Better Than Yesterday with Osher Günsberg

Michelle Nazzari is the founder and managing director of Fonzarelli Electric bikes - based in Redfern here in Sydney. As you no doubt know I’m a big fan of electric mobility - I test drove EV’s as far back as 2009 and have owned Electric Vehicles since 2011. There’s no other way to say it - Electrification of transportation is the future. Thanks to decreasing costs of battery production and increasing emissions standards worldwide - soon it will be cheaper to manufacture an electric transmission vehicle than a petrol vehicle, and then that’s it. As is often the case, global purchasing options depend on the most economically viable production specification, and with the largest auto market in the world now being China, and China having increasingly strict laws around emissions - sooner than later we will be only be able to buy EVs because that’s the most economically viable product to produce worldwide. What does all this mean? That Electric Vehicles will not only transform our ability to get around but also power our cities when you think of the megawatts of now-available battery storage.I tracked down Michelle and got her on the show because she’s a total game changer in the field. She started and runs Fonzarelli Electric Moto - a company based in Redfern Sydney that design and build electric scooters. The kind you need a motorbike license to ride. I must warn you - we recorded this interview a while back now, and not long after talking to Michelle I took one for a test ride - and a few months later I now own one of these machines. I was in the market for a scooter anyway - and once I rode it I was done.This is a chat that’s not just about electric scooters, it’s a chat with a woman who had a vision, and every day strives to make her vision become a reality. Enjoy this conversation with Michelle Nazzari. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, August 2, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucy Lawless is an internationally known actress from New Zealand who shot to world wide stardom as Xena, in 1995, then Spartacus, Ash Vs Evil Dead and that one excellent episode of Flight of the Conchords. Lucy is currently in the new series “My Life is Murder” which is on Ten here in Australia. Lucy’s story is one that I found so inspiring, as she’s someone who’s unshakable drive to pursue what she essentially defines as “play” has allowed her to build an incredible life that not only is very satisfying to her - but one that is by design so authentic, she connects naturally to millions of people around the world. Her work ethic, her spirit of adventure, her willingness to take a chance - all these things left me just chomping at the bit to get on with things. I can’t wait for you to hear this. We caught up over Skype when she was in NYC the other week so thanks for understanding the audio ambience that is a part of this. Enjoy this conversation with the one and only Lucy Lawless. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, July 26, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob Wilson is the CEO and CoFounder of Incent, a cryptocurrency startup based in Australia, you can find you more about him and the work he’s doing at incent.comIf you’ve never heard of cryptocurrency before - let me quickly run over it with you.So - money was a way that we found to put value into a common language that served as a way to help us exchange that value. If I spent a day digging up your garden and you wouldn’t give me a trolley full of groceries - even though that’s what I need. You give me a common language of agreed value, in this case money - which you probably got doing something of value for someone else. And I take an amount of that agreed language to the supermarket and I buy my fruit and veggies - which I didn’t have to plant or grow or dog up or transport to the market, and I give that money to the people that did and so on and so on.Back in the day, money was of actual Value - made of metals that we agreed were valuable. Then a few hundred years back the Chinese went paper, which confounded some people but ultimately won out - but it solidified this idea that it’s just agreed value.In our community money is plastic and metal, but it’s really just a useless object until two people decide its valuable.But now, as we pay pass and tap our cards on terminals everywhere - money doesn’t even exist. It’s data on a file somewhere that you and the people who’s terminal you’re tapping your card on have agreed is worth something.So now we are at essentially digital money, the next level from that is cryptocurrency.Essentially, cryptocurrency is another agreement of value. One that by design makes all the transactions secure and importantly does away with intermediaries represented by banks, which have pesky fees and differing investment policies and things like that. The main feature of cryptocurrencies, security is provided by Blockchain technology — which is a network of computers having an identical copy of the database and changing its records by a common agreement based on pure mathematics. It’s kind of like - there’s only one bank statement - and everyone can see it. Those who deposited and withdrew are anonymised, but the amounts are there for all to see, and every time a transaction happens, it verifies itself with another copy of this statement to be sure the transaction is legitimate. Where things get interesting, is that within that baked in security and legitimate, there’s a thing called — smart contracts — it becomes possible to create your own cryptocurrency and issue your own token. Token is a type of privately issued cryptocurrency, a unit of value that exists and pays off within the ecosystem of a particular business model. And that’s kind of the work that Rob Wilson and the team at Incent are working on. Rob has a fascinating story, and the way his own life experience lead him to explore other ways of the way we run things is something I found truly inspiring. Big thanks to my buddy Jaxon for making this conversation happen. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Rob Wilson  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, July 19, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I know a lot of people listening will be heading to Byron Bay for Splendour in The Grass - an annual music festival which is coming up on 20 years of gigs - and in honour of that yearly pilgrimage which so many music lovers make, Today's guest is one of the founders of Splendour in the Grass, and indeed one of the founders of Homebake before that - the one and only Jess Ducrou. She’s an incredible woman to listen to, and she has some excellent things to say about what it takes to make a safe event, what it takes to make a great event and some powerful words as well about pill testing.She’s an inspirational person to listen to and I am so excited she’s on the show this week. I hope you get a lot out of this chat.