Secrets We Keep

To bring down a violent neo-Nazi group, former FBI undercover agent Scott Payne had to become someone else. It was a mission that demanded more than surveillance. He infiltrated a neo-Nazi hate camp and, to prove loyalty, he had to partake into strange rituals, even sacrificing a goat. In this interview, Payne takes us inside the mechanics of extremist recruitment, the psychology of hate, and the perils of going deep cover.

Got any tips? Email us at secretswekeep@sca.com.au. 

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When you think crime, justice, and police or journalistic investigations, what really goes into unravelling evidence? What skills do professionals need to put the pieces together?

In this sponsored episode, Joey Watson sits down with Dr Hayley Cullen, a cognitive and forensic psychology expert, to explore what skills university students in psychology, forensic science, criminal investigation, and related fields learn, and how they apply those skills in real-world investigations.

This episode was sponsored by Open Universities Australia.

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As Australia geared up to join the United States in the Iraq War, then intelligence analyst Andrew Wilkie faced an ethical crossroads: the government’s claims to justify the war were untrue.  

In this interview, the now independent MP speaks candidly about whistleblowing against the official narrative and what it means to challenge power in the lead-up to war.

Got any tips? Email us at secretswekeep@sca.com.au. 

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Every investigation forces a choice. What to reveal. What to protect. What to live with.

What happens when the truth comes at a cost? Secrets We Keep returns for 2026 on Tuesday 27 January, with new investigations into power, silence, and the stories people would rather keep buried.

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Over summer, the Secrets we Keep feed brings you Killer Charm, a LiSTNR award-winning series from investigative journalist Tara Cassidy.

When a Queensland man was found dead after falling into a woodchipper in 2017 It looked like a tragic industrial accident.

In reality it was planned – a murder orchestrated by his ex-partner, a grandmother from suburban Queensland. 

In this episode, Sharon Graham's murder trial finally gets underway, but it's not long before it faces multiple setbacks. Tara Cassidy shares key evidence and witness testimony from Sharon’s trial, as well as the aftermath of her verdict. Tara also speaks with some of those closest to this case on the lasting impacts of their experiences years on.

All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged to appeal the outcomes. The appeals are expected to be heard and handed down in 2026.

The Secrets we Keep feed will bring you new investigations and stories in January 2026.

In the meantime, if you have any story tips, please email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over summer, the Secrets we Keep feed brings you Killer Charm, a LiSTNR award-winning series from investigative journalist Tara Cassidy.

When a Queensland man was found dead after falling into a woodchipper in 2017 It looked like a tragic industrial accident.

In reality it was planned – a murder orchestrated by his ex-partner, a grandmother from suburban Queensland. 

In this episode, Police make arrests, but before any trials begin, the case takes a major turn. Tara Cassidy speaks to a witness who reveals damning new information about Greg Roser, and part of the truth is finally told.

All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged to appeal the outcomes. The appeals are expected to be heard and handed down in 2026.

The Secrets we Keep feed will bring you new investigations and stories in January 2026.

In the meantime, if you have any story tips, please email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over summer, the Secrets we Keep feed brings you Killer Charm, a LiSTNR award-winning series from investigative journalist Tara Cassidy.

When a Queensland man was found dead after falling into a woodchipper in 2017 It looked like a tragic industrial accident.

In reality it was planned – a murder orchestrated by his ex-partner, a grandmother from suburban Queensland. 

In this episode, the police investigation ramps up, all while Sharon Graham is trying to present herself as the mourning ex-girlfriend. Tara Cassidy speaks to those who could see through Sharon’s guise, and plays never-before-aired covert recordings that the police captured, which helped build their case.   

All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged to appeal the outcomes. The appeals are expected to be heard and handed down in 2026.

The Secrets we Keep feed will bring you new investigations and stories in January 2026.

In the meantime, if you have any story tips, please email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over summer, the Secrets we Keep feed brings you Killer Charm, a LiSTNR award-winning series from investigative journalist Tara Cassidy.

When a Queensland man was found dead after falling into a woodchipper in 2017 It looked like a tragic industrial accident.

In reality it was planned – a murder orchestrated by his ex-partner, a grandmother from suburban Queensland. 

In this episode, Sharon Graham’s movements on the night of the murder are under scrutiny, as suspicions around her grow. Tara Cassidy tracks down some of Sharon’s exes to find out what she was like as a partner, and if she’s ever shown signs of planning something sinister before.  

All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged to appeal the outcomes. The appeals are expected to be heard and handed down in 2026.

The Secrets we Keep feed will bring you new investigations and stories in January 2026.

In the meantime, if you have any story tips, please email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over summer, the Secrets we Keep feed brings you Killer Charm, a LiSTNR award-winning series from investigative journalist Tara Cassidy.

When a Queensland man was found dead after falling into a woodchipper in 2017 It looked like a tragic industrial accident.

In reality it was planned – a murder orchestrated by his ex-partner, a grandmother from suburban Queensland. 

In this episode, Tara Cassidy speaks to those closest to the grandmother, who was now one of the police’s main murder suspects. Tara unravels the different sides Sharon presented to people, and starts to see some patterns in her behaviour, especially around money and men. 

All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged to appeal the outcomes. The appeals are expected to be heard and handed down in 2026.

The Secrets we Keep feed will bring you new investigations and stories in January 2026.

In the meantime, if you have any story tips, please email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over summer, the Secrets we Keep feed brings you Killer Charm, a LiSTNR award-winning series from investigative journalist Tara Cassidy.

When a Queensland man was found dead after falling into a woodchipper in 2017 It looked like a tragic industrial accident  

In reality it was planned – a murder orchestrated by his ex-partner, a grandmother from suburban Queensland. 

All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged to appeal the outcomes. The appeals are expected to be heard and handed down in 2026.

The Secrets we Keep feed will bring you new investigations and stories in January 2026.

