Contesting the climate breakdown: athlete activism, documentary and the environmentalism of Australia's David Pocock

David Pocock is a pivotal sporting, cultural and political figure in Australia. His profile as a former professional rugby union player, national team captain, and current federal politician affords him a unique platform to advocate for environmental protection and climate action. This article traces Pocock's transition from athlete to activist to politician by investigating two documentary-related productions. Deploying an ecocritical analysis that focuses attention on the broad cultural and political resonances of Pocock's representation, we argue that these productions highlight how Pocock's popular image as an outstanding and hardworking elite athlete is re-articulated and then deployed to advance environmental causes and calls for action on the climate crisis. By affording him access to complex modes of representation, these productions enable Pocock to move beyond the boundaries of sporting achievement as a cultural frame. His standing as an activist and politician is amplified through the accumulation of layers of meaning over time, particularly in relation to the broader issues of nationhood, masculinity and environmentalism. The productions that support our analysis are: (i) a 2016 two-part episode of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's biographical profile series Australian Story; and (ii) a 2019 online video produced by Canon Australia about photography and conservation in the Tasmanian rainforest area of takanya/the Tarkine. A third production, a 2022 short film titled Regenerating Australia, is also briefly discussed. These productions reflect changes in Australian media industries that exemplify the rise of ‘strategic impact documentary’ and evolving intersections between filmmaking and environmental campaigning.