Conversations

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. This time it's Peter Hoysted.Peter Hoysted, known in print as 'Jack the Insider', tells the incredibly strange story of the Fine Cotton affair. The story includes a vicious gangster, a used-car salesman, a hapless horse trainer and a bucket of hair dye.'The Fine Cotton Fiasco Conversations Bonus' is available to listen to here.Richard's other Conversations with Peter Hoysted:The crime-soaked history of Melbourne's DockyardsRoger Rogerson: crimes and punishmentThe story of Stan 'The Man' SmithPeter Hoysted, known in print as 'Jack the Insider', tells the incredibly strange story of the Fine Cotton affair.In 1984 a group of conspirators hatched a plot to defraud racing bookmakers of millions of dollars.The story includes a vicious gangster, a used-car salesman, a hapless horse trainer and a bucket of hair dye.It started out as fraud, became a fiasco and ended up as farce.Ultimately it was a 'colourful Sydney businessman' who walked away with the cash.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about true crime, Australian history, gangsters, organised crime, horse racing, gambling, Jack the Insider, Fine Cotton, horse trainers, fiasco, horses.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. Gill Hicks lost both her legs in the London bombings in 2005. But from the start of her recovery, she was determined not to dwell on hate or revenge, instead focus on the love that surrounded her, from family, police, doctors and nurses and complete strangers. She formed a charity called MAD for Peace, which invites us all to look for peace in our lives. Gill Hicks was living in London in 2005. One morning she boarded a train on the Picadilly Line, and in the crowded carriage she was standing next to Jermaine Lindsay who was carrying a bomb.When the bomb was detonated, she felt as though she was being enveloped in inky blackness. When the emergency lights came on she saw her legs and feet were shattered.Gill heard two insistent voices in her head: one was female, inviting her to surrender into the peace of death. The other voice was male, and it was demanding that she choose to live.As Gill waited for help to come, she made a contract with herself to survive. But she says, she wasn't fully aware of the 'fine print'.Gill became close friends with the many police officers and medical staff who saved her life. She says the love she received from complete strangers is much more important to her than the hateful attack on herself and her fellow passengers.Gill founded a charity called MAD for Peace, which invites people all over the world to look for peace in their own lives.This episode of Conversations contains discussion about terrorism, bombs, bombings, Jihad, terrorists, London, underground, the Tube, relationships, disasters, religion, London Bombings, rescue operations, rescuers, ambulance, first responders, Jermaine Linday, Mad for Peace, Picadilly Line, Adelaide, expats, mad nests, charities, walking, prosthetics, prosthetic legs, disability, fundraising.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. Ross Gittins is one of Australia’s most popular newspaper columnists. For five decades, he has explained the inner workings of the Australian economy to readers in plain English through his three weekly columns in the Sydney Morning Herald.Ross Gittins is one of Australia’s most popular newspaper columnists.For five decades, Ross has explained the inner workings of the Australian economy to readers in plain English through his three weekly columns in the Sydney Morning Herald.He's often contacted by readers who tell him he's helped them understand interest rates, negative gearing, and other facets of the economy that would have once been privy to only those in power.For Ross, his touchstone is his own early life story.His outlook on life was largely formed by his frugal, hard-working parents, who were Salvation Army officers who lived through the Great Depression.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about family, Australian history, journalism, economics, the depression, Salvation Army, religion, Christianity, politics, finance, writing, newspapers, editors, publishing, mortgages, interest rates, home ownership, investments, income, Australian society, baby boomers, young people, generational wealth, inheritance, negative gearing, flexible work, job market, women at work, employment, workplace, childcare, cost of living, real estate.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. After a cruel and abusive childhood and an adulthood full of unemployment and homelessness, Gregory Smith decided to step out of society and into the solitary life of a hermit, living in the elements in a forest in Northern NSW. Gregory is an academic in the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Southern Cross University in New South Wales.He recently completed his PhD highlighting the experiences of children raised in institutional care.For much of his adulthood Gregory was homeless; and by his own admission, a 'do not approach' figure.For ten years he lived as a hermit in a forest in northern NSW, catching his own food.After decades of life on the margins, he now has a place of his own, and is a popular teacher.Gregory's childhood, in and out of orphanages, boys' homes and youth detention centres, made getting a foothold in regular society a massive challenge.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about child abuse, orphanages, boys homes, child psychology, sociopaths, homelessness, unemployment, hermit, solitude, forests, rainforest, New South Wales, NSW, recluse, sociology, university, relationships, memoirs, autobiographies, Southern Cross Univerity, PHD, Order of Australia.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. Uncle Jack was forcibly removed from his mother as a baby and denied his Aboriginality. A one-off trip to Fitzroy connected him with a family he didn’t know about, and promptly landed him in jail.Jack died in 2022. Help and support is always availableYou can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14In a career spanning more than half a century, Uncle Jack Charles used the stage to share painful and personal truths about being a Stolen Generations survivor.Uncle Jack was born in Melbourne in 1943. He was taken from his mother as a baby and ended up in Box Hill Boys' Home where he was abused and told he was an orphan.It was only towards the end of his life that Uncle Jack found out who his father was, finally knowing himself as a Wiradjuri man, as well as Boon Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Woiwurrung and Yorta Yorta.Uncle Jack's early life had been defined by addiction, theft and twenty-two stints in jail.But he forged a legacy as a giant of the arts, a tireless advocate for youth in detention and a trailblazing advocate for a fairer Australia.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Aboriginal identity, Indigenous history, stolen generation, orphanages, boys homes, youth offending, foster families, birth mothers, family relationships, Lilydale High School, Victoria, Melbourne, Fitzroy, youth detention, home invasion, robbery, acting, performing, theatre, film, Sydney Opera House, Box Hill Boys' Home, orphans, sisters, brothers, siblings, addiction, heroin, jail, racism, advocacy, David Gulpilil, initiation, Bennalong.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. When Sandy Mackinnon set of through the waterways of England towards Gloucester in a Mirror dinghy, he little imagined he would find himself crossing the English Channel, the river systems of Europe, and eventually the Black Sea, on an adventure full of friendly strangers, amazing scenery and even a threat to his life.Listen here to Sarah's Conversation with Sandy MacKinnonSandy was teaching at a school in the English countryside when he sold almost all his belongings and set off in a Mirror dinghy, intending to sail as far as Gloucester.He enjoyed his river voyage so much, he decided to keep going.Sandy's journey took him through locks, across the English Channel, and eventually into the great river systems of Europe, and then, the Black Sea.Along the way he encountered strangers who showed him great kindness, and some who threatened to kill him.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about England, English countryside, boarding schools, teaching, travel, European travel, sailing, boating, paddling, rowing, canals, locks, the English Channel, France, Romania, rivers, the Black Sea, the Thames, autobiographies, memoirs, authors, writing, adventure books, yachts, The Unlikely Voyage of the Jack de Crow, Pith helmets, small boats.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years.Elizabeth Chong has spent the last 90 years teaching Australian's the delights of cooking real authentic Chinese food. Chef, author and teacher Elizabeth Chong was born in China's Guangdong Province in 1931.When her heavily pregnant mother was expelled from Victoria under the White Australia Policy in the 1920s, the whole family returned to China.Years later her family returned and a young Elizabeth was free to roam the closed Queen Victoria Market on Sundays with her siblings.With fresh, fragrant and plentiful Chinese food at home, Elizabeth didn’t cook her first meal until she was married.Since then, she's made it her mission to raise the profile of Chinese cuisine, something she's done by teaching more than 37,000 people how to cook.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about China, Chinese culture, immigration, migrants, gold rush, Australian history, multiculturalism, white Australia policy, racism, Chinese cooking, Chinese food, Chinese cuisine, dim sums, Queen Victoria markets, Melbourne, marriage, relationships, parents, mothers, fathers, daughters, family history, genealogy, cooking school, cooking teachers, chefs, cooks, family, relationships, community education, adult education, lifelong learning,

