Secrets We Keep

LiSTNR

Each season, Secrets We Keep investigates a different Australian secret.

CLAREMONT: The Trial (Season 13):
The shocking disappearance and murders of three young women in the affluent Perth suburb of Claremont 30 years ago became one of the biggest mysteries in WA history. Any hope of justice in the deaths of Ciara Glennon, Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer seemed bleak for two decades, with no sign of a breakthrough. That was until the arrest of Bradley Robert Edwards in 2016, who was subsequently charged with the trio's murders. In this series from our colleagues at The West Australian, you’ll hear the full story, go inside the courtroom for what was dubbed the trial of the century, be taken through all the revelations, allegations and talking points as the court case unfolded. First published to much acclaim in 2019 and 2020, this is Claremont: The Trial

Behind the White Line (Season 12): An investigation into Australia’s cocaine binge, Behind the White Line, traces the trail of white powder, from narco to nostrils. The series goes inside a $1 billion shipment, exposing a police turf war between the US DEA, the AFP and WA cops over an audacious sting to outwit a Mexican cartel. With exclusive interviews of high-ranking detectives, undercover operatives, DEA agents and coke users, Behind the White Line, examines the human cost of the world’s glamour drug hosted by investigative journalist Richard Baker.

Dezi Freeman: The Hunt (Season 11): Sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman, disappears into the Australian bush after shooting and killing two police officers, triggering a massive nationwide manhunt. This compelling six‑part investigation explores his radicalisation, the extraordinary pursuit culminating in him being discovered in a shipping container, and the lasting impact on the officers and families involved. Hosted by Michael Usher and Cassie Zervos.

The Children in the Pictures (Season 10): is an 8 part series hosted by Australian documentary-maker and father of two Akhim Dev, that powerfully examines how child abuse has become endemic online, and what we can all do to fight it.

Secrets We Keep: Uncovered (Season 9): 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, Uncovered pulls back the curtain on the stories powerful people hoped would stay buried, by speaking directly to those who lived and breathed them.

Jailbreak (Season 8): Journalist Tim Elliott details the extraordinary story of Darko Desic, a fugitive who lived for 30 years on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.

Lone Actor (Season 7): Joey Watson traces the radicalisation trajectory of the Christchurch terrorist, asking the question - did he really act alone?

By Any Means (Season 6): An investigation into the modern fertility landscape, confronting complex questions about consent, identity and human rights.

Should I Spit? (Season 5): 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.

Pray Harder (Season 4): investigative journalist Richard Baker uncovers the unbelievable and compelling true story of Australia’s oldest and most hard line Pentecostal Church, the Geelong Revival Centre.

Baghdad Nights (Season 3): Richard Baker takes you inside Australia's biggest corruption scandal, finding out how Australia funded a dictator in the lead up to the Iraq War.

Nest of Traitors (Season 2): Joey Watson is pulled into the world of espionage, attempting to track down an Australian spy who turned to work for the enemy during the Cold War.

Shame Lies & Family (Season 1): A mystery photo of Amelia Oberhardt’s mum exposes the practice of shotgun marriages, forced adoption, and quiet abortions carried out in Australia until the 1980s.

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145 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes145

