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Secrets We Keep

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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.

  • 145 episodes
  • Updated Yesterday

Episodes145

  • Aug 21, 2023 · 32 min

    Shame, Lies & Family - Moral danger

    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.

  • Aug 14, 2023 · 24 min

    Shame, Lies & Family - Welcome to Cairns

    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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Aug 7, 2023 · 30 min

    Shame, Lies & Family - The wake

    Standing at her mother’s wake, journalist Amelia Oberhardt is confronted with a photo she’s never seen before - her mum Cecelia as a teenager wearing a wedding ring, accompanied by an unknown husband and cradling an unfamiliar baby. Immediately, Amelia begins to ask questions. Who is this man? Who is this baby? And does this photo explain Ceceila’s untimely death? Credits: Creator and Host - Amelia Oberhardt Producer - Jake Morcom Fact check - Bension Siebert Sound design and mix - Nial Fernandes Executive Producer - Ellen Leabeater With assistance from Clair Weaver, Joey Watson, Jessica Lukjanow, Tara Cassidy and James Royce Natasha Jobson is our Head of News Ops, and Melanie Withnall is Head of News and Information See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Aug 7, 2023 · 23 min

    Shame, Lies & Family - Finding Michael

    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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  • Jul 12, 2023 · 2 min

    Introducing Shame, Lies & Family

    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.