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Conversations podcast

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Conversations

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  ABC listen  

Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption. Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling. Whether it's an exploration of Australian and American politics, the intricacies of mental health, or the mysteries of ancestry and origin stories, our episodes offer a conversational approach that brings topics to life. We uncover epic tales of war and peace, the complex dynamics of relationships and family, and the profound impact of grief and loss. Follow Conversations for thought-provoking discussions, heartfelt stories, and a deeper understanding of the world around us. Conversations explores the meaning of life, history, relationships, motherhood and fatherhood, love, religion and the origins of human life through a contemporary and conversational Australian lens. From distinctive accounts of crime, mental health, ancestry, cults, grief, family and parenting, to discussions about science, books, art, music, war, spies and economics, Conversations traverses myriad topics. Our interviews focus on pioneers of the natural world, wildlife, oceans, fungi, archaeology, palaeontology and megafauna. Our guests speak about geopolitics, being a refugee and the experience of migration. They come from all walks of life — First Nations, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples, CALD communities and ancestors of Australia's first fleeters. We explore Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu faith traditions, among other beliefs, including atheism. We look at social history as well — close encounters with the ancient world, the Stolen Generations, and adventurers on an explorative odyssey. In a Conversations interview, you will hear personal stories of secrets, lies, adoption, and living with disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness. We traverse a person's life story, full of human interest topics, including redemption, love at first sight, spirituality, poverty, having children, family dynamics and even hidden families. We hear from individuals who have struggled with drug addiction, jail, family violence, political imprisonment, persecution, abuse, depression, anxiety and mental health issues. Conversations also speak to the public figures of Australian and international society — leaders, artists, politicians, authors, sports stars, actors and musicians. A writer, a builder, a neurologist, a Paralympian, an Olympian, an amputee, a historian, a comedian, a funeral director, a bird photographer, an ethicist, a doctor, a spy, a pilot, a choreographer, a firefighter, a bookseller, an astrophysicist, a martial artist, a principal, an oud virtuoso, an ecologist, a carer, a demographer, a chess master, a forensic archaeologist, a biologist, a chef, a surfer, a button shop owner, a costume and set designer, a boxer, a drummer, a conductor, a dog behaviourist, an AFL player, a longevity expert, a barber, a Matilda, and a psychologist have all appeared on our program. Stories make us who we are. Join Conversations for an hour of diverting listening, to transport, touch and uplift you. Our guided storytelling will teach you something new, introduce you to someone extraordinary and take you away to a different place or time in history. After almost 20 years of digging into the lives, stories and worlds of thousands of people, Conversations continues as the ABC's most popular podcast, providing Australians with a social history of our country and paying close attention to the small, personal details that make up a life.

Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption. Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling. Whether it's an exploration of Australian and American politics, the intricacies of mental health, or the mysteries of ancestry and origin stories, our episodes offer a conversational approach that brings topics to life. We uncover epic tales of war and peace, the complex dynamics of relationships and family, and the profound impact of grief and loss. Follow Conversations for thought-provoking discussions, heartfelt stories, and a deeper understanding of the world around us. Conversations explores the meaning of life, history, relationships, motherhood and fatherhood, love, religion and the origins of human life through a contemporary and conversational Australian lens. From distinctive accounts of crime, mental health, ancestry, cults, grief, family and parenting, to discussions about science, books, art, music, war, spies and economics, Conversations traverses myriad topics. Our interviews focus on pioneers of the natural world, wildlife, oceans, fungi, archaeology, palaeontology and megafauna. Our guests speak about geopolitics, being a refugee and the experience of migration. They come from all walks of life — First Nations, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples, CALD communities and ancestors of Australia's first fleeters. We explore Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu faith traditions, among other beliefs, including atheism. We look at social history as well — close encounters with the ancient world, the Stolen Generations, and adventurers on an explorative odyssey. In a Conversations interview, you will hear personal stories of secrets, lies, adoption, and living with disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness. We traverse a person's life story, full of human interest topics, including redemption, love at first sight, spirituality, poverty, having children, family dynamics and even hidden families. We hear from individuals who have struggled with drug addiction, jail, family violence, political imprisonment, persecution, abuse, depression, anxiety and mental health issues. Conversations also speak to the public figures of Australian and international society — leaders, artists, politicians, authors, sports stars, actors and musicians. A writer, a builder, a neurologist, a Paralympian, an Olympian, an amputee, a historian, a comedian, a funeral director, a bird photographer, an ethicist, a doctor, a spy, a pilot, a choreographer, a firefighter, a bookseller, an astrophysicist, a martial artist, a principal, an oud virtuoso, an ecologist, a carer, a demographer, a chess master, a forensic archaeologist, a biologist, a chef, a surfer, a button shop owner, a costume and set designer, a boxer, a drummer, a conductor, a dog behaviourist, an AFL player, a longevity expert, a barber, a Matilda, and a psychologist have all appeared on our program. Stories make us who we are. Join Conversations for an hour of diverting listening, to transport, touch and uplift you. Our guided storytelling will teach you something new, introduce you to someone extraordinary and take you away to a different place or time in history. After almost 20 years of digging into the lives, stories and worlds of thousands of people, Conversations continues as the ABC's most popular podcast, providing Australians with a social history of our country and paying close attention to the small, personal details that make up a life.

