Binge Thinking

In this epsiode Caspar speaks to 32 year old online business entrepreneur Jaryd Krause. After leaving school, Jaryd did an apprenticeship to become a plumber and fast-rack to economic independence. He quickly found he had a knack for managing people and was made a supervisor on sites. But after finding he was working just to get away and travel, Jaryd decided to pivot his career to working online. On the podcast, Jaryd speaks about his journedy to becomnig an online business buyer and manager, how it mirrors buying physical property, the risks invovled - including overreliance on the big tech companies like Facebook and Amazon, and the role of AI in the online business space.You can listen to more from Jaryd about online business on his podcast Buying Online BusinessesYou can find out more about Jaryd’s work via his website: https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com/This episode was edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic. The episode was sponsored by PRISM Coffee. Get 10% off all orders when you use the code “BingeThinkCoffee”. Orders over $50 receive free shipping Australia-wide.

Caspar speaks with 29 year old Young Workers Centre Director Felicity Sowerbutts about the successful campaign to make Wage Theft a crime. After growing up in the UK and moving to Australia as a young politics graduate, Felicity worked retail jobs, internships and slugged away until finding herself working with the Victorian Trades Hall Council just as they created a dedicated legal service and hotline for youth workers - The Young Workers Centre. After initial surveys found rampant underpayments and seeing that there was no proper punishment for willfully underpaying or denying minimum entitlements to workers, the Young Workers Centre renamed underpayment "Wage Theft" and successfully campaigned for it to become a crime in the state of Victoria. Aside from discussing this remarkable campaign, Caspar and Felicity discussed the plight of young workers in the covid-era, the ways young workers can address issues in their workplace and the importance in empowering people to transform their lives.Recorded safely over zoom and featuring music by Big Gigantic, this episode was brought to you by PRISM Coffee. Prism are young coffee roasters who love our show as much as you do. Receive 10% off their entire range by using the code "BingeThinkCoffee". Orders over $50 receive free delivery Australia-wide. Grab a coffee and get organized & unionized!

Caspar speaks with young upstart theatre producers Amy Johnson and Nathan Alexander about how they started Australia's best immersive psychological mindbending theatre company Realscape Productions. The two discuss meeting while Nathan was working on a live zombie apocalypse show in London, how they decided to merge business and theatre and why we should reimagine the artform beyond "plays" and "musicals". They share how they first got started with their collaboration with Darkfield UK and the shipping container blackout show Seance, what it felt like winning awards at the Adelaide Fringe, the challenges in the industry during the covid era, and their newest covid-radio show "Double" - an official selection for the 2020 Venice Film Festiva!!Follow and subscribe for the latest Realscape Productions events:www.realscapeproductions.comwww.instagram.com/realscapeproductionswww.twitter.com/realscapeprodsCheck out DOUBLE the immersive at-home audio experience on Darkfield Radiowww.darkfield.com.au/radiowww.instagram.com/darkfield_auwww.facebook.com/DarkfieldAUThis episode was brought to you by PRISM Coffee. Prism are young coffee roasters who love our show as much as you do. Receive 10% off their entire range by using the code "BingeThinkCoffee". Orders over $50 receive free delivery Australia-wide. Grab a coffee and strap in!

After knocking the first wave on its head and coming back outside for air (read beer), the fine people of Melbourne have again been overrun by the coronavirus COVID-19. While Australia is yet to experience the case rates of countries like Italy, France, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, the UK or US, this second wave is challenging our belief that we would get through this easier than the rest of the world. To navigate these dark times, Caspar spoke with 32 year old lawyer, political animal and Binge Thinking “All Star” Christopher Orchard.The two discuss how the pandemic returned with gusto in their native Melbourne, the failures of hotel quarantine, the psychology under lockdown 2.0 and why the second wave bites so much harder. They discuss the pitfalls of the government response to the pandemic, its over-reliance on unreliable individual behaviour and what is likely to happen under a suppression strategy in the second half of 2020.Brought to you by PRISM COFFEE! Use the codeword “BingeThinkCoffee” and receive 10% off your next batch of beans. Orders over $50 receive free shipping Australia-wide. Prism Coffee - an essential item in any second wave survival pack.