Newest first

May 13 · 26 min
Dezi Freeman: The Hunt | Ep 5 | The making of Dezi Freeman
He was known to the world as Dezi Freeman, but that wasn’t the name he was born with. In this episode, 7NEWS journalist Michael Usher and Crime Editor Cassie Zervos trace Dezi Freeman’s origin story, uncovering new details about his childhood, the influences around him, and the pivotal moments that shaped his worldview — revealing the reality of the man behind the myth, and how he became radicalised. Dezi Freeman: The Hunt is a 7NEWS and LiSTNR co-production. Listen to the podcast on Secrets We Keep or watch the vodcast on 7Plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 11 · 25 min
Dezi Freeman: The Hunt | Ep 4 | My beautiful boy
In a case as high-profile as Dezi Freeman’s, the manhunt, his sovereign citizen beliefs, and the conspiracy theories surrounding his life (and death) have often overshadowed the human toll left behind. In this episode, 7NEWS journalist Michael Usher and Crime Editor Cassie Zervos shift the focus to the two Victoria Police officers killed by Freeman: Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart. They explore who these men were, the lives they lived, and the lasting impact of their deaths. Cassie also speaks with Victorian Police Association CEO Wayne Gatt about how the force coped with the grief and trauma of losing two of their own while carrying out one of the largest manhunts in Victorian history. Dezi Freeman: The Hunt is a 7NEWS and LiSTNR co-production. Listen to the podcast on Secrets We Keep or watch the vodcast on 7Plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 6 · 21 min
Dezi Freeman: The Hunt | Ep 3 | The force that never gave up
The hunt for Dezi Freeman wasn’t just a manhunt. It was a battle on hostile ground. Police moved into a community that didn’t trust them, didn’t want them there, and in some cases, openly opposed them. As tensions rose, investigators pushed on, determined not to lose their grip on the case. In this episode, 7NEWS journalist Michael Usher and Crime Editor Cassie Zervos reveal the resilience of the officers who stayed the course, and the deeply confronting evidence they uncovered, including allegations of child sex abuse and hundreds of child exploitation files found on Freeman’s computers. Dezi Freeman: The Hunt is a 7NEWS and LiSTNR co-production. Listen to the podcast on Secrets We Keep or watch the vodcast on 7Plus. CONTENT WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS REFERENCES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, GUN VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 4 · 22 min
Dezi Freeman: The Hunt | Ep 2 | Inside the operation
Once police received the tip-off that exposed Dezi Freeman’s hideout, they moved in — quietly. For seven days, officers hid in dense bushland, watching the remote property, waiting for the moment to strike. They knew Freeman had already evaded capture once. If he ran again, they might not get a second chance. 7NEWS journalist Michael Usher and Crime Editor Cassie Zervos take you inside the high-stakes surveillance, the planning behind the takedown, and the risks facing officers on the ground, as they closed in on one of Australia’s most wanted fugitives. Dezi Freeman: The Hunt is a 7NEWS and LiSTNR co-production. Listen to the podcast on Secrets We Keep or watch the vodcast on 7Plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 2 · 19 min
Dezi Freeman: The Hunt | Ep 1 | The final 24 hours
7NEWS Crime Editor Cassie Zervos was at home with her newborn when a police source gave her a scoop: Australia’s most wanted fugitive, Dezi Freeman, had been found and shot dead. She became the first journalist to break the story. Freeman, a self-described ‘sovereign citizen’, had been on the run for seven months after allegedly killing two police officers. What followed was one of the largest and most intensive manhunts in recent Australian history. 7NEWS journalist Michael Usher and Crime Editor Cassie Zervos take you inside the case from every angle — what happened, how it unfolded, Freeman’s ideology, and the impact on those left behind. Dezi Freeman: The Hunt is a 7NEWS and LiSTNR co-production. Listen to the podcast on Secrets We Keep or watch the vodcast on 7Plus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 30 · 1 min
Introducing Dezi Freeman: The Hunt
When two police officers were shot dead in regional Victoria, the man accused vanished into the bushland. What followed was one of the most extensive manhunts in Australian history. 7NEWS journalist Michael Usher and Crime Editor Cassie Zervos take you inside the case from every angle: what happened, how it unfolded, his ideology, and the impact on those left behind. Dezi Freeman: The Hunt, is a 7NEWS and LiSTNR co-production. Listen to the podcast here or watch the vodcast on 7+. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 27 · 53 min
The Children in the Pictures Bonus: Jon Rouse, the man behind Taskforce Argos
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In this bonus episode of The Children in the Pictures, Jon Rouse reveals he had no idea what he was getting into when he joined Taskforce Argos to set up their first internet investigation. What he found was a problem so vast and unique that he needed to petition for legislation to catch up with the crimes his team was fighting. If you'd like to hear more of Brent Sanders interviewing detectives about their careers, search "Crime Insiders" and look for episodes titled 'Detectives'. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 22 · 30 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 8 | The Hope and the Good
