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Bob Bottom

January 01, 1970

Robert Godier Bottom, OAM, better known as Bob Bottom, is a retired Australian investigative journalist and author.

Career edit

In the words of Malcolm Brown in The Sydney Morning Herald, Bottom made "heroic, ground breaking efforts to expose organised crime" and "did more than any other single individual to bring crime and corruption to public attention in NSW in the 1970s and 1980s". At times, he and his family were afforded 24-hour police protection.[1]

Because of the scale of information confided to him as a trusted contact for crime intelligence operatives, Bottom has been hired to advise insight teams of The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald and has been a known source for countless exposes by other investigative journalists, often making him a target for threats, smears and vilification.

One of his most famous exposes, the release in 1984 through The Age newspaper of material on identities and rackets from telephone taps illegally carried out by undercover police in New South Wales, provoked state and national inquiries and ultimately prompted governments to allow law enforcement agencies to legally use telephone interception in organised crime cases.[2]

Over the years, he has participated in 18 Royal Commission and other judicial and parliamentary inquiries and has played a key role in the establishment of state and national institutions to combat organised crime and corruption.[3][4]

He sparked his first inquiry into the New South Wales police force with an exposé in The Bulletin magazine in 1963 with an article titled Behind the Barrier.[5] Writing later for the Sunday Telegraph, he was credited with helping force Australia's first Royal Commission into organised crime – the Moffitt Royal Commission in NSW in 1973 which resulted in police setting up crime intelligence units throughout Australia.

A report he wrote for the NSW Government in 1978, titled Report Upon Organised Crime In NSW, first recommended a separate crime commission concept for Australia. At that time, he had been working as a government adviser.

He was consulted by then Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser before announcing a National Crimes Commission in late 1982 and was a delegate to a National Crime Summit in July 1983 when the new government of Prime Minister Bob Hawke opted to transform the Fraser model into the National Crime Authority.

In 1986, his concept was finally adopted in NSW for the establishment of a Drug Crime Commission targeting drug trafficking and was then engaged as an adviser when it was subsequently reformed into the NSW Crime Commission to target all forms of organised crime.

In 1988, he was also appointed to a steering committee for the establishment of NSW's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). In 1989, he was again engaged to advise on pioneering legislation in NSW for confiscation of assets from criminals involved in organised crime.

In 1997, he prepared a report which resulted in the establishment of a Queensland Crime Commission – since merged with the Criminal Justice Commission to form the Crime and Misconduct Commission. In 2002 he was involved with the reformation of the National Crime Authority into the Australian Crime Commission.

During 2004, he was a participant in a Victoria Police Organised Crime Strategy Group which devised a five-year plan to confront Melbourne's underworld following a gangland war in which 28 people were murdered.

Now in retirement, while writing the occasional special article, he has been a regular witness before parliamentary committee hearings reviewing law enforcement efforts to combat organised crime.

In 2009 his book Fighting Organised Crime, Triumph and betrayal in a lifelong campaign, was published.

Honours edit

In 1997, for his "service to the community and to journalism through the investigation and reporting of organised crime in Australia" Bottom was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1997 Australia Day Honours.[6]

In 2003 he was made an honorary professor of journalism by Queensland's Jschool for his "outstanding contribution to journalism".[7]

In 2004 he received the lifetime achievement award from the Crime Writers Association of Australia.[8]

In 2019 he was named as a recipient of the Danger Lifetime Achievement Award, part of the Sydney Crime Writers Festival.[9]

