Who the Hell is Hamish?

The Australian

He was born Hamish Watson, a surfie dude from Sydney – but he could morph into whatever you needed him to be. Hamish is due to be sentenced to jail in early 2019 for swindling a handful of victims out of more than $7m. But these crimes are just the final pages in a resume too thick to staple; for decades he’s duped victims in the US, Canada, Britain, Hong Kong and Australia. How did he do it? How did he evade authorities around the world for so long and what’s he done with all those tens of millions of dollars he stole?

  • 13 minutes 42 seconds
    From The Front: Roger Rogerson’s first kill? The mystery of ‘Shotgun Johnny’ Regan

    The 1974 murder of ‘Shotgun Johnny’ Regan has never been solved. Now, his family wants answers. That’s where The Australian’s new cold case investigation The Gangster’s Ghost comes in. 

    Subscribers can listen to Episodes 1 and 2 now at gangstersghost.com.au.

    This episode of The Australian's daily news podcast The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

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    8 May 2025, 11:00 pm
  • 3 minutes 40 seconds
    Introducing Dear Rachelle

    For two decades, the family of murdered 23-year-old woman Rachelle Childs have fought for answers. Though her killer is still at large, they believe her case case can be solved. 

    Dear Rachelle is hosted and investigated by journalist Ashlea Hansen, together with retired detective and cold case specialist Damian Loone, who appeared in The Australian’s award-winning podcast series The Teacher’s Pet and The Teacher’s Trial.

    Search 'Dear Rachelle' to listen now.

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    9 April 2025, 10:00 am
  • 20 minutes 31 seconds
    From The Front: Hedley Thomas’ new cold case podcast, 'Bronwyn'

    Where is Bronwyn Winfield? The devoted mum has been missing since 1993 – and the man behind The Teacher’s Pet is on the case.  

    Go to theaustralian.com.au/bronwyn to listen. Plus, you can read more about this case and see exclusive stories, maps, timelines, graphics, video and more.

    This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Josh Burton. The multimedia editor is Lia Tsamoglou and original music is composed by Jasper Leak.

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    24 May 2024, 2:30 am
  • 28 minutes 36 seconds
    Introducing Breaking Badness

    From our colleagues at The Telegraph, a new podcast from inside prison walls, with former homicide detective Gary Jubelin, host of I Catch Killers. This is Episode 1 of Breaking Badness.

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    12 December 2023, 5:30 am
  • 35 seconds
    It's back: The Teacher's Pet returns for Australian listeners

    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.

    30 June 2023, 3:00 am
  • 38 minutes 45 seconds
    Introducing: My Sister's Secrets

    My Sister's Secrets is the gripping story of one woman's quest to get justice for her sister - and along the way, to uncover the hidden places in her family, and all our families.

    In this first episode, you meet Alexandra Tapp who died at just 32, haunted by the predators in her own family. Now her sister is on a quest for justice. 

    My Sister's Secrets is The Australian's newest podcast. Presented by Virginia Tapscott and Steve Jackson. Search for My Sister's Secrets in your favourite podcast app to listen to Episode 2 now.

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    6 February 2022, 1:00 pm
  • 41 minutes 4 seconds
    Introducing: What Really Happened in Wuhan

    Investigative journalist Sharri Markson goes deep into the secret history of Covid-19. 
    In a series of exclusive interviews - from Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo to intelligence chiefs and Chinese dissidents - Markson takes us inside the investigation behind her bestselling book and documentary, to explore what really happened in Wuhan and beyond. 

    In this first episode, Sharri Markson has a frank and freewheeling conversation with the former US president in his first Australian sit-down interview on China’s “gross incompetence” and the mysteries still unsolved.  “There were body bags outside of the lab. And people were saying there are a lot of people lying down on the streets of Wuhan and there were body bags … you're going to have to figure that out and you probably will be able to do it, knowing you.” 

    Go to theaustralian.com.au/wuhan for more on What Really Happened In Wuhan.

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    19 December 2021, 1:00 pm
  • 39 minutes 49 seconds
    Introducing: The Breakdown

    Australian rugby once had $40 million in the bank. Crowds over 100,000. TV audiences of 3 million. Today the Wallabies have sunk to their lowest world ranking ever. Off the field rugby is a "war zone" with a $20 million deficit last year alone.

    The Breakdown is a gripping podcast investigation from The Australian, exploring just how far "the game they play in heaven" has fallen - and why. Jessica Halloran and Claire Harvey have interviewed everyone from ex-PMs and billionaires to Wallabies legends, boardroom insiders and the volunteers battling to keep the game alive. Raw and emotional, The Breakdown is the new binge-listen everyone will be talking about.

    You can listen to The Breakdown through The Australian app, or search for The Breakdown wherever you listen to podcasts.

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    28 March 2021, 2:00 pm
  • 3 minutes 19 seconds
    Introducing: The Lighthouse
    Theo Hayez is missing in Byron Bay, a beautiful beachside town on Australia’s most easterly mainland point, frequently in the spotlight for its famous residents. Theo’s from Brussels. He’s 18 and on a backpacking holiday when he vanishes in May 2019. Behind the scenes local volunteers who’ve never met Theo begin searching and investigating with his family, parallel to a major police investigation. As the search narrows to the area around the 118-year-old Cape Byron Lighthouse, a range of theories emerge.At the request of Theo’s family, The Australian newspaper’s national crime correspondent David Murray joins the unofficial search party to investigate the mysterious disappearance for a new podcast series.To hear more, search for The Lighthouse in your podcast app.  

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    16 November 2019, 12:06 am
  • 1 minute 39 seconds
    Introducing: Nowhere Child
    William Tyrrell was a three year old boy who disappeared from the village of Kendall, on the mid-north-coast of New South Wales. Key facts were kept from the public, from day one. A lot of what was reported, especially early on, was false. In the new podcast, Nowhere Child, The Australian’s Caroline Overington delves into a case where notions of class and privilege; opportunity and poverty came crashing together, to create a nightmare for William Tyrrell.  

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    2 August 2019, 6:30 am
  • 36 minutes 42 seconds
    The Reckoning
    For years Hamish McLaren had evaded the law. But not any more. The brutal truth, like a runaway out-of-control limited edition Mercedes McLaren, is bearing down on him. There's no escape. Judgement Day for Hamish McLaren, has finally arrived.  

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    21 June 2019, 4:45 am
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