Shandee's Story

Shandee's Legacy Episode 18: Unfinished Business Dec 4, 2025 4770 It's been four years since Hedley, Dr Kirsty Wright and Vicki and Shannah Blackburn first Zoomed in late 2021 about the forensic testing anomalies in Shandee's case.  In the final episode of Shandee's Legacy for now, the podcast’s focus turns to the future and a bid to solve Shandee's case. Hedley and Karina look into the status of Shandee's crime scene samples and those from other hist

Shandee's Legacy Episode 17: A Fuller Future Nov 27, 2025 3163 The new director of the lab, former NSW Police Force Commissioner Mick Fuller, is tasked with leading the lab out of ruin and transforming it into a world-class facility. He shares his plans for salvaging the lab with Hedley and explains why he is the right person for the top job, even though he's not a scientist.A confidential briefing note from the lab to Queensland Health in March 2023 war

Shandee's Legacy Episode 16: Magda Nov 20, 2025 3749 The terrible toll for victims affected by the DNA lab’s ongoing failure is laid bare by Magda.Eighteen months after her alleged rape, the mining site worker is still waiting for the lab to tell her what, if anything, is happening with the forensic testing of samples from her ordeal.Magda shares her searing story with Hedley as Dr Kirsty Wright discloses major problems with the lab's tes

Hedley Thomas’ new podcast: Sick To Death Nov 17, 2025 1099 A blockbuster new podcast from The Australian and our investigative star reporter Hedley Thomas: Sick To Death is the horrifying true story of a surgeon who made catastrophic mistakes - and went unchallenged by a broken system. Hedley Thomas is here for a special episode to mark the launch of Sick To Death, available now in Apple Podcasts and at sicktodeathpodcast.com This is an episode of our dai

Shandee's Legacy Episode 15: Deja Vu Nov 13, 2025 4134 After a break of two years, the podcast returns with the first of several new bombshell episodes of Shandee’s Legacy. The DNA lab in Queensland is again under close scrutiny for gross scientific failure despite the findings of two public inquiries, major reforms and a huge injection of public funds. Dr Kirsty Wright answers another SOS to lift the lid on what’s going wrong in the lab -

From The Front: John Peros defamation case dismissed Aug 27, 2024 1196 In this episode of our daily news podcast, a QLD Supreme Court judge dismisses the defamation action brought against The Australian by the man acquitted of killing Shandee Blackburn. Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen A

From The Front: Can journalists call someone a murderer? Jul 31, 2024 1023 A defamation case sparked by the Shandee’s Story podcast poses the question: can journalists publish evidence that calls a court finding into doubt? Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Stephanie Coombes and edited by Joshua Bur

From The Front: John Peros v The Australian Jul 30, 2024 951 From our daily news podcast The Front, John Peros' defamation action against Hedley Thomas, Shannah Blackburn and the publishers of The Australian. For free daily news, search 'The Front' wherever you listen, and subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode. This episode is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Stephanie Coombes and edited by Jasper Leak. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva

Shandee’s Legacy Episode 14: Closing Ranks Nov 24, 2023 4657 There was no fanfare when Commissioner Annabelle Bennett SC handed down her findings from the Project 13 inquiry. Only disappointment that the inquiry failed to hold anyone responsible for the biggest disaster in the lab’s history.  In this episode of Shandee’s Legacy, Dr Kirsty Wright joins Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, and David Murray to dissect and comment on the findings from

Shandee’s Legacy Episode 13: Science Speak Nov 11, 2023 4852 Public hearings in a second inquiry into the lab and the disastrous Project 13 have concluded. Closing submissions have been delivered. And still questions are left unanswered. Why was the automated process unleashed on precious crime-scene samples? Who wrote the mysterious and damning Project 13 report? And why didn’t the lab’s new boss flag it in the first inquiry? In this episode, H

Shandee’s Legacy Episode 12: History Repeating Oct 27, 2023 4447 Public hearings for a rare second inquiry into catastrophic failings at Queensland’s besieged forensics lab are about to get underway in Brisbane.  In this episode of Shandee’s Legacy, Hedley Thomas, David Murray, Claire Harvey, and Matthew Condon drill down into the questions yet to be answered about Project 13: who knew what and when, and why didn’t the lab’s new bos