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, July 12, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First up - you may know I like to ride bikes.Bikes are freedom machines. Freedom from your physical location, freedom from a sedentary life and for me, freedom from unhelpful thinking - I love to ride because it gets me from place to place, clears my head and helps my body and mind work well while I’m at it. I am not a competitive cyclist. However right now the biggest competition in world cycling is happening every night on the telly - the Tour De France is upon us.And while every sport has dealt with it, it’s hard to find a sport where doping has been dealt with in a higher profile than Cycling. Bryan Fogel won an Oscar for his incredible Documentary Icarus - which you can watch on Netflix in between Stranger Things 3 episodes. He was also nominated for a BAFTA for the film - which is extraordinary. Bryan set out to make a film about what happens when an incredibly fast and fit amateur cyclist competes in the hardest non-professional race in the world clean, and then while doping - just like the pros were doing at the time. What happened next is something that ended up blowing the lid off of a systemic international doping system which had implications in no small part playing a role in the entire Russian national team being banned from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.This is a conversation that’s about more than cycling, doping, and international espionage - this is also a conversation about holding fast to your truth, and what happens when you powerfully tell a story in an authentic way. And, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like having to rent out your place on AirBNB to make the mortgage and then winning an Oscar a short time later - you’re about to find out. Bryan and I caught up over Skype from his place in LA, and I’m so grateful he took the time to do so.I promise you this conversation will inspire you even you haven’t ridden a bike since you were a kid. I hope you get as much out of this as I did. Enjoy this conversation with Bryan Fogel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, July 5, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucy Bloom is a CEO, author, doula, and charity leader from Sydney Australia. She’s done just so much, it’s hard to put it all into one intro.But what she shares in this conversation is an unflinching drive to make the world a better place - be it by teaching men how they can be present and supportive during the birth of their children, helping charities from Cambodia to Ethiopia provide better outcomes for mothers and children struggling in those communities, or inspiring others with her own story about how she overcame the adversity of a catastrophic motorcycle accident to go on to achieve all of these things - all of this as the mother of three kids - Lucy is an absolute powerhouse. The author of two books, Cheers To Childbirth and her latest Get the Girls Out. You can find out more about Lucy Bloom at thelucybloom.com @thelucybloom on twitter and IG. Just a word - this conversation does contain some pretty graphic descriptions of things that can go very wrong in childbirth where either mum or baby don’t make it.But for now, come to our kitchen table at our apartment in Bronte, Sydney, for a cuppa and a chat with Lucy Bloom.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, June 28, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damien Echols is an author, activist and ceremonial magician from the US, and he was one of the West Memphis Three. It was an incredibly famous case of the miscarriage of justice. Along with two others, Damien was falsely convicted of the murder of three eight year old boys.There are plenty of documentaries and dramas that were made about the case - but if you’ve seen Making a Murderer it will get you close to what went on at the trial. Barely 18yrs old, Damien was sentenced to death and ended up spending 18 years and 78 days on death row. I’m 45 - so if you’re ten years either side of my age, you’ll remember seemingly every band you liked getting involved in the activism around getting these men out of jail. Which indeed ended up happening. In 2011 the men were released from Prison as part of a plea deal. Since then Damien has been adjusting to life back in the world, and writing many books - his latest : High Magick: A Guide to the Spiritual Practices That Saved My Life on Death RowYou know me - I like to do the work. And while what worked for Damien isn’t exactly something I’d try in a hurry - it worked, and brought him peace and deliverance from the crushing mental load of waking up every day wondering if today’s going to be your day to die. Two things about this conversation - Go with it. While what Damien talks about, is an evangelist for and practices every day might not be for you - I got a lot out of hearing how it worked for him and it made me think about how I might double down on my own daily work and ritual that helps me get through the day. And secondly - we connected via Skype from far, far away. Sometimes not everything works as well as it could. I do have redundancies when I record, just in case - and thankfully in this instance, I had one because the original feed from my mic got lost in the netherworld. So, while Damien was talking to me over the phone, you’ll hear me as if I’m also on the phone. I apologies for that, sorry it’s not the greatest audio quality from my end - but I’d rather bring it to you as it was than re-record my bits and not remain authentic to the conversation. Also - a massive thank you to Rachel Barrett (elfymama on the gram) my producer who managed to track Damien down for this conversation. She’s the best there is, and we are thrilled that we were able to get Damien on the show. So - while I normally invite you to come to my kitchen table and enjoy a chat with one of my guests - today I’ll invite you to jump on a conference call with you, me and Damien Echols.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, June 21, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sonya Pemberton is an Emmy-winning science documentary maker.She’s recently made JABBED - love, fear and vaccines; URANIUM - Twisting the Dragon's Tail, and now, #VITAMANIA all about how many if any vitamins we need daily. We got in touch when a few months ago I put a photo of myself getting some vaccination shots up on instagram.We have a baby on the way. I don’t want that baby to die of a disease that belongs in a Dickens novel. Vaccines are proven effective by the scientific process, so therefore I use vaccines. It’s a pretty simple thing to say. But some people lost their fuckin’ minds at me. There’s a lot of very convincing, very flawed information out in the world about vaccines. To the point that people were accusing me of wanting to kill my child, and accusing me of being on the take from pharmaceutical companies. I explored a bit more as to why people might believe such things. Things that clearly aren’t true. And I started to discover that if I took the attitude of “I’m right and you’re stupid” that wouldn’t change anything. If I acknowledged the fear and the incredible wanting to cause no harm to their child - and that being the root of the desire to explore if vaccines were safe - well that’s a different story. If you google something for long enough eventually you’ll get an answer that