For many years the world has been facing the biggest mass movement of people since the second world war. Destabilized countries like Syria, Yemen, and Libya have seen millions seeking safety in neighbouring countries and beyond ethnic violence continues to be a driver of displacement in places like Myanmar.In previous episodes we've looked at the topic of seeking asylum in Australia and for anyone interested in that I recommend going back and listening to Episode 42 with Hazari refugee Hedayat Osyan. But today we're looking at the specific issue of how the world can provide safe resettlement for officially recognised refugees such as those in UNHCR camps. That peak body, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, reports that 1.4 million people are in need of urgent resettlement right now. Global resettlement needs to increase by 1% globally in 2020. So how might that happen? How are policy makers looking to innovate the idea of refugee resettlement to provide more people with access to a safe community to live their lives and raise their families?In this episode, we bring you Caspar's conversation with 29 year old Refugee Research and Policy Analyst Dr Jaz Dawson. Jaz has studied international relations, and refugee law and policy in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the UK, the Netherlands, and Canada. She has volunteered with refugee populations in Lesvos, Greece and Sangkhlaburi, Thailand and now works with the Refugee Hub incubating and growing ideas that have the potential to transform the refugee resettlement landscape. Prior to this, Jaz completed her PhD on queering refugee law and international relations from the University of Melbourne, Australia. During this time, she was also a director of Kaleidoscope Human Rights Foundation, an LGBTI non-profit based in Australia and a member of the Commonwealth Equality Network, the first accredited LGBTI organization in the Commonwealth.As you can tell, Jaz is extremely well qualified on this topic and brings a wealth of both academic and first hand knowledge to our conversation. In the podcast they discuss the broad legal landscape of refugee law globally and domestically. Jaz outlined how refugee resettlement is currently practiced in various countries and particularly in commonwealth nations such as the UK, Canada and Australia. She talked about the option of using skilled migration programs for resettlement - recognising that many refugees are highly skilled engineers, doctors, and other sought after workers. Jaz shares the promising model of community sponsorship, which allows individuals or groups in a community to take on the responsibility of resettlement directly. She also covered the particular issues around how queer asylum seekers are assessed for refugee status and the biases and assuptions that exist around what is means to be same-sex attracted.This episode was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.Brought to you by PRISM Coffee. Visit prismcoffee.com.au and enter the code "BingeThinkCoffee" for 10% off. Free delivery Australia-wide for orders over $50. Get a cup of prism and soon you'll be the sexy barista in your household.

Did you ever watch those TV legal dramas like Law & Order? Have you ever wondered what it's like inside a criminal case in Australia? What do defence lawyers do? Is it like the movies? And what is the morality of trying to defend drug dealers, and violent people? Today we bring you Caspar’s conversation with 28 year old criminal defence lawyer Nikhil Sood.Nikhil grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and after initially being told he had very little potential, and failing to get into law school, he managed to pull his act together and even landed an internship at the United Nations in New York. After some notable experiences included meeting Noam Chomsky and as he put it "hanging out with him", Nikhil relocated to Australia for his masters before taking a job at a corporate firm. By chance, he ended up being asked to defend his then boss's family friend in a criminal hearing. In the courtroom, as he waited to bluff his way through the proceeding, he struck up a conversation with a criminal defence lawyer who gave him some tips. This chance encounter led to Nikhil moving into his current role as a solicitor with Emma Turnbull Lawyers. In the podcast, Nikhil and Caspar discuss his early life and how being of Indian background meant he had certain expectations from his parents. They talk about his time in New York at the start of the Trump era, his take on commercial law, and the role extinction rebellion played in getting his current job. Nikhil outlines how criminal charges are negotiated in the criminal justice system and how coronavirus has massively impacted this system. They discuss income inequality and poverty and their relationship with crime. Nikhil shares his view that the system is designed for punishment rather than for rehabilitation. They discuss how people are set up to fail when leaving prison. Nikhil shares the challenges with maintaining empathy, and the connection between methamphetamine or ice and crime rates. As well as being a very interesting guy, Nikhil is also hilarious and while the subject matter of this conversation is pretty heavy, rest assured Nikhil is a joy to listen to and I think you'll find him easy to listen to.Please note that we recorded this conversation before the killing of George Floyd and the associated protests around the world so we don't cover the issue of police brutality or racism. This epsidoe was produced and edited by Caspar Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.Brought to you by PRISM Coffee. Go to www.prismcoffee.com.au and use the code “BingeThinkCoffee” to receive 10% of all orders. Receive free delivery Australia-wide when you spend $50 or more. Binge Thinking best enjoyed with a prism coffee in hand!

Like many young people, you may feel like you'll never own your own home. Between stagnant wages, a never-ending property boom, tax breaks like negative gearing and a general sense that the system is rigged, many young Australians feel that the whole property question is cooked. And it seems the only young people that can afford to buy houses are those who have rich parents.Well, to challenge this view, we bring you Caspar’s conversation with 26 year old buyers agent, small business owner, and yes, property investor Gabi Billing.But this isn't a story about a silver spoon fortune. Like many listeners, Gabi began her working life as a creative - a musician, dancer and visual artist, and worked in the music festival and events industry. But after spontaneously deciding to buy an apartment off the plan with her partner Goose, Gabi realised she’d made every classic property mistake in the book!After some soul searching and a lot of learning, Goose and Gabi founded the youth-focused buyers agent Dashdot, which helps people avoid the very mistakes they made and advocates for buyers throughout the process of purchasing a property.If you're wondering whether you want to hear a podcast about property, rest assured that as always, we went binge thinking deep on this one. Gabi and Caspar discuss her life growing up in regional Victoria, how she met Goose and why they ended up buying that apartment. Gabi reflects on the property narrative among young people, the foundations of Dashdot, the types of “cashflow-positive” property they identify for people, how much money you need to do this, the logic behind paying for a buyers agent, whether it's moral to want to build your wealth, living a balanced life beyond the financial, the prevalence of pessimism, the old boys culture of real estate, and 'The Investor Lab' community that Gabi and Goose are building.If you enjoy listening to Gabi, you can also subscribe to her podcast (also called “The Investor Lab”) which delves deeper into the Dashdot philosophy and property investment.You can check out the Seed of Life framework uses to reflect and audit her life here.This episode was produced and edited in isolation by Caspar Roxburgh, features music by Big Gigantic, and was sponsored by PRISM coffee. Get 10% off by entering the code “BingeThinkCoffee” and receive free delivery for orders over $50 Australia-wide.

