When Australia’s most volatile moments unfold — a siege, a suicide attempt, a hostage situation, or a person in deep crisis — there’s one specialist quietly working to bring everyone home alive: the police negotiator.

In this gripping episode, Adam sits down with Leading Senior Constable Lee Wolahan, one of Victoria Police’s most experienced and respected negotiators. Across more than 800 critical incidents, Lee has faced people at the edge — physically, emotionally and psychologically — and helped guide them back to safety.

 

When Australia&rsquo;s most volatile moments unfold &mdash; a siege, a suicide attempt, a hostage situation, or a person in deep crisis &mdash; there&rsquo;s one specialist quietly working to bring everyone home alive: the police negotiator.
In this gripping episode, Adam sits down with Leading Senior Constable Lee Wolahan, one of Victoria Police&rsquo;s most experienced and respected negotiators. Across more than 800 critical incidents, Lee has faced people at the edge &mdash; physically, emotionally and psychologically &mdash; and helped guide them back to safety.
&nbsp;

Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them.

Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them.

Real Crime with Adam Shand

Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them. 

Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them.&nbsp;

Words That Save Lives: A Negotiator’s Story | Lee Wolahan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/9ff4bac0-8286-4d00-b2de-b3a700637044/transcript

Melbourne is burning. A mystery cartel is laying siege to the city's hospitality industry — firebombings, drive-by shootings, bashings at family homes — and nobody knows exactly who's behind it, or why.

Herald Sun crime reporter Seb Costello has been on the frontline of the story, breaking exclusive after exclusive using old-fashioned shoe leather. Adam and Seb unpack what's known, what's rumoured, and what keeps not adding up.

Melbourne is burning. A mystery cartel is laying siege to the city's hospitality industry &mdash; firebombings, drive-by shootings, bashings at family homes &mdash; and nobody knows exactly who's behind it, or why.
Herald Sun crime reporter Seb Costello has been on the frontline of the story, breaking exclusive after exclusive using old-fashioned shoe leather. Adam and Seb unpack what's known, what's rumoured, and what keeps not adding up.

The Ghost: Melbourne's Hospitality Crime War | Seb Costello

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/1bc089a4-04fb-44c0-8092-b4470032207e/transcript

Australia's illicit tobacco war has a new front — and it's more dangerous than ever.

When tobacco kingpin Kaz Hamad was captured in Iraq earlier this year, many hoped it would signal the beginning of the end for the country's booming black market cigarette trade. Instead, his disappearance has thrown the market into chaos, and the firebombings, shootings and targeted attacks are back.

Adam Shand sits down with Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist Chris Vedelago of The Age, who has been at the forefront of covering this story since the violence first erupted in March 2023. Together they trace how a government excise policy — designed to discourage smoking — inadvertently handed organised crime a multi-billion dollar opportunity,and how one man, operating from a prison cell, built a cartel that came to control 40% of the illicit drug trade in Australia.

Australia's illicit tobacco war has a new front &mdash; and it's more dangerous than ever.
When tobacco kingpin Kaz Hamad was captured in Iraq earlier this year, many hoped it would signal the beginning of the end for the country's booming black market cigarette trade. Instead, his disappearance has thrown the market into chaos, and the firebombings, shootings and targeted attacks are back.
Adam Shand sits down with Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist Chris Vedelago of The Age, who has been at the forefront of covering this story since the violence first erupted in March 2023. Together they trace how a government excise policy &mdash; designed to discourage smoking &mdash; inadvertently handed organised crime a multi-billion dollar opportunity,and how one man, operating from a prison cell, built a cartel that came to control 40% of the illicit drug trade in Australia.

The Tobacco War: Australia's Billion-Dollar Black Market | Chris Vedelago

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/25a8a945-7729-4050-955f-b441003ecb45/transcript

Ron Isherwood was born into Melbourne's underworld — son of Big Ron, a feared enforcer in the notorious Painters and Dockers Union. By 16, he'd fired his first shot. By 17, he was facing attempted murder charges. By 19, his mother was dead and heroin had taken over everything.

In this episode, Adam speaks with Little Ron — now 71 — about growing up in the shadow of a violent, domineering father, his front-row seat to Melbourne's painters and dockers wars and his close brush with Roger Rogerson, the corrupt detective who silenced anyone who got too close to the truth.

Ron Isherwood was born into Melbourne's underworld &mdash; son of Big Ron, a feared enforcer in the notorious Painters and Dockers Union. By 16, he'd fired his first shot. By 17, he was facing attempted murder charges. By 19, his mother was dead and heroin had taken over everything.
In this episode, Adam speaks with Little Ron &mdash; now 71 &mdash; about growing up in the shadow of a violent, domineering father, his front-row seat to Melbourne's painters and dockers wars and his close brush with Roger Rogerson, the corrupt detective who silenced anyone who got too close to the truth.

The Prince of the Painters and Dockers Union | Ron Isherwood

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/d512be4e-e743-4cbc-b8e6-b4400048f087/transcript

Words That Save Lives: A Negotiator’s Story | Lee Wolahan

In 1 playlist(s)

Real Crime with Adam Shand

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips