Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast I Spied

What started as a commission for 12 episodes about Australia’s least qualified spy has morphed into over 150 eps exploring the shadowy world of espionage, terrorism and international intrigue. It has been a thrilling ride but David and Michelle are bringing the journey to a close. David has a house to repair, Michelle has a career to cultivate, and both need time to recharge their podcasting batteries. I Spied will be back in an updated form, but for now, we’d like to extend our sincerest thanks all our listeners for your comments, critiques, tips and support. You’re the best! And remember: just because you're paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. 

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With ASIO on the cusp of its 75th anniversary, DG Mike Burgess used the Annual Threat Assessment to drop a bombshell on the nation: a former MP had been working as part of a foreign interference team he called the "A-Team". Who are the A-team? Who might the MP be? And what other threats is the country facing from enemies both foreign and domestic?

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It's the holidays and what better way to avoid the summer heat than hunkering down in front of the TV. We've got you covered with our recommendations for what the informed espio-philes are watching and what they are avoiding.

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With Michelle on a mission in Melbourne and David wallowing in the sea of information flowing out of Ukraine, this week we are taking the opportunity to bring your our interview with Melbourne journo Greg Muller. Greg is the brains behind the podcast "Motherlode", an examination of how a group of Melbourne teenagers back in the 90s, using nothing more Commodore 64s and dial-up-modems, nearly brought governments to their knees and made Australia the centre of the cyber universe. We chat with Greg about how he came across the story, his time with the players on both sides of the law, and how a young guy with the handle Mannix went on to change the world. If you want to know where Julian Assange started, this interview and the Motherlode podcast is definitely not to be missed.

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As the old saying goes "The first casualty of war is the truth" and nothing highlights that more than the information war we are witnessing in Ukraine. What is the difference between disinformation and misinformation? How is it being weaponised? How can you avoid falling into its thrall? And what is the number one question David is asked in the street? Nothing but the facts in this week's ep... or are they?

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With the hot war in Ukraine dragging on and the new cold war between East and West growing, we look at one of the most mysterious aspects of global brinkmanship and the latest two-edged sword of the intelligence world - Grey Zone Warfare. What is it? How do we combat it? And what can we expect from it in the future? And just how does David get that gravelly tone to his voice? If you find yourself confused after this weeks episode, relax. You've entered the grey zone.

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With Ukraine president Zelenskyy welcoming foreign fighters to join the struggle in Ukraine, we look at Australia's checkered history of citizens travelling abroad to distant shores in search of glory. What is legislation is there to stop them? Why might they be dangerous when they get home? And what could Sexpo possibly have to do with any of this?
This week, remember the 1st rule of (Freedom) Fight Club:
Don't join (Freedom) Fight Club.

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As promised this week we dig into one of the more disturbing and largely overlooked revelations of the ASIO Annual Threat Assessment: the radicalisation of ordinary Australians. From the protests at Parliament House to the school yards of suburbia, people are losing faith in the democracy and turning to extremism. How is it happening? What are they angry about? And what is the story with INCELs? Make sure you to go to the window, open it, stick your head out, and yell, ‘Why are they as mad as hell, and why aren't they going to take this anymore!’ before listening.

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After multiple requests from listeners, this week we tackle ASIO chief Mike Burgess' Annual Threat Assessment. What dangers is Australia facing in the future? How will foreign influence shape the coming federal election? What is the government doing that is drawing Burgo and former ASIO DGs out of the shadows to front the media? And just how bad could it be to "swipe right"?
Check under the bed for any wayward reds before listening this week!

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With Australia set to re-open its borders, a lot of us are facing that most onerous task of international travel - renewing our passports. So what is it about this little booklet that makes it so special? Why are they so coveted by intelligence services and terrorist groups? And why aren't we allowed to smile in our passport photos? And why aren't we allowed to smile on in our passport photos? Make sure your luggage has been in your possession at all times while listening this week!

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A Russian naval exercise recently escalated to a full blown war and the Russians lost... to a bunch of fishermen. But this isn't the first time the Russians have run into trouble with a fishing fleet. This week we look at the Russian Navy's problem with anglers and how the Chinese have weaponised the fishing industry in their ongoing campaign to control the South China Sea. An episode chock full of accents and tales of nautical derring-dumb!

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SPOILER ALERT At long last we've finally watched the latest Bond instalment "No Time to Die", despite not getting tickets to the premier. How does it stack up in the 007 pantheon? What were our favourite moments? And is nitpicking a Bond film just an exercise in futility?
Be sure to watch the movie first before we ruin it for you!

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So who had military conflict in Eastern Europe on their 2022 bingo card? With global tensions rising we try to unpack the seething mess around the Ukraine. What's Putin up to? How is NATO going to respond? And is the president of the Ukraine really a former comedian? In an accent packed episode, Michelle and David promise by the end you'll be pronouncing "Kyiv" like a local. Budmo!

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2023 started with the continued war in Ukraine and ended with the growing crisis in Israel, and in between we brought you all the news fit to be placed on microfilm and stashed in a dead drop. This ep we look at how 2023 unfolded and what we might expect in 2024. And stick around for some halfheartedly delivered but genuinely heartfelt thanks to our listeners.

Glad you could join us in 2023!

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Michelle is back! And considering she has to recover from her sojourn into the wilds of NSW, we thought we’d look back at one of our favourite episodes, where journalistic wünderkind and proud Novocastrian Matt Bevan joined us for a chat about everyone’s favourite KGB-hard-man-turned-world-leader, Vladimir Putin. With Russian troops massing on the Ukraine border, it’s time we had a look at what drives the man behind what could be the match that ignites a war in Eastern Europe.

America If You're Listening Podcast 

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With the country in the grips of the Omicron outbreak, tennis players being imprisoned for entering the country unjabbed and Michelle still missing after being extraordinarily rendered to an unknown bucolic location for an intense barrage of government-sanctioned relaxation, we're presenting you a repeat of one the oldie but goodie episodes about women in intelligence. Plus it comes with a bonus film recommendation. Stay tuned! Normal service will be resumed next week.

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Would you believe that ASIO has a file on Santa? Welcome back to the snackable I Spied episodes to listen to over your Christmas break. 

When you consider Santa’s criminal abilities, technology, obviously far-reaching surveillance capabilities, constant flouting of sovereign borders and his obviously socialist ideology of giving every child a present, why wouldn’t they? We look at the most dangerous man in the world that every intelligence service would love to get their hands on.

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In this year’s final episode we delve deep into the world spies: couples sent to act as sleepers in foreign lands, living among the locals until called on to act. How are they selected, are they match-made or recruited as couples, and what are the pitfalls of life as an “Illegal”? And what does David know about a surfing sleeper cell on the Northern beaches? Dust off your wedding ring and prepare to renew your vows - Children optional.

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In this year's penultimate episode are joined by journalistic genius and all around great guy Matt Bevan to look at the perennial problem: China. What is Xi's end game, will there be a war over Taiwan, what can Australia do to repair the relationship, and just how did David get his hands on one of the most controversial telexes about Tiananmen Square? From Grey Zone warfare to those AUKUS subs, we get inside the Great Firewall and literally dig the dirt on the machinations of the Middle Kingdom.
So good you'll want to listen again half an hour later!

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This week a listener request has us looking at how you actually join ASIO. What is ASIO looking for in an applicant? What can you be expected to reveal about yourself? And just how did David manage to get through such a rigorous selection criteria and wind up working in one of the most sensitive organisations in the country? Double check your former addresses and be sure to remember your mother's maiden name before listening!

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With protestors taking to the streets with nooses, politicians baying for each others’ blood, and extremists literally weaponising this anger online, this week we look at what it takes to protect our elected officials. How does VIP protection work, what are the difficulties a detail can face, and what sort of person would take a bullet for a PM? And just how did David draw the attention of a protective detail on a ferry on Sydney Harbour. Check your escape route before listening!