 

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#243

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Shanelle Dawson

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  In 2018, Shanelle Dawson's family were the subject of a hit true crime podcast which helped convict her father Chris Dawson of her mother's murder. Now she's reclaiming her own story and the story of her mother Lynette.Help and support is always available by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14 Shanelle Dawson was four years old when her mother Lynette disappeared from the family home.  Shanelle's teenage babysitter, a former student of her father's was moved into the family home soon afterwards. She began wearing Lynette's wedding ring, and her clothes, and became a reluctant stepmother to her two daughters. Shanelle was raised believing her mother had abandoned her. But over 30 years later, after the family was the subject of a hit true crime podcast called The Teacher's Pet, in 2022 Chris Dawson was found guilty of his wife's murder and sentenced to 24 years in prison. Throughout her life, Shanelle was dealing with the aftermath of trauma, lies and family violence. But she also found the strength to confront her father and to create an entirely new life for herself and her own daughter. This episode of Conversations contains discussion about family history, family secrets, domestic violence, murder, grooming, missing people, mother-daughter relationships, crime, cold cases, crime reporting, podcasts, true crime podcasts, media, Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW, Australia, The Australian, Hedley Thomas, The Teacher's Pet, Lynne Dawson, Chris Dawson, Lynette Dawson murder, family violence, victims, childhood trauma, teachers, high school, emotional violence, psychological violence, domestic abuse, babysitter, cover-up, missing bodies, stepmothers, step sisters, extended families, autobiographies, deception, misogyny, law, court cases, criminal courts, convictions, sentencing, victim impact statements.  ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

53 MINS

53:00

07 Jan 2025

#242

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Tony Bull

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  Tony spent three decades in and out of jail for property crimes and safecracking. When he joined an unusual club inside Hobart's Risdon Prison, he found his voice for the first time. Then a few years ago, on a fishing trawler far out to sea, he began the painful process of changing his life. Tony Bull grew up across the road from Hobart's Risdon Prison. As child he started running with a crowd of boys who stole money for the woodman and the milkman from people's front doorsteps. In late primary school he found himself in trouble with the law for the first time. He was 17 when he first went to jail, in Queensland's Boggo Road after a car chase with the police in Cairns. A year later, he was back in Tasmania, and inside Risdon Prison for the first time. It was a scary experience because he'd heard so many unsettling sounds coming from inside the prison walls when he was a child. In his 20s, Tony joined the Spartan Debating Club inside the jail. The prisoners, including Chopper Read, often debated teams from outside the jail, and their families were sometimes allowed in to watch the debates. Learning to debate changed how Tony used his voice. He eventually became yard boss, a conduit between the prisoners and the Superintendent. Some years later he was out of jail and working on a fishing boat called the 'Diana' when he had a pre-dawn epiphany far out at sea. He realised it was finally time for him to break the cycle of crime and incarceration in his own life. Tony worked incredibly hard to unlearn some of his old habits which had previously led him straight back into jail. Today he lives in his own unit with his beloved dog Princess and runs a home maintenance business. This episode of Conversations contains discussion around prison, jail, incarceration, youth detention, youth crime, burglary, break and enter, safe cracking, criminals, inmates, Hobart, Risdon Prison, Tasmania, Queensland, Cairns, Brisbane, police, corrections, debating, inmate reform, prison reform, Chopper Reid, family relationships, fishing, boating, Salvation army, rehabilitation, crime prevention, fishing trawlers, crime and punishment, safecracker, lighthouse, swimming, ocean swimming, The Diana, living alone, relationships. ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

