Adele Ferguson

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Walkley Award TV Long Form

Cosmetic Cowboys: The unregulated world of cosmetic surgery

A joint investigation into the booming $1.4 billion cosmetic surgery industry exposed life threatening practices and a broken regulatory system putting hundreds of thousands of Australians in danger a year. Despite decades of parliamentary inquiries and media coverage, nothing changed and industry was allowed to get out of control - until this expose. Doctors with basic medical degrees were able to call themselves cosmetic surgeons and make millions of dollars performing major surgeries such as facelifts, brazilian butt lifts, tummy tucks and mega liposuction after only a 15-hour course. The investigation was triggered by a wage fraud tip. It morphed into an investigation into the biggest cosmetic surgery network and years of unconscionable practices and botched surgeries without one negative media article, google review or regulatory sanction.

See the stories:

Program 1 : Cosmetic Cowboys | 4 Corners | Oct 25, 2021

Program 2: A Bad Look | 60 Minutes | 9 Jun , 2022

Program 3: A Worse Look | 60 Minutes | 21 Aug , 2022

Update to Part 3: Cosmetic Crisis | 60 Minutes | 28 Aug, 2022

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