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years.William McInnes is a much-loved Australian actor and an author, whose childhood in the sunny Queensland left him fluent in the peculiar, funny and colourful words and phrases unique to Australian English. Over the years, he's continued to collect them to celebrate how much they say about who we really are.William McInnes’ Stories of FatherhoodWilliam McInnes on life after the death of his wife, Sarah WattThis episode of Conversations contains discussions about Australian slang, colloquial language, Australian dialect, Seachange, Yeah Nah! A celebration of life and the words that make us who we are, books, writing, author, Australianisms, colloquialisms, acting, television, actor, performing arts, theatre, NCIS Sydney, Australiana, Australian culture, Australian history, language, linguistics.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years.Shaun Christie David grew up eating the Sri-Lankan recipes his mother brought with her from Sri Lanka. After a life-change trip to his parent's homeland, Shaun left a successful career in finance to open a social enterprise restaurant, Colombo Social, giving jons to refugees and serving food from his mother's cookbook. Shaun Christie-David's family migrated to Australia during the Sri Lankan civil war.The family's three sons grew up in a house full of home-cooked food and love, with dishes like 48-hour Mudcrab on the menu at Christmas.In 2019, Shaun set up Colombo Social, a restaurant giving jobs to refugees and people seeking asylum, serving food straight from his mum's cookbook.Starting the restaurant was a sharp turn in his own life.Shaun had left Sydney's Western suburbs at 18 determined to make a lot of money in the finance world. But at 28, at the pinnacle of his career in banking, a trip to Sri Lanka changed everything.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about immigration, migrants, Sri Lanka, multiculturalism, childhood memories, cooking, family, mothers, fathers, sons, siblings, brothers, high school, racism, finance, success, money, careers, mudcrabs, Christmas, chicken biryani, spices, recipes, traditions, culture, Sri Lankans, restaurants, social enterprise, charity, refugees, asylum seekers, support, disabilities, homelessness, unemployment, support, Plate It Forward, Colombo Social, Kabul Social, Sydney, NSW, Afganistan, Ukraine, purpose, giving.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat - a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. This time it's Magda Szubanski.At the height of her successful career, behind closed doors, Magda was coming to terms with the past of her Polish-born father, whom she loved dearly, and who was an assassin in his early life.Magda is well known for her comic performances across film and television, and is perhaps most beloved by Australians for her role as Sharon in Kath & Kim.But at the height of her successful career, Magda was navigating a more difficult journey, to integrate the disparate parts of her life. Most challenging was coming to terms with the past of her Polish-born father, whom she loved dearly, and who was an assassin in his early life.So Magda wrote a memoir, Reckoning, which delved into her father's complicated story and how it fit into her own distinct journey, from a child migrant to one of Australia's favourite comedians.Richard recorded this conversation with Magda Szubanski in 2015, at a Wheeler Centre event at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about comedy, theatre, improvisation, university, Poland, Polish, Scotland, Scottish, England, immigration, migrants, Australia, families, family relationships, fathers, mothers, parents, siblings, Second World War, World War 2, World War II, assassins, Resistance, guerillas, Nazis, Germany, Germans, autobiographies, secrets, family secrets, family history, extended family, Babe, actress, acting, film, Fast Forward, television, comedians, Sharon, Kath and Kim.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.The child of doctors, Bhawani followed her parents footsteps into medical school without a second thought. But after the dissatisfaction of decades as a GP, Bhawani discovered the field of voluntary assisted dying and it changed the course of her life. Help and support is always availableYou can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14Bhawani O'Brien grew up in Malaysia with Sri Lankan parents, both of whom were doctors.Bhawani was also expected to become a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer or an accountant. Luckily for her, she adored her father, and followed his footsteps into medical school without protest.But after decades working as a GP, Bhawani had lost her purpose and also her beloved father, who died back at home in Malaysia while Bhawani was stuck behind locked borders in Western Australia.Not long after his death, she found a random pamphlet in her pigeonhole at work.It was about voluntary assisted dying, which became legal in WA in 2021, and it changed the course of Bhawani's professional and personal life.She immediately started her training as a voluntary assisted dying practitioner, and has since helped 100 people in their dying moments.This episode of Conversations contains discussion about death, palliative care, voluntary assisted dying, VAD, medical practioners, doctors, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Australia, Australian Medical System, Medicare, Covid, border lockdowns, Western Australia, families, family relationships, grief, grieving, mourning, funerals, cancer, motorneuron disease, alzheimers and dementia, migration, immigration, multiculturalism, racism, medical fraternity, terminal illness, living wakes, saying goodbye, good deaths.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Ruth Shaw runs a collection of three tiny bookshops at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island. Even more than the books on her shelves, Ruth's life has been a high adventure full of danger, tears, heartbreak and love. Help and support is always availableYou can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.Ruth Shaw runs a collection of three tiny bookstores at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island.In them, she sells books of adventure, drama, tragedy and romance.But many of these stories pale in comparison to the colourful life Ruth has lived.In the decades before she became a bookseller at the end of the world, Ruth sailed the seas, she was attacked by pirates, she deserted the navy, she played cards to survive, she had her heart broken and had it mended by a special man in gumboots.Content Warning: this episode of Conversation contains discussion of sexual assault, forced adoption and infant death.It also explores military service, the Navy, teen pregnancy, family relationships, fishing, fishing boats, romantic relationships, publishing industry, New Zealand, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, travelling, ocean travel, pirates, card sharks, card games, gambling, guns, international travel, Catholicism, Catholic Church, Cardinals.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Ken Wyatt was the first Indigenous minister for Indigenous Affairs. When he made his first speech to parliament, he wore a kangaroo skin cloak given to him by Noongar elders in Perth and he shared with his government colleagues the extraordinary journey he took from a boy in a remote Western Australian settlement, to Canberra. Ken Wyatt has Yamatji, Wongi and Noongar ancestry. He came into the world as a premature baby on a mission south of Perth called Roelands Farm, run by the Protestant Church.From 1938 to 1973, Roelands housed more than 500 forcibly removed Aboriginal children from all over Western Australia. One of those children was Ken's mother Mona, who was separated from family at just 4 years old.Mona married Don and they built a life for themselves away from Roelands, in Nannine, a railway fettler's camp in remote WA. That's where Ken grew up, as one of 10 children.Ken went on to enjoy a fulfilling life as a teacher, and he was in his fifties when he decided to have a tilt at politics.He joined the Liberal Party, and in 2010 he was elected as the first Aboriginal member of the House of Representatives.Wearing a kangaroo skin cloak given to him by Noongar elders in Perth, Ken made his first speech in Federal Parliament, about his extraordinary journey from Roelands to Canberra.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Indigenous peoples, Australian history, Aboriginal history, Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal Policy, Australian Politics, Indigenous Policy, Indigenous Affairs, Australian Government, federal ministers, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Western Australia, racism, Aboriginal missions, school teachers, mentors, political campaigns, elections, Indigenous Voice to Parliament, referendum, retirement, marriage, families.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Kasey Chambers grew up surrounded by country music, singing around the campfire with her family, and listening to her father's cassettes of old country classics. She now makes her own country music, which has won her a devoted following and recognition as one of Australia's favourite country music stars. Kasey Chambers started singing around the campfire as a little girl.She and her family spent much of the year camping on the Nullarbor Plain, where her dad would hunt for foxes and rabbits.Kasey and her brother Nash had a free range childhood, and went to sleep to the sound of their father's rifle as he worked through the night. Singing came naturally to Kasey, and she loved all the old country classics, as well as some Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen.Kasey has spent her life making music and connecting with audiences. It’s what she believes she was put on the earth to do.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about country music, Australian outback, hunting, families, guitars, singing, vocals, musicians, singers, Country Music Association, CMA, Country Music Awards, Golden Guitars, ARIA Awards, music awards, popular music, Crowded House, Neil Finn, Paul Kelly, family relationships, marriage, divorce, parenting, women musicians.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Candice Fox is one of the world's most successful crime writers, but she when she is not at her writing desk, you can find her rushing around Sydney rescuing stranded and injured wallabies, cockatoos, lizards, frogs and ducks. Listen to Richard's first Conversation with Candice Fox here. Candice Fox is one of the world's most successful crime writers.Her latest work is about a female agent who goes undercover in a rogue firefighting crew in New York City.To research the book Candice travelled to New York to meet up with firefighters and find out more about the real people working in firehouses.While Candice is a prolific writer and a mum, she's not someone who believes in downtime.When she's off duty from her writing desk, she straps on a tiny torch and a tool belt, and hurtles around Sydney rescuing stranded and injured wallabies, cockatoos, lizards, frogs and ducks, often with her small daughter Violet as her sidekick.Candice has also recently taken up oil painting, inspired by some of her charges from her work in animal rescue.“This episode of Conversations discusses Australian wildlife rescue, Australian fauna, animal rescue, volunteer work, injured animals, firefighters, first responders, New York, NYC, 9/11, September 11, crime fiction, crime novels, crime thrillers, crime writers, crime authors, novelists, book publishing, research, families, motherhood, mother-daughter relationships, families, family history, family legacy, childhood memories, prison, prisoners.

