TRAILER – Introducing 'This Bloody Machine'

It's a plan so good that everyone wants to believe it. Bring a life-saving cancer machine to Australia so desperate families don't have to travel overseas for treatment.

But the plan keeps failing.

The latest idea is to build a half-billion-dollar health science precinct in the heart of Sydney to house Australia's first proton therapy machine.

It's got some big names backing it, support from a federal politician, and the green light from state government and local council.

So why, when reporters Julia Bergin and Loretta Florance take a closer look, is it so hard to get a clear answer about what's going on?

Is it happening? And what will it take to bring this machine to Australia?

This Bloody Machine is a three-part Background Briefing investigation that follows a trail of money, egos, secret plans and changing stories to find out if the proton therapy dream is too good to be true.

To explore the best in-depth investigations and documentaries from this award-winning team, search 'Background Briefing podcast' on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes and series exposing cover-ups of all kinds, misuse of power, big and small, miscarriage of justice, crime, frauds and scams, all told by trusted journalists at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Sydney, Urban Development and Planning, Health