In the meantime, if you have any story tips, please email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this two-part exclusive, Joey Watson speaks to the parents of “Thomas Carrick” (pseudonym), a young teenager with autism radicalised by covert Australian Federal Police operatives and later charged with terrorism. His charges were dropped by a Victorian court. 

For the first time, Thomas’ parents speak publicly about the systemic gaps that allowed a vulnerable boy to be drawn deeper into danger, the devastating moment they learned the state had pursued a criminal case against a child with significant cognitive vulnerabilities, and how a system meant to protect their son instead put him at greater risk. 

Their account, alongside the court’s damning findings, that police conduct fell “profoundly short” of acceptable standards, raises questions about policing, oversight, and how a terrorism prevention program turned into an institutional failure. 

Right of Reply: 

The Secrets We Keep: Uncovered team contacted the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police for comment.   

The AFP declined to answer our questions and instead referred us to previous on-the-record comments made by Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney in 2024 regarding this matter: 

Victoria Police Response: 

“Victoria Police in partnership with community groups and other areas of government agencies delivers dedicated therapeutic early intervention programs which directly engage with and support individuals assessed as being vulnerable to, or holding violent extremist beliefs. Programs involve case management activity which may include connecting individuals with mentors, psychological counselling, and educational or vocational opportunities. 

“Victoria Police does not publicly provide specific details of the operations or programs of this nature. This is partly to ensure we maintain the confidentiality needs of all of those involved. The community can be reassured that we remain committed to working with the community and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies to divert those vulnerable to radicalising towards violent extremism to a different path, assist those who are already holding violent extremist beliefs to disengage, and ensure the safety and security of the Victorian public.” 

Victoria Police also claimed that to their knowledge, the Imam assigned to the family through their CVE program did not record without the family’s knowledge or consent. 

Credits: 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this two-part exclusive, Joey Watson speaks to the parents of “Thomas Carrick” (pseudonym), a young teenager with autism radicalised by covert Australian Federal Police operatives and later charged with terrorism. His charges were dropped by a Victorian court.

For the first time, Thomas’ parents speak publicly about the systemic gaps that allowed a vulnerable boy to be drawn deeper into danger, the devastating moment they learned the state had pursued a criminal case against a child with significant cognitive vulnerabilities, and how a system meant to protect their son instead put him at greater risk.

Their account, alongside the court’s damning findings, that police conduct fell “profoundly short” of acceptable standards, raises questions about policing, oversight, and how a terrorism prevention program turned into an institutional failure.

Right of Reply:

The Secrets We Keep: Uncovered team contacted the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police for comment.  

The AFP declined to answer our questions and instead referred us to previous on-the-record comments made by Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney in 2024 regarding this matter:

Victoria Police Response:

“Victoria Police in partnership with community groups and other areas of government agencies delivers dedicated therapeutic early intervention programs which directly engage with and support individuals assessed as being vulnerable to, or holding violent extremist beliefs. Programs involve case management activity which may include connecting individuals with mentors, psychological counselling, and educational or vocational opportunities.

“Victoria Police does not publicly provide specific details of the operations or programs of this nature. This is partly to ensure we maintain the confidentiality needs of all of those involved. The community can be reassured that we remain committed to working with the community and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies to divert those vulnerable to radicalising towards violent extremism to a different path, assist those who are already holding violent extremist beliefs to disengage, and ensure the safety and security of the Victorian public.”

Victoria Police also claimed that to their knowledge, the Imam assigned to the family through their CVE program did not record without the family’s knowledge or consent.

Credits:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hailing from a bikie family to becoming a celebrated cop, former NSW police officer and whistleblower Deb Locke revealed the hidden truth behind Roger Rogerson—once praised as a star detective, but ultimately unmasked as one of Australia’s most corrupt and violent police officers.

Deb shares powerful firsthand insights into the culture of intimidation and cover-ups within the NSW Police Force of the 1980s, her own battle to speak out against corruption, the courage required to confront the powerful, and how her evidence helped dismantle a system built on fear, complicity, and silence.

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An undercover sting on the Spanish party island of Ibiza involving a far-right political leader, a fake Russian oligarch, cocaine and corruption.

This is the inside story of the Ibiza Affair, and how private investigator Julian Hessenthaler made the secret recordings that brought down a government.

Credits:

Listen to Secrets we Keep: Lone Actor -https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/secrets-we-keep/id1699106866?i=1000716518474

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When Lorraine Long began logging complaints from patients who claimed to be mistreated by doctors, she uncovered one of Australia’s most shocking medical scandals. Her warnings were ignored, her reputation attacked, but her persistence exposed “the Butcher of Bega,” disgraced gynaecologist and obstetrician Graeme Reeves, who was accused of mutilating and assaulting patients.

In this episode, Lorraine reflects on how she blew the whistle, the personal cost of speaking out, and what her story reveals about a medical system that struggled to protect women.

Content Warning: this episode contains descriptions of botched medical procedures and indecent assault.

Guest Host: Tara Cassidy 

Producer: Claudianna Blanco 

Sound Design: Matt Nikolic  

Fact Check: Holly Mitchell

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What happens when a world-famous prankster journalist decides to put all the TikToks, podcasts, and online masterclasses promising overnight riches to the test? 

British filmmaker Oobah Butler spills the methods behind his latest documentary, “How I Made £1 Million In 90 Days”, a wild ride through the art of turning hype and hot air into cash, faking his way to wealth to expose the reality behind “hustle culture”. 

Host: Joey Watson 

Producer: Claudianna Blanco 

Sound Design: Matt Nikolic  

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When it became known that a shadowy facial recognition company called Clearview AI had created a massive database, capable of identifying almost anyone, anywhere, reporters around the globe picked up the trail — working to uncover how this start-up could reshape privacy and policing internationally. 

Here in Australia, tech reporter Cam Wilson dug into the Australian Federal Police’s documents for years — revealing disturbing details. 