Bibliography edit

Author edit

  • Behind the Barrier. Gladesville, N.S.W.: Gareth Powell Associates, 1969.
  • The Godfather in Australia: Organised Crime's Australian Connections. Terrey Hills, N.S.W.: A. H. & A. W. Reed, 1979.
  • Without Fear or Favour. South Melbourne: Sun Books, 1984.
  • Connections: Crime Rackets and Networks of Influence Down-Under. South Melbourne : Sun Books, 1985.
  • Connections II: Crime Rackets and Networks of Influence in Australia. South Melbourne : Sun Books, 1987.
  • Shadow of Shame: How the Mafia Got Away with the Murder of Donald Mackay. South Melbourne : Sun Books, 1988.
  • Bugged! : Legal Police Telephone Taps Expose the Mr Bigs of Australia's Drug Trade. South Melbourne : Sun, 1989.
  • Fighting Organised Crime: Triumph and Betrayal in a Lifelong Campaign. Nelson Bay, N.S.W.: BBP, 2009.

Co-authored edit

  • Inside Victoria: A Chronicle of Scandal – with John Silvester, Tom Noble and Paul Daley. Chippendale, N.S.W. : Pan Macmillan, 1991.

Edited edit

  • Big Shots: A Who's Who in Australian Crime by David Wilson and Lindsay Murdoch. South Melbourne: Sun Books, 1985.
  • Big Shots II by David Wilson and Paul Robinson. South Melbourne: Sun Books, 1987.

References edit

  1. ^ ABC Radio National - Lifelong Learning
  2. ^ McClymont, Kate; Whitbourn, Michaela (15 September 2017). "Lionel Murphy: Parliament releases documents from judicial scandal investigation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  3. ^ Bottom, Michael Duffy and Bob (30 May 2011). "Swimming with sharks". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  4. ^ Houghton, Des (5 September 2014). "Opinion: Retired judge Tony Fitzgerald's failures hit a nerve". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Vol. 85 No. 4347 (8 Jun 1963)".
  6. ^ "Robert Godier Bottom". honours.pmc.gov.au. from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Bob Bottom honoured by journalism school - Jschool". jschool.com.au. 4 December 2003. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Bob Bottom OAM". Australian Crime Writers Association. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. ^ WILSON, ASHLEIGH (5 September 2019). "Reporter Bob Bottom shone light on darkness". The Australian. Retrieved 22 August 2023.