As the initial wave of coronavirus recedes and we begin reopening our economies, what should we expect to find? Come binge thinking with 29 year old macro economist David Murakami (@hirothreading) and 31 year old Health Economist Jay Stiles (@jaystiles5) as they discuss market failures in a crisis, revising wages for essential workers, exploring a universal basic income, affordability of government spending, potential for a covid vaccine, data security issues and traceability apps, and how we might redesign our economic system after this crisis. Recorded and edited in isolation by Caspar Roxburgh and featuring music by Big Gigantic, it's time to get bingeing!Brought to you by the legends at Prism Coffee. Go to www.prismcoffee.com.au and get 10% off by using the code "BingeThinkCoffee". Spend $50 or more and receive free delivery anywhere in Australia. Binge Thinking best enjoyed with a PRISM coffee in hand!

In our first episode for Season 4, Caspar is joined by two Binge Thinking "All Stars": epidemiology expert Alex McLean & psychologist Vicki Smith. They discuss COVID-19 and its impacts on youth development and mental health. Alex explains how the SARS CoV2 virus works, its impact and movement around the world, how it is spreading and why it isn't “just the flu”. The three outline government response around the world and the impact of shutdowns on youth employment, mental wellbeing, mental illness and what we can expect from ourselves in these trying times. This episode was produced and edited in social isolation by Caspar Roxburgh and featuring music by Big GiganticIf you or anyone you know is suffering and needs support you can contact Headspace (under 25s), Beyond Blue (all), the Suicicde Call Back Service, or 1800 RESPECT (for sexual assault, domestic or family violence). This episode of Binge Thinking came to life while drinking Prism Coffee! PRISM are young coffee pros from Canberra, focused on roasting straight forward, delicious, specialty coffee. They're all business, no nonsense, and nothing pretentious. For a limitied time, Binge Thinking listeners will receive 10% off the entire range when you use promo code “BingeThinkCoffee”. Get free express shipping, Australia wide when you spend $50 or more. Go to www.prismcoffee.com.au and get binging!

The world has changed, and Binge Thinking must change too. In this Bonus Binge Nina and Caspar speak directly to the audience about the COVID-19 crisis - what it means for young people and how they are dealing with it personally. The two also share what's in tore for Season 4 of Binge Thinking, including format changes, returning "all star" guests and their plans to make the show more interactive and sustainable. This bonus binge was produced and edited in responsible isolation by Caspar Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Have you ever wondered how furniture is made? How is it possible to bend wood? Perhaps you’ve considered going into a new career but you wish you could do it without years of training and studies? Meet 27 year old furniture maker Nathan Lawrence. Nathan is a self-taught maker and designer at his own company called Heimur. After growing up with a knack for creating and a curiosity for how things fit together, Nathan found himself in a job building tables, shelves and more but without following the traditional pathway to get there.Years later he’s running his own company, he gets to be his own boss, and lives the lifestyle he is passionate about, all while promoting quality furniture hand made to last a lifetime.This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh, edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, recorded at Youthworx, and features music by Big Gigantic.

Why did local councils stop taking our recycling in recent months? Why did some people blame China, while others thought the EPA had a role to play? Have you ever really understood what happens to your garbage, recycling, organic waste and hard rubbish when it’s picked up by your local bin collectors? This episode features a fascinating conversation between Caspar and Waste Management expert Emily Newton. Emily and Caspar unpack how waste works in Australia, from local council to exporting recycling, the recent recycling crisis, problems in the industry with gender and diversity and her passion for practical action on the climate crisis. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh, edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, recorded at Youthworx, and features music by Big Gigantic.

You know how when you search something in Google, it says it finds 185 million results in less than a second? Have you ever wondered how Google decides which webpage to list first? Think about it, how do you rank hundreds of millions of web search results? And how do you do that across an infinite number of possible search terms covering every possible domain of human knowledge? I mean, do people working at Google even understand how this works?These questions are really important. Today Google accounts for 96% of all internet searches in Australia. And the results it gives us impact so many of our most important decisions, like those around our health, finances, and even our understanding of what is true.In this episode, Caspar speaks with 27-year-old Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) specialist Sam Penny. After studying literature and politics, Sam began working in digital marketing as part of a charity job, before doing a masters in marketing specialising in digital technology and statistics. He now works for the Melbourne-based digital marketing agency "Optimising" with clients across a wide range of sectors.Sam and Caspar binge think what SEO is, how he transitioned from a love of chemistry and potential career in pharmacy to journalism to SEO, and the darker side of the industry plus more.This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh, recorded at Youthworx studio in Brunswick, edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, and features music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar goes binge thinking with 31 year old osteopath and small business owner Jemimah Nicholson. They discuss what osteopathy is and how it differs from similar allied health practices such as physiotherapy. Jemimah outlines the history of the profession and how it is evolving over time. They discuss the challenges in healthcare, how sedentary lifestyles impact our muscles and bones, and what we should all be doing to keep our bodies in good shape. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh, was edited by Charlotte Morton and features music by Big Gigantic.You can find out more about Jemimah's clinical practice "Preston Osteopathy" by visiting the website, or through following her on Instagram (@preston.osteopathy) or Facebook.