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In episode eight, The Love Zone is gone for good, but the threat remains. Akhim Dev hears from experts and investigators about the next frontier of child exploitation, which is leaving kids vulnerable to grooming, blackmail and extortion— and starting earlier than parents would ever suspect. Dev realises he must move from documentary observer, to messenger for children’s rights. As he is given access to global halls of power, Dev explores how we can help victim-survivors, and how parents like himself can educate their kids to keep them from harm. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 20 · 41 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 7 | A Perfect Match
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In episode seven, prolific abuser K has been careful to hide his identity, but a digital slip up has led Argos to a crucial clue. And while their investigation into The Love Zone is their most successful yet, the strain of the job is starting to take its toll. So how do you balance your work saving children’s lives, without damaging your own? The fight to bring you the story of The Love Zone leads to a surprising encounter with the former kingpin, Shannon McCoole, in an Australian court. It raises questions about how we can stop perpetrators from continuing to hurt children. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 15 · 30 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 6 | The Glitch
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In episode six, a glitch on The Love Zone site puts Argos’ operation in jeopardy. The Love Zone’s most obsessive moderator is beginning to suspect the site has been infiltrated by law enforcement. Argos must act quickly to throw off the scent— triggering a global police operation that spans three continents . Then, the team sets its sights on one of the most prolific abusers ever encountered— for legal reasons, we call him K. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 13 · 30 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 5 | The Job of Being Evil
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In episode five, the Argos team set out to impersonate the head of an online child abuse board. Although not an easy task, the team see it as the only way they can find and save vulnerable children around the world. As their hunt leads them to Europe, back in Australia, Shannon McCoole’s home town of Adelaide deals with the shockwaves of discovering the horrifying access this abuser had to kids in the community. And Akhim Dev learns how children who are victim-survivors come back from their abuse, with strength and storytelling. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 8 · 32 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 4 | The Takeover
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In episode four, the police move in and confront Skee at his home. His real name is Shannon McCoole. Hear never-before-shared police footage of McCoole’s dramatic arrest and prison interviews that reveal the full extent of the power he wielded as head of The Love Zone. McCoole’s arrest presents Argos with a rare opportunity to hunt down TLZ’s most depraved operators, one by one. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 6 · 34 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 3 | The Anti-Social Network
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, the Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In episode three, Argos are closing in on The Love Zone’s head administrator Skee. Documentary maker Akhim Dev travels internationally to speak to experts who work directly with abusers, in order to find out why they’re so hard to stop. Back in Queensland, Taskforce Argos try a new tactic in their search for Skee, with unexpected results. They’re going in… Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 1 · 33 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 2 | Crimes Without Borders
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In episode two, Taskforce Argos has VIP access to one of the most restricted online child abuse boards on the dark net – The Love Zone. Police begin their hunt for the kingpin of the network: head administrator Skee. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 30 · 26 min
The Children in the Pictures | Ep 1 | Down the Rabbit Hole
With the crisis of child exploitation gripping Australia, for the next few weeks, Secrets we Keep feed brings you the LiSTNR award-winning series, Children in the Pictures, an investigative podcast about the global fight against online child exploitation, following Australian investigators as they track offenders hiding in plain sight across the internet. The series exposes the scale of abuse, the emotional toll on those working to stop it, and the disturbing ways technology is being used to harm children worldwide. In Episode One, Australian documentary-maker and father of two Akhim Dev takes an unexpected tour of the dark web and discovers an epidemic hidden in plain sight: online child exploitation material. Content Warning: This series delves with sexual abuse against children. Listener discretion is advised. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 25 · 27 min
Uncovered | Unmasking the alleged torturer turned Bondi nanny | Part 2