Read Cam Wilson's Investigations here:

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Go inside the courtroom as the Special Investigations Unit fights to deliver justice to three alleged Nazi collaborators living in Australia — men accused of participating in atrocities during World War II.

Prosecutor Graham Blewitt takes us behind the scenes of the long, complex battle for accountability, marked by High Court challenges, fading memories, and the failing health of the accused

This is Part 2 of Hunting Australia’s Nazi War Criminals.You can listen to Part 1 here.

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In the mid 1980s, Australia had to reckon with an uncomfortable truth: that hundreds ofsuspected Nazi war criminals had made this country their home. They had slipped in after World War II and had been living quietly in the suburbs. 

Leading the effort to expose them was the Special Investigations Unit. Prosecutor Graham Blewitt was part of the team whose task was to find the men who thought they’d escaped justice. 

This is Part 1 of Hunting Australia’s Nazi War Criminals. Part 2 out next Tuesday. 

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From next week, join Joey Watson as he takes you inside some of the most important investigations of our time.

Each week, you'll hear stories powerful people hoped would stay buried, by speaking directly to those who lived and breathed them.  

Subscribe and follow Secrets We Keep, to be the first to hear Uncovered on October 14. 

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Tim Elliott has done what few could - persuading one of Australia's most elusive prison escapees to break his silence. The journalist and author has always been drawn to the hidden corners of people's lives, shaped in part by his own story of privilege and pain, shadowed by hardship and the loss of his father. In Secrets We Keep: Jailbreak, Tim enters the mind of Darko (aka ‘Dougie') Desic, a wildly successful weed grower who staged a bold prison escape and remained on the run for decades. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Tim reveals why eccentric and sometimes ‘dodgy' characters confide in him and reflects on how his family dealt with his father's mental illness.

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Darko is free but trapped in the life of a fugitive. He falls in love but can’t reveal his true identity and breaks it off. Life is hard: Darko’s living outside the system now. With no ID or healthcare, he can’t openly travel or seek medical attention. He depends on local support and cash jobs. Once COVID hits, Darko becomes homeless, and decides to hand himself in. Behind bars once again, locals rally for clemency. Will he be set free? As his fate hangs in the balance, he examines his choices and comes to a startling understanding of his remarkable life. 

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Brought to you by LiSTNR’s team of award-winning journalists, Secrets We Keep: Uncovered takes you inside some of the most important investigations of our time, with our expanding network of journalists and sources from around Australia and beyond. 

Every week, we pull back the curtain on the stories powerful people hoped would stay buried, by speaking directly to those who lived and breathed them.  

The whistleblower who risked everything.

The victim who refused to stay silent.

The journalist who just wouldn’t let it go. 

Stories of power, secrecy, and the people who dared challenge both.  

Secrets We Keep: Uncovered is an original LiSTNR podcast. 

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Darko methodically prepares an escape plan, taking months to prepare. As Darko readies himself physically, mentally and logistically, he collects the tools he needs to breakout: bolt cutters, a hack saw blade and new running shoes. After his daring escape, the cops give chase, but Darko miraculously evades them at every turn. Darko returns to Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where he assumes a new identity: “Dougie”, the easy-going handyman. 

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Darko’s sent to some of Australia’s most notorious prisons, where he acquaints himself with several underworld figures. Darko’s making the most of his time behind bars when he’s told that once his sentence is complete, he will be deported back to Yugoslavia, then in the midst of a brutal civil war. Going back would’ve meant having to fight in the conflict, so Darko decides to escape and starts to devise a plan. 

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Darko’s killing it. He uses the proceeds of a successful marijuana crop to buy a new bike, gold, opals and blue-chip shares. A single, fateful mistake gets him discovered by the police, but Darko manages a near escape. Now a fugitive, Darko picks up work on a banana plantation in Coffs Harbour, where his workmates realise there’s more to Darko than meets the eye. After a few months undetected, Darko’s luck runs out. 

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After visiting Australia in the 1980s, Darko returns home to Yugoslavia but senses trouble coming. He sees the rise of nationalism and early signs of conflict looming. Darko heads back to the safety of Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Enamoured by the laid-back lifestyle, Darko learns to grow and sell weed. He plans to buy his dream house in Palm Beach but gets greedy. This fit, young, former communist commissar, with a taste for Russian literature decides to stay in Australia any way he can.  

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It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon in 2021, when Darko Desic arrives, unannounced, at a police station, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. He claims to have escaped from prison 30 years before and now wants to hand himself in. The police are confused. There’s no record of him on their files. The officers eventually arrest him. When news emerges of Darko’s 30 years on the run, the world is amazed, and baffled. How did he escape? How did he evade capture for so long, living under the noses of the police? And who the hell is Darko Desic? Journalist Tim Elliott tracks Darko down and sits down with him for a tell-all interview.  

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At just 13 years old, Thomas Carrick was placed under covert surveillance by the Australian Federal Police. Believing he was speaking to ISIS operatives online, Thomas was in fact engaging with undercover officers, conversations that would eventually see him charged with terrorism offences.

The AFP knew Thomas lived with autism and an intellectual disability. Still, they pursued him in a way a judge later described as ‘grooming’ him for terrorism.

So, was Thomas ever a real threat? Or just a vulnerable boy pulled into a fantasy world by those meant to protect him?

In this episode, counter-terrorism expert Peta Lowe - who also features in Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor-unpacks the Carrick case and what it reveals about the growing risk of youth radicalisation in Australia.

To hear more content like this, listen to Crime Insiders wherever you get your podcasts. 

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In Jailbreak, we hear the extraordinary story of a fugitive who lived for 30 years on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. The reclusive Darko Desic (prolific weed grower, prison escapee and martial arts expert) tells his story for the first time; a story of resilience and discipline.  

In following Darko’s remarkable journey, Jailbreakexplores eternal truths about free will and fate, crime and punishment, and the search for meaning. 

