BEDTIME STORY: King O'Malley 20 May 2026

In this Nightline Bedtime Story we step into the extraordinary life of King O'Malley, one of the most colourful and controversial figures in Australian political history. A passionate prohibitionist, fiery orator and relentless dreamer, O’Malley arrived in Australia with big ideas and even bigger stories, eventually helping shape the nation’s banking system and the creation of Canberra itself. But behind the booming speeches and political theatre was a deeply human story of reinvention, ambition, heartbreak and the search for belonging in a young country still discovering its identity. Join Cheralyn Darcey for a warm and reflective Nightline Bedtime Story about the man who helped build modern Australia while forever blurring the line between myth and reality. Written and read by Cheralyn, The Nightline Bedtime Story features every night on The Nightline. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.