Gideon Haigh is a prolific author, but it took him decades to write down the story closest to his heart — the life and tragic death of his brother, Jaz, who was killed in a car crash at just 17 years. But eventually, on a hot summers evening, it all came pouring out onto the page, and became his book My Brother Jaz.Gideon Haigh's brother Jasper was 17 years old when he died in a car crash.Until this year, Gideon and his mother were the only two people who really knew what happened to Jaz on that tragic night.Gideon has spent decades perfecting answers to questions about his brother — answers that never invited further discussion.This year, something peculiar happened, and in a few days, Gideon poured his pent-up recollections onto the page, to be turned into a book about the story of his brother, Jaz.This episode of Conversations discusses sibling relationships, brothers, death, mourning, parent-child relationships, families, grief, writing, the publishing industry, car accidents, road accidents, motor vehicle accidents, autobiographies, biographies, memoirs.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Pauline McGrath's life changed forever when her husband of 30 years, David, was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor. Together Pauline and David set out to take advantage of the incoming Voluntary Assisted Dying laws about to come into effect in Queensland. Since David's death, Pauline has been has kept her promise to him to speak openly about their experience and be an advocate for VAD. A few years ago, Pauline McGrath came home from work and found the lights on and the dog already fed.This was something which had never happened in her 30-year marriage to David, a director of paediatric medicine at Queensland Children's Hospital.Straight away, Pauline asked David, "Who has died?"Her beloved husband told her he had a brain tumour, and that voluntary assisted dying was going to be an option for Queenslanders in six months.This moment began a heartbreaking but ultimately empowering path for David, Pauline and their family.David's wish was for Pauline to speak openly about their family experience. So that's what she's been doing while grieving her husband, supporting her two daughters, and embarking on the next chapter of her own life.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about VAD, voluntary assisted dying, euthanasia, palliative care, cancer, brain tumor, relationships, parents, children, daughters, marriage, love, grief, good death, mourning, grieving, medicine, doctors, hospitals, Queensland, Brisbane, paediatricians, cancer treatment, advocacy, dying, end of life laws.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.At the make or break moment of his choreography career, the last person Rafael expected to hear from was Australia’s pop princess, Kylie Minogue.Rafael Bonachela was born in the dying years of Franco’s Spain, into a patriarchal culture that didn’t appreciate little boys who wanted to dance. As the eldest of four brothers, his father expected him to be an example of academic achievement and bravado.This hardline approach slowly drove his father away from the family, though when it came time to say goodbye, Rafael saw an unexpected side of him.At the age of 17, when the wide world beckoned, Rafael left his home country without a backward glance, grasping with both hands the opportunity to become a professional dancer.After a last ditch attempt at becoming a choreographer, he received an email from Kylie Minogue. And the rest is history.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Spain, Spanish, Catalonia, Catalonian, General Francisco Franco, Spanish history, small towns, villages, dancing, Fame, choreography, dance school, choreographers, London, Australia, Sydney, Sydney Dance Company, classical dance, music, theatre, performing arts, high school, homosexuality, gay, LGBTQIA, coming out, death, grief, artistic director, naked, nakedness, undressed, modern dance, contemporary dance.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Anita Heiss is a Wiradjuri woman and a prolific author. Her latest novel, Dirrayawadha, brings together Indigenous and colonial history, as well as Wiradjuri language, into a 19th century love story between an Irish convict and a brave Wiradjuri woman. Anita Heiss is a Wiradjuri woman, an author of many books and a Professor of Communications at The University of Queensland.Many of Anita's books focus on great love stories, and the inspiration for these romances came from the enduring, devoted love she saw between her parents – the very Austrian “Joe-the-carpenter”, and Elsie, a proud Wiradjuri woman.Anita’s latest book goes back to the 1800s, bringing to life the brutal frontier wars in Bathurst, when martial law was declared.Her book is called Dirrayawadha - which is a Wiradjuri command meaning 'rise up'. This episode of Conversations contains discussions about authors, novels, romance, adventure, politics, Australian history, Indigenous history, Aboriginal culture, Indigenous languages, academics, universities, parents, childhood, marriage, multiculturalism, racism, Sydney, Bathurst, frontier wars, convicts, first nations, Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Jack Beaumont (not his real name) grew up in a turbulent family in Paris before joining the French Air Force as a young man. After a devastating mid-air accident, he joined the DGSE and became a French secret agent and he now uses his first-hand knowledge to write spy thrillers set in the world of international espionage. Jack Beaumont (not his real name) is a former intelligence operative and the author of several spy thrillers.Jack grew up in a turbulent family in Paris and when he got older he decided to train as a jet fighter pilot with the French Air Force.During a training dogfight at supersonic speed, Jack suffered a devastating injury that meant he could no longer fly jets, but he still wanted a job steeped in adventure and danger.So he began piloting covert spy missions, and eventually became a spy with France's secret intelligence service: the DGSE, maintaining up to five secret identities as a time.While he now lives in a beautiful part of Australia with his wife and family, Jack has struggled to leave behind the extreme hyper vigilance of his early working life.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about spys, secret service, France, French Secret Service, DGSE, French Air Force, French Military, fighter pilots, fighter jets, back injuries, spinal injuries, disability, mid-air accidents, thrillers, novels, nom-de-plume, pen names, Australia, authors, writing, publishing, private schools, Napoleon, boarding school, Paris, families, family relationships, international relations, diplomacy, CIA, MI5, crime fiction, global politics.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Rebecca Huntley spent 50 years trying to process PTSD brought on from a traumatic childhood. But it was only when she decided to experiment with MDMA as a treatment that Rebecca's life began to change. Rebecca Huntley's public life as a broadcaster, an author and a social researcher made her well-known to many Australians.But in private, Rebecca spent years grappling with complex PTSD and childhood trauma.At 50, while walking the Camino, she realised that despite decades of therapy, she was still living with a roiling anger about what had happened to her as a child.She decided to undergo MDMA therapy delivered by an underground healer. The treatment changed Rebecca's life and her view of the world.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about childhood trauma, parenting, PTSD, abuse, MDMA, psychedelics, therapy, acid, hallucinogens, psychologists, psychology, healers, mental health, anxiety, depression, Australia, families, relationships, alternative medicine, memoirs, autobiographies, human experiences, human interest stories, controversial drug treatments, experimental treatments.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.Troy Cassar-Daley is one of Australia's most beloved country music stars, with a string of awards and albums to show for it.But his latest album, Between the Fires, is a reflective, deeply personal exploration of grief, love and his childhood, caught between the two worlds of his Indigenous mother and his Maltese-Australian father. Help and support is always availableYou can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.Troy Cassar-Daley is a proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung man, and one of Australia's most beloved country music stars.As a 17-year-old musician just starting out, Troy joined a band called Little Eagle. Soon afterwards, he won the Tamworth Starmaker Quest, and within a few years, Troy was a fully-fledged country music star.In his long career, Troy has won 40 Golden Guitars and 5 ARIA Awards, among many other accolades. In his latest album, Between the Fires, Troy digs deep into his own family history, with songs of grief, love and connection.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about country music, rock music, musicians, music teachers, country towns, driving, cars, vintage cars, Malta, Maltese, Indigenous culture, Aboriginal history, family, culture, multiculturalism, racism, intergenerational, family relationships, marriage, divorce, depression, grief, suicide, Country Music Association, CMA Awards, Golden guitars, music awards, Deadly awards, identity,