51 MINS

51:00

07 Jan 2025

#241

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Sue Ellen Kusher

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  Sue Ellen Kusher’s father was an ASIO agent, and she and her siblings were taught to memorise number plates, spot unusual behaviour, and keep the family business secret at all costs. Sue-Ellen’s parents were ASIO agents living secretly in the Brisbane suburbs at the height of the Cold War. Their mission was to locate and track Soviet agents, and they enlisted their 3 young children to help. Sue-Ellen was taught to memorise numberplates, stake out buildings, and never ever let anyone else know the truth about her family. During the Melbourne Olympics Sue-Ellen’s family secretly hosted the Petrovs, Australia’s famous Russian defectors… they spent much of their time together in beer gardens at the Gold Coast until Vladimir Petrov nearly gave them all away. This episode of Conversations contains discussion about spies, secret agents, ASIO, cold war, China, Russia, Canberra, Brisbane, Australian history, Australian politics, world history, 20th Century history, family relationships, siblings, security intelligence, national intelligence, national secrets, secret keeping, defence, national security, diplomatic work, undercover, surveillance, Petrovs, the Petrov affair, ASIO files, spy kids, Olympic Games, Brisbane Olympics,  ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

51 MINS

51:00

07 Jan 2025

#240

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Peter Lalor

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  Peter Lalor tells the story of 9 year old Lennie Gwyther's 1000km solo horseback ride to see the grand opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932. When the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932, anyone who was anyone was part of the celebrations. There were floats and dancers, and a spectacular firework display. Right in the heart of the grand proceedings was the young Lennie Gwyther from country Victoria, and his horse Ginger Mick. The story of Lennie and Ginger, and their long journey to see the opening of the Bridge, captured the imagination of depression-era Australia. This episode of Conversations contains discussion about Australian History, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Depression, 20th Century history, Victoria, Leongatha, farming, horse riding, adventure, childhood, family relationships, biography, Sydney, New South Wales, Melbourne, Canberra, ACT, historical figures, Australian political history, Francis de Groot, King George V, The Bridge, writing, research, historian,  ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

51 MINS

51:00

07 Jan 2025

#239

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — John Prine

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  A songwriter's songwriter, John Prine turned his often bemused view of people and politics into songs for fifty years.  John Prine October 1946 — April 2020 John first picked up a guitar at fourteen, encouraged by his older brother. He started writing songs when he couldn't remember the lyrics to existing ones. Growing up in Maywood, a suburb of Chicago, the Prine boys had a wealth of music around. There were country, folk, and rock and roll shows on the weekends, and The Grand Ole Opry on their father's radio. Just as influential were trips to visit family in Paradise, Kentucky. By the late 1960s after his first, reluctant performance at an open-mic night, John's song writing talent saw him become a regular on the folk circuit. Encouraged by Kris Kristofferson, he was persuaded to give away his regular gig as a mailman; and songs from John's first album, "John Prine", released in 1971, are still popular and relevant today. John toured and recorded regularly across five decades, as well as collaborating with and providing songs for many of the music industry's biggest names. Bob Dylan cites John as one of his favourite songwriters, and Johnny Cash recorded one of John's most famous songs, "Sam Stone". John won three Grammy awards and was inducted to both the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame. John Prine passed away in 2020.  This episode of Conversations contains discussion about music, guitar, postal services, American history, United States of America, USA, Chicago, Nashville, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, musicians, singing, singer-songwriters, songwriting, composition, country music, folk music, touring, Kentucky, music industry, lung cancer, cancer treatment, family, autobiograpy, The Tree of Forgiveness,   ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

53 MINS

53:00

07 Jan 2025

#238

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Ken Faulkner

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  People travel from all over the world to learn about horses from Ken Faulkner. But after a life-threatening riding accident on his favourite horse, Smoke, Ken had to learn to walk and ride again, rediscovering himself in the process. When Ken Faulkner was growing up in rural Queensland, he saw horses as tools for farm work, using them to muster and get around the station. But his very pragmatic view of these enigmatic creatures changed when Ken got his very own horse called Sascha, and 'started' her from scratch. Sascha helped Ken develop his own style of horsemanship, and in the process Ken's attitude toward himself also changed, as he edged closer and closer to the man he always wanted to be. Since then, Ken has become so respected for how he transforms horses and their riders, that people travel from all over the world to learn from him. After a terrible accident on one of his favourite horses, Smoke, Ken had to learn to walk and ride again, and at the same time he discovered himself all over again. This episode of Conversations includes discussion about horses, horsemanship, horse riding, horse training, cattle stations, Australian outback, animal behaviour, traumatic brain injury, TBI, farming, racing, Melbourne Cup, horse accident, accident, acquired brain injury, Queensland, France, Japan, United States of America, USA, ranches, equestrian, rodeo, cowboys.  ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

