Mike Smith, the Australian Financial Review’s China correspondent, was awoken by the secret police banging on his door, marking the end of Australian journalism on the ground in China since the 1970s.

This podcast began as an audio version of my book, Mud Between Your Toes – a memoir about my life – a gay, white boy growing up during the 1970s Rhodesian Bush War. It has now evolved into a series of conversations with characters and personalities with stories to tell – occasionally on an African theme.

Season 03 - Episode 10 of MUD BETWEEN YOUR TOES CONVERSATIONS WITH PETE WOOD. It was well after midnight on a muggy Shanghai September evening in 2020 when Michael Smith, the Australian Financial Review’s China correspondent, was awoken by the secret police banging on his door. 

It would mark the abrupt end of Australian journalism on the ground in China since diplomatic ties were established in 1972.

Speaking from his home in Sydney, Mike talks to me about his evacuation from China, his recently released book, The Last Correspondent and his views on the highly charged atmosphere between Canberra and Beijing.

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