Nick Feik: Investigative journalism and the accountability cycle

Will Partlett speaks with Nick Feik, former editor of The Monthly, about the role investigative journalism plays in Australia’s integrity puzzle.They discuss:Why difficult stories often need sustained public attention before they produce reformHow reporting on Tasmania’s Ashley Youth Detention Centre and Robodebt exposed deeper institutional failuresWhy public inquiries, parliamentary pressure and civil society all matter to accountabilityThe episode also examines the challenges facing investigative journalists, including defamation law, short media cycles and governments’ ability to delay or manage demands for reform.Full show notes:00:00 Intro 02:40 Media economics and scarcity 04:59 The accountability cycle explained 06:40 Tasmania’s abuse investigation 11:12 Power and reform networks 12:14 Working with crossbenchers 13:45 The limits of royal commissions 19:05 Defamation and its chilling effect 23:02 Robodebt as a case study 26:59 The NACC and public accountability 28:34 Why details take time 29:27 Closing takeaways