The Wire

Paul Barry is an investigative journalist who has always set his sights on the rich and powerful. Since the 1980’s his books have exposed the business machinations and private lives of Alan Bond and Kerry packer, among others. His most recent book Who Wants To be a Billionaire is about Kerry Packer’s son James and caused quite a stir when it was released in 2009. It was heavily criticised by influential public figures like broadcaster Alan Jones and Mining magnate Twiggy Forrest. Now that same book has won this year’s Blake Dawson Business Literature Prize. Barry says the book’s expose of the human cost of the gambling industry was one of the aspects which the judges praised.