Episode 54 covers three topics: Mentoring and closing the gap between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians, finding musical feet and balancing everyday life with creativity, and the future of democratic participation through technology.34-year-old Tom Wensley works for AIME (The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience), is Co-Director of New Vote (check out Season 2 episode 36 with Dion McCurdy for a full episode on this) and is a founding member of the band Standby Empire.This episode is jam packed with Tom’s stories from how AIME began, the most recent Imagination Declaration at Garma and the work AIME is expanding into with African-Australians and internationally. Plus Caspar and Tom discuss all things democracy and effecting change in a world of fake news, and how Tom’s work in all three of his passions essentially hopes to create more bridges and understanding between people.This episode of Binge Thinking was produced by Nina Roxburgh, was edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, and features music by Big Gigantic.

This episode brings you Caspar's conversation with 23-year-old social entrepreneur Rona Glynn-McDonald. Rona is a Kaytyete woman from Central Australia, and the founder and CEO of CommonGround, a not-for-profit organisation that shares First Nations cultures, histories and lived experiences through storytelling.After going to school in Alice Springs, Rona moved to Melbourne to study Economics and Finance where she realised just how few non-indigenous Australians had been exposed to the 60,000 year old cultures of First Nations people. This led her to rekindle her creative side and was the genesis of Common Ground. Today she's also working to start a 'First Nations Practice' within the Foundation for Young Australians' (FYA) "YLab" youth consulting firm.Rona and Caspar discussed her journey across Australia and how she came to create Common Ground. She highlighted some of the work they are doing capturing ancient stories that have never before been shared outside their country and culture, and (as always) discussed her passion, struggle and hopes for the future.This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh, recorded at Youthworx, and features music by Big Gigantic.

What do you know about Virtual Reality technology? Maybe you've seen those photos of people with VR goggles on and wondered how they avoid walking into things? You might have been curious to know if the technology is used beyond video games and pornography? This episode brings you Caspar's conversation with 24 year old VR entrepreneur and software developer Ryan Pousson. Along with David Chaseling, Ryan is the co-founder of Paraspace - a startup using VR technology to provide training courses in dangerous work for the construction industry. Ryan and Caspar discuss the evolution of VR technology, how the latest Oculus hardware has transformed its portability and ease of use, Ryan's experience running a startup straight out of university, and of course his passions, struggles, and hopes for the future.This episode of Binge Thinking was produced by Nina Roxburgh, was co-edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, and features music by Big Gigantic.

Have you ever notices on ads for pads and tampons they’re always shown absorbing blue liquid instead of blood? Have you ever had to dash from a meeting at work with a tampon discreetly in your hand so that no one notices? Maybe you got your period when you weren’t expecting and have had to quietly whisper to your colleague if they have a spare one.31-year-old Casimira Melican, who works as a research and advocacy officer at the Victorian Women’s Trust, joins Caspar to discuss the new book, About Bloody Time. The book aims to address the stigma and shame associated with menstruation and menopause.She explores the idea that workplaces should adopt menstrual leave, how the notion of the male body as neutral and the female body as “other” has shaped the experience and treatment of periods throughout time, and how even getting an Emoji of period stained underwear is still unacceptable in 2019.This episode of Binge Thinking was hosted and produced by Nina Roxburgh, was recorded at Youthworx studio in Melbourne, was co-edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, and features music by Big Gigantic.

Tax is the system that funds our roads, schools, hospitals, welfare and more. Without it, the government has less money to spend. But what happens when our jobs and economy change so radically, that people no longer earn enough money to be taxed? Or when big tech giants like Google and Uber use tax-payer built infrastructure, like the NBN, but don’t have to pay a digital services tax?It may be a topic most people care not to immerse themselves in, either because its too complicated or overwhelming – especially when politicians use it (often incorrectly) to sway you one way or another during election time – but fear not! In this episode, Caspar sits down with 27 year old Tax Advisor and Specialist, Yash Rathi, who brings a wealth of passion and interest in tax, how it operates, what the biggest challenges are and how we should be dreaming of the future of tax.If you’re interested in finding out more about the ideas raised in Yash’s episode, he recommends the following:Treasury – Tax Policyhttps://www.treasury.gov.au/policy-topics/taxationRecent topics include:National Innovation and Science AgendaParliamentary progress of Tax BillsPrograms and initiatives – TaxationTax evasion and multinational tax avoidanceAustralian Tax Officehttps://www.ato.gov.au/General/Consultation/What-we-are-consulting-about/Open-consultation/This link provides information about what the ATO is consulting about – i.e. consultations with the community, industry groups and the tax, accounting and legal professions, on matters of concern and interest to them.This episode of Binge Thinking was produced by Nina Roxburgh, was recorded at Youthworx studio in Melbourne, was co-edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, and features music by Big Gigantic.

What is mechanical engineering and why do we need it in our lives? According to our guest, 28 year old Aileen Ng, mechanical engineering enters most facets of our lives, from our train system and bridges, to our toasters, our renewable energy and more.Aileen has spent the last 8 years or so studying and working as a mechanical engineer and industrial designer. But, like many people out there, she soon realised that while she was passionate about design, she did not enjoy working as an engineer.Aileen now works as a graphic designer and illustrator for the magazine Why Not?. In this episode, we discuss her journey training in engineering, her experience working in overhead wire engineering for train lines, how she found the male-dominated STEM workforce and why she decided to bow out of the field in pursuit of creativity through art.This episode of Binge Thinking was hosted and produced by Nina Roxburgh, was recorded at Youthworx studio in Melbourne, was co-edited by Nina and Charlotte Morton, and features music by Big Gigantic.