From The Front: Queensland's DNA lab is back under the microscope Oct 5, 2023 829 The Queensland government will reopen an inquiry into its troubled DNA lab after new evidence of flawed automated testing processes emerged. Find out more about The Front podcast here and subscribe in your podcast app. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shandee’s Legacy Episode 11: What Linzi Left Out Sep 15, 2023 5201 A cloud has been cast over the new chief of the lab following revelations that a DNA extraction method may have failed across thousands of samples in criminal cases for nine years. Professor Linzi Wilson-Wilde reviewed the automated method for retired judge Walter Sofronoff’s inquiry into the lab in 2022, but in her subsequent report did not mention information that she came across showing i

Shandee's Legacy Episode 10: Project 13 Sep 8, 2023 4650 Dr Kirsty Wright is the remarkable scientist who exposed the worst forensics disaster in Australia’s history, and now she’s identified the ‘smoking gun’ in the Queensland DNA lab disaster. It’s a catastrophe called ‘Project 13’ which has been hiding in plain view -- but Dr Wright is certain that it was deceptive and fraudulent, and it explains why Shandee&

It's back: The Teacher's Pet returns for Australian listeners Jun 30, 2023 35 The Australian's global smash-hit podcast Teacher's Pet returns for Australian audiences on July 1. You can find it wherever you got this podcast. Just search for "The Teacher's Pet". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shandee's Legacy Episode 9: Consequences Dec 17, 2022 6940 Will anyone face criminal charges for the disaster at the laboratory? We examine more of Walter Sofronoff’s findings about how this catastrophe unfolded, delve deeper into Cathie Allen’s conduct, and meet a lady who -- when the laboratory couldn’t make sense of DNA results -- was told her own son must have been switched at birth. The Queensland Government moves swiftly to respond to the report, an

Shandee's Legacy Episode 8: Astounded Dec 16, 2022 5248 At last, Commissioner Walter Sofronoff hands down his 500-plus-page report -- and it is a sweeping denunciation of the laboratory’s failings, and of the conduct of one person in particular: Cathie Allen. He finds the managing scientist lied: to police, to her staff, to ministers and to the Commissioner himself, under oath during the inquiry. Sofronoff exposes a litany of deceit and trickery,

Shandee's Legacy Episode 7: Freedom Day Nov 25, 2022 5973 It’s the final week of public hearings in the explosive inquiry into a broken DNA lab and we’re all here because of one person -- Shandee Blackburn. The vicious and unprovoked murder of the defenceless 23-year-old walking home from work is front-and-centre as three independent experts give their verdict on the lab’s failure to find any forensic trace of her killer. It’s bee

Shandee's Legacy Episode 6: Disney Villain Nov 4, 2022 6313 In the harsh spotlight of the inquiry, lab boss Cathie Allen admits to absolutely nothing, tearfully insisting she always acted with the best intentions and has been terribly misunderstood. In her account, white-anting staff were to blame for the toxic culture at the lab, management offered no support, funding was shrinking and the pressure was relentless. We explore her life outside the lab, with

Shandee's Legacy Episode 5: Blowtorch Oct 28, 2022 5906 The big guns from the DNA lab - Lara Keller, Justin Howes and Cathie Allen - are rolled into the formal inquiry and subjected to withering questioning by a lawyer on top of his game over alleged cover-up, lies to police, and scientific fraud. The three insist they've been honest at all times, just guilty of misunderstanding the details or being overwhelmed by work and led into human error. The inq

Shandee's Legacy Episode 4: Gaslit Oct 21, 2022 5820 Four weeks in, one question lingers in the Walter Sofronoff-led Commission of Inquiry into Queensland's state-run forensics lab: who knew what and when? In this week's episode, Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, Matthew Condon, and David Murray further unpack the toxic treatment of scientists who attempted to raise the alarm about inadequate DNA profiling processes and questionable management practices

Shandee's Legacy Episode 3: Ingrid's Epic Spray Oct 14, 2022 6209 Humiliated. Belittled. Embarrassed. Toxic behaviour by the lab's managers leads to an epic spray from a reporting scientist in this week's episode. Ingrid Moeller used her time in the witness box to unleash on less-than-stellar management of the state-run lab at the centre of the Commission of Inquiry. Plus, we hear from her colleagues, who tried time and again to raise the alarm about toxic cult

Shandee's Legacy Episode 2: Evidence Destruction Oct 7, 2022 4568 We reveal deep concerns that the lab managers put a new, untried and ill-conceived testing system in place immediately after the public inquiry was called. Was it a deliberate strategy of sabotage to try to cover up the mistakes of the past? Or merely accidental - the product of poor judgment? The inquiry is focusing long and hard on this as Dr Kirsty Wright helps identify the errors and potential