When writer Helen Garner began following her grandson’s under-16s football team, she gained a new appreciation for 'the ordinary beauty of human society'.

Finance journalist Alan Kohler and Patricia Collins, who had just joined the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service, recall their vivid memories from the night that irrevocably changed DarwinIt's been half a century since Darwin was nearly completely razed by Cyclone Tracy.On Christmas Day in 1974, the monster cyclone bore down on the city, killing at least 66 people.Both Alan Kohler and Patricia Collins survived that night in very different circumstances.Alan was living in a share house on stilts with other young journalists at the time, and they were all huddled in the bathroom when the house fell down.The next day, he and his friends set about printing an emergency copy of the Northern Territory news to let locals know what had happened and what do to next.Patricia was still a teenager and had recently enlisted in the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service.Stationed at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin, Patricia and the other women in the Navy were given the option to evacuate after the storm, or to stay.Patricia chose to stay and help get Darwin back on its feet.Further informationDisasters take time to work through — and it's ok to ask for support. If this episode of Conversations brings up any issues for you, you can call any of these helplines: You can also call any of these hotlines if you, or someone you know, is in distress:Lifeline on 13 11 14Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636Mensline on 1300 789 978Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511This episode of Conversations discusses natural disasters, storms, wet season, how to survive a cyclone, Darwin, Northern Territory, Top End, Monsoon Season, tropical weather, modern history, Australian history, books, grief, reflection, personal stories.

Lech Blaine with the strange true story of his childhood, shaped by love, religious zealotry, and four wildly different parents. CW: descriptions of foster care and child removal. Lech Blaine grew up in a big family in country Queensland, where his Dad Tom ran pubs for a living. He had six older siblings, who had come to the family as foster kids before he was born.It was a happy, knockabout, sports-obsessed childhood. But in the midst of all the love and warmth, Lech's mum Lenore lived with a creeping sense of dread.She knew that one day the troubled biological parents of three of the children in the family would appear in their lives.Michael and Mary Shelley were Christian fanatics wandering from place to place, in and out of jail and psychiatric hospitals, and notorious for stalking politicians and judges.One evening, when Lenore was at home with some of the children, Mary Shelley knocked on her door, changing the family's life forever.This episode of Conversations explores family, origin stories, adoption, foster care, religion, Christianity, mental health, mental illness, family dynamics, parenting.

