Conversations

Hannah Clarke and her three children were killed in an horrific attack that shocked Australia but for Dave Kramer their deaths were personal, he knew her ex-husband and had witnessed their relationship up close.But Dave's own childhood exposure to domestic violence had blinded him to some of the signs that Hannah and her kids were in danger.After Hannah's death, Dave began the difficult work of confronting his past and educating himself on how to recognise abuse and have the confidence to speak out and help.He now helps educate teenagers and young men about respectful and safe relationships and healthy masculinity.If you need to speak to someone 1800respect or 1800 737 732 for the national domestic violence hotlineBeyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36Lifeline on 13 11 14MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978Further informationsmallsteps4hannahThis episode was produced by Jen Leake, the executive producer was Eliza Kirsch.It explores domestic violence, coercive control, violence against women, violence prevention, safe and respectful relationships, grief, mental health, trauma, drug use, behavioural science, psychology, To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast' with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Author Helen Pitt has written a history of the iconic fun park and it's a tale bound up with con men, crooked cops, and developers who have long wanted to snatch up the prime piece of waterfront real estate.Millions of people have happy memories of walking through the teeth of the gigantic face on the edge of Sydney Harbour but it wasn't the first Luna Park in Australia, that honour goes to the Melbourne version which opened a decades earlier.But the tale of Sydney's Luna Park is arguably the most dramatic and it's one of only two amusement parks in the world protected by government legislation.  Helen Pitt's book is called Luna Park: the extraordinary story of the showmen, shysters and schemers who built Sydney's famous funk park is published by Allen And Unwin.This episode of Conversations explores Luna Park, amusement parks, Sydney, Sydney Harbour, history, show rides, engineering, the Great Depression, the Ghost Train fire, tragedy, historical preservation, waterfront real estate, protest, Martin Sharp, the Big Dipper, protein spills.

When Sonia Henry signed up to work as a GP in a remote mining town in the Pilbara, the experience changed almost everything she believed about Australia.An unfortunate romantic entanglement just before her final exams left her questioning everything, just as she was about to qualify as a doctor.To escape her life in Sydney, she signed up to work in some of Australia's most far-flung medical clinics.While working as a GP in places like the Pilbara, outback NSW, the Northern Territory and Broome Sonia had many experiences with her patients which completely altered how she saw Australia.Content Warning – suicide and adult themes. Listener discretion advised.Further informationPut Your Feet in the Dirt, Girl is published by Allen and UnwinLifeline on 13 11 14MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36Headspace on 1800 650 890Doctors' Health Advisory Service is a 24 hr support line for doctors, medical students, dentists, veterinarians and students of these professions.

Jane Messer grew up with a loving father who never really understood why as a child his mother left him and his older sister at a boarding school, so she decided to find out the full story and prove that he was in fact, loved.Her father Michael was born in Berlin in the years between the two world and to escape Nazi Germany he was sent to live in England as a child.There were a few fleeting visits but then Michael didn't see his mother again for another 13 years and he always said she never loved him.As Jane grew older and became a mother herself, she knew there had to be more to Bella's story and so she went on the trail from pre-war Berlin to Tel Aviv to Melbourne, to try to understand the choices made in extraordinary circumstances. Further informationJane Messer's family memoir is called Raven Mother This episode of Conversation explores family history, the Holocaust, Nazi Germany, suicide, boarding school, Palestine, the Nakba, Berlin, World War 2, immigration, the British Mandated Palestine, memoir.

Novelist Emma Pei Yin ran away from Hong Kong as a teenager to start fresh in Australia. But she found herself repeatedly drawn back home whenever she put pen to paper.Emma grew up in England and Hong Kong. But her life in Hong Kong wasn't so much about the neon skyscrapers as it was about her family's ancestral village, tucked away in the New Territories.Emma spent her school holidays there with her grandparents, learning how to take care of the family cemetery and joining in Chinese Festivals.Sometimes her grandfather would share his memories of the Second World War, when the Japanese military invaded and occupied Hong Kong.As Emma became into a teenager, her relationship with her parents deteriorated. She eventually decided to leave them and Hong Kong, coming to Australia to make a life for herself as a writer.But whenever she wrote, Emma found herself drawn back to Hong Kong; to the hundreds of islands, the fishing villages on stilts, the mountains, woodlands and beaches – all the things that tourists who think of Hong Kong as a city of neon lights and free Wi-fi don't know about.This episode of Conversations was first broadcast last year.Content warning: This episode of Conversations contains discussion about sexual assault.Further informationWhen Sleeping Women Wake is published by Hachette.Help and support is always available. You can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris and first broadcast in 2025, the executive producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores family dynamics, multiculturalism, China, Hong Kong, modern history, writing, books, literature, historical fiction, Japanese occupation, World War 2, assault, victim-blaming, abortion, filmmaking, black sheep, family honour, London, forgiveness.