Press freedom is not a new issue, but many listeners in Australia, and even some overseas may have noticed that it has come into the spotlight again, with the recent AFP raids on ABC journalists.Of course, many places in the world are still fighting hard to get proper press freedom, but now there seems to be a growing number of places that have well-established traditions of a free press, but are struggling to maintain it.The heads of Australia’s media companies, rarely seen together in public, are now calling openly for new laws that protect press freedom and have criticised how the term “national security” is being used as a cover to strip away democratic debate.In this episode, Caspar speaks with 30-year-old journalism teacher and researcher Gary Dickson. Gary teaches media law at Monash University and is currently completing his second masters researching the history of press freedom and the journalist labour movement globally.Gary also founded and runs freepress.watch, a public record of violations of press freedom in Australia.Gary and Caspar discussed his background studying history, and how this led him to find his passion in journalism. He provides a summary of which Australian laws he thinks are the most damaging to press freedom, and why we should be concerned. Plus much more.This episode of Binge Thinking was produced edited by myself, Nina Roxburgh, was recorded at Youthworx studio in Melbourne, and features music by Big Gigantic.

One in three young people (26 and under) are either unemployed or underemployed in Australia. Our youth rate for unemployment is at its highest in 40 years, and the Newstart allowance for young job seekers has not increased in over 25 years, even though our cost of living has gone up. To top it all off, a recent study found there are only two rental properties currently on the market that a person on income allowance from the government can afford. At the same time, internship programs that are funded by the tax payer are leading to vulnerable young people being paid an abysmal $4 an hour while big business like Hungry Jacks use these programs to fill what would otherwise be actual paid job vacancies.How’s a young person to catch a break if they don’t have the privilege of living with their parents, volunteering and interning for months or years to gain experience for the workplace and not needing to worry about meeting basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter? In this episode, Caspar speaks with 26 year old, Co-Executive Officer of the National Youth Commission Australia (NYC), Alex McLean who is working to uncover and solve some of these big challenges for young people in Australia.Alex is a passionate advocate of youth rights and development, as well as diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She also has a love of science with a background in epidemiology, the study of infectious diseases.Caspar and Alex binge on all things youth development in Australia, the issues coming out of the NYC’s current inquiry into youth employment, and what drives Alex in all her work.This episode was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh, recorded at Youthworx, and features music by Big Gigantic.

Have you ever wondered how we make decisions in Australia about health? Who came up with the anti-smoking laws and why? How should we approach childcare, high blood pressure, diabetes and or even just how many days we should work in the week? These are all issues that 30 year old Jay Stiles seeks to understand and influence as a Health Economist and Podiatrist.Caspar and Jay caught up to chat all things how we as a country should prioritise our competing health issues and possible solutions to create equity in health outcomes. They journey through Jay’s career working on the frontline as a podiatrist in the western suburbs, within diverse and ageing communities, moving through to research into politician’s life expectancy and more. Fundamentally, Jay tries to understand how to use our limited health resources for the most benefit and to make Australians as healthy as possible.This episode was hosted by Caspar Roxburgh, produced by Nina Roxburgh, edited by Charlotte Morton and features music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar speaks with 33 year old ‘alternative’ personal trainer Jess Daly about how she went from travelling the world as a professional dancer to becoming a fired-up physical and mental coach working with Melbourne’s queer, female and alternative clients. Jess shares her experience falling in love with the meditation of technical weight lifting, why she first went into a gym, her initial reluctance to become a trainer, her views on diet and different training techniques, and why she’s all about helping people become who they want to be. Check out Jess’s amazing instagram account @thejessdaly, and her youtube channel where she has training videos to try at home.This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh, was edited by Lakshay Kukreja and features music by Big Gigantic.

We begin season 3, the only way we possibly could, politically. Most listeners will be aware that Australia is currently in the midst of an federal election. Here at binge thinking, we wanted to speak with youth representatives of each the parties to find out what they think the issues are, and why they feel they are best placed to look after your interests. Fundamentally, we wanted to know what makes a young person see the a bright future with a particular political party? So we approached the offices of the Young Liberals, Young Labor and Victorian Young Greens, along with some of their millennial candidates. And while the Liberal and Labor parties did not respond to our requests for an interview, one millennial Greens candidate did. Adam Pulford is a 29 year old social activist running as the Greens candidate for the electorate of Wills, which stretches from Melbourne's Inner north of Brunswick through to Coburg, Pascoe Vale, Fawkner and Glenroy. The seat is currently held by Labor's Peter Khalil by 4.9% and is considered in play for the Greens who won 31% of the primary vote in the last election. So how did Adam, a 29 year old (originally from the Northern Territory) who grew up socially conservative and first voted Liberal in 2007, end up becoming a Greens political candidate with an actual chance of winning? Adam and Caspar sat down to discuss this, along with his life working as a social activist, his work with Greens MP Adam Bandt, his views on leadership, how he came to terms with his homosexuality, and going public about his mental health. As always, this episode was produced and edited by the incredibly talented and hard working Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

