Hinch v Canberra: MUP to publish Derryn Hinch's new book for Christmas

Explosive, incisive, frank, brutal, and, at times, very funny.

As a current affairs commentator, Derryn Hinch spent decades fighting with politicians. Then the unthinkable happened—he became one.

For Derryn Hinch it has often been a long, sometimes solitary journey. He used to joke about fellow journalists and politicians, who would say 'I'm right behind you' as he pushed a cause, got fined, went to jail, was placed under house arrest, spent two weeks in solitary confinement. He said: ‘I didn't know just how far behind me they really were.’

Over 50 years in the news business—as foreign correspondent, newspaper editor, TV and radio current affairs host—Hinch has met every Prime Minister since Bob Menzies. All 14 of them. He never dreamed his career, and the politicians' world, would mesh.

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I can tell you, this is one book I never dreamed I’d write. Or even be in a position to write.”

Derryn Hinch

This intimate inside story covers Hinch's life in Canberra after the veteran journalist ‘jumped the shark’, started a new political party—and got elected.

The ABC’s Q&A host, Tony Jones, told Derryn one night how he envied him: ‘You really are on the inside. A journo outsider … now on the inside.’

And he has been on the inside for the past incredible year. Hinch vs Canberra – inside the human headlines follows all the colour, intrigue and power struggles of Canberra from Hinch’s first days at ‘Senate school’ through the successes (and failures) of his first year as ‘Senator Hinch’.

MUP’s Chief Executive Louise Adler says, ‘we are delighted to be publishing the chronicle of a hilarious, terrifying and exhausting year in the life of a novice senator. Senator Derryn Hinch has had more lives than most of us, as a radio and television journalist, prison inmate, liver recipient and the author of 15 books. In this new book the Human Headline takes us inside the House on the Hill. It is said that politics is like making sausages and that citizens shouldn’t look too closely. With Hinch on the subject, readers won’t be able to look away …’

Derryn Hinch is/was a journalist, broadcaster, author and ex-crim. In 2016 he launched Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party and was elected as a federal senator for Victoria.

Hinch has been jailed twice, fined, and spent five months under house arrest for his campaigns against suppression orders for sex offenders. In 2011, he received a liver transplant after being diagnosed with terminal cancer and given 12 months to live. The former newspaper editor hosted the current affairs program HINCH on the 7 and 10 networks, Midday on 9 and award-winning stints on 3AW. He hosted HINCH Live on SKY News until launching his political career. He now writes for Crikey and appears on Sunrise, PMLive and 3AW. This is his 15th book.