The New South Wales Government will today issue a formal apology to individuals convicted under discriminatory laws that criminalised homosexual acts, following the exposure by true crime podcast 'The Greatest Menace' of Australia's secret homosexual prison.

The Audible Australia original, which has received 14 national and international awards since its release in 2022, revealed the existence of the prison for the first time to the public. The show's co-creator and host, Patrick Abboud, will be in attendance at the NSW Parliament for the apology, alongside co-producer Simon Cunich, gay rights activist Terry Goulden, and former inmates including Jacquie Grant.

The apology coincides with the 40th anniversary of the passing of the Crimes (Amendment) Bill 1984, which decriminalised homosexuality in NSW. 'The Greatest Menace' took three years to investigate and features interviews from former inmates, guards, gay rights activists, and retired police officers. The series is freely available on Audible's website.

Patrick Abboud, a Walkley-winning journalist, writer, director, presenter, and the 2023 Freelance Journalist of the Year by the Walkley Foundation, expressed the significance of the upcoming apology. "This is a hugely momentous day not only for the many brave souls who spoke to us in the making of our Audible Original queer true crime series 'The Greatest Menace: Inside the Prison Experiment', but for the hundreds of law reform and equality advocates that came before us. This state apology would not have come to be without their dedication and determination,” said Abboud.

“Today is a special day for every person whose life was marred by unjust laws against homosexuality. I hope this watershed moment gives them the dignity and sense of pride they so rightly deserve," said Abboud.

Head of Content, APAC at Audible, Karen Appathurai Wiggins, said: “Patrick and Simon unearthed a confronting slice of Australian history, in one of our most awarded Audible Original series in Australia to date."