Through new investigations and first-hand accounts, Conspiracy Nation takes readers to the rallies, homes, courtrooms, secret chat rooms and $2000 Byron Bay luxury retreats where Australia's conspiracy theories spread.
'There are microchips in vaccines'; '5G spreads COVID-19'; 'the Australian government is hiding a list of powerful predators' – Conspiracy Nation exposes the world of Australian conspiracy theories, their history, appeal and political influence. It's easy to dismiss these as fringe concerns or imported concepts, but conspiratorial ideas are gaining traction with everyday Australians, and being wielded by those in power.
In this boots-on-the-ground report, journalists Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson meet the people dedicated to living and spreading these ideas, those who have been left reeling by their impact, and the ones who are fighting back.
From Port Arthur and QAnon, to the rise of 'wellness' influencers and 'sovereign citizen' gurus, to the delusions that inspired the Wieambilla murders, Bogle and Wilson show the devastating consequences of unchecked lies and radicalisation, and make a compelling case that by ignoring the looming threat of conspiratorial thinking, we put our community at risk.
PRAISE FOR CONSPIRACY NATION
'Strangely entertaining and often terrifying, this is a compelling account of the madness within.' – Richard Glover, author of The Land Before Avocado
'Falling down the rabbit (wombat?) hole of Australian conspiracies, from Port Arthur to Pete Evans, Conspiracy Nation deftly connects the dots, explaining our country's role in consuming and feeding anxiety on this great flat earth.' – John Safran, author of Squat
'If you're one of the many Australians who's lost a friend or family member to a conspiracy wormhole and witnessed them untether from reality, Conspiracy Nation is for you. Bogle and Wilson, with their careful research and compassionate lens, give us the tools to understand what has happened, in a book that is a gripping investigation, rollicking read and timely document into the fracturing of the Australian mind.' – Benjamin Law, author of The Family Law
'There's nobody better at tracing the fault lines between the internet, politics and chaos. These two get there first and stay longer than is probably healthy. If there's a rabbit hole, Ariel and Cam have already been to the bottom of it and interviewed the guy live-streaming from a bunker.' – Marc Fennell
'Lucid, smart and as compelling as a thriller. Conspiracy Nation is a must read for anyone interested in the gap between reality and belief.' –​ Brigid Delaney