[4] In 2012, while a reporter at the Bendigo Weekly, Smethurst played an important role covering the Jill Meagher missing person case and homicide investigation.
In December 2015, she won the 2015 Walkley Award for All Media Scoop of the Year for her investigation of the "Choppergate" expenses scandal involving Bronwyn Bishop's inappropriate use of parliamentary travel entitlements.
[8] In 2017, Smethurst won her second Walkley Award, also in the Scoop of the Year category, for her story about taxpayer-funded trips to the Gold Coast made by Sussan Ley MP, to buy a flat.
A "tepid" response to the raid, which included going through her cookbooks and underwear, from the prime minister resulted in criticism from the press and organisations such as the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
[15] The AFP confirmed the raid was not only to uncover her source, but to potentially look into Smethurst and News Corp as targets for a criminal charge.