Shandee's Legacy Episode 1: Blame Game Sep 30, 2022 5375 Following the shocking revelations of bungling, secrecy and misconduct within Queensland’s DNA lab exposed in journalist Hedley Thomas’ podcast Shandee’s Story, a major royal commission-style inquiry into the fiasco gets underway in a Brisbane court, headed by retired judge Walter Sofronoff KC. The hearings are immediately rocked by allegations of disharmony and distrust amongst

Introducing Shandee's Legacy Sep 23, 2022 72 Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon return to cover hearings in a major public inquiry into Queensland's state-run DNA lab.  A new episode will be published at the end of every week, for the duration of the inquiry. Search for "Shandee's Story" wherever you listen, and read The Australian's coverage of the inquiry at theaustralian.com.au. See omnystudio.co

Episode 20: Shoot The Messengers Jun 16, 2022 3213 DNA scientist Dr Kirsty Wright is shown how public servants and DNA laboratory managers behind closed doors have been minimising the serious concerns raised in the podcast series. A raft of internal documents responding to Kirsty's revelations become available and these show the immediate refusal of the managers of the laboratory to start a proper audit or acknowledge anything has gone awry.

Episode 19: Shandee's Legacy Jun 8, 2022 3983 Finally, seven months after the first disclosures by Dr Kirsty Wright in Episode 7 of the podcast about grave concerns over the testing of DNA in Shandee's case and in hundreds of others, a remarkable breakthrough. The Premier of Queensland announces a far-reaching public inquiry to be led by one of Queensland's most respected legal figures and he'll be armed with vast powers and a team of lawyers

Introducing The Teacher's Trial May 13, 2022 3760 From Hedley Thomas and the journalists at The Australian comes The Teacher's Trial. This is the first episode. New episodes of The Teacher's Trial are published every Friday for the duration of the trial of Chris Dawson, who is accused of the murder of his wife Lynette Dawson.  Search for "The Teacher's Trial" wherever you listen, or read The Australian's coverage of the trial on The Australi

Episode 18: Fair Go Mar 24, 2022 4763 Will Shandee Blackburn ever get justice? Will systemic flaws in Queensland’s forensic lab be independently investigated by the authorities? In this episode of the podcast series – which is pausing until new leads arise – Dr Kirsty Wright reveals the letter she confidentially wrote to Queensland’s corruption-fighting agency about the broken lab and her concerns that its prob

Episode 17: Through The Cracks Mar 17, 2022 3762 Evidence that appears to have fallen through the cracks in Shandee’s case is revealed as John Peros’s flat – and its hiding places – gets a fresh examination in light of new information from a listener. Retired homicide detective Scott Furlong recalls his visit to the flat the day after the murder as part of the investigation, of seeing apparent renovation works, and then n

Episode 16 - Running Mar 9, 2022 3779 The footsteps of a running man captured in CCTV footage seconds before and after Shandee’s slaying are re-enacted to test a theory that the running man didn’t have enough time to be her killer. Criminal lawyer Kristy Bell explains the legal principle of double jeopardy and the evidence required to recharge an offender for the same crime under Queensland law. In 2019, the inquest hears

Episode 15: Spin Cycles Mar 2, 2022 3981 Queensland’s government-run forensics lab has been using a testing threshold that is preventing it from detecting DNA in many samples, says Dr Kirsty Wright, with potentially catastrophic consequences for victims of violent crime. A t-shirt described as 'blood-soaked' is found at a Mackay business near the murder scene – but the lab reports “No DNA detected”. A truck driver

Episode 14: Renewed Hope Feb 23, 2022 4835 Forensic biologist Dr Kirsty Wright says she’s found irrefutable evidence that the forensics train wreck in Shandee’s case is not a one-off incident – and reveals the shocking results that have led her to believe many victims of rape and serious sexual assault have been denied a fair shot at justice. In 2017, a recently acquitted John Peros insists on the return of his Toyota Hil

Episode 13: Unheard Evidence Jan 9, 2022 4928 Shandee’s family reflect on a justice system they say failed Shandee and share who they believe her real killer is – and why he escaped justice. Unheard evidence is examined. More DNA problems and omissions are discovered by Dr Kirsty Wright who is joined by another forensic scientist in expressing serious concerns about the lab. A new person of interest comes into view.  Subscrib

Episode 12: Herring and Shark Jan 3, 2022 5220 The prosecutor Josh Phillips argues CCTV footage proves John is a killer and William Daniel a red herring, while Craig Eberhardt responds with a large display photo of a great white shark – and tells jurors it's the real killer, William Daniel.  Text messages between John and Shandee are read to the jury – but many depicting John's menacing behaviour and his anger are not provided