When Richard's team developed pioneering treatment for melanoma, he didn't expect he would become the first person in the world to use this experimental therapy on his own, terminal brain tumour. Joint Australian of the year Professor Richard Scolyer has spent his medical career saving the lives of people with melanoma.Then suddenly last year, the life he had to save was his own.A tumour was discovered in Richard’s brain and the diagnosis was terminal.So Richard and his colleagues decided to try something completely radical and experimental.This episode of Conversations touches on personal stories, epic origin stories, cancer, dealing with cancer diagnosis, how to cope with cancer, glioblastoma, brain tumours, brain cancer, melanoma treatment, immunotherapy, Australian of the year, skin cancer and terminal illness.

When Dr Gillian Deakin became a GP, she knew she didn’t want to work behind a desk. Instead, she travelled overseas to make a difference. More recently, she has focused on treating patients with functional illnesses — symptoms that come and go despite all tests and scans showing up as normal.Dr Gillian Deakin grew up close enough to hear the lions roaring at night in Sydney's Taronga Zoo.She was part of a large, Catholic family and learned social justice and critical thinking from a young age.When Gillian became a doctor, she promised herself her career wouldn’t involve sitting behind a desk.She worked on the Australian outback film Burke and Wills, in Antarctica and on the tiny coral atoll of Kiribati.Today Gillian treats patients with functional disorders — aggravating symptoms that sometimes escape medical diagnosis and can deeply affect people’s lives.This episode of Conversations touches on personal stories, family origins, personal stories, mothers, fathers, Antarctica, Kiribati, outback Australia, GP training, functional symptoms, and functional illness.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt says it is time to reinstate the play-based childhood to bring our kids back from life online and into the real world, away from their increasing obsession with devices. It’s a fact of modern life that children who are given smart phones are able to access pornography, real images of violence and harmful comparisons with their friends and also influencers around the world.Social psychologist, Jonathan Haidt argues that as the social norms have changed, and younger and younger children have been allowed access to their own devices, their participation in the real world has suffered.Jonathan’s theory is that in order to combat the addicting influence of technology on our kids’ lives, families and society must encourage and allow children to enjoy free play, independence and responsibility in the real world.He says, rather than despairing at the current state of childhood, we have the power to give children fun, excitement and a passport to the real world.This episode of Conversations touches on Australia's social media ban, screen addiction, smart phones, online gaming, social media, mental health, teens, childhood, free play, children's independence, risk, outdoor play, child development, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, gaming, and Jonathan Haidt.

Dr Laura Driessen takes you 26,000 light-years away, into the centre of our galaxy and beyond in the search for radio stars, supermassive black holes and supernova remnants.Dr Laura Driessen is a radio astronomer who is fascinated with the scale of the universe and the wealth of information it holds, especially in its stars.Her obsession began as a child, looking through her mini telescope on family camping trips at the planets and at comets.But it wasn't until Laura was an undergraduate science student — poring over data from a giant radio telescope to create images of what the centre of our Milky Way looks like — that she got truly hooked into radio waves.Laura now specialises in radio stars at the University of Sydney's Institute for Astronomy.What she is discovering about these flaring beasts could be pivotal in the search for other habitable plants, and possibly alien life. This episode of Conversations discusses space exploration, physics, astrophysics, astronauts, rocket ships, space shuttles, telescopes, radio telescopes, aliens, NASA, Elon Musk, Space X, galaxies, constellations, astronomy.

The Masterchef graduate and cookbook author grew up in Georgia as the Soviet Union was crumbling, gorging on plums in her grandfather's garden. During this time the young, voracious Alice couldn't keep her food down at kindy. And it took years to work out why.Cookbook author and TV presenter, Alice Zaslavsky grew up in Georgia as the Soviet Union was crumbling.She would gorge herself on plums in her grandfather's garden, and her voracious spirit was celebrated and encouraged by her parents and grandparents.In 1989, a Georgian independence protest was violently quashed by Soviet soldiers, in the street where she went to kindergarten.Alice repressed the fear of that time, through her Jewish family's emigration to Australia.Alice eventually became a teacher — the fourth generation in her family — and ended up on Masterchef in 2012, as a way to encourage her students to study her elective at school.She has passed on her love of Georgian food to her daughter, through lashings of rye bread and sunflower oil.This episode of Conversations touches on origin stories, family stories, life story, family dynamics, personal stories, reflection, Georgia, USSR, former Soviet Union, Tbilisi, Jewish, immigration, cookbooks, cooking and cooking with family.

Pip Williams was diagnosed with dyslexia as a teenager. She grew up to write a novel inspired by the history of the Oxford Dictionary, which soon became an international bestseller. (R)Pip Williams was a teenage poetry enthusiast when she had her first poem, called Fifteen, published in Dolly magazine. Then just a couple of years later, she was diagnosed with dyslexia.But despite her struggles with reading and spelling, she never drew back from the world of books and words.A few years ago Pip was reading a non-fiction book about the history of the Oxford English Dictionary when she started to question why there weren't more women in the story.Then she found the story of a missing word left out of the first-ever edition of the dictionary. This story became the seeds of Pip's first novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words, which is now an international bestseller.This episode of Conversations touches on dyslexia, dictionary, tree change, writing, books, Italy, travel, memoir, neurodivergence, learning disability, permaculture, farm to table, author, novels, personal stories, motherhood, origin stories, and reflection.

The journalist delves into the history of experimental psychopathy treatment in Canada, which included mass, nude LSD trips.Years ago, journalist Jon Ronson did a course on how to spot a psychopath.People with psychopathic tendencies tend to use certain patterns of behaviour, turns of phrase, and a decoy mask of normality.Then Jon went out and met with men who had committed violent crimes, or had used their traits to make extraordinary amounts of money, and who had been locked up, for years, all because of their psychopathy.In the process of his research, Jon noticed that today's reliance on social media fuels and rewards certain psychopathic traits. To binge even more great episodes of the 'Conversation podcast' with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.This episode of Conversations touches on psychopaths, sociopaths, the Hare checklist, Jon Ronson, psychopathic traits, CEOs, murderers, life stories, prison, jail, psychiatric institutions, LSD and psychotherapy.