confirms your opinion. That’s how algorithms work. You get more of what you click on. Then you eventually vanish down into a filter-bubble of confirmation bias. Where you never see anything other than the kind of things you click on. If you spend long enough on FB and You Tube, you’ll quickly come across a conspiracy theory - no matter what it is you’re looking for. Things start to get scary. Eventually, wanting to feel less alone, or looking for others in a time of fear people reach out to others who are also concerned - primarily in Facebook groups. There they find a welcome ear, and support and more confirmation that they’re making the right decision. That’s when it gets kind of cult-like for me. There’s an appeal to purity that kicks in, and threat of exclusion if you ever leave the group or say anything against that group. I see it in the vegan community all the time. So people start to identify as a part of that group or movement, even if it’s a movement based on collective delusion that’s been disproven time and again. Once that identity is set in - any challenge to the base belief of that identity is seen as heresy and ends up pushing people deeper into that delusion. And that’s where the incredible reactionary positions and violent language happens. It’s really confronting. It would be super scary to be in it because you’d have a belief that the world is out to get you and me and your kids. I could tell you it doesn’t, but they told you I’d say that didn’t they?As we learned from Jo Thornely, that’s straight up cult-talk 101. So. In the middle of all of this noise and anger when I was just trying to talk about something that’s real, I was contacted by our mutual friend Caroline Pegram who looks after Dr Karl. She told me I should have Sonya on the podcast - because of the extraordinary film she made - Jabbed, a film all about vaccines and how they work and the history of vaccines which goes back hundreds and hundreds of years. We managed to make that conversation happen. It was over Skype, so thanks for understanding the audio... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, June 14, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Dupont is a conflict photojournalist from Australia.For thirty years he’s travelled the world photographing people, places and cultures at  their most beautiful, their most vulnerable, and often their most violent.Stephen is a rare breed of person, the kind that willingly forges forward into a conflict zone, hoping to get the right shot that will tell the story of those in side the conflict so that those on the outside world may bear witness to it and maybe do something to change it. As you’d imagine, Stephen has seen and documented moments of humans being their most horrendous to each other. From witnessing American Soldiers burning the bodies of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan - a photograph that changed the rules of engagement around the world - to being blown up in a suicide bombing that killed fifteen people - Stephen has seen and documented and lived and breathed and smelled the horrors of humanity, and he’s lived to talk about it. To share what he’s seen. Stephen is fascinating to talk to, and if your’e into photography you can catch him at Aperture Australia, the largest photography conference in Southern Hemisphere is set to return to Sydney International Convention Centre (ICC) in Darling Harbour, Sydney on the weekend of 22-23 June - more details at apertureaustralia.com.auIf you like what you hear, you can let him know on IG - @stephenmdupont, but for now come to my apartment for a cup of coffee with a truly fantastic Australian, Stephen Dupont.***A note! I get confused in this episode and mistakenly said that photographer Bob King had passed away.He's thankfully very much alive!I got confused - Bob asked me about a photo I took of him and another shooter who did pass away for the funeral programme and in the moment I got the names confused. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, June 7, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doris Younane is a highly acclaimed Australian actor who became a household name for her role in Nine Network’s McLeod’s Daughters. However she’s been on our screens and stages for a long time. Heartbreak High, Rake, False Witness, Water Rats, Blackjack, Stingers, Sea Change, Party Tricks, Janet King, Catching Milat, Soul Mates, even The Wrong Girl.Now Doris is on the new Ten drama “Five Bedrooms".Doris came around to the apartment the other day to chat about life, studying at NIDA, being in a relationship for 20 years and the perils of living in the public eye. You may not be an actor, you may not be female, and you may not one day dream of being either - however I guarantee that you’ll hear something in Doris story today that will lift you, inspire you, and make you want to get after whatever it is that floats your boat - anything from getting your taxes done right to making sure your family has the best shot at life - something you’ll hear today will give you a kick in the pants. Because that’s what I sure got out of this chat. Enjoy this conversation with Doris Younane Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, May 31, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stan Grant is an Australian television news and political journalist. He is currently the ABC's indigenous and international affairs analyst, and professor of global affairs at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. He’s written a number of books, two which absolutely stand out are Talking to My Country, and his latest book Australia Day.  You see Stan is an Aboriginal First Nation Australian man.  His father was an elder of the Wiradjuri people - a country that stretches across central NSW - from Wagga Wagga and Leeton to West Wyalong, Parkes, Dubbo, Forbes, Cootamundra, Cowra and Young among other places. Stan has spent much of his career abroad - covering conflict, has witnessed the unimaginable horrors of war, and has lived for years in countries far from his own.  These days, Stan is back and he’s written a book called Australia Day.  A book about not just about a difficult day in our community - the 26th of January, the day we as a nation celebrate Captain Cook planting a flag and declaring this country for England - for some it’s the day that Australia as we know it began. For others it’s the day that Australia as they knew it ended.  It’s a complex thing to talk about. There’s a lot of emotion around what it is to be Australian, and the role of the legacy of colonialism on us all, Indigenous or otherwise - and where we go from here. It’s a hot-button topic. One that deserves a long conversation and a deep exploration. It’s no accident I’m putting this out at the start of national reconciliation week 2019.  