The Greatest Menace cover art

The Greatest Menace

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

    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

    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

    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
Gay Studies
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Profile Image for kittyvavoom

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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Profile Image for Philip Jackson

I was addicted from the first 5 minutes

Literally listened to the entire book over three days.. could have binged in a whole day but didn’t want it to end.
The Trethowan Report must be somewhere and hopefully this podcast series helps it to be found.
Great work Patrick and Simon - keep searching.

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Profile Image for Nathan

Amazing

I really enjoyed this - well, maybe 'enjoy' isn't quite the right word given the subject matter. I loved the the style of investigative reporting, and it reminded me a lot of why I loved the podcast Serial (Season 1 at least). Very much on-the-ground; where you feel like you're part of the investigation, and actually get to learn more about the presenter through the journey, and the behind-the-scenes inclusions.

The subject was both disturbing and interesting, and it amazes me that such things were happening here in Australia in the not-too-distant past. Also fascinating was the homophobic views still held by some of the police/officials interviewed, even today. Gaining a deeper insight into the mindset of the 60's was disturbing and sobering.

The series has made me reflect heavily on just how many of the freedoms I take for granted day, I really owe to those gay men who came before, suffering and fighting for their rights, and for normalisation.

But I think this series has a much wider interest and appeal than just to those directly impacted by the gay rights movement - I'd recommend this series to anyone with an interest in history, bigotry, or just good investigative journalism.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

A great read

Such a thought provoking and shocking story. Not just a read for the LGBTQI community but for anyone who cares about the importance of social change

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

A story Australia needs to know.

I binge-listened this story over two days. Terrific story, really well told and meticulously researched.

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Profile Image for James W. Franklin

Extraordinary history

That's an extremely well done piece of historical research - amazing people and documents found, a critical eye on what to believe and what conclusions to reach, and a coherent overview of a little-known topic.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Everyone needs to listen to this.

Fascinating, informative, addictive, hilarious, horrifying, & heartbreaking. A really well put together podcast that deserves all the awards it has received.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

History we cannot keep buried - Brilliant

As narration goes, The Greatest Menace really takes you along for the ride. Investigating history that has been buried and social attitudes that are hopefully being outgrown has never been so important! As said at the end of this series, ‘Shame is the greatest menace’ and all heterosexual people need to learn this history so at the very least, they think deeply about the intrenched and damaging injustice that plagues our children who happen to not be hetero or cis.
Thank you for producing this work. Let’s keep this atop of the archives for all to see. Loves will be saved. It’s 2022 and this type of work is still so very important!

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Profile Image for Joshua

What an amazing podcast!

Fascinating, intriguing, brutal and cathartic. The incredible telling of the awfulness that was inflicted upon the gay community. Listening to first hand accounts brought me to tears.
Incredible work Patrick and everyone involved in the podcast! Thank you so much!

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Profile Image for Guy Farrands

A shocking but compelling story

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.

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