60 Minutes Australia

Belle Gibson: The Whole Hoax/Negotiating with ISIS (2015x18)

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Belle Gibson: The Whole Hoax It was the lie that rocked Australia. A young, beautiful woman is given the terrible news she has inoperable brain cancer and only four months to live. Belle Gibson is courageous – she tries chemotherapy and radiotherapy before turning to alternative medicine to battle the disease. Thankfully it seems to work and she tells the world through social media, encouraging others to try the same. It’s a truly inspiring story. Hundreds of thousands of sympathetic followers and fellow sufferers live every step of her journey and celebrate her success as she becomes the poster girl for the alternative wellness industry. There’s an award-winning app, and a cookbook. But it is all a lie. Belle Gibson doesn’t have cancer – she never did. Until this day, Belle claims unscrupulous natural therapists duped her into believing she was dying, but this Sunday 60 Minutes will reveal the proof that this is a lie too – Belle Gibson is not a victim. She is a fraud. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Stephen Taylor Negotiating with ISIS Australians are renowned the world over as intrepid travellers. In fact last year alone we made more than nine million trips overseas. What if one of us were to be kidnapped and held hostage for a ransom? Should the Australian government pay up? Well don’t hold your breath. Like the United Kingdom and the United States, Australia refuses to negotiate with terrorists, but in Europe it’s a very different story. They do pay, and their citizens are released, largely unharmed and free to live a normal life. You might agree with Australia’s tough stance, but what if it was your loved one? Your mother or father, your daughter or son? Would you want our government to pay? Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Phil Goyen