For years Claude Robinson was doing crime to fund his heroin addiction. He was eventually locked up with murderers in Goulburn Prison, where he shared a dentist with Ivan Milat. But in 2006 he made a big change, to turn his life around. (CW: descriptions of drug use, addiction, and crime)Claude Robinson is the manager of Rainbow Lodge, a home in inner Sydney for men just out of prison. Claude knows the place well because nearly 20 years ago he was sent there himself.Claude was a heroin addict who had taken to crime to pay for his habit and wound up in a minimum security jail. But after he assaulted a prison guard, he ended up in one of Australia's toughest jails - Goulburn Correctional Centre. While Claude was inside, his father died, and he found out that he had inherited $60,000.It was a chance to start a new life when he got out of prison. But instead, he and a girlfriend checked into a hotel in Kings Cross and bought some backs of heroin. Within weeks, all of Claude's inheritance was gone.In 2006, Claude was back in prison when he decided to finally change his story. He got off drugs, went to TAFE, and started working his way back to Rainbow Lodge, where he helps men who have walked a similar path to his own.Help and support is always available: The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015.This episode of Conversations discusses drug use, substance abuse, addiction, crime, mental health, toxic masculinity, manhood, fatherhood, parenting, turning your life around, getting clean, rehabilitation, rehab, intervention, AA, NA, sponsors, inheritance, heroin, methadone, ice, meth, illicit substances, incarceration, recidivism. To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

During the height of his fame as one half of Savage Garden, Darren Hayes struggled to reconcile what he'd lived through as a child growing up in Logan (CW: descriptions of domestic violence).Darren Hayes rose to fame in the 1990s as part of the musical duo Savage Garden.The band ended up selling 35 million albums and won numerous awards with hits like 'Truly Madly Deeply'.On the surface, Darren had achieved wealth, adoration and stardom —everything he dreamt of as a kid growing up in Logan, on the outskirts of Brisbane.But the scars of his violent childhood nearly ended everything.Content Warning: this episode of Conversations contains descriptions of domestic violence.Help and support is always available:Call 1800 737 732 (1800 Respect) to speak to a counsellor if you are experiencing domestic violence. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekThis conversation talks about family, Savage Garden, Daniel Jones, celebrity, singing, singers, fame, ancestry, music, modern history, Michael Jackson, grief, origin stories, family dynamics, music industry, reflection, life story, memoir, 90s music, fatherhood, mothers, motherhood, epic personal stories, life before, during and after musical fame, parenting, divorce, books.

Professor Alice Roberts examines the bones of those who died between five and ten centuries ago, solving the mysteries of how they lived and died.Professor Alice Roberts wants us to listen to skeletons. She's an anatomist and archaeologist who says that posthumous examination of our bones can reveal so much more than what someone might have looked like.Whether it's about our health, our diet, what we did for a living, how we died, and whether that was a violent end — epic stories are written into our bones.Recently Alice has been examining the bones of those who died between five and ten centuries ago to find out more about them. She's uncovered some amazing life and death stories.There’s the sad and gothic tale of a medieval Anchoress, who was walled up inside a church in York for 28 years; the lives of the drowned sailors who died in the sinking of a ship called the Mary Rose, once owned by Henry the Eighth; and new revelations about a terrible massacre ordered by a King in the year 1004 AD.This episode of Conversations explores death, anatomy, science, burial, history, origin stories, historic mysteries, ancestry, biology, ghost stories, Catholic Church, STIs, syphilis, medical history, early medicine, arthritis, strong bones, genocide.

Paul McVerry is an experienced cattleman and a stud breeder, who had a wild vision to fly a gift of cattle to India with the help of winemaker Dan Murphy. (R)New Zealand-born cattleman Paul McVerry has been surrounded by animals his whole life, and not just in cattle pens or in sheep yards.Paul has accompanied thoroughbred horses on weeks-long ship journeys across the Pacific ocean. He's been stuck with prized bulls in the back of a truck going the wrong way down Broadway in New York City.After being with animals on land-bound vehicles and sea-faring vessels, eventually Paul thought, "Cows can fly."In the 1970s, thousands of cattle were being slaughtered in Victoria and southern New South Wales because of ongoing drought. At the same time, the dairy industry in India was struggling due to generations of inbreeding.Paul saw an opportunity to solve both problems, and loaded the world's first ever airborne cattle onto a stretch D68 at Tullamarine Airport, bound for Chennai.This episode of Conversations explores farming, agriculture, epic journeys, foreign aid, animal welfare, animal transport, charity work, Mother Teresa, India, Tullamarine airport, Melbourne, Darwin, Chennai, Hong Kong, travel, plane travel, aeroplanes, airplanes, weird cargo, genetics, cross-breeding animals, diverse gene pool, insemination.

Screenwriter, Mithila Gupta thought her life would mimic her beloved Bollywood films — full of swooning and drama. But something was stuck, and she was an adult before she could embrace her vibrant Indian heritage.Screenwriter, Mithila Gupta grew up obsessing over Bollywood heart-throbs, thinking she would meet her own prince in a movie perfect meet-cute, involving serenades and moonlight.Her parents had left their home in Jaipur, India, to move their daughter to Australia, with hopes of more opportunities.Mithila's parents succeeded in building a life in Australia, though the family had periods of isolation and longing for home.Mithila became a screenwriter, and worked on Neighbours to introduce the first Indian family to Ramsay Street.As covid loomed, her father became ill, and Mithila found herself losing hope in dating apps, while she searched for a partner. During Melbourne's lockdown, her father’s face-reading — a skill he learned when he was young in north India — helped Mithila find her way to the love she had yearned for.This episode of Conversations touches on origin stories, life stories, loss, reflection, migrant life, personal stories, grief, immigration, Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan, Jaipur, Four Years Later, SBS, screenwriting, show runner, Mithila Gupta, Indian heritage, and Neighbours.

Matt Mewburn, one of Australia's last blacksmiths, takes you inside the "iron cathedral", where blacksmithing is still very much alive.Matt didn't grow up dreaming of forging knives and sculptures over heat as hot as volcanic lava.He thought he might take over the family farm or become a scientist.But when Matt was 20 years old, his father unexpectedly died, and Matt went looking for a hobby to keep himself distracted through the grief.A spontaneous trip to the local TAFE in Sydney introduced him to the magic of metallurgy and a burning passion was forged for the creativity and simple perfection of smithing.Matt developed his skills in his apprenticeship and then overseas during his so-called Journeyman years, spending time in a seminary in the hills of Tuscany, and in Scotland and Norway. For the last decade, Matt has been the custodian of Australia's largest and most historic rail works in Sydney.This episode of Conversations discusses apprenticeships, trade school, art, death of a parent, grief, origin stories, family dynamics, life story, loss, reflection, death, how to grieve, farming, regional Australia, Eveleigh, Carriage Works, Sydney, Australian history, vocational training, iron ore, steel.