So let’s go. Come to my house and enjoy a cuppa and a conversation with a man that speaks as if he’s free styling poetry, Stan Grant. LINKS: Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube Watch Story Club on YouTube and grab tickets to Story Club's next show My books So What? Now What? and Back After The Break are available here Send a pic of what you're looking at to [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, May 24, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julian Mitchell is the co-founder of the Mushroom cultivation company Life Cykel find about more about him and the work he’s doing at LifeCykel.comHe’s an interesting guy - he used to work in the mining industry and had a moment where he chose to do something different. Something very different. Something that would put people more in touch with the food they ate, and something which would allow recycling of food and waste products in a sustainable way. Life Cykel have made some heavy hitting friends, and in a few days they’re partnering with Virgin Airlines on World Environment Day to divert the coffee waste from their lounges away from landfill, to use them instead to grow mushrooms which will one day return to the menu at the Virgin Lounge. This conversation is a little different from a regular podcast I do. It sounds like you think it will, two guys nerding out about mushrooms. Hopefully it gets you thinking more about where your waste goes, where you get your food from , and how you might reduce one and increase the other. Enjoy this conversation with Julian Mitchell.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, May 17, 2019James Mathison. My former Channel [v] and Australian Idol team mate. Former campaigner for the federal electorate of Waringah up against Tony Abbot.Host of the TV show Thrones 360, the wrap up show that airs after Game Of Thrones on Foxtel - the last ever episode which comes out this Monday. It’s an election tomorrow in Australia. Let’s talk democracy, and what is working - what isn’t working and what else we might do about fairly governing millions of people. Come to my kitchen table to chat with my dear friend, and a man that will change the world, James Mathison.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Briggs is an Indigenous Australian rapper, actor, comedian, and record label owner from Shepparton, Victoria. From his breakout album in 2009, Briggs has gone on to dominate the hip hop scene here and abroad. He’s released four solo albums, as well as the landmark “Reclaim Australia” with AB Original - an album that spoke volumes to the conversation about race relations in our country. A.B. Original were recently crowned APRA’s 2018 Songwriters of the Year and in 2017 won the ARIAs for Best Independent Release and Best Urban Album and Triple J’s J Award for Album of the Year for their album Reclaim Australia.He’s an actor - featuring in Cleverman, Black Comedy and The Weekly - and also a highly regarded comedy writer, most notably working with Matt Groening on his series Disenchantment. Briggs' new single is called “Life Is Incredible” a shot to the gut aimed at life expectancy of Indigenous Australians compared to the rest of the population. Like all great artists - he performs to the top of his intelligence at all times. And as Briggs is a very, very smart man - that makes him a force of nature. Briggs is also a legit coffee nerd, so there’s a fair chunk of solid coffee talk at the top that will impress anyone who weighs their beans. @briggs on twitter and @senatorbriggs on IG to let him know you heard him here. Enjoy this conversation with Briggs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, May 10, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan Haidt is a Social psychologist at NYU-Stern. He’s the author of The Righteous Mind, and his latest book The Coddling of The American Mind. We are a few weeks out from an election here in Australia so I couldn’t think of a better time to get someone on the show to help us explore how our thinking is being swayed from outside influences, why we are getting just so super-sensitive to things we never used to be sensitive about, and indeed what we stand to lose by protecting ourselves from and avoiding things that make us uncomfortable. We talk about what’s wrong with trigger warnings, and how we as a society have been slowly getting more and more polarised. I hope this conversation helps you in your decision this election - helps you make a choice that isn’t influenced by things you’ve read on Facebook that are written to fire you up but don’t really reflect reality or indeed the nuance of the argument. I hope this conversation encourages you to explore just that - the nuance of the issue at hand, not the knee-jerk emotional response that we seem to have been drawn into more and more in this FB like-button world of calling out perpetrators to our team and finding offence to something as small as a lower-case proper noun (which I have been called out for). Jonathan is just fascinating and I highly recommend you track down his books which you can find out more about at righteousmind.com and thecoddling.comIf you like what you hear - let him know on twitter @jonhaidt he’s touring Australia in July you can get tickets to his talks at thinkinc.org and please enjoy this conversation with Jonathan Haidt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, May 3, 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today is Jo Thornely - on twitter @JoThornely. Jo is an author, podcaster and music aficionado from Sydney Australia. A rabid live-tweeter of The Bachelor in all its forms, Jo is also utterly fascinated by Cults. Her Book and podcast of the same name “Zealot” is an incredibly interesting exploration into what makes people believe things that really, really aren’t real - and believe them so much that they will do, and have done, many many really awful things. It’s absolutely fascinating and I can’t wait for you to hear it. It’s particularly interesting when looked at through the lens of what makes people believe in things that really aren’t real - like Climate Change deniers and the anti-vac movement - the parallels are strong and I’d encourage you to consider how she describes the way people get trapped in that kind of thinking. Jo’s book Zealot is out wherever you get books. It’s grim, it is real, and it is darkly, darkly funny. Enjoy this conversation with Jo Thornely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, April 26 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today needs very little introduction. Ian Dickson. Dicko as you’d know him, was a brilliantly powerful record company executive that worked hand in glove with Simon Cowell as they created and broke Westlife across the planet. He came out to Australia to work with BMG records and a few years later came to public prominence as the ‘nasty’ judge on Australian Idol. A massive media career followed, TV shows, radio shows, you name it, he did it. But as you’ll hear in our chat - the Dicko as we knew him no longer exists. He’s a different man. A man who’s left behind what he once was and once wanted, and is now rediscovering his passion for music from an entirely different place. He’s putting on a massive festival which we go into great detail about - the gig is happening August 10th on the Gold Coast - get your tickets at https://www.almostthegreatestgigonearth.comYou thought you knew Dicko. You thought you knew what drove him. Prepare to know something new. Enjoy this conversation with Ian Dicko Dickson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Checking in, April 19 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today is Mahmood Fazal. He’s a journalist for Vice, and hosts the compelling podcast “Violent Times”, a show that explores the role of violence in our modern society. From speaking to graffiti artists who were involved in brutal street violence in Melbourne in the 80s and 90s, to connecting with Australia’s Deadliest Soldier, to spending an afternoon with the Yakuza in Japan - Mahmood gets face to face with the people who have not only committed violence on others, but have been victims of violence themselves.  