does it have to be on your time?
- How many
do you actually think
are gonna watch that documentary?
A thousand, maybe, if you're lucky?
I'm sure you've never watched
News At Six, but it's
Oh, no, actually, I have.
Let me tell you something.
No-one else cares.
No magazines. No other networks.
I don't see anyone else standing
here offering you this opportunity.
And frankly, Lynus, now I can see why.
- Great. That went well.
- Yeah.
- Good script, Noelene.
- Thanks.
I think we could put in some
more colloquial terms, you know?
Like, more Aussie, blokey terms, like
- I'll ask Rob.
- Hi.
GERRY: Oh, you've heard
I'm joining you tonight?
Well, just at the end, to
introduce the promo, but yeah.
Oh, don't diminish it, Dale.
I've told everyone it's
my newsreading debut.
Did you draft this script?
I did.
Oh. Well, you've done an admirable job.
But I might adlib a little.
Uh, what?
Dale, it's not adlibbing if I tell you.
Er, n-no, what?
I don't know, maybe something like
"Some people have issues
with birthdays, but not me.
A year-long national birthday
is right up my alley."
You've been looking for an excuse
to drink champagne 365 days straight.
(NOELENE LAUGHS)
That's actually pretty good, Dale.
Don't write it down!
Write that down.
It's funny, Dale.
LINDSAY: Dale! Dale Jennings!
I have just spent half an hour
getting my ears bent sideways
by a cretin called Harold somebody
who used to be a royal
correspondent we used in the '70s.
He's seen our Charles and Diana promo.
He's guaranteeing me
they're gonna get News At Six
barred from the royal tour.
- Is that possible?
- I gotta tell you,
if Charles and Diana are doling
out Australian television interviews
and we're blacklisted,
we are royally fucked!
They rarely do interviews and don't
have any planned for this trip.
I don't mean to be rude here,
Noelene, but are you sure?!
Well, I say let's get him
on the desk, argue it out live.
Right, mate, just watch yourself.
This bloke's beyond camp.
He's like Liberace
in a Christmas cake.
He acted like I just
shat on his religion.
- Do we have his number?
- Yes, yes. Ask Jean.
Great. Great.
ANNOUNCER: Tonight at six,
the royal marriage in turmoil.
Beyond the gossip, beyond the rumours -
tonight, Dale Jennings
presents exclusive evidence
of the fractured union
of Charles and Diana.
A royal marriage in crisis,
a bicentennial tour in question,
and a princess adrift.
- Tonight, only on News At Six.
- (PHONE RINGS)
Helen Norville.
CHARLIE: Now, that's
what I call a promo.
What's this "exclusive
evidence" you have?
Nothing. I mean, it's just that.
Charles and Diana have been
living separately for a bit.
Just more Lindsay faff. God, I
can't believe he's still in the job.
Sorry to say, tonight's ratings
are going to be huge, Helen.
- Could buy Lindsay another year.
- Hmm.
Helen, if it's royal
stories that bother you,
maybe it's not Lindsay
who needs to move on.
Well, I would, I mean, I fucking would
if any other network would have me.
What? They'd snap you
up. Why wouldn't they?
You are immensely valuable.
News At Six is lucky to have
you and they got you for a song.
You'd get double at any other network.
Look, I probably shouldn't
be telling you this,
but, um I was on the brink
of giving Lindsay the arse
before I got the arse.
Really?
And you're not the only News At
Six staff member who wants him gone.
- Well, who?
- Oh, that's not the point. Helen
- Rob?
- Helen, I can't talk about it, alright?
Dennis?
- (SIGHS)
- (KNOCK AT DOOR)
There's a Lynus Preston here to see you.
I gotta go.
Audience of millions, you reckon?
Lynus, you've left it so late
that there's probably not
even enough time to edit it.
No cuts sound good to me.
After you, Miss Norville.
You have to mix a few shades
together to get my complexion.
- Oh
- I'm just joking.
Oh. (LAUGHS AWKWARDLY)
Um, yep. Yeah.
- You good?
- Mmm.
OK.