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This week we delve into the least clandestine tool in a spy's arsenal - OSINT. From newspapers and research papers to the rise of social media, open source information has long been the backbone of intelligence gathering, and never more so than now. How did OSINT evolve, how important is it and what does it mean to personal privacy? And how was OSINT instrumental in a mysterious phone call David received while walking over Sydney Harbour Bridge? You may want to have a good think about what you share on line after this!

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David attended a boozy lunch with a bunch of old spies last week and we expect he'll be offloaded from the shipping container he's trapped in somewhere in East Africa very soon. As such, this week we're revisiting one of our earliest episodes - The Full Minsky. Not only is the episode a bizarre tale of surveillance, the KGB and the perils of lunchtime stripping, but it's also a great entrè into the world of ASIO. David also recently reenacted the events of The Full Minsky in "Sergei the Spy" for the ABC podcast Days Like These. Why not listen to both?

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If you thought Morrison's falling out with Macron was bad, just look at the French's own diplomatic disaster from the 1980s. In a story that includes undercover agents, frogmen, limpet mines, submarine escapes and intrigue that went all the way to the Presidential Palace of Versailles, the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour was a piece of state-sponsored terrorism that shocked the world, shattered Gallic grandeur and shaped the political landscape of the South Pacific for generations. It also goes to show, no matter how insulted the French feel right now, they can hardly say "Mon merde ne pue pas".

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With the Opposition demanding the PM reveal any conversations he had with Xi Jinping regarding the HMAS Toowoomba incident this week we look at just what Australians can expect to be told by our intelligence services. Just how secretive are our spies? How much do we need to know about what they do? And who watches our watchmen?

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This week we are joined by investigative humourist and the billboarding bad boy of climate activism, A Rational Fear's Dan Ilic to talk about the security threats of climate change. What are the threats? What should our response be? Are our military and intelligence services prepared for what is to come? And can David use a chunk of rainforest and an abandoned marijuana plantation to help save the world? Get your overcoats on because a storm is coming!

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DG of Security Mike Burgess recently submitted the annual ASIO Report to Parliament, and like the dutiful guardians of the Australian intelligence community that we are, we’re having a good, hard look at how the year has been for our plucky internal security service. How is espionage and terrorism shaping up as threats, who are the hot targets for 2022, and how does ASIO rate its own performance? ASIO declares itself to be “Ordinary Australians who do extraordinary things”, but we’ll let you be the judge.

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Another in the bite size anthology of real life spies that inspired Ian Fleming in a futile effort to get Universal to give us tickets to No Time To Die. This week, we have found someone quintessentially Bond - an educated playboy with a penchant for fast cars, faster women and a dab hand at double crossing. And Fleming first met him in a casino in Portugal playing baccarat! 
A man who spent WWII working for MI6, the FBI and the Abwehr but played exclusively for himself.
The name’s Popov… Dusan Popov.

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Clear your dead drops and check your six for a tail as this week we look at the arrest by the FBI of nuclear physicist Jonathon Toebbe and his school teacher wife Diana for attempting to sell secrets to a “foreign government”.  Who might that “foreign government” be, how did a peanut butter sandwich figure in this story, and what could have motivated the Toebbes to seek out their country for a fist full of cryptocurrency? And how did this intelligence scandal compare to the case of John Anthony Walker Jr, a US Navy Warrant office who led a spy ring that undermined US military and intelligence operations for nearly two decades? Strap in for some good, old-fashioned skullduggery as we look at why seemingly normal people turn traitor.

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In their continued desperate attempt to get tickets to No Time To Die, David and Michelle look at the members of MI6 that inspired Fleming in his creation of James Bond. From a backwards skiing crack shot who saved a Norwegian village, to a Russian speaking schoolboy with a penchant for pretty women and fast cars, this bite size ep goes to show that however fantastic fiction may be, it doesn’t hold a Martini to the truth.