January 01, 1970
bottom, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, biography, living, person, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, adding, reliable, sou. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page especially if potentially libelous Find sources Bob Bottom news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view April 2015 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message Robert Godier Bottom OAM better known as Bob Bottom is a retired Australian investigative journalist and author Contents 1 Career 2 Honours 3 Bibliography 3 1 Author 3 2 Co authored 3 3 Edited 4 ReferencesCareer editIn the words of Malcolm Brown in The Sydney Morning Herald Bottom made heroic ground breaking efforts to expose organised crime and did more than any other single individual to bring crime and corruption to public attention in NSW in the 1970s and 1980s At times he and his family were afforded 24 hour police protection 1 Because of the scale of information confided to him as a trusted contact for crime intelligence operatives Bottom has been hired to advise insight teams of The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald and has been a known source for countless exposes by other investigative journalists often making him a target for threats smears and vilification One of his most famous exposes the release in 1984 through The Age newspaper of material on identities and rackets from telephone taps illegally carried out by undercover police in New South Wales provoked state and national inquiries and ultimately prompted governments to allow law enforcement agencies to legally use telephone interception in organised crime cases 2 Over the years he has participated in 18 Royal Commission and other judicial and parliamentary inquiries and has played a key role in the establishment of state and national institutions to combat organised crime and corruption 3 4 He sparked his first inquiry into the New South Wales police force with an expose in The Bulletin magazine in 1963 with an article titled Behind the Barrier 5 Writing later for the Sunday Telegraph he was credited with helping force Australia s first Royal Commission into organised crime the Moffitt Royal Commission in NSW in 1973 which resulted in police setting up crime intelligence units throughout Australia A report he wrote for the NSW Government in 1978 titled Report Upon Organised Crime In NSW first recommended a separate crime commission concept for Australia At that time he had been working as a government adviser He was consulted by then Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser before announcing a National Crimes Commission in late 1982 and was a delegate to a National Crime Summit in July 1983 when the new government of Prime Minister Bob Hawke opted to transform the Fraser model into the National Crime Authority In 1986 his concept was finally adopted in NSW for the establishment of a Drug Crime Commission targeting drug trafficking and was then engaged as an adviser when it was subsequently reformed into the NSW Crime Commission to target all forms of organised crime In 1988 he was also appointed to a steering committee for the establishment of NSW s Independent Commission Against Corruption ICAC In 1989 he was again engaged to advise on pioneering legislation in NSW for confiscation of assets from criminals involved in organised crime In 1997 he prepared a report which resulted in the establishment of a Queensland Crime Commission since merged with the Criminal Justice Commission to form the Crime and Misconduct Commission In 2002 he was involved with the reformation of the National Crime Authority into the Australian Crime Commission During 2004 he was a participant in a Victoria Police Organised Crime Strategy Group which devised a five year plan to confront Melbourne s underworld following a gangland war in which 28 people were murdered Now in retirement while writing the occasional special article he has been a regular witness before parliamentary committee hearings reviewing law enforcement efforts to combat organised crime In 2009 his book Fighting Organised Crime Triumph and betrayal in a lifelong campaign was published Honours editIn 1997 for his service to the community and to journalism through the investigation and reporting of organised crime in Australia Bottom was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia OAM in the 1997 Australia Day Honours 6 In 2003 he was made an honorary professor of journalism by Queensland s Jschool for his outstanding contribution to journalism 7 In 2004 he received the lifetime achievement award from the Crime Writers Association of Australia 8 In 2019 he was named as a recipient of the Danger Lifetime Achievement Award part of the Sydney Crime Writers Festival 9 Bibliography editAuthor edit Behind the Barrier Gladesville N S W Gareth Powell Associates 1969 The Godfather in Australia Organised Crime s Australian Connections Terrey Hills N S W A H amp A W Reed 1979 Without Fear or Favour South Melbourne Sun Books 1984 Connections Crime Rackets and Networks of Influence Down Under South Melbourne Sun Books 1985 Connections II Crime Rackets and Networks of Influence in Australia South Melbourne Sun Books 1987 Shadow of Shame How the Mafia Got Away with the Murder of Donald Mackay South Melbourne Sun Books 1988 Bugged Legal Police Telephone Taps Expose the Mr Bigs of Australia s Drug Trade South Melbourne Sun 1989 Fighting Organised Crime Triumph and Betrayal in a Lifelong Campaign Nelson Bay N S W BBP 2009 Co authored edit Inside Victoria A Chronicle of Scandal with John Silvester Tom Noble and Paul Daley Chippendale N S W Pan Macmillan 1991 Edited edit Big Shots A Who s Who in Australian Crime by David Wilson and Lindsay Murdoch South Melbourne Sun Books 1985 Big Shots II by David Wilson and Paul Robinson South Melbourne Sun Books 1987 References edit ABC Radio National Lifelong Learning McClymont Kate Whitbourn Michaela 15 September 2017 Lionel Murphy Parliament releases documents from judicial scandal investigation The Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 21 August 2023 Bottom Michael Duffy and Bob 30 May 2011 Swimming with sharks The Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 21 August 2023 Houghton Des 5 September 2014 Opinion Retired judge Tony Fitzgerald s failures hit a nerve The Courier Mail Retrieved 22 August 2023 Vol 85 No 4347 8 Jun 1963 Robert Godier Bottom honours pmc gov au Archived from the original on 5 September 2019 Retrieved 5 September 2019 Bob Bottom honoured by journalism school Jschool jschool com au 4 December 2003 Retrieved 21 August 2023 Bob Bottom OAM Australian Crime Writers Association Retrieved 21 August 2023 WILSON ASHLEIGH 5 September 2019 Reporter Bob Bottom shone light on darkness The Australian Retrieved 22 August 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bob Bottom amp oldid 1172079559, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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