This story is written as a play about spies spying on spies

The Heresy Hunt is a play of intrigue set in the Australian intelligence communtiy during World War Two. The play is based on a judicial inquiry that took place, mostly behind closed doors. Some of the inquiry evidence in the play is taken from court transcripts but other events and dialogue are laregely the invention of the author.

In late 1943 one of Australia's most senior security officers was relieved of his command and subject to a judicial inquiry. The inquiry was held by a Supreme Court judge and was commissioned by the Australian Minister for External Affairs and Attorney General.

The inquiry was held after the Commander in chief of Allied Land forces made charges the the deputy director of the Security Service in Northern Command was not a fit and proper person to hold that position.

The charges against the security officer were inspired by interservice rivalry, distrust between the military establishment and the Labor Government and the fact that the man accused did not conform with conventional notions of honourable and trustworthy behaviour

The resulting fallout from the inquiry divided the Australian intelligence community for years and the arguments that arose were still going on long after many of the principals were dead.