60 Minutes: Mar 8

On Sunday’s 60 Minutes, Liam Bartlett on coronavirus, Tom Steinfort profiles Dolly Parton and Liz Hayes on historic sexual abuse.

World of Pain
The predictions about the coronavirus catastrophe grow more ominous by the day, and despite the best efforts of countries like Australia in enacting emergency action plans to contain the disease, its spread continues at a worrying rate. Even the World Health Organisation forecasts a world of pain. It says the virus poses a greater global threat than terrorism. That’s bad enough, but medical experts tell 60 Minutes it’s actually even more terrifying. Professor Gabriel Leung, who led the fight against the SARS virus, believes 60 per cent of the world’s population could become infected with COVID-19 and that up to 45 million people might die from it. For this story, Liam Bartlett has travelled to Hong Kong and Thailand to find out the likely cause of the disease, as well as the latest ongoing efforts to combat it. At all times he and his crew have followed medical advice and undertaken strict protocols to limit their exposure to potential danger.
Reporter: Liam Bartlett
Producers: Gareth Harvey, Tracey Hannaford, Natalie Clancy

Dolly’s Secret
Everyone knows the entertainment business is fickle; success is rare and when it does come, often fleeting. But while flimsy careers in showbiz are a grim reality, the incredible exception to the rule is Dolly Parton. She’s been working “‘9 to 5” for 53 years, and with album sales in excess of 160 million, has become the greatest country artist of all time. It has also helped her to build an empire worth more than half a billion dollars. Dolly’s secret is her ability to appeal to new generations of music fans, who celebrate her unique sound and style. And while she’s happy to admit she puts a lot of energy into keeping up appearances, Tom Steinfort found out in Nashville, Tennessee that her down-to-earth persona is as effortless as it is enchanting.
Reporter: Tom Steinfort
Producer: Madeleine Apps

Home of Horror
It was one of the most disturbing investigations 60 Minutes has ever undertaken, centring on horrific allegations of historic physical and sexual abuse of young boys at a government-run home on the outskirts of Sydney. In the two years since the story was broadcast, seven ex-workers at the institution have been charged and are now being held to account for their alleged criminal cruelty. Last week there was an even more significant development when an eighth man, the former superintendent of the home, was also charged by New South Wales police. That’s because this man, shockingly, went on to become a federal member of parliament.
Reporter: Liz Hayes
Producer: Laura Sparkes

8:30pm Sunday on Nine.