Investigative journalist Nick McKenzie on stress, trust, and staying sane

Executive overview

Investigative journalism at the highest level means death threats, defamation suits, and years-long battles against powerful adversaries. Nick McKenzie — 14-time Walkley Award winner — has spent 20 years working at that intensity and is only now reckoning with the personal cost.

Stress doesn't disappear; it gets channelled. Running, daily pep talks, and paranoia about getting things wrong are his primary tools — not because they're healthy, but because they work.

Fear of failure, not ambition, is the most effective guard against confirmation bias.

Managing energy and anxiety

• Wakes most mornings with anxiety; uses it as fuel rather than trying to eliminate it
• Daily internal pep talk reframes work around core values, not ego or awards
• Gratitude for the privilege of the job counterbalances the daily grind
• Recognises the cycle: adrenaline addiction leads to neglect of everything outside work
• Self-described "case study in what not to do" — endorses none of his coping mechanisms as healthy

Running as a thinking tool

• Afternoon 5–7km run breaks mental blocks and purges built-up stress
• Stops mid-run to call sources when an idea surfaces; notes on phone
• Uses the run to mentally rehearse difficult conversations with adversaries
• Runs with sources: removes the formal interview dynamic, lowers their guard
• Off-the-record conversations flow more freely when both parties are moving

Building and evaluating source trust

• Genuine interest in people's lives — remembers details, follows up months later
• Vulnerability builds trust: sharing his own struggles makes sources feel safe
• Slow relationship-building is more effective and more personally satisfying than transactional journalism
• Becoming more sceptical over 20 years, not less — being burned hardens you
• Asks sources hard questions upfront: skeletons, motivations, potential conflicts
• Confirmation bias is the hidden risk — sources who believe their own lies are hardest to detect

Story ideas and public interest test

• Scrutinises power structures: politics, defence, health — where systems fail or are abused
• Every corruption story needs a human victim at its centre to work
• Public interest means what people deserve to know, not just what they find interesting
• Key test: will reporting this lead to meaningful systemic change?

Dealing with extreme pressure

• Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case: 101-day trial, five years of stress, ongoing
• Channels threat and anger into output — "don't let the bastards get you down"
• Compartmentalises: kept writing other stories during the trial to stay sane
• Acknowledges blocking out stress is not a solution, just his survival mechanism
• Chose this path deliberately; accepts the consequences as self-inflicted

Collaboration and avoiding yes-men

• Seeks colleagues willing to have "friendly fights" — constructive challenge, not agreement
• Yes-men cause businesses and journalism to fail; mistakes go unchallenged
• Explicitly tells junior collaborators: challenge me, disagree with me
• Finds a "champion" — a more senior person who advocates for your career — essential in mid-career
• Sharing both wins and failures with a trusted colleague makes the work more sustainable