The Greatest Menace cover art

The Greatest Menace

Inside the Gay Prison Experiment

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The Greatest Menace

By: Patrick Abboud, Simon Cunich
Narrated by: Patrick Abboud
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About this listen

Winner of The Walkley Foundation’s Media Diversity Australia Award 2022

Gold winner in the Social Justice Podcast category, and awarded Bronze in the Serialized Podcast and Narrative/Documentary Podcast categories at the 2022 New York Festivals Radio Award

The Greatest Menace is free for Audible members and free for non-members for a limited time in Australia.

Please note: Contains strong language and adult content.

Tucked away amongst snow-covered mountains is a tiny Australian town with a dark secret. Journalist Patrick Abboud hears whispers that it was once home to the world’s only 'gay prison'. A prison that specifically incarcerated gay men. His investigation into what happened inside reveals the full story for the first time. This queer true-crime journey takes you from underground nightclubs to hidden sex haunts, to remote parts of New Zealand and England. You’ll find yourself entangled in a police cover up, a case of wrongful conviction and a human experiment that didn’t go to plan. At the centre of it all was a covert government operation to eradicate 'the greatest menace to society': homosexuality.

Researched, written and produced by Patrick Abboud and Simon Cunich.

Presented by Patrick Abboud. This Audible Original is produced by Lockdown Productions Pty Ltd.

Patrick Abboud was the Jesse Cox Audio Fellow 2020, with support from its founding sponsor Audible, its production partner Unison Sound and its festival partners Third Coast International Audio Festival and Audiocraft Podcast Festival.

Reporting was also supported by The Walkley Public Fund.

©2022 Lockdown Productions Pty Ltd. (P)2022 Audible Australia Pty Ltd. Gay Studies LGBTQ+ Studies LGBTQIA+ Creators Emotionally Gripping Inspiring Scary Thought-Provoking Heartfelt

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This is a must listen to story researched and told so beautifully by Patrick Abboud and Simon Cunich. The world is changing and there are parts of this programme that recognise some of the amazing people who helped make the change Australia needed to have.
Thank you for bringing to life this important
part of Australia’s history.

An important story that needed to be found and told

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Pat has dug deep to get information on this horrendous part of gay history

Horrific, Appalling, and Captivating

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I loved it. I found it informative and enjoyed the personal touches of the investigative journey.

eye opening

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I live near Cooma so visit there sometimes and never knew any of this. This is a very fascinating and well told story.

Very interesting podcast

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What a brilliant journey! Thank you for such an incredible story. So much strength and integrity from those interviewed, and so much empathy and kindness (not to mention all the research!) from the producers and commentators. The journey to equality is not over, but this podcast illustrates beautifully how far we have come along the road towards it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Powerful, emotional and ultimately full of hope

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Such a well put together, and told, account of the history of the Cooma Prison, and the larger context of the times told through a series of personal stories and accounts.
I couldn’t stretch it out beyond two days mostly binging the content! (Like others who have left a review)
This is a really worth a listen.

Compellingly told and an important history

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holy hell
this is incredible and disturbing at the same time
100% deserves a read just to highlight the trauma our group went through to get us to where we are today

OMG is all I can say OMFG

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It's devastating and compelling. A really important story so well told. Thank you so much.

such an important listen

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An incredibly important story about part of Australia’s history the authorities would rather we forget.
Abboud puts in amazing work tracking down evidence of the world’s only know prison specifically for criminalised gay men. In spite of cover-ups, misting records and shockingly overt homophobia from some of his interviewees.
Harrowing accounts of police entrapment and inhumane conversion “therapy” practices are balanced with poignant moments of humour and relatable anecdotes from Abboud’s own life.
This is incredibly important history that all Australians need to know about.

Powerful and beautiful

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Patrick Aboud approaches a very difficult subject in a thoughtful and nuanced way.

Whether you’re gay or straight you will be shocked and appalled at what went on not so long ago.

A shocking but compelling story

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