In our final episode for season 2, Caspar speaks with 32-year-old registered nurse Grace Wetherall. Grace works in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU) where she looks after patients in critical conditions with acute injuries often leading to death. Grace explains how people are more likely than ever to die in a hospital instead of in their own home. She outlines the difference between end of life care in ICUs versus palliative care, how hospitals can almost always keep us 'breathing' and how this differs from a 'meaningful recovery'. The two discuss the merits of voluntary euthanasia and the challenges of working in the medical field. As always, this podcast was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar speaks with 26 year old Afghani refugee and social entrepreneur Hedayat Osyan. A former refugee from Afghanistan's Hazara ethnic minority, Hedayat came to Australia by boat when he was 17 after fleeing persecution by the Taliban. He now runs a small business and social enterprise called Nick Tiling Services. Hedayat started the business to provide decent work for refugees experiencing exploitation in the construction industry. Aside from secure ongoing work, they provide mentoring, English lessons, and support navigating the legal system in Australia.Hedayat discusses his journey from Afghanistan to Australia, and explains how he came to start Nick Tiles after getting his education in politics. He shares his view on the war in Afghanistan and how we can better integrate refugees into our society (and why this matters to all of us).As always, this episode was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar speaks with 28 year old CEO, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Harmonious Productions: Laura Voss. Laura is a video game developer who, along with her peers at Swinburne University, started her own independent games development company straight out of university. Harmonious Productions specialises in developing nonviolent and positive games that foster genuine interaction and teamwork between players. Laura binge thinks her journey to becoming a games developer and CEO. She describes the moment she figured out that you can actually study games at uni, her experience being thrown in the deep end of the game developer world and her feeling of impostor syndrome. We discussed how to make a video game, her background in psychology and her comapny's philosophy of promoting non-violent gaming. Laura also talks about her struggle to risk it all, launch the company, and then take on the responsiblity of ensuring her colleagues have a job. As always, this podcast was produced, edited and brought to life by Nina Roxburgh, and features music by Big Gigantic. You can find Harmonious Productions (formerly Harmonious Games) on Twitter. We've also included demo footage of their first release Putty Pals (below) which Laura and Caspar discuss in the episode. Putty Pals is available to play on Nintendo Switch and Steam.

Ever wondered what it would be like to be a legit rockstar? In this episode, Caspar speaks to 32 year old rock musician Michael Lars Godde. He has travelled the world playing original music composed with his two bands "Me" and "Other Animals" (Facebook, Instagram). Michael has shared stages with the likes of Portishead, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and has played festivals like Secret Garden Party and Big Day Out. Michael shares his experience in the music industry, along with why he prefers busking to big shows, his love of exercise to keep his spirits up, and his parallel career in social work. This podcast was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh, recorded at Lupine Studios, and features the track “Oh Lordy” by Other Animals.

Come binge thinking with 29-year-old Tiny Homes enthusiast Molly Bryson. With a burning interest in design, fuelled by an unsustainable housing market and several YouTube sessions led Molly to build a Tiny Home with her partner. The only challenge? She had no carpentry skills. A wide ranging and, at times philosophical conversation covering sustainability, design, architecture, housing affordability gender stereotypes, the fear of getting things wrong, social media and appearances and the do-it-yourself experience. This episode was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh, with music by Big Gigantic. Get On Board!You can find out more about starting your own Tiny Home project by visiting Brunswick Tool Library or signing up for a Hammertime workshop.

In this podcast, we bring you Caspar's conversation with 27 year old comedy writer, satirist and podcaster James Colley. James is a standup comedian, a writer on several well-known Australian comedy TV shows including 'Tonightly', 'Gruen', and 'The Weekly with Charlie Pickering'. He co-hosts the podcast 'Stop the Posts' and is creator of the podcast 'Nailed It'. He is the author of "Too Right: Politically incorrect opinions too dangerous to be published except that they were" and co-authored the recent sports memoir "Tries, lies and meat pies: The Sam Thaiday Story".James talks to us about his journey from starting out by training in from the blue mountains for 5 mins of open mic stand up when he was 15, his choice to study physics at Sydney University, and to discovering political comedy and eventually writing for some of the country's most well-known comedians. He explains why he is more passionate about writing comedy than doing stand up, though he provides tips on how to do both. James gives us his take on comedy today, how it is being challenged when it comes to topics like freedom of speech, and the experiences he's had when getting it wrong.Other than that, we spoke about class, the recent #libspill and what he thinks needs to change about the world and comedy. As always, this episode was produced and edited by the ever-talented Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.You can follow James' work on his Twitter or Facebook page and if you live in Sydney, you can attend 'Nailed It!' live shows at Giant Dwarf Theatre.