Jailbreak is an original podcast from LiSTNR.  

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Why did Joey decide to use the terrorist's name? Where are far-right extremist communities gathering now? 

In this bonus Q&A episode, Joey answers your questions about making the Lone Actorpodcast.

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Journalist and host of the Weekend Briefing Antointette Lattouf sits down with Joey Watson to go beyond the investigation. Find out how Joey came to the story, and how his family history influences his work. 

Have a question for Joey? Email secretswekeep@sca.com.au.

You can hear more from Antointette every Saturday on the Weekend Briefing. 

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Having spent years tracing the terrorist, Joey is still left with unanswered questions. 

Parts of the manifesto don’t match the online worlds Joey has investigated — references to revolution, societal collapse, and a call for chaos. 

Joey’s search leads to a shadowy neo-Nazi terror network that emerged in the years before the attack. Could this be the missing link in the terrorist’s radicalisation to violence? 

If you have a question for Joey, email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

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After the attack, authorities in Austria learnt that the terrorist had been linked to a high-profile extremist in their country – Martin Sellner.  

The terrorist had given Sellner a sizeable donation, and had visited Austria four months before the attack. So, the question was asked – did Sellner and the terrorist have contact? 

However, the Austrian investigation into the links between the pair was compromised. Joey travels to Vienna to find out what happened. 

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Two trips to the Balkans, in South-Eastern Europe might hold the key to the terrorist's mindset in the years before the attack. This is a region steeped in nationalist history and revered by the far-right, and the details of his time here are murky. 

Joey follows the terrorist to the other side of the world, searching for more clues about his radicalisation, trying to find out if anyone in Europe knew what was coming. 

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On the afternoon of the attack, a member of a private Facebook group for Australian extremists comments that the terrorist had been “in the scene for a while”. 

Digging through an archive of Facebook posts, Joey Watson uncovers just how deep those connections ran. 

Joey finds the terrorist had been in contact with Australian extremists for years – including signalling the violence that he would go on to commit.  

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The terrorist posted a manifesto and a live stream link on an obscure image board just minutes before the attack, urging users to “do their part by spreading my message.” 

Journalist Joey Watson investigates the online community of 4chan, and finds how a once-creative part of the internet was taken over by far-right extremists, desensitizing each other towards violence.   

Joey sifts through newly unearthed posts made anonymously by the terrorist, finding a crucial shift in his radicalisation journey. 

Every episode of Lone Actor is available exclusively for free on the LiSTNR app. You can download the app and listen to Episode 3 now.

Further reading:

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In 2019, a 28-year-old Australian terrorist live-streamed himself murdering 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch New Zealand, sending shockwaves around the world. It was the deadliest act of right-wing extremist violence committed by an Australian.  

As journalist Joey Watson speaks with survivors and researchers, he begins to uncover a more complex story. What, or who, led the terrorist to violence? 

In Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor, Joey sets out to retrace the terrorist's trajectory in the years leading up to the attack. 

Every episode of Lone Actor is available exclusively to binge now on the LiSTNR app. 

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On March 15 2019 a gunman opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch, killing 51 people. Officially, he acted alone. But what if that wasn’t the full story?

In Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor, journalist Joey Watson digs into the digital underworld that shaped Brenton Tarrant — a 28-year-old Australian radicalised online and armed with a global ideology.

Joey retraces the steps of the terrorist and asks: Was he really acting alone? The series journeys from the darkest corners of the internet to the other side of the world, exposing the murky forces behind the deadliest terror attack ever committed by an Australian.

Binge the full series of Lone Actor exclusively on the LiSTNR app, download the app for free. New episodes released weekly.

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How is international commercial surrogacy being sold to foreign intended parents? 

Amelia sends Senior Producer Claudianna Blanco to Colombia to find out. Claudianna talks to experts, industry insiders and surrogates to uncover the international daisy chain of brokers and middlemen.  

All episodes of By Any Means are available exclusively on the LiSTNR app.

If you want to get in touch, email secretswekeep@sca.com.au 

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Surrogacy is the pointy end of the fertility industry – the last resort for conceiving babies that are genetically linked to their parents. In Australia, the only legal option for surrogacy is via someone offering to carry a baby altruistically.  

Who are these women who are happy to carry a baby for a stranger? Amelia sends Senior Producer Claudianna Blanco to Tasmania for the Surrogacy Sisterhood retreat – a first for any Australian journalist.  

Then, we meet a couple risking it all to undertake commercial international surrogacy in Latin America. And ask the question – how can you trust a clinic is doing the right thing abroad?  

If you would like to get in touch email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

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You’ve heard the mistakes the fertility industry has made – so it’s no surprise some people are offering another option. 

In this episode, Amelia Oberhardt dives into the ‘known donor’ movement, of men offering their sperm on Facebook.  

Is it better than using sperm sourced through a fertility clinic? And is an unregulated environment of sperm donation really the best solution?  

If you can't wait to listen to the next episode, you can find all episodes of By Any Means for free on the LiSTNR app. Listen to Episode 5 now.

If you want to get in touch, email secretswekeep@sca.com.au 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Systemic secrecy and loose record-keeping in the early days of IVF is coming to light, and it's clear that some sperm donors were abusing the system. 

In this episode, Amelia hears from adult donor-conceived people whose lives have been altered because of secrecy and negligence. From people finding out they have an unknown large number of siblings, to inherited health conditions, and the anguish of not knowing your medical history.

If you don't want to wait for the next episode, all episodes of By Any Means are available for free on the LiSTNR app. Listen to Episode 4 now. 

If you know more, or want to share your story, email secretswekeep@sca.com.au 

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In the early 2000s, the advent of DNA test kits opens the Pandora’s Box of conception secrets. As the identities of many previously anonymous sperm donors are suddenly revealed, their biological children’s lives are upended upon learning the truth about how they’d been conceived. 