Lynus Preston,
last weekend, you interrupted
a national broadcast
during the re-enactment
of the First Fleet.
You were arrested and may face court.
What were you trying to say?
Australia was invaded, not colonised.
You know, this is an illegal occupation.
You broke your own law
and your precious King
George III stated very clearly
that in order to claim
land (CHUCKLES)
it has to be unowned.
And Captain Cook knew
that there were owners
that had a recognised law.
I don't think that very many
people would deny that history.
But it was 200 years ago.
Yeah, but that illegal act
is being upheld to this day.
And not just upheld,
but is being celebrated by you.
You know, you present these
pretty ships as a celebration,
but really, they're just a re-enactment
of rape, murder and brutal savagery
OK. Can you just pause for a second?
Um
You're just delivering a diatribe.
People are just gonna switch off.
What, you'd rather I
put on a little show?
I've watched you, Lynus, and you
do know how to connect to people.
So, maybe just try putting a
little bit more of yourself into it.
(SIGHS)
Talk about
how you feel.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
OK. You good?
- Good?
- Mm-hm.
Lynus, it's been argued
that you have both Aboriginal
heritage and Anglo-Saxon.
So
why claim only the Aboriginal side?
Well, but I don't.
You know, let me tell
you, I may be part Irish,
but I haven't been a guest of
honour at any St Paddy's Day,
and I love myself a Guinness.
(CHUCKLES)
When people look at you, they they
they see a confident DJ.
So, some might wonder
how can you really be feeling
the pain of two centuries ago?
You know, my eldest brother
passed away two months ago.
He was 55 years old. And
that's young, you know?
And my brother before
that, he died at 49.
And now I'm the only brother
left, and I'm 33 years old.
You know, when people were talking about
the life expectancy of our mob,
my eldest brother would
say, these whitefellas,
they think we die because of
disease and chronic illness,
alcoholism, drugs, violence,
suicide, you name it,
but none of that, none of that matters.
It's all bullshit.
Because our mob dies
from a broken heart.
And every time we bury one of our
loved ones way before their time,
we are constantly reminded
about everything our
people have gone through.
And until we're ready to tell that story
and speak that truth in this country,
our mob will continue to
die way before their time.
And I'm tired of burying my family.
NADIA: Recovery's never a straight line.
It's rare that residents don't
have at least one relapse.
You suspect she's actually relapsed?
No. Not necessarily.
We didn't get any explanation.
They just found her room empty.
Oh, the amount of money we've paid!
I know. It's very upsetting.
Addiction is a terrible illness.
Oh, for goodness' sake. Is it
an illness? Or is it a choice?
You could at least be consistent!
Er, Mrs Walters, I've
been here many times,
and there's one thing
that gives me confidence
for a resident and their family,
and that's if someone
continues to show up for them.
(GROANS) Goodbye.
(LAUGHS)
Now, Gerry, you famously enjoy
enjoy Huh mmmm-urrrr
So, Gerry, you famously
enjoy a birthday Arrgh!
Uh Uh-huh
So, Gerry (LAUGHS)
Huh! Hoo! Hoo!
Any excuse to drink
champagne 365 days a y
Huuuuh!
Any excuse to drink
cham Any excuse. Excuse.
Uhh-uhh! (CLEARS THROAT)
Any excuse to drink champagne
365 days a year. (LAUGHS)
CHERYL: Dale.
There you are. Come on.
Oh.
- Need anything? OK.
- Uh, nope.
Tonight, the fractured royal
marriage an explosive report
on the troubled union of Prince
Charles and Princess Diana.
We speak to one of the
bicentennial protest leaders
who tells us why he
refuses to celebrate.
And we're joined by a special guest
for the world premiere
of our 1988 network promo.
- I'm Dale Jennings.
- And I'm Helen Norville.
Welcome to News At Six.
As Prince Charles and Princess Diana's
bicentennial tour approaches
- How'd it go?
- evidence is emerging
She knows what she's doing.
suggesting the royal
marriage is in grave trouble.
A string of cancellations and absences
has royal-watchers speculating
that the couple may
have already separated.
Dale Jennings filed this report.
