In late 2005, the Cronulla riots shocked the nation, but when details of the Hazzard report into the police handling of the incident emerged well before its official release, it was the NSW police minister Carl Scully who got the shock of his life. Was it a leak gone wrong or what? Scully got tangled up in the detail. Forced to go back into the chamber to correct himself on the issue, Scully’s time was up – Premier Morris Iemma sacked him.

Honourable mention: The leak of the report into Private Kovco’s death embarrassed the military and further saddened this soldier’s family.

2005 Winner: The leak to Miranda Devine that “turned into a torrent and swept John Brogden away”.