53 MINS

53:00

07 Jan 2025

#237

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Gisela Kaplan

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  Gisela Kaplan fell under the spell of birds when hand-rearing a magpie nestling. After it learned to speak, she was so intrigued she switched careers and began her research into avian behaviour. Her many books on Australian native birds have been ground-breaking. [Listen to Gisela's other conversation with Sarah Kanowski] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/gisela-kaplan-berlin-starvation-opera-australian-native-birds/13312640) [ here.] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/gisela-kaplan-berlin-starvation-opera-australian-native-birds/13312640) Many assumptions about the nature of birds and their behaviour are completely wrong when applied to Australian birds. Gisela Kaplan was a professor of sociology when a magpie nestling she was hand raising bonded closely with her, followed her about, and learned to speak. Her curiosity about birds became so strong she switched careers to become a field biologist and animal behaviourist. Based in Armidale NSW, Gisela has conducted extensive research into avian behaviour. Her second PhD was a study of the songs of Australian magpies. Gisela's many books on Australian native birds have changed the way these creatures are understood. Along with her teaching, writing and research in ornithology, Gisela has been a wildlife carer for 25 years, raising countless birds of all ages. This episode of Conversations contains discussion around birds, native Australian animals, Australian fauna, magpies, cockatoos, tawny frogmouths, owls, galahs, domestic pets, animal rehabilitation, animal rescue, Australian wildlife, Australian bush, animal behaviour, ornithology, biology, field biology, wildlife carers, bird rearing, bird release, Bird Bonds.  ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

52 MINS

52:00

07 Jan 2025

#236

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Robyn Davidson

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  Robyn Davidson on her adventures high in the Himalayas, her love affair with an Indian prince, and her late in life reckoning with her mother's story. In 1977, when Robyn Davidson was in her twenties, she set off with a dog and four camels to cross 1,700 miles of Australian desert to the sea. Her book about the journey, called Tracks, brought her a taste of fame. But that life wasn't something Robyn was seeking.Instead, she continued adventuring, living amidst Sydney's underworld, the London literary scene, and with nomads in India and Tibet before marrying an Indian prince. In her ceaseless travel, the only territory she avoided was the past. Now Robyn has begun a reckoning with the loss of her mum at a young age. When she neared the age that her own mother was when she died, the past suddenly drew very close. This episode of Conversations contains discussions around travel, trekking, deserts, Australian outback, camel trekking, solo travel, Western Australia, Indian Ocean, farming, families, family relationships, mother-daughter relationship, isolation, depression, mental health, suicide, music, piano, Queensland, Europe, India, Himalayas, Afghanistan, adventure, Tracks, National Geographic, Alice Springs, Northern Territory,  cattle stations, boarding school, Brisbane, Sydney, gambling, nomadic culture, Tibet ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

52 MINS

52:00

07 Jan 2025

#235

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Archie Roach

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  Archie tells of writing Took the Children Away and playing it in public for the first time, of his belated reunion with his siblings, and his love story with Ruby Hunter. Archie passed away in 2022.  Help and support is always available You can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14 Widely admired for his powerful lyrics and the grace of his pin-drop performances, Archie overcame blow after blow throughout his life. He was just two years old when he was taken from his Aboriginal mother and given to the Cox family to raise. His foster family brought him up with love, in a house filled with music. But when he discovered the truth about his birth family, Archie's world shattered. Years later, his song, Took the Children Away, would become an anthem for the Stolen Generations. As a teenager, Archie found his way to the streets, where he found solace in alcohol, and eventually, met his great love, Ruby Hunter. So many of the stories of Archie's life have become songs, starting with his debut hit record, Charcoal Lane (produced by Paul Kelly), and they're listened to all over the world. Writing and performing have helped Archie endure many sorrows, as well as celebrate the strength of his culture. Along with multiple awards for his music, Archie is a Member of the Order of Australia, and is the 2020 Victorian Australian of the Year.  This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Stolen Generations, Indigenous history, Aboriginal culture, family history, adoption, foster families, fostering, music, guitar, singing, songwriting, musicians, singers, Took the Children Away, Tell Me Why, Charcoal Lane, siblings, family relationships, love, marriage, Ruby Hunter, Paul Kelly,  ... Read more