For most of this decade, the
Prince and Princess of Wales
have appeared to be
living a fairytale
- Howard Page.
- Royal correspondent.
I'm sorry, but if I am expected
to respond to this, I
90 seconds!
Hello. I'm Helen.
Hi. Nice to meet you. Welcome.
In November, Diana was
conspicuously absent
from the wedding of
Lady Amanda Knatchbull,
an event attended by
Noelene! Go down to
Murray's with Dennis now!
European footage just landed. Follow me.
Uh, of what?
Of Charles and Di in Berlin
looking like happy families.
Now, Lindsay wants two
minutes after the break.
- Has something being dropped?
- Yes.
When you write the intro,
make sure you give it to Dale
not Helen, Dale at the last minute!
Go, go, go, go, go!
30 seconds.
And also, there's gonna be
a change after the break.
- What?
- Hmm? What do you mean?
I don't know. Er, breaking news?
Noelene's going to bring new
scripts down to the studio.
- What are you doing?
- Can you find out what the story is?
I'm calling Lindsay.
I want to know what it is.
(PHONE RINGS)
No, Jean. No.
10 seconds!
Do you know what the story
is? Like, what's the
And in five. Four.
Can you tell us what the
story is? You could find out.
Well, long-time
royal-watcher Harold Page
has tracked Charles and
Diana's union for years,
from courtship to marriage,
through the births of the two princes.
Harold, is the royal marriage over?
Absolutely not.
That is absurd and offensive
and there's not one whit of truth in it.
Well, how do you explain the months
the royal couple have spent apart?
Princess Diana is, as
we all know, a city girl.
Charles recognises that in
his wife and respects it.
And that is the key to the absolute
strength of the royal marriage.
Now that the two children are at school,
the princess is enjoying
discos, musicals, parties.
The prince, of course, has (CHUCKLES)
- been there, done that
- Oh, so you admit there is incompatibility?
Not at all.
Well, many people can see the rift.
It's obvious in their body language.
Well, they must be seeing something
very different to what I'm seeing.
- You need a typist?
- No, it's faster if I do it.
When we first met Diana six years ago,
she was, to be blunt,
rather frumpy and shy.
Now, thanks to the love of the prince,
she has blossomed before our eyes.
What you in the media forget
is that behind the titles
of prince and princess
are two human beings
building a successful marriage
under enormous pressure,
and they do that not just for themselves
but for all of us, their subjects,
because they are
raising our future king.
Running this sort of
baseless gutter journalism,
I consider to be nothing less
than an attack on the monarchy,
and by extension, an
attack on all of us,
the loyal citizens of the Commonwealth.
Well, Mr Page, that's all
we have time for, I'm afraid.
We'll be back right after the break.
And we're out.
It's just more Charles and Di
stuff that appeared in Germany.
Well, then what have they cut?
I haven't heard they're
dropping anything.
- (PHONE RINGS)
- No!
They're asking for
you down on the floor.
No, I'm gonna knock off early.
HELEN: Why isn't anyone answering?
- Jean isn't, Noelene isn't.
- FRANK: I'm not sure.
Are they taking calls
from the control booth?
- That's all the information I've got.
- Well, you can't add two minutes of footage
Helen, I don't know. What
are they dropping, Noelene?
- Charles and Diana are in Germany.
- No.
There's lots of footage of them
looking devoted to each other.
- What have they cut?!
- I don't know.
- Not what are they adding!
- I've just been writing the intro!
Are they dropping Lynus?!
- I don't know.
- And we are back!
Great!
In five! Four!
In news just to hand, after
weeks of cancelled appearances,
it appears the Prince and Princess
of Wales have finally re-emerged
- Goodnight, Jean.
- commencing a world tour of Germany.
- Goodnight.
- Their Royal Highnesses appeared warm,
affectionate and relaxed,
raising hopes that their bicentennial
tour will proceed as planned.
Our European correspondent has more.
How much longer?
Uh, there's still, like,
sport and weather and
They're done 6:30.
REPORTER: .., for a
week-long tour of the country.
FRANK: 20 seconds!
