When whispers from Griffith reached the nation’s capital, a handful of journalists thought they were chasing a story about corruption. What they uncovered was something far more dangerous — a ledger that could bring down men in power. But every attempt to print the truth met a sudden silence: editors leaned on, stories buried, presses mysteriously halted.

The Paper Crown follows the reporters who refused to look away — those who risked careers, reputations, and safety to expose a network of influence stretching from the newsroom to Parliament. As the headlines closed in, they discovered that power doesn’t always wear a crown of gold. Sometimes, it’s made of paper — fragile, flammable, and easily torn apart.

Credits

Written & Produced by Stephen Johns

Sound Design & Editing by Stephen Johns

Archival Research by Alex G

Archival audio excerpts courtesy of ABC News.

Used under Australian fair dealing provisions for news, reporting, and public interest analysis.

© Compromised Podcast Series. All rights reserved.

Music licensed via Uppbeat:

• Like a River — Danijel Zambo
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• Blur — Goods Cargo
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• Endless Puzzle — AVBE
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• Spring Coming — Enrique Molano
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• A New Chapter — Luminbird
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• Don’t Let Go — Apex Music
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• Intriguing Case — Matt Stewart-Evans
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• Underworld — Revo
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• Maytan Risunchis — Arnito
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• Electromagnetic Interference — Adi Goldstein
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• News You Can Trust — Soundroll
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• The Heart of Silence — Arnito
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• Two Worlds — Tatami
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Justice Philip Woodward audio in part: Crime Investigation Australia: Conviction in Donald Mackay case. 2007. Foxtel

Al Grassby comments: ABC News archives Australia

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https://uppbeat.io/t/enrique-molano/spring-coming

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https://uppbeat.io/t/avbe/endless-puzzle

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