60 Minutes Australia, 21 April 2024, Channel 9, “The Menace of the Taipans/Wonky Wonka”

On Sunday 21 April, 60 Minutes Australia presents two compelling reports from Andrew Probyn and Adam Hegarty, airing at 7.30 pm on Channel 9.

In “The Menace of the Taipans“, National Affairs Editor Andrew Probyn investigates the risks associated with Australia’s 46 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters. These helicopters, which have cost more than three-and-a-half billion dollars to buy and operate, have been labelled as “useless junk” by the Defence Department. The episode examines the concerns surrounding these helicopters, especially after a tragic crash near Hamilton Island last July that took the lives of four Australian airmen. With the helicopters taken out of service and reportedly destined for a secret Defence location, Probyn delves into the possibility that there might be another explanation for the accident, one unrelated to the helicopters’ reliability.

In “Wonky Wonka“, Adam Hegarty takes us to Glasgow, where Scottish entrepreneur Billy Coull’s ambitious idea to stage a Willy Wonka-themed spectacle in an empty warehouse ended in disaster. Coull’s vision, which aimed to bring Roald Dahl’s imagination to life and delight children, was marred by his reliance on artificial intelligence for planning and promotion. As Hegarty reveals, AI fell short of capturing the magic of Willy Wonka, resulting in a farcical event that attracted worldwide ridicule.

60 Minutes Australia airs on Sunday 21 April 2024 at 7.30 pm on Channel 9.