“It's billed as queer true crime but it will endure as a work of literary audio non fiction. In that way it's Australia's S-town, I think”.
Belinda Lopez — Executive Producer, listnr.com
SERIES SYNOPSIS
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 which specifically incarcerated gay men. His investigation into what happened inside reveals the full story for the first time. This 8-part investigative queer true crime journey takes you from underground nightclubs to hidden sex haunts, to remote parts of New Zealand and England. Patrick finds himself 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.
BONUS EPISODE SYNOPSIS
‘THE RUNAWWAY’ - The Greatest Menace returns with the remarkable story of a former inmate, who has spent years on the run like a fugitive. His lifelong wish is to have his criminal record cleared. Patrick gets on the case and in the process meets the cop who arrested him.
The Greatest Menace is created, researched, written and produced by Patrick Abboud and Simon Cunich. The series is hosted by Patrick Abboud.
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.