The assassination of the Australian Prime Minister and the suspected abduction of the Japanese Prime Minister made front page headlines around the world. Most of the stories attributed the attack to Islamic State terrorists. The morning edition of the National’s Saturday newspaper had scooped the pool with Helen Kwang’s first-hand account of the disaster together with graphic photographs of the slain Prime Minister and other casualties. Her article and Percy’s photos covered the first four pages of the “National” and were repeated on line in all the major media outlets.
With her phone constantly ringing through the night, Helen had only two hours sleep before her alarm woke her at 6 a.m. She had agreed to give interviews with two of the major Australian television stations that morning, the first starting at 7.a.m. She showered and dressed quickly, choosing the one outfit that she hadn’t worn that week, put on her make-up, checked her messages and the internet, and prepared herself for a long and difficult day. She had a quick breakfast at the resort’s buffet before walking to the hotel entrance where her interviewer and camera crew awaited her. She was nervous realising that for any journalist this was the story of a lifetime.