Mahmood’s story is a heavy one. The son of Afghani immigrants, Mahmood was just a kid at school with a different name and probably a stranger lunch than the other kids. Then 9/11 happened. Then things changed for the young man.I’ll let Mahmood tell it - however his own path into violence, living with the consequences of violence and indeed his redemption from violence, is a riveting and compelling story. Just off the top here. This is a conversation about violence. We needed to describe violent acts in order to put things into context. Some of the descriptions are quite graphic. If that sort of thing isn’t for you - all good, I’ll see you next episode. With that being said - I hope you get a lot out of this conversation with Mahmood Fazal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Todd Liubinskas is Strength and Conditioning Coach, Entrepreneur, and the new Fitness Director at Men’s Health. He’s also the founder of “Let’s Get Going” a non-profit mentor and experience program. They aspire to promote the health and well being of adults from the age of 18 years old with an intellectual or physical challenge. One of their goals is to provide a fitness program that will be fun, safe and enhance social relationships; as well as establishing a pattern of physical activity to promote wellness throughout adult life.Todd is also involved in a rapidly exploding grass-roots fitness community called The 440 - which takes place just down the road here in Bronte where we live. Despite his boulder shoulders and abs that look like a plate of smooth river rocks perfectly arranged in a fancy design magazine, one of Todd’s big focus points is on how he can share the benefits of moving your body with those who might not move their body much, if at all.He works with many people to help inspire them to get moving, to get access to that physical and mental benefit of moving. On the back of my chat with Tanya Hennessy last week - if you’re looking to get moving, even just a little bit - Todd’s got some words for you. You can find him on IG @toddybinskas, #the440 online with his work at Men’s Health. Enjoy this conversation with Todd Liubinskas.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tanya Hennessy is a comedian, author, broadcaster and YouTube superstar. She’s currently on the radio every weekend right around the country, on the internet being very, very funny - and about to be on Bachelor in Paradise UNPACKED where she and her colleagues watch every episode of The Bachelor in Paradise and react to it - like a mini version of Goggle Box. It’s extraordinarily funny. That’s mainly because she is extraordinarily funny too. Tanya has an incredible story to tell, and as a woman in Australian broadcasting has some excellent lessons about success when you’re up against it. A note here at the top of the show. Tanya wrote quite extensively in her book “Am I Doing This Right?” about body image. She wrote a whole chapter on it. During this conversation she brings it up, and we begin to talk about it. I called her the other day to double and triple check to make sure that what we talked about was ok to go up on the podcast, and she assured me that it was. I am no stranger to body image issues - having been 112kg at one point, fat shamed by paparazzi and bullied in the press, I am well aware of what it is to be bigger in the public eye. My own story involves compulsive eating, portion control, and binge eating. So where I was coming from was a place of someone who works every day to keep on top of those compulsive behaviours, someone who tries to do the work every day around making sure what I eat is the right thing and the right amount, and someone who tries to train every day so that I am healthy and feel good in my own body.That’s where I was standing when she and I dove into that often taboo discussion. It might be confronting to hear, and you might get an itchy outrage trigger finger - but I’d ask you to listen with an open ear and open heart to what the two of us were discussing and the reality of the business we both work in, and indeed the realities of health outcomes when you’re heavier. I can now officially say I’m a man that’s nearly 50. If I don’t stay fit and watch what I eat it’s a slippery slope to blood pressure pills, type 2 diabetes, erectile dysfunction and a stent in my arteries. So that’s where we both were really when we talked about what we talked about. I hope you can listen in the spirit of which it was conversed - that of two colleagues discussing the reality of where we work, the nature of our business and the plain facts about health. Tanya is snort-laugh funny, so I’d caution against drinking or eating when listening to this episode. If you want to let Tanya know you heard her here on the show - she’s online, mostly FB and Youtube - just search Tanya Hennessy. Her book is out wherever books are out and Bachelor in Paradise unpacked goes live right after our first episode on April 9th. So you ready? Get set for a fabulous sit down chat with Tanya Hennessy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today is Christina Hoff Sommers - former Philosophy professor at Clark University in the US and currently a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Find her on twitter @CHSommersHer work mainly focuses on gender politics, feminism and free speech in universities.She’s out in Australia for the #feminist events with Roxanne Gay - Sydney Friday 29th and Melbourne Sunday 31st. Now I know she’s a divisive figure, and I personally don’t agree with some of the things that she said in our conversation, but I get where she’s coming from and why she’s coming at those topics from those angles. I felt it was important to have a conversation with someone that I might disagree with on some part of their message - but at the same time find places that we may connect. You’ll hear a few times that we do indeed find some resonance, but the larger focus on the conversation for me was figuring out what it is to be her. To be someone who’s shouted down in universities, to be excommunicated from an academic faculty that she’d been a part of for so long for questioning a status quo. Even though Christina does question the value of trigger warnings in this conversation - I’ll tell you right now, one of her big topics that she covers is sexual assault on campuses - so if that’s an issue for you, perhaps you’ll want to check back in for the next episode come Monday. If you want to reach out to her she’s very active on twitter: @CHSommersThat being said, come with me to Erskineville in inner-western Sydney and