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With anti-vax and anti-lockdown protests roiling in cities across the Eastern seaboard, David and Michelle look back at the “Golden Age” of protest of the late 60s & early 70s, when peaceniks, aboriginal rights activists and bra-burning feminists came under ASIO’s watchful eye. Why were Australians so quick to protest, why was ASIO so focused on the demonstrators, and what did feminists do to stop the spooks from listening in to their conversations? And what does all this mean in the age of Covid?
Dust off your gas mask, hold your placard high, prepare to man (or woman) the barricades and chant:
Hey hey! Ho ho! That guy with the camera is from ASIO!

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To celebrate the release of No Time to Die (and in a shameless ploy to scam tickets to the premier) David and Michelle are taking a look at the real-life Bonds that may have inspired Ian Fleming in creating 007. This week: Codenamed “Ramsay”, Richard Sorge was a hard-drinking, motorbike-riding, womanising intelligence officer who literally changed the outcome of WWII. Regarded by Fleming himself as “the most formidable spy in history”, Sorge’s story has everything: Nazis, Communists, torture, several wives and 52 mistresses in Japan alone. And he managed to thwart an invasion! He was such a Bond he has to be 001.

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What do US diplomatic cables, videos of US military malfeasance, Swedish sexual assault charges and an Ecuadorian lavatory all have in common? Australia’s elusive homegrown hacker: Julian Assange. From his early teenage days cracking the US DoD mainframe to the formation of Wikileaks and the unprecedented classified leaks of Chelsea Manning, we look at how Julian went from a person of interest to the AFP to a possible target for kidnapping or assassination by the CIA. Data dumps, classified leaks, it’s no wonder Assange spent so long living in a diplomatic dunny.

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Like the classic German U-boat film, Australia’s submarine program looks to be languishing on the bottom of the ocean. This week we dive, dive, dive into the depths of Scott Morrison’s ham-fisted handling of our French alliance and just what we can expect from the AUKUS agreement. What sort of subs might we get, what will our partners expect in return, and how are the neighbours going to respond with the idea of an Australian nuclear navy? And are the Collins class subs really that bad? Stand by to blow ballast while we see if we can bring these tin cans’ troubles to the surface.

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With everyone talking about Morrison’s AUKUS-ward handling of the French submarine contract, we’ve decided to have a quick peek at one of the forgotten submariner successes of the RAN: a story of Russian nuclear subs, a maverick Navy commander and an Oberon sub called HMAS Orion. A tale of naval daring-do that launched the purchase of the oft-maligned Collins Class subs, which decades later has us virtually high and dry for some new boats. Thanks to podcast fanboi Salty Sea Dog for pointing us in the direction of this cracker of a yarn.

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This week we are joined by Harry P Russell, former intelligence and law-enforcement operative, historian and author of a series of uniquely accurate and very enjoyable Australian spy fiction. We talk about his career in intelligence, his leap to fiction writing, and the terrible sense of betrayal he felt when he discovered he had been working with a Soviet mole. And just how did Harry wind up giving David his first job outside of ASIO? Book mark this ep!

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With President Biden ordering the FBI to finally release its findings into the logistics behind 9/11, this week we finish up our retrospective by addressing the camel in the room: Saudi Arabia. With 15 of the 19 hijackers being Saudi citizens, the mastermind behind the attack being a member of one of the Kingdom’s most successful business families and accusations of Saudi government involvement, 9/11 highlighted the incomprehensibly inconsistent relationship between Washington and Riyadh. We examine how a disparate collection of nomadic tribes became a lynch pin of US foreign policy and how, like the ultimate marriage of inconvenience, it seems the US and the Sauds are only staying together for the kids (ie. the guns and the oil).

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In this bite size episode, we’d like to thank all of our listeners for sticking with us for the last year. To be honest, David is surprised Michelle hasn’t quit while Michelle is equally as surprised that David’s hasn’t been bagged and shipped off to a black site. We also look at some of our more interesting Twitter followers and explore a spy’s options once they leave the service (other than podcasting). So raise a glass while you’re listening and enjoy the fact that you’re probably now on a watch list. Cheers!

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This week we look at how intelligence services around the world changed in the aftermath of 9/11. From Canada politely deciding not to spy on foreign powers, to France’s uncompromising attitude to terrorism, to Australia’s increasing police & intelligence powers, we look at how the West armed itself for the War on Terror.

