Bronwyn Winfield family applauds investigation

Investigative journalist Hedley Thomas has met with the full family of Bronwyn Winfield as he discusses the mystery of the Lennox Head mother’s disappearance.

Members of Bronwyn Winfield’s family with The Australian’s national chief correspondent Hedley Thomas, centre, at an event in Sydney on Thursday. Picture: Britta Campion

The Australian’s national chief correspondent Hedley Thomas has said it is “unfathomable” that charges were not laid 20 years ago over the presumed death of Lennox Head mother Bronwyn Winfield.

In a speaking event convened by The Australian on Thursday, Bronwyn podcast fans, family members and citizen sleuths gathered to hear the latest analysis from Thomas, along with national crime correspondent David Murray, senior reporter Matthew Condon and editorial director Claire Harvey.

“I believe that the system, clearly and quite honestly – in this case and others that I’ve been involved in – fails to grasp what (with) all of the evidence, (what you) can see is a strong circumstantial case,” Thomas said.

“When people like Judy Singh came forward – who many people heard in episode seven of the podcast – that should have been a game changer.

“It’s our job in journalism and with these podcasts to try to reignite these cases, to refresh them, because the families don’t have anyone else after the police have tried and failed.”

Bronwyn Winfield, Jon Winfield and their daughter Lauren.

The event comes at a critical juncture for the investigation into Bronwyn’s disappearance. The podcast entered its final season with revelations about a financial windfall for her husband and main suspect in her disappearance, Jon Winfield.

Thomas said it was hard to accept he would have to leave the investigation behind.

“You keep finding new information, and if we set a rigid finish date or episode number, then how do we accommodate all of the people with more information and unpack this extraordinary case the detail that it deserves,” he asked.

“It’s a serious business, and we’re talking about dramatic and often really distressing stories and angles, but we come together and work professionally, and everyone gets on really well.

“What is a bit frustrating, and I’ll speak briefly for (Bronwyn’s brother) Andy (Read) here, something I know from everything he’s told me, he feels that he is the last person to know anything that’s going on.” Thomas said.

“They (the police) can always ask at the first opportunity for anything that they believe could help their investigation. They only have to pick up the phone, it’s that easy.”

Mr Read said it was incredible to see the “groundswell” effect of the podcast in action.

“There’s definitely massive support for the podcast. People (are) coming forward with some new leads, some new bits of information. It’s been really good,” he said.

Bronwyn's relative Madi Walsh and Bronwyn’s brother Andy Read. Picture: Britta Campion

His wife, Michelle, added: “hopefully from this we’ll find a resolution, find out what happened to Bronwyn.”

“The whole family think it’s a good thing, and we’re all here tonight.”

Harvey said the Bronwyn podcast, along with Thomas’ other investigations, underlined the role of journalism in holding violent domestic abusers to account.

“Australians really do care about stories about missing women,” Harvey said. “A couple of years ago, our friends in the rest of the media kind of discovered domestic violence as a story, and so they sent reporters off to local courts to do stories about what was going on.

“I was really proud at that time that, in fact, at The Australian – through the work of journalists like Hedley, and Dave and Matt – we’ve been covering issues of violence against women in the most important way for a really long time.”

In its third season, the Bronwyn podcast has examined how Mr Winfield came to be the prime beneficiary in the will of a wealthy cancer recipient Beverley Brooker who died in 2022. Listener Nicole Jacobson applauded Thomas’ investigative efforts.

“I have listened to everything that Hedley has done,” she said. “I just find it disappointing that our system didn’t do the right thing by these families, and it’s taken … a reporter to piece something together to get a result.

“Absolute credit to him, to get to where we are is such an achievement.

“I just hope we get the right outcome for the Winfield family.”

NSW Police have previously sought evidence uncovered by the podcast for their own investigation.

Bronwyn season 3, episode 4 releases Friday evening. The speaking event was held at the Art Gallery of NSW.