Episode 11: Lollies Jan 2, 2022 4852 John’s defence lawyer Craig Eberhardt smashes the credibility of three key Australia Day witnesses as they try to deny obvious references to illicit drug use in text messages about “lollies”. Their evidence of hearing John say hatefully that Shandee should be stabbed is undermined. Craig highlights a tenuous purported DNA 'link' between William Daniel and the murder - and when a

Episode 10 - Blood Dec 26, 2021 5317 John Peros’s murder trial begins, and John's criminal defence lawyers fight to have evidence they believe is unfair to their client excluded. Evidence police labelled as ‘blood’ in John’s Toyota Hilux is ruled inadmissible by the trial judge because the results of the presumptive Luminol testing were not conclusive. The excluded ‘blood’ samples could still conta

Episode 9: Fast Hands Dec 21, 2021 3918 Detectives face tough questions from John Peros’s legal team at a committal hearing prior to his murder trial. William Daniel and Levii Blackman are witnesses – and Levii denies William told him, 'I did it'. Frustrated detectives sought answers for the lack of forensic evidence. The lab’s suggestion bacteria may have interfered with DNA testing is “ludicrous”, says fo

Episode 8 - Charge Dec 21, 2021 3767 John Peros is taken to a windowless room in Brisbane’s police headquarters in early September 2014. Detectives want him to see CCTV footage from the night of the murder of a car remarkably similar to his ute driving around Mackay, and vision of a running man, and to confess to a murder. John refuses to look at the screen, and is charged with Shandee’s murder. Respected forensic scienti

Episode 7: Bad Science Dec 19, 2021 4047 Major forensics failures in a government-run laboratory seriously compromised the police investigation into Shandee’s murder, one of Australia’s most respected DNA experts finds. After months examining the case for Shandee’s Story, forensic biologist Dr Kirsty Wright is convinced critical problems thwarted the lab’s ability to generate DNA profiles from crime scenes - poten

Episode 6: Losing It Dec 12, 2021 3355 An increasingly paranoid John Peros cuts ties with former friends and records his conversations – a close friend tells police that John is “losing it” under the pressure of the intensifying investigation. John is served with a forensic procedure order and told he must comply. At the police station John is friendly with detectives who take his DNA samples and fingerprints. They ph

Episode 5: Willy D Dec 5, 2021 3685 A violent self-styled gangster who carries knives, deals and uses illegal drugs, and attacks men and women in the sugar and mining town looms into serious view for homicide cops. William Daniel is a young man with a long criminal record who calls himself ‘The Black Prince’ and ‘Willy D’ and has become a public menace in Mackay’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander c

Episode 4: Stealth Mode Nov 28, 2021 3957 John Peros tells a friend he has entered “stealth mode”, purchasing a motor scooter, deleting social media and using a new phone as police obtain a warrant to search his property. Friends who socialised with John on Australia Day 2013 give police statements, alleging that John made hateful comments about his former girlfriend on that day, two weeks before Shandee was murdered. A vitrio

Episode 3 - Toxic Love Nov 21, 2021 3781 Detectives forensically examining Shandee’s iPhone uncover thousands of text messages and evidence of fierce rows between John Peros and Shandee in the year before she died. Unresolved trust issues plague John and Shandee’s toxic love as Shandee begs John to stop telling her to kill herself, while John demands to be left alone. John visits mental health professionals after breaking up

Episode 2: Sweating Bullets Nov 14, 2021 4067 Police detectives talk to Shandee’s former boyfriend, John Peros, who discloses his trust issues, their arguments, problems in the bedroom and break-up. John willingly goes to the police station to make a statement, but he declines to give a sample of his DNA. One of the detectives describes John as very nervous - he tells another cop in a recorded chat at the station that John is ‘swe

Episode 1: Sugar Town Nov 7, 2021 3933 Shandee Blackburn is a popular, outgoing young woman who lives with her mother Vicki in a Queensland town renowned for its sugar, Mackay. Shandee walks home at night from her coffee shop job sometimes and she’s filmed by CCTV cameras - along with her killer who runs to launch a frenzied and savage knife attack. Shandee’s murder stuns the community and triggers ongoing trauma and invest

Introducing Shandee's Story Oct 7, 2021 89 Shandee Blackburn was brutally murdered as she walked home from work - but this cold-case can still be solved. Gold Walkley Award-winning journalist Hedley Thomas - who created The Teacher’s Pet and The Night Driver - goes deep to find out who killed Shandee, and why. To contact Hedley Thomas anonymously with any information on Shandee's Story, email  Shandee@theaustralian.com.auSee omn

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