Amelia speaks to Darren, a medical student who’d donated his sperm anonymously in the 1980s, and Guy, a man who found out in adulthood he had been conceived with anonymous donor sperm, following Victoria’s decision to become the first state in Australia to establish a registry for donor-conceived children. 

Every episode of By Any Means is available exclusively on the LiSTNR app. You can listen to Episode 3 now. 

If you want to get in touch email secretswekeep@sca.com.au 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An intriguing email propels journalist Amelia Oberhardt to investigate the fertility industry in Australia, its history and methods, and the outcomes for the children born during the early days of IVF – when secrecy around conception and anonymous sperm donation was the norm.  

Amelia’s starting point is her best friend’s mother – one of the first women to go through infertility treatment in Queensland and successfully give birth to one of the state’s first ‘test tube babies’.   

Amelia speaks to the doctors who pioneered IVF in Australia, to understand the thinking behind the fertility industry’s early choice of persuading their patients to keep the truth of conception secret from the children born from anonymous sperm donations.  

You can listen to all episodes of By Any Means now on the LiSTNR app. 

If you want to get in touch, email secretswekeep@sca.com.au 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Egg donation, sperm donation and surrogacy – assisted reproduction technologies have made it easier than ever to have a baby but created an ethical and identity minefield.

From finding sperm on Facebook, to finding out you might have 700 siblings, Secrets We Keep: By Any Means examines the multibillion-dollar fertility industry that fills wombs.

Journalist Amelia Oberhardt speaks with parents, adult children and clinicians about the ‘wild west’ of the modern fertility landscape, confronting complex questions about consent, identity and human rights. 

Only available on LiSTNR. Download the app and listen for free: https://play.listnr.com/podcast/secrets-we-keep

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Claire discovers how the Australian Federal Police are embracing FIGG, but with no regulation to safeguard against the privacy concerns which come with increased genetic surveillance. And in the final episode of Should I Spit?,the true market value of DNA databases is revealed and we find out how the personal information amassed by companies like Ancestry is being facilitated by Australia’s National Archives. The Angie Dodge murder is finally solved but a final tragic twist shocks everyone involved.

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Claire meets the scientist responsible for the original DNA family history project Michael’s father donated to. He’s a well-known archaeo-geneticist who was attempting to build a DNA family tree of the whole world, with the hope it would bring world peace. This ambitious plan was funded by a Mormon billionaire.

A celebrity genetic detective takes on the Angie Dodge case and finds that a distant relative of Michael’s was responsible for the murder. Claire discovers in this episode ofShouldI Spit?exactly how science and intelligence combine in the powerful new investigative technique of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy.

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Claire learns the details about the original study which took the DNA samples from Michael’s father; from its religious origins to how the data eventually became part of Ancestry’s database. The police have another investigative lead to Angie’s killer, an image created purely from the DNA taken from the crime scene. Detectives show it to Michael’s family, convinced the killer lurks somewhere in his family tree.

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Although Michael is no longer a murder suspect, his male cousins are scrutinised. The Idaho Falls police are trialing a new technology which predicts someone’s physical appearance based on DNA samples. Michael’s sceptical about the science and fears the police are searching deeper in his family to find Angie’s killer. Episode 6 of Should I Spit? reveals forensic genetic genealogy is enthusiastically embraced by the Australian police with no new privacy legislation and little public scrutiny. 

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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A man called Chris Tapp has been in prison for 20 years for the death of Angie, but his DNA was never found at the crime scene. For Angie’s mother, Carol it doesn’t make sense, and she goes from initially calling for this man’s execution to being his greatest advocate. Carol then pushes the police to use a new technique of forensic genealogy. However, fears this new technique threaten both people’s right to privacy and their presumption of innocence begin to surface.

Meanwhile, Claire discovers that Australia started its own criminal DNA database following a mass DNA screening operation in rural New South Wales.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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Claire attends RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference to learn why genealogy is such a popular hobby. There, Claire learns how the LDS Church and Ancestry have amassed billions of records worldwide and turned the mapping of family trees into a multi-billion dollar industry.  Meanwhile, Michael continues to investigate how he’s been caught up in the Angie Dodge investigation, so he travels to Idaho Falls to meet Angie’s mother, Carol. 

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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In this episode of Should I spit?, Claire discovers how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is inextricably linked with the history of genetics and genealogy, through the church’s doctrines and rituals. Michael is shocked to learn that he was identified through a blood sample his father donated at his local church.  Michael’s DNA doesn’t match and is cleared by police, however, he is shaken and wants answers. He can’t understand how the police linked him and his family to Angie’s murder. Michael is approached by a journalist who discovers the Idaho Falls Police had quietly been using a new forensic identification technique called Familial Searching. Using this method, police found Michael based on DNA information stored in a publicly-available genealogy database owned by Ancestry.com.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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Claire travels to Salt Lake City to meet Michael Usry, a Mississippi man who was implicated in the brutal murder of Idaho Falls teen Angie Dodge years earlier. The police suspect Michael because his name, appearance and age match the confession of a man in jail, believed to be his accomplice. Michael is also a horror filmmaker whose dark film features similarities to Angie’s murder. In episode two of Should I Spit?, The police interrogate Michael and force him to give his DNA under a court order. The police tell Michael they also have DNA evidence which links him to the crime. 

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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While working on a cybersecurity podcast, journalist Claire Aird reads a startling statistic: Ninety per cent of people with European ancestry in the US are identifiable because of DNA data their relatives have uploaded to a family history database. Claire’s curiosity soon becomes an investigation into how our DNA is being used for power and profit. In this episode of Should I Spit?, Claire finds out that the DNA data on genealogy sites is never fully anonymous, so she starts to interrogate how police really use these sites to hunt for criminals, overseas and in Australia.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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DNA is the blueprint for life. While police call it the ‘gold standard’ for forensic identification, transnational corporations see dollar signs. Investigative journalist Claire Aird brings the untold story of how your DNA data can land you in a murder investigation, and how this same data is amassed for power and profit. Should I Spit?is the origin story of the multibillion dollar consumer DNA industry. From police hoping to solve cold murder cases, to one of the most powerful churches in the world, everyone seems to want a piece of what makes you, you. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard gives an update on Todd Hubers plea hearing and shares two more important stories from women who grew up in the Revival Church movement.  