Louise Philip had just scored her breakout role on Australian television, in Bellbird, when a horrific car crash threatened to derail the life she was forging for herself.Louise Philip was 15 years old when she convinced her parents to let her drop out of high school to become an actress.She had just scored her breakout role on Australian television, but within a few months a terrible car crash threatened to derail the life that she was forging for herself. Louise broke her back and permanently lost the use of her legs, and she was told that the silver screen was no longer a place for her.But Louise fought to get back to work, and thrived on Australian television sets for years until she did something else that people told her was impossible -- she became a mother.This episode of Conversations discusses disability, acting, paraplegia, wheelchair users, love, family dynamics, guilt, personal stories, origin stories, love, reflection,. motherhood, parenting with a disability, pregnancy with a disability, creativity, Bellbird, Cop Shop.

As a forensic counsellor and then a grief counsellor, Wendy Liu has spent many years right up close to death. Her work with people who are processing all kinds of losses has brought her a much keener appreciation for life. (R)Wendy Liu was a young woman on a social work placement when she realised she had a special affinity for hard conversations about life and death.She put her aptitude to work in palliative care, and then some years later she began working as a forensic counsellor.For seven years Wendy worked supporting families following unexplained deaths, fatal accidents, child deaths, suicides and homicides reported to the Coroner. Today Wendy is a grief counsellor and a passionate advocate for us all to have more open and honest conversations about death and dying.She also says being so close to loss and grief each day has given her a stronger appreciation of life.This episode of Conversations explores terminal illness, murder, crime, survivors, how to grieve, healthy grieving, counselling, funerals, wakes, tough conversations, family dynamics, organising funerals, forensics, police.

Author Rosalie Ham grew up in a country town three blocks long and three blocks wide. She paid close attention to the characters there, like the woman at the shops whose face was frozen into Munch’s scream. This eye for detail led to her first novel, which became a hit movie starring Kate Winslet.Author, Rosalie Ham grew up in country NSW, in a town three streets wide and three streets long.During a mouse plague, the rodents were so prolific that their droppings would appear at the bottom of the cereal packet, and the town's children — unsupervised — would chop the mice up with a downpipe in the farmyard shed.When Rosalie was a child, her mum received a devastating diagnosis, and started an affair as a way to find herself before it was too late.Watching her mother's life and extreme changes proved a formative experience, which led Rosalie to write her first novel, The Dressmaker.The book was eventually made into a film starring Kate Winslet.Rosalie's husband Ian had been a staunch support through her writing career, until he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and she became his carer.This episode of Conversations covers a life story, family dynamics, mothers, parenting, reflection, loss, origin stories, grief, personal stories, The Dressmaker, Kate Winslet, Australian fiction, Liam Hemsway, carers, infidelity, cheating, divorce, coping strategies and Alzheimer's Disease.

Writer Emily Maguire on losing her own faith, but finding awe and inspiration in a controversial myth about a female pontiff who some people believe sat disguised on the papal throne for two years in the ninth century.Writer Emily Maguire grew up in a very Christian home, where life revolved around the Church and prayer.By the time she was in her late teens, Emily had well and truly rebelled against her religious upbringing, eventually dropping out of high school, getting a job at McDonalds and getting married.But it wasn't until she suffered a rare stroke in her 20s, that Emily truly lost her faith.She remained fascinated by the history and the stories of the Church, however, and has written several books inspired by that interest.Most recently, Emily was gripped by a tale that has haunted the Catholic Church for more than 1,000 years—rumours of a woman who disguised herself as a man, entered a Benedictine Monastery and rose up the ranks until she was elected the most holy ruler of all, the Pope.If she truly did exist, after two years on the papal throne, Pope Joan was found out in the most dramatic way possible.This episode of Conversations discusses Catholicism, Jesus, religion, faith, writing, books, atheism, Christianity, finding God, losing faith, agnostics, spirituality, Christian history, power, politics, Roman Empire, Constantine, Charlemagne, marriage, childless by choice, Pope Joan, female pope, female Bishop, female leadership, teenage girls, teen sexuality, rebellion, crisis of faith.

Jelena Dokic overcame adversity, poverty and violence to rise to the top of the tennis world. Years later, her revelations about her father's abuse stunned the world. (CW: discussion of domestic violence and coercive control).Jelena Dokic overcame adversity, poverty and violence to rise to the top of the tennis world. Years later, her revelations about her father's abuse stunned the world. (CW: discussion of domestic violence and coercive control).After arriving in Australia with her family as a refugee, Jelena Dokic became a tennis champion while still a teenager.But her father’s drunken outbursts at Jelena’s tournaments got even more headlines than her playing.What the world didn’t know was that Jelena’s father was also violently assaulting her and had been since the day she first picked up a tennis racquet.Jelena finally found the courage to tell the truth about what happened to her, but she discovered that was only the first step in escaping her father.Further informationThe documentary Unbreakable is out nowHelp and support is always availableYou can call 1800 Respect on 1800 737 732Lifeline on 13 11 14Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673Content warning: this episode of Conversations contains discussion about domestic violence and coercive control.This episode of Conversations also talks about sport, training, family, origin stories, parenting, relationships, childhood trauma, sports commentary, online trolls, refugees, security, control, family violence, therapy, mental health, identity, disordered eating, books, documentary film, reflection, culture, meaning, Australian, counselling, conversational story, and memoir.To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Lee Berger, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and real-life Indiana Jones with tales of his hominid discoveries, many of which have rewritten the story of palaeoanthropology. (R)National Geographic Explorer in Residence, Lee Berger, entered the field of palaeoanthropology when there was an infinitesimally tiny chance he would discover anything, while digging around South Africa.But this real-life Indiana Jones kept bucking the odds.He kept unearthing previously unseen parts of hominids - the group known as the Great Apes; comprising modern humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans plus all their immediate ancestors.First, he found a pair of hominid teeth in southern Africa. Then after a fossil hunting dry spell, his 9-year-old son Matthew found the jawbone of an entirely new hominid species.A few years later came Lee's most extraordinary discovery yet: a nearly inaccessible cave filled with skeletons of another new hominid species which seemed to be violating all the rules.The story of what happened in this cave revolutionises what we understand about the origins of our own human species.This episode of Conversations discusses the origin of human life, archaeology, science, research, caving, adventure, Indiana Jones, human species, evolution, Charles Darwin, theories of evolution, Africa.

