ABC Makes Last-Minute Decision to Scrap Australian Story Episode
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation made a dramatic, last-minute decision to pull an episode of its flagship program Australian Story from the airwaves after discovering that the featured pensioner had serious historic criminal convictions. The episode, which was scheduled to air on Monday, focused on the legal battle of 73-year-old Ian Williams from Bendigo, Victoria, who took National Australia Bank subsidiary UBank to court over unauthorised transactions.
The Extraordinary Legal Battle That Captured National Attention
Ian Williams, a former private investigator, initiated legal proceedings in October 2025 against UBank concerning two unauthorised transactions from his account totalling $1,338.55. In a remarkable legal strategy, Williams sought damages not exceeding $379 million plus an additional $10,000 for pain and suffering. He reportedly calculated this staggering figure by claiming he had lost 5.5 percent of his income to the scammers, and that $379 million represented approximately the same percentage of the bank's overall income.
Despite representing himself in court, Williams's case was ultimately dismissed by Associate Justice Caroline Goulden of the Supreme Court of Victoria. The judge determined the case had no real prospect of success and summarily dismissed the matter. However, Williams's story had already captured the imagination of many Australians, leading the ABC to prepare an episode portraying his struggle as a classic David and Goliath battle against a major financial institution.
The Sudden Reversal and Editorial Standards
Just hours before the scheduled broadcast, the ABC received new information about Williams that was unrelated to his banking dispute. In a statement posted to the Australian Story webpage and shared by host Leigh Sales on social media, the broadcaster revealed: We have since confirmed Mr Williams was convicted of serious historical offences, which he failed to disclose to the ABC.
The statement continued: Content featuring Mr Williams on the ABC no longer meets our editorial standards and is being removed. The Australian Story will not go to air. All promotional material for the segment was immediately taken down, including a video showing Williams speeding along Melbourne roads on a motorbike while describing himself as just a stubborn bugger.
The Banking Dispute at the Heart of the Story
Williams's case centered on two Google Pay transactions on October 29, 2022, which he claimed were fraudulent. He alleged that UBank and NAB blamed him for authorising the transactions, despite his assertion that he was in Bendigo, 180 kilometers away, at the time. Williams reportedly obtained CCTV footage showing two individuals using his account at Coles Bundoora during the transactions.
I didn't do it. I wasn't there... But the bank said, 'No'. They still come back, 'Nup, you're guilty', Williams told the Australian Story program according to promotional materials. The bank, which denied any liability, had offered to refund the transactions twice: once in December 2022 and again in May 2023, but Williams refused these offers and pursued his extraordinary legal claim instead.
Bank's Response and Ongoing Scam Prevention Efforts
Ahead of the now-cancelled episode, NAB executive Craig Swinburne issued a statement acknowledging shortcomings in their handling of Williams's case. What happened to Mr Williams was really upsetting – scams can happen to anyone and have a serious financial and emotional impact, Swinburne stated. We know we could have done better in how we communicated and supported Mr Williams. We're continuing to strengthen education, protections and support across UBank and NAB.
The promotional material for the episode had depicted Williams as something of a folk hero, with one interviewee remarking: To go in and bat against a big corporation is incredible. However, the discovery of his undisclosed criminal history prompted the ABC to permanently spike the episode, demonstrating the broadcaster's commitment to maintaining strict editorial standards even at the eleventh hour.
