The Greatest Menace cover art

The Greatest Menace

By: Patrick Abboud, Simon Cunich
Narrated by: Patrick Abboud
  • Summary

  • Best True Crime Podcast, Australian Podcast Awards 2022

    Walkley Award for Best Audio Feature 2022

    The Walkley Foundation’s Media Diversity Australia Award 2022

    Gold, Social Justice category, New York Festivals Radio Award 2022

    Gold, Documentary category, Signal Awards 2023

    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. 

    Now with a bonus episode, The Runaway: In the first year since the series' release the producers were flooded with new information. This episode features an extraordinary interview with a prison inmate and looks at how he wants to regain his dignity.

    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.
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Episodes
  • TRAILER: The Greatest Menace
    Jan 30 2023

    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

    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.

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    2 mins
  • Ep 1: The Vice Squad
    Feb 9 2023

    A mysterious tip starts Patrick investigating rumours of a gay prison and the police squad that ruthlessly targeted gay men.

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    40 mins
  • Ep 2: The Queen City of the South
    Feb 9 2023

    Patrick arrives in a small town with a big secret and starts investigating why the government would create a gay prison.

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    35 mins

What listeners say about The Greatest Menace

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An amazing interplay of history, reporting and personal reflection

Wow. I was shocked at what Patrick uncovers and thrilled at the professionalism of the narrative. He weaves re-enactments from historical documents with interviews of people who experienced physical and psychological torture ordained by the New South Wales government. As he delved deeper and develops more contacts and detail, the tension ramps up like good drama. But it’s not drama. It’s our hidden history. Characters range from inspirational to unrepentant vile examples of Australian men at the time. And overlaying this is Patrick’s complex but ultimately life affirming relationship with his family history, played out with conversations with his mum, Mary. She, more than many of the others, shows personal growth and true humanity. Just before Patrick reads out the credits, there is a wordless interaction between Mary and a (very) young family member that allows an at-times bleak narrative to sour with hope and joy. Dr Pól Miles-McCann, psychotherapist.

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8 people found this helpful

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Informative and addictive

I thought that this was a very interesting series and very informative, I loved that we got to hear from lots of people from all different backgrounds and experiences. For younger LGBTQI+ community I think it is very eye opening of what our elders went through, and how systematic prejudice and abuse of our community was, these old prevailing ideas about homosexuality put many of our current experiences into context of old ideas and upbringings and we see hope…of people changing their perspective when they get to know and understand love within the LGBTQI+ community. I found myself very attached to Patrick Abboud by the end because he made this very personal and related to the stories he was telling in his own way. I was moved and proud of our people for all they have over come. Thank you telling these stories.

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4 people found this helpful

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An important read

Thank you to Patrick Abboud and Simon Cunich for their insightful research and sympathetic story telling. This was an emotional rollercoaster with wonderful characters.
The only shame that should ever have been felt, is the fact that our Country could treat it's citizens in such a cruel and inhumane manner.
Pity it took so long for love to finally win.

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Just amazing

Thank you so much for this. I smiled and cried in equal measure. Holding all those impacted directly in my heart.

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4 people found this helpful

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Fascinating

A fascinating look at Australia’s dark past and the beginning of the fight for Gay Rights. 10/10 👍

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3 people found this helpful

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eye opening

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

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An important story that needed to be found and told

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.

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Horrific, Appalling, and Captivating

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

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3 people found this helpful

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Very compelling

Very compelling and shocking narrative mixing the historical, the present and the extremely personal. Highly recommended.

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Engrossing!

What a story! How is this part of Australian history not more well known? Beautifully written and delivered. Look forward to more from these authors.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.