As Andrew Dwyer ventured further into the desert, he fell in love with the people and the landscape. He battled sandstorms, floods and isolation to serve fine foods under the stars.When Andrew Dwyer was growing up in 1960s Melbourne, the city wasn't the foodie destination it is now, in fact it was often described as a "culinary wasteland".But luckily for Andrew, his Czechoslovakian godfather and his Chinese stepmother introduced him to incredible flavours and cooking techniques from further afield.At the same time, Andrew was bushwalking and skiing and falling in love with the outdoors.Eventually, he combined his passion for wild places with his passion for good food.Andrew started venturing further and further west, far into the Australian outback — and he took his fine foods with him.This episode of Conversations explores travel, fine dining, food, cooking, camp cooking, travel, snow skiing, the Victorian Alps, good food, good weekender, travel recommendations, the Gibson Desert, Nothern Territory, South Australia, Adelaide, Australian Explorers, Giles, Pintupi 9, Indigenous tourism, tourism industry, foodies.

An impulse decision to buy a home in the rainforest results in a comedy of errors involving a python in the roof, an unexpected tax bill, two reality TV shows discussing bowel movements with Shane Warne. (R)Akmal Saleh doesn't like the jungle or rainforests, or any of the animals in the jungle or rainforest. Akmal likes cafes and running water, which made the comedian's purchase of a cabin in the hills outside Byron Bay incredibly puzzling to those who know him. Looking for a place where their two dogs could run free, Akmal and his wife bought their remote cabin on an impulse.After twelve days, they knew the tree-change, hippie lifestyle wasn't for them. What followed was a comedy of errors involving a python in the roof, carpet-eating rats, a half-finished home, an unexpected tax bill, two reality shows and discussing bowel movements with Shane Warne.This episode of Conversations discusses sea changes, tree changes, impulse purchases, real estate, comedy, stand-up comedy, regional Australia, regional property market, buying property, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Selling Houses Australia, the rainforest, the Byron Bay Hinterland, northern NSW.

Athlete Gerrard Gosens didn't realise he was blind until his first day at primary school. His adventurous spirit led him to become a three time Paralympian, climb Mt Everest, swim the English Channel, and perform the rhumba on Dancing With The Stars.This conversation talks about family life, family history, childhood memories, origin stories, training, medical procedures, surgery, mountaineering, mountains, cycling, open water swimming, parenting, genetic conditions, glaucoma, disability, charity, Stevie Wonder, chocolate, training, exercising, Paralympic sport, triathlon, indoor climbing, sepsis, team building, reality TV, and fundraising.

How a Birmingham boy became best-selling thriller writer, Lee Child, and the creator of one of the literary world's most popular loners. (R)James Grant grew up in Birmingham when it was a bustling industrial city.While huge workforces would pour of the factories as men ended their shifts and headed home on bicycles, for children, there wasn't much to do.Young James often found himself at the library, and he grew up a voracious reader.He began working for Granada Television after leaving university, but after a 20-year career, Jim suddenly found himself out of a job, and with a wife and child to support.With a pragmatic sense of mission, he sat down with a pencil and wrote his first novel in longhand, under the pseudonym Lee Child.It was a thriller about a loner named Jack Reacher, and went on to become a best-seller around the world, adapted into films and a television series.Now every nine seconds, somewhere in the world, someone buys a Jack Reacher book.This episode of Conversations explores crime writing, stories, thrillers, Jack Reacher, In Too Deep, television adaptations, Lee Child's real name, origin stories, Birmingham, books, authors, best-selling books, book recommendations, Tom Cruise, Netflix, Amazon Prime, film adaption, Hollywood, Bill Clinton.

Dr Tracy Westerman grew up in the Pilbara, where suicide and mental health issues have deeply scarred Indigenous communities. So this Nyamal woman decided to do something about it.Nyamal woman Tracy Westerman grew up in some of the most remote parts of Western Australia, moving from a station to a town called Useless Loop, eventually landing in the mining town of Tom Price.Tracy, the daughter of an Aboriginal mother and a white father, became the first person who was educated entirely in Tom Price, from kindergarten to year 12, to go on to University.When she arrived in Perth, she had never been on a bus or on an escalator, but she was fired up to study psychology.Tracy wanted to use the skills she learned in the city to deliver practical mental health care to Aboriginal people, and to help entire communities reeling from the impact of suicide and other mental health issues.Along the way to obtaining her doctorate, Tracy has become a businesswoman, the WA Australian of the year, and she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal.Her next mission is to build an army of Indigenous psychologists to continue the work she's already started.Further informationJilya is published by University of Queensland Press.You can learn more about Dr Westerman's work here.To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.Nyamal woman Tracy Westerman grew up in some of the most remote parts of Western Australia, moving from a station to a town called Useless Loop, eventually landing in the mining town of Tom Price.Tracy, the daughter of an Aboriginal mother and a white father, became the first person educated entirely in Tom Price, from kindergarten to year 12, to go on to University.When she arrived in Perth, she had never been on a bus or on an escalator, but she was fired up to study psychology.Tracy wanted to use the skills she learned in the city to deliver practical mental health care to Aboriginal people, and to help entire communities reeling from the impact of suicide and other mental health issues.Along the way to obtaining her doctorate, Tracy has become a businesswoman, the WA Australian of the year, and she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal.Her next mission is to build an army of Indigenous psychologists to continue the work she's already started.This episode of Conversations discusses mental health care, mental health struggles, First Nations mental health, remote communities, interracial relationships, psychology, university, PhD study, tertiary education, the Pilbara, Nyamal, traditional owners, Indigenous psychologist.

Michael Visontay with the true tale of how fragments of a rare Gutenberg Bible were sold off, leaf by leaf, in New York in the 1920s, and how the sale of these books, chapters and verses changed the course of his own family.Some years ago journalist Michael Visontay was researching his family history when he stumbled upon the story of a man named Gabriel Wells, who had been a New York book dealer at the height of the Roaring 20s. As a way to make fast money, Wells came up with a scandalous plan.He bought a precious, ancient copy of the world's greatest book, the Gutenberg Bible, and began extracting leaves from it to sell off the individual pages. Wealthy buyers were willing to pay big money for the 'noble fragments', and Wells died a rich man.More than a century later, Michael discovered an extraordinary link between the story of Gabriel Wells and his own family history. He then set out to track down the pages of the broken bible himself.This episode of Conversations discusses rare books, the Holocaust, World War Two, refugees, the Iron Curtain, post-war migration, Hungary, Judaism, divorce, blended families, small business, love stories, family stories, origin stories, Anglicisation of names, Sydney, Kings Cross.