Today Tonight in new low
By Claire Weaver
March 11, 2007 03:48am

THE current-affairs show Today Tonight has been accused by Mercedes Corby of using a victim of the Indonesian air crash to lure her into a five-camera television ambush on the Gold Coast.

Ms Corby, the sister of drug smuggler Schapelle, stormed out of a McDonald's restaurant yesterday morning after being confronted by Today Tonight journalist Bryan Seymour.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Ms Corby said she had been tricked into believing the meeting was with a man who may have "secret legal documents" obtained by diplomat Liz O'Neill, who died in Wednesday's Garuda airlines crash.

Ms O'Neill worked closely with the Corby family during Schapelle's court appearances in Bali.

Last night, Today Tonight executive producer Craig McPherson admitted the man who talked her into the meeting was a private investigator hired by the show to find Ms Corby.

But he described Ms Corby's claims about using the death of Ms O'Neill as a "complete fabrication".

"For her to try and imply that the private investigator used a victim of the Garuda plane crash to lure her to a public spot is outrageous, and it's a lie," Mr McPherson said last night.

"That is outrageous of her to draw (Liz O'Neill's name) in. I can say 100 per cent he never used her name."

Former 60 Minutes producer Kathryn Bonella, who co-wrote Schapelle Corby's book My Story, backed Ms Corby's version of the ambush, describing the tactic as "sick".

She said a tearful and excited Mercedes Corby called her on Friday night, saying she had received a call from a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade official named Roger who could help Schapelle.

"The man had told her that the papers were red hot and had come from Liz O'Neill, who had died in the Garuda crash," Ms Bonella said.

The private investigator, who would not be named, last night confirmed he misled Ms Corby to lure her to the meeting point with Seymour and five cameras.

"She was on a fishing expedition to find out who I was. She put up a heap of names, including Elizabeth O'Neill," the investigator said.

"She was a bit suspicious and paranoid, which you could expect."

But he admitted he did not rule out using Ms O'Neill name.

He said he "knew of" Ms O'Neill when Ms Corby mentioned the name "Elizabeth O'Neill" while running a series of names past him.

The unnamed investigator, who has worked for Today Tonight for eight years, said he "absolutely" admits telling lies as part of his work to set up Ms Corby.

"I don't believe I am ethically immoral by telling lies to people like her to get her in a position where you can confront her," he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer promised a full investigation by his department.

"That's terrible - that's so disappointing if it's true," he said. "Oh dear, she (Liz O'Neill) died on Wednesday."

Mercedes Corby, who lives in Indonesia, said she was visiting her sick father in Queensland when she received calls on her mobile phone from a man claiming to be from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade last week.

"He said he had documents that Elizabeth O'Neill had for me. Her husband had (wanted them) passed them onto me because she believed in Schapelle's innocence and she really wanted me to have them but they were top-secret.

"He said it wouldn't get her off but would help, and I wasn't to say where they came from.

"I said: 'That's fine, I'll just say they came off the back of a truck.'"

McPherson said last night the network had no footage of the incident, although the investigator confirmed there were a number of cameras positioned at the site.

"There was the big camera, two mini-cameras and a couple of hidden cameras," he said.

"Bryan gave orders 'She has the baby, drop the cameras'," the private investigator said.

Ms Corby, who lives in Bali, gave birth to her third child in January.

The ambush also included Ms Corby's nemesis Jodi Power, who was also waiting outside the McDonald's.

Both sides in the row between the show and the Corbys admit the confrontation ended after Ms Corby left the restaurant.

McPherson said he was prepared to sue Ms Corby for the allegations. It is understood Ms Corby has also threatened to sue the network over its coverage of Ms Power's allegations against the family.

Ms Bonella said she would be prepared to "stand up in court" and back Ms Corby "to the hilt".

Ms Corby contacted The Sunday Telegraph after making a formal complaint to Gold Coast police.

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