A CIA-backed coup. A hidden Australian connection. And a suburban nanny with a secret past. In Part Two of Unmasking the Alleged Torturer Turned Bondi Nanny, Uruguayan-Australian journalist Florencia Melgar takes us inside her extraordinary interview with Adriana Rivas — a former member of Augusto Pinochet’s secret police, accused of some of the dictatorship’s most brutal crimes. While living in Sydney’s Bondi, working as a nanny, Rivas was wanted in Chile for crimes against humanity. In a rare and revealing conversation, she describes how she fled Chile while on bail — paying smugglers to escape through the Andes before returning to Australia, where she had lived since the late 1970s. In this episode, we hear how Rivas justifies torture, glorifies a brutal regime, and reflects on the power she once held. More on this story: The Other 9/11 ABC Foreign Correspondent, Facing the Past More on Australia’s involvement in Chile: 'Last thing he wanted was to embarrass the CIA': Inside Whitlam's 'agonising' decision to shut Australian spy operation in Chile Got any tips? Email us at secretswekeep@sca.com.au. Credits: Host: Joey Watson Supervising Producer: Claudianna Blanco Sound Design: Matt Nikolic Head of Factual: Clair Weaver See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 23 · 21 min
Uncovered | Unmasking the alleged torturer turned Bondi nanny | Part 1
A CIA-backed coup. A hidden Australian connection. And a suburban nanny with a secret past. In Part 1 of Unmasking the alleged torturer turned Bondi nanny, Uruguayan-Australian journalist Florencia Melgar takes us inside her groundbreaking investigation, The Other 9/11, and how she uncovered the secret role Australian spies played in the Pinochet coup in Chile in 1973. What began as a deep dive into Cold War espionage led somewhere unexpected: to Bondi, and to a woman accused of being part of Chile’s machinery of torture. More on this story: The Other 9/11 ABC Foreign Correspondent, Facing the Past More on Australia’s involvement in Chile: 'Last thing he wanted was to embarrass the CIA': Inside Whitlam's 'agonising' decision to shut Australian spy operation in Chile Got any tips? Email us at secretswekeep@sca.com.au. Credits: Host: Joey Watson Supervising Producer: Claudianna Blanco Sound Design: Matt Nikolic Head of Factual: Clair Weaver See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 16 · 25 min
Uncovered | Smuggling out proof of the secret war on Australia's doorstep
In this episode of Secrets We Keep: Uncovered, filmmaker Kristo Langker takes us inside the long-running conflict between Indonesia and West Papuans. Embedded with fighters from the West Papua Liberation Army, a small armed independence movement that has been battling Indonesian security forces for decades, Kristo travelled to a remote mountain village where the Indonesian military was allegedly bombing indigenous communities with high-tech explosives and drones. He gathered evidence of these extreme measures right on Australia’s doorstep and smuggled it back to confront a multi-billion-dollar weapons manufacturer about its role in the bloodshed. Got any tips? Email us at secretswekeep@sca.com.au. Credits: Reporter/Host: Joey Watson Supervising Producer: Claudianna Blanco Sound Design: Matt Curry and Matt Nikolic Fact check: Madeline Larsen Head of Factual: Clair Weaver See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 11 · 22 min
Uncovered | Discovering your boyfriend was a cop spying on you | Part 2
For years, flatmates Wendy and Ellie trusted James. He joined Wendy’s animal rights advocacy group, quickly becoming one of her closest friends — and Ellie’s boyfriend. But James wasn’t who they thought. He was an undercover cop, deployed to spy on them. Part of a secretive UK operation now known as Spy Cops, James was one of many officers who infiltrated activist and protest groups, forming intimate and sexual relationships with their targets -sometimes for years- leaving a trail of betrayal and heartbreak behind. In this two-part tell-all interview, Wendy and Ellie take us through a 17-year-long deception so cruel that it's almost impossible to comprehend. Got any tips? Email us at secretswekeep@sca.com.au. If this episode raises issues for you, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1322 46 36. Credits: Host: Joey Watson Supervising Producer: Claudianna Blanco Sound Design: Matt Curry Head of Factual: Clair Weaver See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 9 · 25 min
Uncovered | Discovering your boyfriend was a cop spying on you | Part 1
For years, flatmates Wendy and Ellie trusted James. He joined Wendy’s animal rights advocacy group, quickly becoming one of her closest friends — and Ellie’s boyfriend. But James wasn’t who they thought. He was an undercover cop, deployed to spy on them. Part of a secretive UK operation now known as Spy Cops, James was one of many officers who infiltrated activist and protest groups, forming intimate and sexual relationships with their targets -sometimes for years- leaving a trail of betrayal and heartbreak behind. In this two-part tell-all interview, Wendy and Ellie take us through a 17-year-long deception so cruel that it's almost impossible to comprehend. Got any tips? Email us at secretswekeep@sca.com.au. If this episode raises issues for you, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1322 46 36. Credits: Host: Joey Watson Supervising Producer: Claudianna Blanco Sound Design: Matt Curry Head of Factual: Clair Weaver See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.