(WHISPERS) Hi. How are you?
Helen.
You've got the interview. We
will find another spot for it.
Dale, we both know that
that is absolute bullshit.
And in five!
- I'm sorry.
- Four!
I'm gonna get a drink.
- Well, returning once again
- Hang on.
to our nation's
bicentennial celebration,
the News At Six team have recently
joined the entire network family
to participate in a very special promo.
Australia's Year is a
specially composed 1988 anthem,
and joining the chorus is our
favourite adopted Australian,
Mr Gerry Carroll.
Now, Gerry, you love
a birthday, don't you?
Well, Dale, I'm the kind of person
who likes to celebrate a
birth MONTH, not a birthday.
So the prospect of a
year-long national birthday,
it's music to my ears.
Any excuse to drink champagne
365 days straight. (LAUGHS)
Well, I'm already celebrating, so
I'm aiming for, I don't know, 400?
Too good.
We'll be back with sport.
But right now, let's enjoy the
world premiere of Australia's Year.
MAN: Can you feel it getting closer? ♪
Feel the growing sense of pride? ♪
From the outback to the cities ♪
And through the countryside ♪
WOMAN: Can you hear
it, the excitement? ♪
Hear the music and the cheer ♪
For a birthday like no other ♪
Two hundred years ♪
- In '88 ♪
- The party's here ♪
- Tune into ♪
- Australia's year ♪
- Let's raise the flag ♪
- And sing the song ♪
We'll celebrate all year long ♪
We'll celebrate all year long ♪
Can you feel it getting closer? ♪
Feel the growing sense of pride. ♪
It's pretty catchy!
FRANK: And we're out!
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hello?
- Lynus, it's Helen Norville.
Did you watch?
Oh, I enjoyed it.
You know, the first half telling
me that the royal marriage is over,
and then right at the last
minute, everything's fine.
I'm sorry.
Miss Norville, we've been
fighting for 200 years.
And lucky for your mob,
we're a very patient people.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I've got a march to organise.
DALE: Uh
(CLEARS THROAT)
Wait. Helen, I just want
you to wait just a second
You know, Dale, when you
struck that deal with Lindsay,
did he just say, "Tell her whatever
you like, but just shut her up,
and then we can do whatever
we want in the end anyway"?
- No, no. It didn't
- You know,
you did not seem
even remotely surprised.
- When?
- When he pulled it.
I was on air. I was trying
to get through the bulletin.
- Could you just wait? Wait!
- What?
Please, just give me a second to just
- Surprise.
- God.
So, this is my second attempt at this,
and I didn't think it
could go any worse,
- but
- OK, Dale, so, your second attempt at what?
- Let me just let me just
- Can I just
- No, no, no.
- I feel like I want
Let me just get through this,
'cause I've had the
words in my head for days.
(SIGHS)
Helen OK.
We've been in each other's
lives for two years.
Now um
(SIGHS) No-one knows me like you.
No-one challenges me like you.
No-one knows every part of me like you.
And I hope you feel
the same way, 'cause
I love you.
(SIGHS)
Helen Norville
will you do me the
honour of being my wife?
Dale, I love you so much.
So, so much.
But I I can't.
(HELEN SIGHS)
I c I-I can't.
Ooh! (SNIFFS)
- Hey, it's fine.
- OK.
- Um
- I-it's fine.
- OK.
- I'm
I'm so, so sorry. I'm just
(CAR DOOR CLOSES, ENGINE STARTS)
Oh
NOELENE: We had a phone call
from Geoff Walters's daughter
wanting to speak to you.
GEOFF: Reporting on
our own families now?
That's a line we've never crossed.
I want to be compensated for the story.
You're paying her?
She has a drug addiction, Lindsay!
(ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS)
CHARLIE: An opportunity's come up,
and with the Christmas
break starting tomorrow,
I just thought it'd be
good to follow up soon.
DALE: Obnoxious Charlie Tate!
Please don't leave messages
like that for me at work.
Messages like what?
That wasn't THE cameraman, was it?
The one you told me about?
Look at us! The Russell Street
gang! We're back together again!