Military in the Media with Siobhan Heanue

Alex Lloyd speaks with ABC journalist Siobhan Heanue about the relationship between the military, the media and the public. 

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Siobhan Heanue is an ABC journalist based in Townsville for ABC North Queensland. She was previously the ABC’s South Asia correspondent, where she reported from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal. She reported from Iraq in the lead-up to the Battle for Mosul in 2016, has covered terrorist attacks and humanitarian crises in East Africa, and repeatedly embedded with the Australian Defence Force. In the 200th episode of Life on the Line, Alex Lloyd spoke with Siobhan about her career in journalism, the media and public access to the ADF in the 21st century, and the relationship between the media, the military and the public in the wake of current stories being reported on alleged war crimes. 

Teddy Sheean VC with Dr Brendan Nelson VC

Angus Hordern speaks with Dr Brendan Nelson about Australia’s 101st Victoria Cross recipient, Teddy Sheean VC.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Teddy Sheean received the Victoria Cross posthumously for his heroism during the sinking of HMAS Armidale on 1 December 1942. Seventy-eight years later, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II approved the award on 12 August 2020.

Dr Brendan Nelson, former Minister for Defence in the Howard Government and Director of the Australian War Memorial 2012-19, chaired the 2020 expert panel that reviewed Teddy’s case. His panel’s recommendation for Teddy to receive the VC was the last domino for this award finally being bestowed. In Dr Nelson’s second appearance on the podcast, he told Angus Hordern the story of Teddy Sheean, and exactly how his posthumous VC came about. Teddy’s story is extraordinary in its own right, as is the story of how his VC took so long to be approved, and what finally changed.

Thistle Productions have worked with Dr Nelson before. Angus Hordern interviewed him in our five-part DVD documentary series, For School and Country. On this podcast he appeared back in Season 1, 2017, when he spoke to me about his career, the Australian War Memorial and the topic of Remembrance Day, in Remembrance Day with Dr Brendan Nelson. 

Replay - Remembrance Day with Dr Brendan Nelson

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. This is a re-release of the 10 November 2017 bonus episode to mark Remembrance Day and to talk about this very special day of reflection and commemoration.

Alex Lloyd spoke with the Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson, Director of the Australian War Memorial. Dr Nelson has a long and distinguished career in public service. Just to name a few prominent positions, Dr Nelson was the Federal President of the Australian Medical Association before serving as the Federal Member for Bradfield from 1996 to 2009, where one of his portfolios was Minister for Defence. After a key ambassadorial role, Dr Nelson was appointed as Director of the Australian War Memorial in 2012.

Dr Brendan Nelson participated in and launched Thistle Productions' documentary miniseries FOR SCHOOL AND COUNTRY in 2015.

Remembrance Day with Dr Brendan Nelson

Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Most weeks we also have a bonus episode, where we speak to historians, authors and others in the veterans community. Tomorrow is Remembrance Day and to talk about this very special day of reflection and commemoration, Alex Lloyd spoke with a very special guest. The Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson has a long and distinguished career in public service. Just to name a few prominent positions, Dr Nelson was the Federal President of the Australian Medical Association before serving as the Federal Member for Bradfield from 1996 to 2009, where one of his portfolios in the Howard government was Minister for Defence. After a key ambassadorial role, Dr Nelson was appointed as Director of the Australian War Memorial in 2012.