06 Jan 2025

51 MINS

51:00

06 Jan 2025

#234

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Brendan James Murray

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.  Brendan James Murray tells the story of the hunt to capture the Australian coastal taipan, and the quest to create the world's first taipan antivenom in his book Venom.  Listen [here to Sarah's other Conversation with Brendan James Murray] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/brendan-james-murray-english-teacher-staffroom-classroom/13354750) The story of George Rosendale, a 19-year old from Hopevale North Queensland, became the stuff of legend when he survived being bitten by a coastal taipan. One bite from the snake was usually lethal. Brendan James Murray unearthed George's story when researching a book about snakes. He became fascinated by the near-hysteria surrounding the search for the coastal taipan in northern Australia after WWII.  This species had been thought of as a myth by Europeans until 1933, when local Indigenous people led naturalist Donald Thompson to a living specimen.  To the Wikmunkan tribe, the snake was known as the Nguman, and it was seen as a part of the landscape, but best avoided.  For Europeans, the discovery of a living taipan began a scramble for an anti-venom for the lightning-fast snake with hooded eyes, which could kill with one strike.  This episode of Conversations contains discussions about taipans, brown snakes, venom, antivenom, Australian fauna, reptiles, Australian history, poison, poisonous snake, Queensland, hospital, lethal venom, author, biology, medical research, snake bites ... Read more

05 Jan 2025

52 MINS

52:00

05 Jan 2025

#233

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Peter Hoysted

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] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/peter-hoysted-2019-extras/11431706) . Richard's other Conversations with Peter Hoysted: [The crime-soaked history of Melbourne's Dockyards] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/conversations-jack-hoysted-2018/9541062) [Roger Rogerson: crimes and punishment] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/roger-rogerson-crimes-and-punishment/7788548) [The story of Stan 'The Man' Smith] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/the-story-of-stan-the-man-smith-one-of-australias-most-feared-ga/7794278) Peter 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.   ... Read more

03 Jan 2025

49 MINS

49:00

03 Jan 2025

#232

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Gill Hicks

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.  ... Read more

01 Jan 2025

52 MINS

52:00

01 Jan 2025

#231

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Ross Gittins

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.  ... Read more

31 Dec 2024

52 MINS

52:00

31 Dec 2024

#230

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Gregory Smith

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.  ... Read more

30 Dec 2024

52 MINS

52:00

30 Dec 2024

#229

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Uncle Jack Charles

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 passed away in 2022.  Help and support is always available You can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14 In 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. ... Read more

29 Dec 2024

52 MINS

52:00

29 Dec 2024

#228

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Sandy MacKinnon

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 MacKinnon] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/sandy-mackinnon-jack-de-crow-part-two/102959574) Sandy 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.  ... Read more

26 Dec 2024

51 MINS

51:00

26 Dec 2024

#227

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Elizabeth Chong

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,  ... Read more

25 Dec 2024

51 MINS

51:00

25 Dec 2024

#226

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — William McInnes

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 Fatherhood] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/conversations-william-mcinnes/10031790) [William McInnes on life after the death of his wife, Sarah Watt] (https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/actor-william-mcinnes-on-life-after-the-death-of-his-wife-sarah-/7756508) This 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.  ... Read more

24 Dec 2024

49 MINS

49:00

24 Dec 2024

#225

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Shaun Christie David

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.  ... Read more

23 Dec 2024

51 MINS

51:00

23 Dec 2024

#224

Richard's Most Memorable Conversations — Magda Szubanski

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.  ... Read more

22 Dec 2024

52 MINS

52:00

22 Dec 2024

#223

Best of 2024 - Bhawani O'Brien

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 available You can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14 Bhawani 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. ... Read more

21 Dec 2024

53 MINS

53:00

21 Dec 2024

#222

Best of 2024 — Ruth Shaw

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 available You 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.   ... Read more

19 Dec 2024

53 MINS

53:00

19 Dec 2024

#221

Best of 2024 — Ken Wyatt

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. ... Read more

18 Dec 2024

52 MINS

52:00

18 Dec 2024