sit down for a conversation with Christina Hoff Sommers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Ian Chung has been practising for nearly fifty years in Sydney, Australia. We’ll get into his story shortly - however, he made a name for himself as "Dr Rock”, the doctor to call when you have a major international performer that can’t make the show and there are 20,000 people who have bought tickets and are on the way to the gig as you speak. That’s when you called Dr Chung. If you’ve read my book, you’ll know how I came to meet him - but I can’t tell you how glad I am that I did. Not only was he and the first doctor to diagnose me with social phobia (which was the first time everything started to make sense) but he was the first doctor that I saw about my head that taught me real skills to deal with what was happening rather than just talk about it. I’ll never forget when Dr Chung got angry at me when I told him I’d rather have a few beers to calm down my anxiety than take antidepressants, and it was his anger and frustration that shook me out of my stubbornness and lead me to take those meds - which not only gave me incredible relief but made me lament refusing them when I was first offered them nearly ten years beforehand. A quick note - just because Ian helped me, doesn’t mean he’s the only person who can help. I’ve had many doctors since Ian and they’ve all helped me get where I am and stay where I am today - he’s just the one who set the standard to which I held all other doctors accountable to. There are many, many excellent doctors who can help you if you need help. It’s important to allow time to find them. You might not click straight away, it might not work for you, that’s ok - they’ll work for someone else and that’s fine. It’s important to keep trying, keep trying to find the doctor that you click with, one you can trust, one that makes you want to do what they tell you to do. Because if you’re at the point where you're seeing a Dr, you’re at the point where your ideas have run out of usefulness. So be quiet, listen to what they tell you to do, and do it. And it was in doing what I was told by Doctors that helped me get to a place where I’m a lot healthier than where I once was.It’s not hyperbole to say that Dr Chung changed my life - and I am so very grateful that you now get the chance to hear the story of this incredible man. Ladies and Gentlemen, Dr Ian Chung.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Josh Szeps is a Tv presenter and radio broadcaster now based in Sydney Australia. He’s currently working on the ABC presenting the Weekend Breakfast on ABC News. Josh and I have worked together a few times in our careers - however, he went on to become far more successful than I with his award-winning satirical radio work, his work as a founding host of Huff Post Live, and his podcast We The People Live. Josh has a show coming up at the Melbourne International Comedy festival #youtoo, tickets are available at ComedyFestival.com.auIf you like the show, please let him know - he’s on twitter @joshzepps, and without further ado, here’s Josh Szepps Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Graeme Simsion is an Australian author, screenwriter, playwright and data modeller. Yes, we get nerdy and talk about Data Modelling in this chat. Graeme changed careers relatively late in life to become an author, and achieved astonishing success with his books centred around the character Don Tillman - the Rosie Trilogy, The Rosie Project, The Rosie Effect, and now most recently The Rosie Result. Graeme kindly and gently introduced the world to Don Tillman a few years ago now, a man who has a different way of going about life - it’s never really mentioned explicitly early on in the books, but Don is a genetics professor with high functioning Asperger’s Syndrome. You’ll find out in this chat why it was so important to Graeme to write about Don this way and indeed why it’s important to celebrate neurodiversity - the idea that neurological differences like autism and ADHD are the result of normal, natural variation in the human genome.  I’ll let the conversation explain the rest. If you like what you hear, Graeme is on twitter @graemesimsion  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Graeme Simsion is an Australian author, screenwriter, playwright and data modeller. Yes, we get nerdy and talk about Data Modelling in this chat. Graeme changed careers relatively late in life to become an author, and achieved astonishing success with his books centred around the character Don Tillman - the Rosie Trilogy, The Rosie Project, The Rosie Effect, and now most recently The Rosie Result. Graeme kindly and gently introduced the world to Don Tillman a few years ago now, a man who has a different way of going about life - it’s never really mentioned explicitly early on in the books, but Don is a genetics professor with high functioning Asperger’s Syndrome. You’ll find out in this chat why it was so important to Graeme to write about Don this way and indeed why it’s important to celebrate neurodiversity - the idea that neurological differences like autism and ADHD are the result of normal, natural variation in the human genome.  I’ll let the conversation explain the rest. If you like what you hear, Graeme is on twitter @graemesimsion  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Williams is an author, speaker, and activist. A proud Wiradjuri, 1st Nations Aboriginal man born in Cowra NSW, raised in Wagga NSW. Joe’s a former elite athlete - having played Rugby League at the highest levels in this country before switching to boxing and becoming the 2x WBF World Jnr Welterweight Champion. Joe now dedicates his time to traveling the country giving talks and running workshops on Suicide Prevention and Wellbeing Education. I obviously knew about Joe before I met him, but we got a chance to meet for real at the Brisbane Writer’s Festival where he and Audrey and I shared a wonderful meal at the Greenhouse Canteen, and talked for hours about mental health, the commonalities in our stories, and how Australia just might move beyond where it is when it comes to dealing with our obligation to the 1st Nations Aboriginal People of this country. Joe’s a tour de force of a man, blisteringly smart an exceptionally talented when it comes to debate - he’s a real powerhouse not only in the world of talking about Mental Health - but also when it comes to talk about race relations in Australia.I couldn’t be more proud to have Joe on the show, and I’m grateful to do what I can to amplify his message. Joe’s memoir is called “Defying The Enemy Within: How I silenced the negative voices in my head to survive and thrive” and I couldn’t recommend it enough. We caught up over Skype a few weeks ago, and I’m grateful that we were able to make it happen. You can find Joe on Twitter or IG @joewilliams_tewLet him know you heard him here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Williams is an author, speaker, and activist. A proud Wiradjuri, 1st Nations Aboriginal man born in Cowra NSW, raised in Wagga NSW. Joe’s a former elite athlete - having played Rugby League at the highest levels in this country before switching