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au 

Lifeline 13 11 14; 1800 Respect 1800 737 732 

Looking for what to listen to next? Try Crime In Focus: Killer Charm, the story of how a grandmother from suburban Queensland orchestrated the murder of her ex-partner.  

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Someone Richard wasn’t sure would ever talk to him is ready to speak.

The church is rocked by the news of Pastor Noel’s death, and questions remain about whether new leadership will create change, or continue with the status quo.

Richard returns to ex-members of the GRC, who have found support in each other and their families after the isolation of leaving the church. They’ve discovered the antidote to the GRC’s abuse of power and violence. It’s love.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14; 1800 Respect 1800 737 732

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Rumours abound of how Pastor Noel Hollins has used his finances to erase controversies in his church.

Richard Baker’s investigation into how the Geelong Revival Centre maintains a tax-free charity status and where it uses its funds takes him to war-torn Sierra Leone. And former GRC Pastor Steve Mills finally goes head to head with Noel Hollins when he tries to protect members of the church.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14

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In the Geelong Revival Centre, men are responsible for the entire family’s salvation. If the father does something wrong, his wife and children are at risk of going to hell.

We hear from men who have defied the church’s expectations, despite the threat of physical punishment in this life,and eternal punishment in the next. But those who comply also pay a terrible price for their obedience.

And Richard is one step closer to understanding Pastor Noel Hollins, when he sees a missed call on his phone. Richard calls the Pastor back, and this time he answers.

Please note this episode contains adult themes including descriptions of violence and homophobia, as well as discussions regarding suicide, and harmful drug and alcohol use. Listener discretion is advised.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14 

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As a pastor in the church, Steve Mills watched on horrified as church members shunned or delayed medical care because of Pastor Noel Hollins relentless attacks on science and medicine.

When someone is diagnosed with an illness, they are told it is only through prayer—not conventional medicine—that they will be saved. And when people die of treatable illnesses, those left grieving are told they should've “prayed harder”.

From the pulpit Pastor Noel’s teachings empower men in the church to interfere in the private health affairs of others— with sometimes tragic results.

Steve Mills realises he must challenge Pastor Noel directly.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14

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The Geelong Revival Centre wants the women in its church to be straight out of Proverbs 31 in the Bible: virtuous, god-fearing, and dedicating her life to her husband and family— and to expect very little in return.

Unmarried women can’t approach men to date, and they can’t marry without the Pastor’s permission. Those who are seen to fail as virtuous women find themselves interrogated and watched by members of the church. Men are also punished for their transgressions. But women carry the stain.

Meanwhile, former GRC Pastor Steve Mills suggests one way Richard can secure Noel’s attention.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inside the Geelong Revival Centre teenagers live a double life. They’re given zero freedoms, like small children, but they’re expected to live an adult life of religious devotion while still growing up.

Pastor Noel Hollins is at war with the internet, pop music, and socialising outside of the church. He labels them as dangerous, but ex-church members say real dangers lie inside the GRC.

Richard Baker uncovers the fallout from growing up inside the GRC, including stories of social ostracism, deep psychological trauma and distressing allegations by abuse victims, who say the church tried to silence them.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist Amelia Oberhardt thought she knew her mum, until she was confronted by a photo she’d never seen before at her mother’s wake. Seeing this photo sparks a journey into 1950s-1970s Australia, a time when women were forced to keep secrets. Shotgun marriages, hushed abortions and forced adoptions. It’s the story of a generation of women, who now with their children, are fighting for justice today. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Noel Hollins become the leader of the Geelong Revival Centre? A surprising rebellion is hidden in the history of his long and authoritarian rule.

Richard Baker unearths Noel’s beginnings and explores some of the stranger beliefs the church preaches, including about Pyramids and the British Royal Family’s connection to Geelong.  Even some of the most loyal members of the GRC find themselves questioning the church— with repercussions.

Richard realises that if he really wants to understand Pastor Noel, he needs to find a way to speak to him personally.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14

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In the beachside town of Geelong, most kids look forward to endless summer days, while children in the Geelong Revival Centre wait for the end of days.

GRC kids are told they’re always being watched. By their parents, their Pastor, and their God. They expect this constant surveillance, and the threat of violence if they step out of line.

Insider recordings of GRC leader Pastor Noel Hollins reveal how he promoted corporal punishment for children, and we learn how church parents were pressured to enforce these rules on their own kids.

Outspoken defectors of the GRC confide in journalist Richard Baker, he hears how from Pastor Noel’s pulpit, children learn to receive the Holy Spirit to keep the devil at bay. And what happens in the church, stays in the church.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Lifeline 13 11 14

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A story too big to ignore is drawing journalist Richard Baker back to his home town of Geelong. 

The chosen people of a strict Pentecostal church claim to have seen miracles happen, and expect to be among the few saved when Armageddon comes. But for some, the Geelong Revival Centre has brought the opposite of salvation. 

Ex-members are speaking out about the pain, control, and heartbreak they’ve endured under the rule of Pastor Noel Hollins, the leader of the church for the past 50 years. Richard meets some of these brave ex-members, many who are speaking out for the first time, as they share what it’s like to grow up in the GRC. 

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC 

Do you know more? Get in touch secretswekeep@sca.com.au 

Lifeline 13 11 14 

Credits:

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The end of the world is coming for members of a Geelong Church. It’s been looming for over 50 years. And only the chosen few will be saved. 

