australian television information archive

Australia on Trial

Produced by December Films and Essential Media and Entertainment

Executive Producers: Tony Wrigh, Ian Collie
Producers: George Adams, Penny Robins
Writers: Max Mannix, Katherine Thomson, Andy Cox
Directors: Malcolm McDonald, Lisa Matthews, Ana Kokkinos

Airing: April 05 - 19, 2012 (ABC1)

Presented by historian Michael Cathcart, Australia on Trial is a thought-provoking three-part series recreating the historic trials that throw light on the Australia of colonial times. These high-profile and controversial court cases raised major issues of national identity at a time when Australia was evolving from the dominion of the British Empire into a more autonomous federated nation in the late 19th century. But they also raised universal themes and concerns that still resonate in modern-day Australia.