to boxing and becoming the 2x WBF World Jnr Welterweight Champion. Joe now dedicates his time to traveling the country giving talks and running workshops on Suicide Prevention and Wellbeing Education. I obviously knew about Joe before I met him, but we got a chance to meet for real at the Brisbane Writer’s Festival where he and Audrey and I shared a wonderful meal at the Greenhouse Canteen, and talked for hours about mental health, the commonalities in our stories, and how Australia just might move beyond where it is when it comes to dealing with our obligation to the 1st Nations Aboriginal People of this country. Joe’s a tour de force of a man, blisteringly smart an exceptionally talented when it comes to debate - he’s a real powerhouse not only in the world of talking about Mental Health - but also when it comes to talk about race relations in Australia.I couldn’t be more proud to have Joe on the show, and I’m grateful to do what I can to amplify his message. Joe’s memoir is called “Defying The Enemy Within: How I silenced the negative voices in my head to survive and thrive” and I couldn’t recommend it enough. We caught up over Skype a few weeks ago, and I’m grateful that we were able to make it happen. You can find Joe on Twitter or IG @joewilliams_tewLet him know you heard him here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Naomi Simson is an Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author, Founding director of Red Ballon and Co-Founder of the Big Red Group. She’s written three books - Live What you Love, Ready to Soar and "I Want What She’s Having”. She also featured for a number of years on Shark Tank as one of the investors. This is the second time Naomi’s been on the show and so much has happened since then. We do give our conversation some context but if you’d like to get the full story of her background we cover that extensively in the first chat back in episode 95. It doesn’t matter if you never think you’re ever going to start a business, this conversation is important to hear because Naomi’s outlook on life, leadership and what’s really important in this world are really worth the listen. If you resonate with this conversation - please reach out to Naomi and let her know @naomisimson on IG and Twitter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Naomi Simson is an Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author, Founding director of Red Ballon and Co-Founder of the Big Red Group. She’s written three books - Live What you Love, Ready to Soar and "I Want What She’s Having”. She also featured for a number of years on Shark Tank as one of the investors. This is the second time Naomi’s been on the show and so much has happened since then. We do give our conversation some context but if you’d like to get the full story of her background we cover that extensively in the first chat back in episode 95. It doesn’t matter if you never think you’re ever going to start a business, this conversation is important to hear because Naomi’s outlook on life, leadership and what’s really important in this world are really worth the listen. If you resonate with this conversation - please reach out to Naomi and let her know @naomisimson on IG and Twitter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Guthrie is a Chef and Wellness coach that splits his time between Byron Bay and Bali. Living a life chasing what he thought was success, and at the frighteningly young age of 39, Adam suffered a heart attack. Unlike many men who simply take the stent and don’t change their diet and just stay on the downward spiral, Adam made a lasting commitment to change - and as he describes managed to get off his heart medication through taking a path of more physical activity and a plant based diet. But he didn’t just do a little bit of exercise, Adam worked his way through subtle daily increases in effort to training for and completing an Iron Man. Adam’s story is one of incredible inspiration. Of a health care system that mightn’t be open to solutions right in front of our eyes. A story of self discovery, forgiveness and compassion for ones own past, and a commitment to sharing the joy of his new life with others. You can find out more about what Adam is doing at ifeelgood.com.au he’s also on IG @adamguthriePlease enjoy part two of my conversation with Adam Guthrie.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Guthrie is a Chef and Wellness coach that splits his time between Byron Bay and Bali. Living a life chasing what he thought was success, and at the frighteningly young age of 39, Adam suffered a heart attack. Unlike many men who simply take the stent and don’t change their diet and just stay on the downward spiral, Adam made a lasting commitment to change - and as he describes managed to get off his heart medication through taking a path of more physical activity and a plant based diet. But he didn’t just do a little bit of exercise, Adam worked his way through subtle daily increases in effort to training for and completing an Iron Man. Adam’s story is one of incredible inspiration. Of a health care system that mightn’t be open to solutions right in front of our eyes. A story of self discovery, forgiveness and compassion for ones own past, and a commitment to sharing the joy of his new life with others. You can find out more about what Adam is doing at ifeelgood.com.au he’s also on IG @adamguthriePlease enjoy part one of my conversation with Adam Guthrie.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allan Sparkes is Dep Commissioner - Mental Health Commission of NSW. Cross of Valour, OAM & Commendation for Brave Conduct recipient. He’s a Best selling Author & Speaker. And self described Rugby Tragic.Find him on Twitter @AllanSparkes and on IG @Allansparkes_cv Allan Sparkes OAM is one of Australia's most highly decorated citizens and a leader in the shift toward the inclusion of lived experience in the areas of mental wellness and suicide prevention.  Allan is one of just five Australian heroes in the past 43 years to be awarded Australia's highest bravery decoration and civil award, the Cross of Valour. In January 2017, Allan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (0AM) for service to mental health support organisations and the community. In August 2016 he was further awarded Australia's 4th highest bravery decoration, The Commendation for Brave Conduct for saving the life of an aboriginal man who had fallen onto train tracks at Redfern Railway Station in Sydney.  His life story is extraordinary. He is also a sailor who has circumnavigated the globe, a survivor of PTSD and a best selling author with Penguin Books. Allan's book, 'The Cost of Bravery' was released on May 22, 2013 and reprinted in January 2015. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allan Sparkes is Dep Commissioner - Mental Health Commission of NSW. Cross of Valour, OAM & Commendation for Brave Conduct recipient. He’s a Best selling Author & Speaker. And self described Rugby Tragic.Find him on Twitter @AllanSparkes and on IG @Allansparkes_cv Allan Sparkes OAM is one of Australia's most highly decorated citizens and a leader in the shift toward the inclusion of lived experience in the areas of mental wellness and suicide prevention.  