Follow investigative journalist Richard Baker as he returns to his home town to investigate one of Australia’s most hardline Pentecostal churches and the man who led it. 

This series goes deep inside the secretive group and the disturbing doctrine of Pastor Noel Hollins.  

Richard Baker has received hundreds of hours of audio recordings that reveal the inner teachings of the doomsday group. He speaks to ex-members who have managed to escape, many who are sharing their stories for the first time. 

They speak of a brutal place where men must be obeyed, children must be punished and the solution to every problem is to pray harder. 

This special LiSTNR nine part investigation uncovers how an Australian church, with charity status, has impacted the lives of vulnerable people for generations - without repercussions. 

Until now.   

Listen to the full series now on LiSTNR https://play.listnr.com/podcast/secrets-we-keep

Episode 1 available everywhere December 1.

The interviews in this series were recorded during Pastor Noel Hollins leadership of the Geelong Revival Centre. During production, Pastor Noel died. The experiences and allegations raised do not relate to the current leadership of the GRC

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In December 2005, Richard Baker published a story about an obscure oil company called Tigris Petroleum, and its ties to Iraq. A few weeks later, Tigris would be linked to the AWB at the Cole inquiry. In this bonus episode, Richard revisits the story, and finally gets some key documents about Tigris released. 

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Richard Baker interviews former Prime Minister John Howard, to find out why Australia went into the Iraq War, and ask how much his government knew about the AWB’s dealings.  

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The Cole inquiry recommends the AWB be investigated, and the Australian Federal Police set up a taskforce. Richard Baker speaks to former AFP officer Ross Fusca and finds out the taskforce mysteriously disappeared. The corporate regulator, ASIC, also attempts to hold the wheat men to account. 

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It’s Trevor Flugge and Michael Long’s turn in the witness box, though it couldn’t have come at a worse time. The media is fixated on photos of the pair in Baghdad holding guns, looking like cavalier cowboys. But they won’t be the only powerful men called to give evidence.  

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The Australian government announces an inquiry into the AWB, with the lawyers hoping to prove the AWB knew it was breaching sanctions. A whistleblower fronts the inquiry to give evidence... in secret. 

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Saddam Hussein has been found, weapons of mass destruction have not. The reason for the Iraq invasion crumbles, and the world’s attention is turned to corruption in the United Nations Oil For Food Program. The AWB’s dealings in Iraq are about to come under scrutiny from an international investigation. 

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The US invades Iraq, and good old Australia has joined. The Australian wheat men are on the ground a month later, and the secret mission begins – protect Australia’s lucrative wheat market. 

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The drums of war are beating, and the Australian Wheat Board’s multimillion-dollar trade with Iraq is at risk. Lucky for them, powerful sources promise to keep the AWB informed of any signs of war, while the public hears something different.  

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How did the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) fund Saddam Hussein’s regime? Richard Baker speaks with Michael Long and Trevor Flugge from the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) to find out how Australia built a strong trade relationship with Iraq.

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In the lead up to the Iraq War, the Australian Wheat Board (AWB), gave $300 million in illicit funds to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Journalist Richard Baker meets Trevor Flugge, the AWB’s chairman who went on to be the poster boy for the corruption scandal, thanks to a leaked photo.  

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It’s Australia’s biggest corruption scandal: $300 million funnelled to a notorious dictator via dodgy wheat contracts in the lead up to the Iraq War.   

Award-winning journalist Richard Baker takes you inside the scandal, with the help of three wheat salesmen caught in the middle of extraordinary world events. Were they cowboys who pocketed millions for their company? Scapegoats for a government stuff up? Or something in between...  

Secrets We Keep: Baghdad Nightslaunches August 6.  

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Joey travels to Melbourne to try and meet a living mole suspect to finally get some answers.

If you have any feedback or information about this story you can email secretswekeep@sca.com.au or you could send Joey a letter GPO Box 22, Sydney NSW 2000.

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A KGB defector directs Joey towards a former British politician. Joey investigates and finds the names of four potential moles who operated inside ASIO during the Cold War. He begins searching for the four suspects. 

If you have any feedback or information about this story you can email  secretswekeep@sca.com.au or you could send Joey a letter GPO Box 22, Sydney NSW 2000.

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A rendezvous leads Joey to an apartment where a source tells him that more information about the suspected moles might lie in a top secret government report. When he realises only the Prime Minister’s office can authorise the report to be released, Joey takes his questions all the way to the top.

If you have any feedback or information about this story you can email  secretswekeep@sca.com.au or you could send Joey a letter GPO Box 22, Sydney NSW 2000.

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Joey meets a man who investigated ASIO in the 1970s, to find out what made the spy agency vulnerable to being infiltrated by the KGB. ASIO was directed to search for traitors, but the internal investigations were inconclusive.

If you have any feedback or information about this story you can email  secretswekeep@sca.com.au or you could send Joey a letter GPO Box 22, Sydney NSW 2000.

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Joey drives into the middle of the desert to find out why Australia became a target for the KGB. He learns that Australia was a bigger player in the Cold War than he’d ever imagined, and how the mole could’ve had access to secrets from its powerful Western allies.

If you have any feedback or information about this story you can email  secretswekeep@sca.com.au or you could send Joey a letter GPO Box 22, Sydney NSW 2000.

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Who were the KGB? What was ASIO up against? To help his mole hunt, a former spy takes Joey inside ASIO during the Cold War. 

He points Joey to a KGB spy called Gerontiy Lazovik who may have recruited a mole in Australia. As Joey dives deeper into this story, he begins to suspect there was more than one mole.

If you have any feedback or information about this story you can email  secretswekeep@sca.com.au or you could send Joey a letter GPO Box 22, Sydney NSW 2000.

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Three years ago, journalist Joey Watson learnt about the ultimate spy story. During the Cold War, the Australian spy agency ASIO was infiltrated by the enemy - one of their spies turned and began working for the KGB, the Soviet Union’s feared spy agency. They became a mole. 

