
Australian True Crime
Think nothing ever happens in your town? Australia's suburbs are home to some of the most mysterious and disturbing true crime cases in the world. Meshel Laurie is a true crime obsessive, and with the help of expert interviews with writers, victims, investigators and perpetrators, she probes the underbelly of our towns and suburbs, and uncovers the darkness at the heart of Australian life.We choose to stay @ Ovolo HotelsJoin our ATC EMAIL LIST Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Mar 6, 2024 • 17min
Shortcut: Going to the same school as your abusers
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. It's estimated that around one third of sexual assaults committed against Australian children are carried out by other children, according to the Australian Center for Child Protection. Australian children are increasingly displaying harmful sexual behaviours and there's a tendency within our society to minimise it and characterise it as normal sexual development. Our guest on Australian True Crime today, Emma, was the victim of other children's harmful sexual behaviours when she was 13 years old.We know that adult sexual predators tend to seek out vulnerable children to take advantage of. Disturbingly, that approach seems to be instinctive. As you'll hear in this episode, Emma was definitely vulnerable when her attackers singled her out from the crowd.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: EmmaExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 6, 2024 • 1h 1min
Going to the same school as your abusers
It's estimated that around one third of sexual assaults committed against Australian children are carried out by other children, according to the Australian Center for Child Protection.Australian children are increasingly displaying harmful sexual behaviours and there's a tendency within our society to minimise it and characterise it as normal sexual development.Our guest on Australian True Crime today, Emma, was the victim of other children's harmful sexual behaviours when she was 13 years old.We know that adult sexual predators tend to seek out vulnerable children to take advantage of.Disturbingly, that approach seems to be instinctive. As you'll hear in this episode, Emma was definitely vulnerable when her attackers singled her out from the crowd.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: EmmaExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 2, 2024 • 14min
Shortcut: My violent ex became a murderer
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. A couple of years ago, there was a lady called Lynda living in a small community in Australia, who had bright pink keys.She wanted them to be very visible so that she could find them quickly and get inside her house or car in the event that she was ambushed by her ex-partner.One in night in 2020, though, she didn't make it inside in time, and was bashed and stabbed to death outside her own front door.The following day, when her murder was reported on the news, it was particularly shocking for one family living not too far away: his former family.The offender had been actively stalking his ex-wife, Stephanie, and their children right up until he murdered Lynda.Stephanie joins us today on Australian true Crime to talk about her experience. We dedicate this episode to the memory of Lynda and to her family.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: StephanieExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 2, 2024 • 39min
My violent ex became a murderer
A couple of years ago, there was a lady called Lynda living in a small community in Australia, who had bright pink keys.She wanted them to be very visible so that she could find them quickly and get inside her house or car in the event that she was ambushed by her ex-partner.One in night in 2020, though, she didn't make it inside in time, and was bashed and stabbed to death outside her own front door.The following day, when her murder was reported on the news, it was particularly shocking for one family living not too far away: his former family.The offender had been actively stalking his ex-wife, Stephanie, and their children right up until he murdered Lynda.Stephanie joins us today on Australian true Crime to talk about her experience. We dedicate this episode to the memory of Lynda and to her family.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: StephanieExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 25, 2024 • 14min
Shortcut: How a Homicide Detective Prepares for a Murder Trial
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Charlie Bezzina is a former Homicide Detective who has been part of some of the biggest murder trials this country has ever seen.Charlie remains in very high demand, both as a media commentator and as a private investigator.He joins us today to talk about the process of taking a big homicide investigation to trial from the perspective of the detectives involved.The alleged High Country murder trial regarding former Jetstar pilot, Gregory Lynn, is about to begin in the Supreme Court of Melbourne. Throughout the trial, we will be bringing you special episodes of Australian True Crime that uncover the intricacies of Australia's judicial system.Charlie Bezzina will be back with us in the coming weeks, so please contact us through social media if you have any specific questions you would like him to answer.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: Charlie BezzinaExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 25, 2024 • 45min
How a Homicide Detective Prepares for a Murder Trial
Charlie Bezzina is a former Homicide Detective who has been part of some of the biggest murder trials this country has ever seen.Charlie remains in very high demand, both as a media commentator and as a private investigator.He joins us today to talk about the process of taking a big homicide investigation to trial from the perspective of the detectives involved.The alleged High Country murder trial regarding former Jetstar pilot, Gregory Lynn, is about to begin in the Supreme Court of Melbourne. Throughout the trial, we will be bringing you special episodes of Australian True Crime that uncover the intricacies of Australia's judicial system.Charlie Bezzina will be back with us in the coming weeks, so please contact us through social media if you have any specific questions you would like him to answer.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: Charlie BezzinaExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 21, 2024 • 16min
Shortcut: Why you should think twice about online vigilantism
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Dr Renee Zahnow is an Urban Criminologist, and an Australian Research Council (ARC) Senior Research Fellow in the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland.She joins us today on Australian True Crime to discuss productive ways of thinking about those who criminally offend, keys to prevention for at risk youths, and the harmful results of people taking justice into their own hands.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: Dr Renee ZahnowExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardThis episode contains an audio clip from the Daily TelegraphGET IN TOUCH:Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 21, 2024 • 47min
Why you should think twice about online vigilantism
Dr Renee Zahnow is an Urban Criminologist, and an Australian Research Council (ARC) Senior Research Fellow in the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland.She joins us today on Australian True Crime to discuss productive ways of thinking about those who criminally offend, keys to prevention for at risk youths, and the harmful results of people taking justice into their own hands.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: Dr Renee ZahnowExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardThis episode contains an audio clip from the Daily TelegraphGET IN TOUCH:Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 18, 2024 • 14min
Shortcut: The Work of WA Police's Sex Crimes Division
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Dr. Hamish Mckenzie is the Detective Superintendent of the Western Australia Sex Crimes Division. That means he's the boss.As you're about to hear, Sex Crimes is a very challenging area of policing, and Western Australia is the largest single policing jurisdiction in the world.Policing, like everything else, is done differently in WA. But according to Hamish McKenzie, child sexual assault is the one area of law enforcement where egos really do take a backseat to results. He joins us on Australian True Crime, which serving officers rarely do. So we're very grateful to talk about his work and how we can continue to work together in child protection.Click here to visit WA Police's anonymous online reporting portal.You can visit the WA Police's website by clicking here.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: Dr Hamish MckenzieExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 18, 2024 • 44min
The Work of WA Police's Sex Crimes Division
Dr. Hamish Mckenzie is the Detective Superintendent of the Western Australia Sex Crimes Division. That means he's the boss.As you're about to hear, Sex Crimes is a very challenging area of policing, and Western Australia is the largest single policing jurisdiction in the world.Policing, like everything else, is done differently in WA. But according to Hamish McKenzie, child sexual assault is the one area of law enforcement where egos really do take a backseat to results. He joins us on Australian True Crime, which serving officers rarely do. So we're very grateful to talk about his work and how we can continue to work together in child protection.Click here to visit WA Police's anonymous online reporting portal.You can visit the WA Police's website by clicking here.For Support: Lifeline on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Guest: Dr Hamish MckenzieExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Email the show at team@smartfella.com.auBuild your pro podcast with The Audio College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.