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John Flint

Biographical Notes from The Walkley Awards website for 2005

All Media: Social Equity Journalism Winner

John Flint , The Sunday Times, "Doctoring Compo - The Real Cheats Exposed"

John Flint began an investigation into workers' compensation in Western Australia believing there was an untold scandal. His work went on to expose a group of doctors employed by insurance companies who thwarted injury and disability claims by using unethical - and in some cases fraudulent - methods.

Using Freedom of Information, government reports and court testimony, the investigation of 25 reports across one year also explored the practices of some private investigators and the stories of people with genuine claims who were painted as malingerers and cheats.

Flint has been a newspaper reporter since 1989. In May 2000 he joined The Sunday Times and for the past three years he has been the newspaper's investigative reporter and deputy chief-of-staff. Flint was a Walkley finalist in 2003.

Judges' comments

This is an excellent exposé of an issue that has been largely unrecognised or pursued from the opposite angle. The story raised awareness of the problem and has provoked a stream of complaints to the WA Medical Board.