Caspar gets binge thinking mental health with 30-year-old psychologist Vicki Smith. Join them as they talk about the different types of psychologists, therapists and counsellors and where you might look for advice or help. Vicki describes the differences between psychosis, bipolar disorder, mania and schizophrenia, the line between hope and madness, and why people feel shame for seeking mental health services. Vicki is also host of her own podcast, Insane Ramblings.Listeners who need support with mental health personally or for their family, friends or partners can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 3646, and should call 000 (in Australia) in an emergency. This episode was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh, and features music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar speaks to 33 year old lawyer and social pioneer Dion McCurdy about NewVote, an online direct democracy platform. The two discuss Dion's faith in ordinary people’s ability to solve difficult political problems, the case for direct democracy in Australia, and how these systems work in other countries like Switzerland, Spain and even the United States. Dion also explains the value of citizen juries, and shares his passion for reforming politics to make the world a better place. You can support NewVote at their Patreon page here, follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. This episode was edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

In this episode, Caspar speaks with 25 year old community leader Bee Shrestha. Bee is the founder of a social enterprise called Guilty Pleasures, that teaches work skills and provides independent livelihood to trafficked women in Nepal. Bee also runs her own international development company and is an avid public speaker. She hosts public 'Talk Shows' in Nepal and Thailand that aim to break down taboos in social discourse, such as mental health, sex, gender and rape. Produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh with music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar binges with his good friend Jamie Wood on life and work as a physiotherapist, small business owner, DJ, and avid bike tourer. After training in industrial design, Jamie shares his story in figuring out his passion in relieving pain and bringing joy to both people and for himself. He uses the four key pillars of his life to create this effect, whether its through rehabilitating children to walk again, getting the dance floor pumping at Splendour in the Grass, or through his personal joy in jumping on his bike and peddling into the distance – Jamie is fascinated with the efficiency of our bodies and the use of momentum. He discusses starting his business, Walk With Me, and how the experience of having two grandmothers with dementia has shaped his view on the world and his work. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar binge thinks his way through the global fashion industry with designer and small business owner, Kate Mackay. After over a decade in the biz, Kate launched her own fashion label – Flared Fashion - in the last 2 years and has been met with great success in the Australian retro festival market. She makes custom pieces, designs and creates her own prints and uses her label to promote accessible and ethical fashion for self expression, with a tilt towards men’s fashion. Breaking down barriers on what men should and shouldn’t wear and the challenges with sustainability and trend culture, listen to Kate share her story on why she loves what she does. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you lived on a boat? What about if you spent your life working toward that most idealistic goal of all: World Peace? We all dream about our a better world, but working for community groups or NGOs is often a life of very little pay and even less payoff. So why would someone with experience and opportunities continue to do it for years?In this episode, we bring you Caspar's conversation with activist-interpreter Daniel Read. Dan lives in Japan, but travels the world working as an interpreter for a non-governmental organisation called Peace Boat - a cruise ship that blends education, tourism and activism together as a vehicle for change. As a founding member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Peace Boat's work has, among other things, contributed toward the receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize. Dan and Caspar discuss his work as an interpreter in international dialogue and his passion for educating people about differences in the world. Dan also shares his struggle with NGO work and the challenge in affecting real change on complex issues.This episode was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Join Caspar in Episode 31 of Binge Thinking where he explores the journey of creative writer, filmmaker and social entrepreneur, Domini Marshall. The two binge on Domini’s passion for story telling, her struggle with work life suffering from bad managers, her mission to address women’s representation in the media, how her own experience with sexual assault led to the creation of her social enterprise, Her Words, and why she thinks empathy is the key to addressing our social and political problems. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Have you read Australia's constitution? Did you know that our political system is different to the British even though we inherited their laws? Why do you think the high court of Australia supported the government to conduct a postal survey for Marriage Equality and was that legal? Join Caspar as he binges with lawyer and life long political activist, Chris Orchard. Chris shares his journey growing up working class in Australia, finding political causes throughout his early twenties and deep passion for the study of class and capitalism, and later solidifying his interests in a career in law. Caspar and Chris binge on his struggles of feeling like an impostor in middle-upper class of Australian society, and why he thinks the law is the best way to impact society and to hold those who have power accountable. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Amost half of all Australians are either born overseas or have at least one parent from another country. That's a lot of people who have had to come to terms with their dual identity. For some of us, the difference between these cultures is minor, but for others a mixed background makes you an outsider wherever you go. This episode Caspar speaks with 28 year old Japanese-Australian Iori Forsythe. Iori grew up in both Australia and Japan, and always struggled to reconcile this dual identity. In her adult life she has championed cultural exchange. She works for the Queensland Government promoting high school education exchanges between Japan and Australia. Iori discusses her struggle to find her sense of belonging, her passion for bringing her two worlds together, and the cultural differences between Australia and Japan. This episode was edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Ever heard of a digital artist? Among other things, it's the kind of job where you get to work on marvel films and helps builds giant robots. Sounds cool huh? In this episode, Caspar speaks to 29 year old digital artist Paul Fleer. Paul has a background in architecture, but decided to swap careers early on to escape the rigidity of the industry. As a digital artist he creates visual effects alongside animators and engineers. He’s worked on blockbuster Hollywood films like Dr Strange, Alien Covenant, Black Panther (gasp!) and even the LEGO movie spin offs! And Paul is now helping build giant dinosaurs and king king robots for stage shows and theme parks! Hear Paul Binge Thinking his life navigating a design mind, coding, being obsessed with efficiency but all the while dealing with anxiety about his future after falling into such a niche field of work. Of course, he also discussed what it's like being behind the scenes of some of the biggest films and visual art of our time! This episode was produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Binge Thinking is back with travel writer and photographer, Kristin Addis. Caspar and Kristin get bingeing on Kristin’s journey from investment banker to author, blogger, and Instagram influencer in the world of travel. Kristin has published two books, and specialises in solo female travelling. She also runs her blog through her self-made platform, Be My Trave Muse. At the ripe age of 31, Kristin delves into her struggles, passions, and biggest life lessons after buying her one-way ticket to Southeast Asia. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Have you ever wondered why some people work so hard but never see financial success? Are you confused about how an economy works? What industry will have the next big boom? And where will jobs be in the future? Binge Thinking returns for 2018 with 27 year old research economist David Murakami. Growing up in a working class family, David's interest in economics was shaped by seeing how his parents couldn't find financial success despite their best efforts. David shares his journey into academia, and his insights into the political economy in Australia and Japan (where he is currently based). The two also got binge thinking on Australia's mining and service industries, the future of the tech industry in Australia, and his struggle in balancing the burden of knowledge with finding happiness. David previously worked as a Policy Officer for the West Australian Department of Premier and Cabinet, and was a National Parliamentary Fellow at the ANU in 2016. He currently lives in Tokyo, where he works at the Bank of Japan while completing his Masters research in Macroeonomics at Keio University. Produced by Nina Roxburgh with music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar binge thinks with Bar Manager and Anti-Sexual Harassment pioneer and leader, Rose Gaumann. Rose is the founder of Bars of the North, an initiative that combats sexual harassment in bar culture throughout Melbourne’s inner north. With a wealth of experience in the industry, Caspar and Rose navigate the struggles of effecting change in a industry dominated by transient workers, knowing your rights as a young (often casual) employee, and the different methods Rose is putting into place to make her nightlife precinct a safer place for everyone. You’ll laugh and be challenged by your own misconceptions about hospitality worker. Join Caspar in the season finale of Binge Thinking. Produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh, featuring music by Big Gigantic.