For decades, the mole's identity remained a mystery and the damage they caused unknown. To uncover the truth, Joey sets out to find them.  

Joey starts by meeting the main suspect who was arrested in the early 1990s and uncovers a much bigger story about secrets and power.

Nest of Traitors: Declassified is a behind-the-scenes peak at what goes into making the podcast series with Joey Watson and Clair Weaver. 

If you have any feedback or information about this story you can email  secretswekeep@sca.com.au or you could send Joey a letter GPO Box 22, Sydney NSW 2000.

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Three years ago, journalist Joey Watson was pulled into the ultimate spy mystery. During the Cold War, the Australian spy agency ASIO was infiltrated by a Soviet mole. For decades the mole's identity was buried and the damage they caused unknown. To uncover the truth, Joey sets out to find the mole. It’s a story about power, national secrets and how countries behave when they think no-one is watching. 

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Amelia Oberhardt introduces Season 2 of Secrets We Keep - Nest of Traitors. Hosted by Joey Watson, the season investigates another big Australian secret. Launching January 23.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Closed adoptions have affected many Australian families, and no one experience is the same. 

In this episode, you'll hear how forced adoptions have affected people from a new perspective - two adoptees, and one father. 

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Forced Adoption Support Service: 1800 21 03 13

List of organisations that can help

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you or your family have been affected by forced adoption, it can be daunting to start your journey to find information about your history. 

However support is available, and host Amelia Oberhardt speaks to two post adoption support services about how someone can navigate this journey. 

Forced Adoption Support Service: 1800 21 03 13

List of organisations that can help

Adopt Perspective Podcast 

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In the final episode of the season, Amelia Oberhardt reflects on what she's learnt in the series, and confronts one last stigma - her mother's alcohol dependency. 

Support services:

National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015 

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Forced Adoption Support Service: 1800 21 03 13

Featured:

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In researching the series, Amelia Oberhardt heard a shocking story about a Queensland abortion raid that showed another side of how women were treated in Australia’s not too distant past.  

Amelia finds out more about the options women had when faced with an unplanned pregnancy, the road to legalising abortion, and what happened one Monday morning in May 1985. 

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Leonie Pope was taken from her mother as a baby in 1972, after her mother was coerced into signing forms that gave away her rights. Leonie and her siblings were all taken from their family, and are part of the Stolen Generations.  

Leonie was fostered and adopted to a Welsh family, and spent her childhood on the other side of the world, growing up in Wales. This is Leonie’s story of coming home.  

You’ll also hear from Dr Mary Graham, about her work to change the approach of child welfare agencies in Queensland.  

Gayaa Dhuwi: https://www.gayaadhuwi.org.au/if-you-need-help/ 

A spokesperson for the Mater Hospital said: 'Forced adoptions occurred in Queensland into the 1970s and were usually procured by social workers or departmental officers acting for the State Government, which issued a formal apology for the policy in 2012. Mater fully endorses the apology given by Catholic Health Australia in 2012 for the role that some Catholic hospitals and health services played in this widespread practice.’ The Mater didn't address questions about the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children during the 1940s-1980s.' 

Responding to questions about a redress scheme in Queensland for Stolen Generations survivors, a spokesperson for the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts said: 'The Queensland Government recognises Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to experience the ongoing impacts of previous State and Commonwealth laws, policies and programs, including in relation to children. The Queensland Government is committed to improving the health and wellbeing outcomes of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples who experience disparity. We are doing this by restoring local decision-making authority and establishing place-based partnerships to ensure communities are leading the way as we work to Close the Gap.'

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We’ve been inundated with responses and questions from you, with your stories from the forced adoption era.  

Dr Susan Green is a psychologist and adopted person and speaks to Amelia Oberhardt to answer questions about the psychological impacts of forced adoption.  

We’ll be back to our normal format next week.  

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It’s a decade this year since Julia Gillard’s apology to those affected by forced adoption, but there’s still unfinished business. Now, it’s the adoptees picking up the baton and carrying on the fight for recognition, redress, and justice.  

Amelia speaks to two adoptees – Jennifer McRae and Danae Witherow – about how being taken from their mothers has affected their lives, and their push for an inquiry in Western Australia. Shakira Ramsdell explains what's happening in Victoria, the one state in the process of setting up a redress scheme. 

Forced Adoption Support Service: 1800 21 03 13

UPDATE: A spokesperson from the WA Department of Communities responded after deadline, writing 'formal integrated birth certificates [are] currently not available' but are being considered. 

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At its peak in the early 1970s, almost 200 babies per week were adopted in Australia. It’s impossible to know how many of these adoptions involved coercion, but we do know that it was a time many believed single women were incapable of looking after their children.

In this episode, Amelia Oberhardt looks at how this system was allowed to operate, and what lead to forced adoption ending. 

If you would like to share your story, email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Forced Adoption Support Service: 1800 21 03 13

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Young, pregnant, unwed. What happened next is one of the most shameful periods in Australian history. Amelia Oberhardt speaks to two women who experienced a forced adoption – a broad term used to describe the various ways women were coerced into giving up their baby.  

Di Sheehan and Lily Arthur explain how stigma and a flawed system altered the course of their lives. 

If you would like to share your story, email secretswekeep@sca.com.au

Forced Adoption Support Service: 1800 21 03 13

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amelia Oberhardt flies to Cairns to meet the man in the photo, hoping to finally get the answer to a question that has haunted her for over a decade. Who is the baby in the photo?  

Knowing what happened to her mum, Amelia feels more resolve than ever to tell the stories of other women from her mother’s generation.  

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In the aftermath of seeing the photo at the wake, Amelia Oberhardt is on a search to find the man in the photo. Her pursuit leads her down a rabbit hole, into the world of 1960s and 1970s Australia, and the realities of how women were treated in this era.  

And then, a new avenue provides new clues in the search for Michael.

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