Allan is one of just five Australian heroes in the past 43 years to be awarded Australia's highest bravery decoration and civil award, the Cross of Valour. In January 2017, Allan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (0AM) for service to mental health support organisations and the community. In August 2016 he was further awarded Australia's 4th highest bravery decoration, The Commendation for Brave Conduct for saving the life of an aboriginal man who had fallen onto train tracks at Redfern Railway Station in Sydney.  His life story is extraordinary. He is also a sailor who has circumnavigated the globe, a survivor of PTSD and a best selling author with Penguin Books. Allan's book, 'The Cost of Bravery' was released on May 22, 2013 and reprinted in January 2015. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johann Hari is the author of two New York Times best-selling books. His first, ‘Chasing the Scream: the First and Last Days of the War on Drugs’, is currently being adapted into a major Hollywood feature film, and into a non-fiction documentary series. You can search for his Ted Talk “Everything you know about addiction is wrong” online or in the show notes. His most recent book, ‘Lost Connections: Uncovering The Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions’ really struck a chord with me - because he describes that depression and anxiety are a less about what’s going on in your brain but more about what’s going on in your environment. That the causes of Anxiety and Depression while in some parts indeed genetic - environment and how we live goes a long way to affect us. To quote him directly: "If you are depressed and anxious, you are not a machine with malfunctioning parts. You are a human being with unmet needs. The only real way out of our epidemic of despair is for all of us, together, to begin to meet those human needs – for deep connection, to the things that really matter in life.”Over the course of the book, Johann identifies nine different causes of Anxiety and Depression and offers solutions to the issues he talks about, but at the bare minimum, what he’s found over his exhaustive research is stuff we all seemed to know already:We as humans need to feel we belong. We need to feel we’re good at stuff. We need to feel valued by others. We need to feel secure about the future.We need to feel that our life and work has meaning.Take those five things away, and it’s easy to see how you can slip off the edge of the world.Two quick notes: We talk about medication in this conversation. Do NOT stop or change your dose of medication without talking to your doctor. We discuss the helps and hindrances of medication - and I disclose as I have done with you many times that meds saved my life, they helped me incredibly, until they didn’t. And then it was time to find a way to live without them. But that is my journey and my journey alone - it was a decision made by me and my doctors together over the course of many months. I’ll say it again, Do NOT stop or change your dose of medication without talking to your doctor.Also: This conversation covers issues such as severe childhood trauma, including sexual assault and violence. So if that’s a trigger for you when you hear Johann say “this is tough for me to talk about but I’ve been trying to do it more in interviews” - skip forward about ten minutes and you should emerge ok on the other side. I can’t thank Johann enough for being on the show. His new book Lost Connections is out NOW in Australia in Paperback , and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a total game-changer. We did catch up over Skype and internet being what it is in my country - there’s a few glitches here and there, apologies - we can Fax Scott Morrison and ask where out information superhighway is. I hope the glitches don’t detract too much from your enjoyment of this superb chat - Enjoy part one of my conversation over Skype with Johann Hari. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johann Hari is the author of two New York Times best-selling books. His first, ‘Chasing the Scream: the First and Last Days of the War on Drugs’, is currently being adapted into a major Hollywood feature film, and into a non-fiction documentary series. You can search for his Ted Talk “Everything you know about addiction is wrong” online or in the show notes. His most recent book, ‘Lost Connections: Uncovering The Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions’ really struck a chord with me - because he describes that depression and anxiety are a less about what’s going on in your brain but more about what’s going on in your environment. That the causes of Anxiety and Depression while in some parts indeed genetic - environment and how we live goes a long way to affect us. To quote him directly: "If you are depressed and anxious, you are not a machine with malfunctioning parts. You are a human being with unmet needs. The only real way out of our epidemic of despair is for all of us, together, to begin to meet those human needs – for deep connection, to the things that really matter in life.”Over the course of the book, Johann identifies nine different causes of Anxiety and Depression and offers solutions to the issues he talks about, but at the bare minimum, what he’s found over his exhaustive research is stuff we all seemed to know already:We as humans need to feel we belong. We need to feel we’re good at stuff. We need to feel valued by others. We need to feel secure about the future.We need to feel that our life and work has meaning.Take those five things away, and it’s easy to see how you can slip off the edge of the world.Two quick notes: We talk about medication in this conversation. Do NOT stop or change your dose of medication without talking to your doctor. We discuss the helps and hindrances of medication - and I disclose as I have done with you many times that meds saved my life, they helped me incredibly, until they didn’t. And then it was time to find a way to live without them. But that is my journey and my journey alone - it was a decision made by me and my doctors together over the course of many months. I’ll say it again, Do NOT stop or change your dose of medication without talking to your doctor.Also: This conversation covers issues such as severe childhood trauma, including sexual assault and violence. So if that’s a trigger for you when you hear Johann say “this is tough for me to talk about but I’ve been trying to do it more in interviews” - skip forward about ten minutes and you should emerge ok on the other side. I can’t thank Johann enough for being on the show. His new book Lost Connections is out NOW in Australia in Paperback , and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a total game-changer. We did catch up over Skype and internet being what it is in my country - there’s a few glitches here and there, apologies - we can Fax Scott Morrison and ask where out information superhighway is. I hope the glitches don’t detract too much from your enjoyment of this superb chat - Enjoy part one of my conversation over Skype with Johann Hari. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.