In this episode, Caspar speaks with 29 year old professional actor Jonathon Peck. Johnathan binge thinks the life of a working actor, the differences between acting for stage vs screen, and the challenges, sexism, and rejection of show business. Johnathan's CV includes work on Neighbours and the 2016 film Lion. He will be appearing in the Melbourne Shakespeare Company's Much Ado About Nothing in December 2017. Produced and edited by Nina Roxburgh with music by Big Gigantic.

In this episode Caspar gets binge thinking with 31 year old sociologist, Amy MacMahon. Amy has spent the last four years completing her Phd on adaptation initiatives in Bangladesh rolled out by NGOs and governments to combat climate change. She investigates how these initiative impact women farmers specifically and perpetuate gender inequality. But Amy has another side. She is also running as a Greens candidate for South Brisbane in the upcoming Queensland state elections. Caspar and Amy binge on her journey to politics through her research, navigating the difficult and insecure Australian labour market, her family and her personal life. You can follow Amy on Twitter and Facebook This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Are you afraid of heights? Have you ever wondered why some people love mountain climbing in extreme conditions? Caspar speaks to 29 year old Josh Worley about The Vertical Year: his mission to spend 12 months climbing mountains around the world while raising $100,000 for mental health and environmental charities. Josh explains how climbing helps him confront fear and anxiety and break the monotony of everyday life. He hopes he can share these benefits with others by using his climbing to raise money for Reach Out and The Climate Council. You can read Josh's regular column at Zen and the Art of Climbing, or follow his exploits (and donate) at the Vertical Year website, on Instagram or on Facebook. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Yeah so there are these solar panels that just take the sun's energy and turn it into electricity. Maybe you've got them on your roof? But have you ever wondered how this actually works? Samantha Hood is a 26 year old physicist who is pushing solar technology to brave new heights. Come binge thinking as she explains how solar technology is replicating natural systems in plant leaves, and how women have been left out of the scientific world for too long! Produced by Nina Roxburgh with music by Big Gigantic.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a musical prodigy? To have shunned school for your passion? In this episode, Caspar speaks to Melbourne-based Gambian musician Amadou Suso. Amadou comes from a family of storytelling musicians, and is considered one of the world's greatest Kora players. He shares his journey from Gambia to Australia. He also tells us about his fusion of traditional Gambian music with jazz and rock through the Senegambian Jazz Band. Produced by Nina Roxburgh with music by Big Gigantic.

Join Caspar as he binge thinks the complex nature of wars, conflict and peace building with 32 year old senior lecturer Jasmine Westendorf. Jasmine is an expert in the field of international relations, specialised in conflict resolution. Jasmine shares her journey from waitressing to running an entire degree program in one of Melbourne's “most radical” universities. She also binges on juggling the demands of academia, how her research has developed, and speaking with UN ambassadors. If this wasn’t enough, in her spare time she is also running Melbourne Free University to provide the community with equal access to education and knowledge. This episode was produced by Nina Roxburgh and features music by Big Gigantic.

Caspar gets binge thinking with 31 year old Melbourne artist Gerard Geer. Gerard first came to public prominence when the Victorian government ordered him to destroy all his artwork. Since then, he's made up with the state, started teaching skeletal articulation, and gone viral on Instagram. Listen in as we recount his crazy adventure. Produced by Nina Roxburgh with music by Big Gigantic. Get into it.