Australian True Crime

Latest Episodes:

The Devastating Legacy of Dennis McKenna's Crimes Nov 01, 2026

Show notes

Decades after Dennis McKenna sexually abused boys at St Andrew's Hostel in Western Australia, the devastating consequences of his crimes are still being felt.

As the convicted child sex offender faces possible release, whistleblower Maggie Dawkins returns with new allegations that raise questions about his offending history. She's joined by Kaye Anderson, whose sons attended the hostel and who shares the heartbreaking impact McKenna's crimes have had on her family.

ATC Plus subscribers can listen to this episode ad free here.

Contact your representatives

For listeners wishing to raise concerns about the potential release of Dennis McKenna, we encourage you to contact the following Western Australian representatives:

Premier Roger Cook: wa-government@dpc.wa.gov.au
Attorney General Dr Tony Buti: Minister.Buti@dpc.wa.gov.au
Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas: leader.zempilas@loop.wa.gov.au

We recommend listening to our first episode on this case "The House of Horrors in Katanning" if you haven't already.

You can purchase your copy of To Be Believed: A West Australian Scandal here.

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Guests: Maggie Dawkins and Kaye Anderson

Executive Producer/Editor: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

Shortcut: The Devastating Legacy of Dennis McKenna's Crimes Nov 01, 2026

Show notes

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.

Decades after Dennis McKenna sexually abused boys at St Andrew's Hostel in Western Australia, the devastating consequences of his crimes are still being felt.

ATC Plus subscribers can listen to this episode ad free here.

Contact your representatives

For listeners wishing to raise concerns about the potential release of Dennis McKenna, we encourage you to contact the following Western Australian representatives:

Premier Roger Cook: wa-government@dpc.wa.gov.au
Attorney General Dr Tony Buti: Minister.Buti@dpc.wa.gov.au
Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas: leader.zempilas@loop.wa.gov.au

We recommend listening to our first episode on this case "The House of Horrors in Katanning" if you haven't already.

You can purchase your copy of To Be Believed: A West Australian Scandal here.

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Guests: Maggie Dawkins and Kaye Anderson

Executive Producer/Editor: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

True Crime Tonight: The Story Behind "Primetime" Nov 01, 2026

Show notes

This week on True Crime Tonight we discuss:

This month in true crime history with Michael Adams from the Forgotten Australian and Australian Murder podcasts
"Primetime" movie review
Ruby interviews Collien Fernandes about her experience of being targeted by a deepfake impersonation

Hosted by Meshel Laurie, True Crime Tonight airs Sundays from 6-7pm on KIIS, breaking down the biggest crime stories, documentaries and cases everyone’s talking about.

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Host: Meshel Laurie

Producer/Co-host: Ruby Bartzis

Editor/Co-host: Matthew Tankard

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

GET IN TOUCH:

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook
Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

The Deepfake Impersonation of Collien Fernandes - ATC International Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

German television presenter Collien Fernandes was at the centre of a disturbing case of online impersonation, in which someone posing as her sent sexually explicit material and convinced several men they were in secret romantic relationships with her.

ATC Plus subscribers can listen to this episode ad free here.

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Host/Producer: Ruby Bartzis

Guest: Collien Fernandes

Executive Producer: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

Shortcut: The Deepfake Impersonation of Collien Fernandes - ATC International Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

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.

ATC Plus subscribers can listen to this episode ad free here.

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Host/Producer: Ruby Bartzis

Guest: Collien Fernandes

Executive Producer: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

The Murder Behind Australia's $50 Note Oct 25, 2026

Show notes

Edith Cowan, Australia's first woman elected to parliament, is celebrated on our $50 note.

But her path to becoming a pioneering advocate for women and children began with a devastating childhood, when her father was hanged for the murder of her stepmother.

Michael Adams, host of Forgotten Australia and the new podcast Australian Murder, joins us to explore the story.

ATC Plus subscribers can listen to this episode ad free here.

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Guest: Michael Adams

Executive Producer/Editor: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

Shortcut: The Murder Behind Australia's $50 Note Oct 25, 2026

Show notes

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.

Edith Cowan, Australia's first woman elected to parliament, is celebrated on our $50 note.

But her path to becoming a pioneering advocate for women and children began with a devastating childhood, when her father was hanged for the murder of her stepmother.

Michael Adams, host of Forgotten Australia and the new podcast Australian Murder, joins us to explore the story.

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Guest: Michael Adams

Executive Producer/Editor: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

True Crime Tonight: Russell Brand Oct 25, 2026

Show notes

This week on True Crime Tonight we discuss:

Elizabeth Holmes' fraud
The trial of Russell Brand
An interview with Louise Edmonds about Grooming Recognition

Hosted by Meshel Laurie, True Crime Tonight airs Sundays from 6-7pm on KIIS, breaking down the biggest crime stories, documentaries and cases everyone’s talking about.

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Host: Meshel Laurie

Producer/Co-host: Ruby Bartzis

Editor/Co-host: Matthew Tankard

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

GET IN TOUCH:

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook
Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Grooming: How Predators Gain Access to Children Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Content warning: This episode discusses child sexual abuse, grooming and childhood trauma.

Louise Edmonds is a survivor advocate and founder of Grooming Recognition, a training platform helping people recognise the warning signs of grooming and prevent child sexual abuse.

Drawing on her own lived experience, Louise works to improve understanding of how grooming happens and how it can be stopped.

You can learn more about Louise's work at www.groomingrecognition.com/

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Guest: Louise Edmonds

Producer: Ruby Bartzis

Executive Producer: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.

Shortcut: Grooming: How Predators Gain Access to Children Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

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.

Content warning: This episode discusses child sexual abuse, grooming and childhood trauma.

Louise Edmonds is a survivor advocate and founder of Grooming Recognition, a training platform helping people recognise the warning signs of grooming and prevent child sexual abuse.

Drawing on her own lived experience, Louise works to improve understanding of how grooming happens and how it can be stopped.

You can learn more about Louise's work at www.groomingrecognition.com/

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Blue Knot Helpline:1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Guest: Louise Edmonds

Producer: Ruby Bartzis

Executive Producer: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook

Got a question or comment you want played on the show? Get involved by sending us a voice message on our True Crime Hotline here.