Steve van Aperen

Known throughout Australia as an expert in deception, Steve van Aperen is a leading authority on the truth. A highly sought-after speaker, Steve’s presentations are described as entertaining and educational. 

Using real-life examples, Steve draws the audience’s attention to the way people may hide the truth, through omission rather than commission. He points out how what people don’t say is often more important than what they do say! Steve demonstrates how we use language, paralinguistic styles, changes in tenses and body language to deceive others and how to recognise when people are engaging in such behaviours.

Having received extensive training from the world's leading international investigative authorities in how and why people deceive, Steve knows how to spot the truth. 

In 1996, Steve was the first Victorian Police Officer to graduate from Western Oregon University USA as a certified polygraph examiner. After graduating Steve trained with and examined polygraph testing and behavioural interview techniques utilised by the Los Angeles Police Department Polygraph Unit, US Secret Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

Now, Director of Australian Polygraph Services, Steve consults his services to government and corporate organisations across the globe. 

Steve has been involved in a number of high profile cases including:

• The McDonalds McScratch & Win competition where a number of contestants claimed that they did not cheat to unlawfully gain prizes.
• A polygraph test conducted on the leader of the Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett.
• A polygraph test and behavioural interview conducted on Frank Cole relating to his disclosure that he located Azaria Chamberlain's body at Ayers Rock in 1981 after he shot at a dingo.
• The polygraph test and behavioural interview of Mike Scrafton, a senior government advisor, regarding a telephone conversation he had with the Prime Minister of Australia Mr. John Howard in relation to the "Children overboard" scandal.
• The behavioural interview and polygraph test of Ron Vigenser the person accused by John Ford of being involved in the placement of 4.1 kilograms of cannabis into Schapelle Corby's luggage at Bali airport. Ford testified at Corby's trial in Bali that he overheard conversations whilst an inmate at Port Phillip prison that implicated Vigenser.
• The behavioural analysis of interviews conducted by Liz Hayes of 60 Minutes with Schapelle Corby the Australian woman charged with importing 4.1 kilograms of cannabis into Indonesia inside a bodyboard bag.
• The analysis of an interview conducted by Tara Brown of 60 Minutes with former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib denying his involvement in terrorism or links with al-Qaeda.