Channel Four Live Cam

Wednesday 31 July, 11.15 am

Hello again, Jean Acheson with the Live Cam, recapping the news that the search for Environment Minister Susan Wright appears to be over with the discovery of a body here by Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin early this morning.

Mrs Wright disappeared on Sunday night after a party in her office. In the two days since, millions of Australians have been affected by one of the biggest manhunts ever conducted in this country. And now this.

A major police operation is underway around the lake below me, and while we’ve had no official word yet as to the identity of the body down there, everything points to it being Mrs Wright. For a start, journalists monitoring police communications earlier this morning say officers in the first patrol car to attend the scene repeatedly used the minister’s name when referring to the deceased. Also, the senior policeman who led the search to find Mrs Wright has now taken charge of things here. And most tellingly, Prime Minister Lansdowne cancelled all campaign engagements in Brisbane this morning, and his jet touched down in Canberra just minutes ago.

Susan Wright was Michael Lansdowne’s most effective minister. She was also his best performer in the parliament, and her efforts over the past three weeks are the only reason his government’s still rated a chance in this election. If she is dead, as seems likely, then Mr Lansdowne’s hopes of a come-from-behind win must surely have died with her. This is Jean Acheson. Back with more in a moment.