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Twenty years ago 19 men hijacked four airliners and changed the world. While we remember the victims and count the costs of an operation that redefined terrorism, we look at how the US found itself so open to the brutal attacks that took place on 9/11. The US has the largest, most sophisticated and best funded intelligence community in the world, but it seems bigger isn’t necessarily better, and we look at how the CIA and FBI missed the clues to the moment that defined the first two decades of the 21st century.

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In three short months Afghanistan went from a US quagmire to a Taliban powder keg. Three short months… and twenty years. So we thought it was time to look at the tough and ancient land that has claimed yet another empirical scalp, and also the people now running it. Why is Afghanistan so intractable, how did it unravel so quickly and what happens next? To talk all things Taliban, terror and the world’s worst turf war, we’re joined by intelligence maven and Olympic hall monitor Neil Fergus from his quarantine in Brisbekistan. Strap in! This flight is strictly standing room only.

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This week we look at how a single mum from New Zealand became one of ASIO’s greatest intelligence assets and helped take down the #1 KGB resident at the Soviet Embassy in Canberra. An episode that is full of classic, old school tradecraft: dead drops, invisible ink, secret radio transmitters and… a honey trap! And just what wort of relics can be found in the ASIO museum? Settle in for one of the great tales from ASIO history.

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Not everyone likes abstract expressionism, but the CIA loved it. So much so that they literally weaponised it during the Cold War in the battle space of “winning hearts and minds”. Just how did the likes of Jackson Pollock help defeat Soviet communism, how much does the CIA have to do with arts and entertainment these days, and what exactly did the CIA think of the Bourne movies? Art imitates life, imitating art in this week's episode (and David reveals the very best spot in the National Gallery for a romantic tryst).

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We talk a lot about ASIO and everything it does, but what about the other Australian intelligence organisations? Who are they, what do they do and how do they shape up in the modern security environment? And just how well do they all get on with each other? Watch as we use almost every letter in the alphabet in our most acronym-heavy episode yet.

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The intelligence world was rocked by the news that a small Israeli company had been selling one of the most insidious pieces of surveillance software ever devised. Pegasus has been used by authoritarian governments to spy with impunity against friend and foe alike and most alarmingly, it is virtually impossible to stop. This week we look at the intelligence and privacy implications of a system that allows the user to virtually clone any phone on the planet. Should we be worried? Has Australia got its hands on it? And is there any way to prevent exposure? Check your firewalls after downloading this ep!

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With revelations that the Pine Gap facility may be instrumental in Israel's operations in Gaza, we've decided to have a look at one of then most controversial military installations in Australia. What exactly does Pine Gap do? Who runs it and who has access to what it produces? Why is Australia so wedded to having it on our soil? And just what can a spy satellite see when it peeks into your backyard? Putting your phone into Privacy mode won't protect you from this week's ep!

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Robert J Hawke, loveable larrikin, union hard man and arguably the most popular PM in Australian history. But recently released US diplomatic cables reveal that the Silver Bodgie may not have been as left wing as we thought and the US saw him as more than a potential PM. Could it be that the Rhodes Scholar that held the world record the the yard glass was actually an intelligence source for the US? What was his relationship with the US embassy during his union days? And what really happened when Bob met Ol’ Blue Eyes? Our thanks to Cameron Conventry for his excellent article “The Eloquence of Robert J Hawke” for the inspiration of this episode.

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Diver, Don Juan and drunk, Lionel Crabb is regarded as another of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s greatest creation, but “Buster’s” story didn’t end like a Bond film. Last seen submerging into the icy depths of Portsmouth on a clandestine mission, theories abound as to what became of him. Did he defect, was he killed in a thrilling under water struggle or was diving with a monstrous hangover his final demise? A bite-size episode with teeth!

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The second part of the Lindt Cafe story takes a different twist with Michelle revealing what the day was like from inside the broadcast booth. How did the story unfold for the media, how did the police and government control the flow of information and how did this one event influence how Australia deals with extremist incidents now? And does David have what it takes to anchor this podcast?

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