Writer Cynthia Banham on discovering the shocking truth about her great-grandmother, reckoning with buried family secrets, and the criticisms mothers face from others and sometimes most harshly, from themselves.Cynthia Banham grew up hearing the story of her great-grandmother, Natalina, who had supposedly been orphaned in Italy in the 19th century.But when Cynthia became a mother herself she felt compelled to look for the real story of her maternal line, which suddenly stopped three generations back.What she found shocked her -- a period of time when infant relinquishment was so common, the era became known as the 'century of foundlings', and her great-grandmother was one of them.She had not been orphaned, as the family thought, but abandoned by a nameless mother.Cynthia took off to Bologna, Italy with her own young family in tow to find the truth. Along the way she uncovered the stories of 'bastardini' (a home for bastards), literate midwives, epigenetics and possible incest.Cynthia also stood in the house where Natalina was born, and came to terms with her own harsh judgement of herself as a mother.Mother Shadow is published by Upswell.Richard also spoke to Cynthia in 2023 about surviving the 2007 Garuda plane disaster in Indonesia.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores ancestry, epigenetics, anthropology, family history, writing, books, orphans, adoption, child abandonment, truth, journalism, parenting with a disability, mothers in wheelchairs, self confidence as a mother, self criticism as a mother, marriage, love, mothers and sons, school communities, Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia Flight 200, memoir, modern history, travel, family bonding, wild gardening.

Toxic people are around us in our workplaces, our families and our dating lives. Research psychologist Leanne ten Brinke is here to tell you how to spot them, and get rid of them from your orbit.Leanne ten Brinke is a research psychologist whose special area of expertise is what she calls 'dark personality types'.These are particularly cruel, malicious, manipulative people who lack empathy, people who are psychopaths, narcissists or sadists.Psychologists estimate than one per cent of any population shows serious levels of psychopathy.They walk among us in our workplaces and in our relationships, they could be an gaslighting partner, a narcissistic parent or a colleague who's a bully.There are also more serious cases, like abusive husbands or murderous mothers.Leanne also makes the point that any one of us is capable of losing our moral bearings or enabling malicious people by cheering them on, hiring them or voting them into office.But there are ways to resist them, and make your own life the better for it.Poisonous People: psychopathy, narcissism, manipulation, sadism: how to resist them and improve your life is published by Simon & Schuster Australia.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores toxic relationships, is my partner a narcissist, what to do about my narcissist mother, what to do about my toxic boss, how many psychopaths are there, sadism, serial killers, morality, amorality, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, sociopath, Patric Gagne, anti-social personality disorders, thriller, scammers, dating world, escaping abuse, peaceful living, finding peace.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Born with a magnificent voice, Opera star Teddy Tahu Rhodes fought against his destiny for years until a letter he'd been avoiding reading changed everything (R) 

Dr Nada Andric wants to improve the health of people who are marginalised in the community and their access to healthcare.She works at the Reverend Bill Crews GP clinic, a place where people who might be completely off the database of society can get help.Whether they're facing homelessness, dealing with mental health issues, addiction, or simply don't have a Medicare card or passport to their name. This year, the clinic in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield turns 40.This episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan, the Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores health care, addiction, homelessness, poverty, doctors, domestic violence, mental health, society, Reverend Bill Crews.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Two-time World Debating champion Bo Seo on how love and listening can improve how we disagree, so we're not at each other's throats online and offline (R).When Bo was 8 years old, he and his parents migrated from Korea to Australia. Bo was a quiet boy and sometimes felt overwhelmed at school. But in Year Five, something happened which changed his life: one of his teachers introduced Bo to debating.Debating became a way for Bo to excel socially and academically. He went on to win world titles for Australia and for Harvard University.Now Bo is sharing insights from the strategy, structure and history of debating to try to encourage all of us to disagree better.Originally broadcast in May 2023.Good Arguments is published by Simon and Schuster.This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores keyboard warriors, how to argue well, communication skills, how to disagree without offending, writing, responding not reacting, self reflection, how to get your point across, books, agreements, disagreements, law, lawyers, legal industry, author, journalist, Harvard University, community building, how to build community, how to have constructive conversations, political divide.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Stephen Grosz has welcomed people into his office for more than 40 years, and believes our greatest task in life is to see ourselves and others with more clarity, in order to live more easily and with more please.Stephen has sat with people as they have shared their darkest fears, strangest dreams and their most explosive love affairs.Through thousands of hours of these conversations, he has tried to help patients understand themselves so they can live with more ease and with greater satisfaction.Stephen believes our greatest task in life is to see ourselves and others with more clarity.That's the quest that his driven his work dissecting compelling stories of love, desire and heartbreak from his consulting room.Love's Labour is published by Penguin.This episode of Conversations was produced by Jennifer Leake. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores therapy, love, marriage, relationships, writing, books, analysis, counselling, introspection, looking inwards, how to self reflect, how to survive heartbreak, what do I do with desire, how to live a fulfilling life, how we lose and find ourselves, United States, University of California Berkeley, Oxford, Institute of Psychoanalysis, mental wellbeing, University College of London.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Writer Tanya Heaslip on swapping life on an Alice Springs station for the fairytale streets of Prague, and the remarkable parallels she found between these two magical worlds.Tanya was in a pub in London in 1989 when she watched on the television as the Berlin Wall came down.She was the tail end of a solo backpacking trip, which didn't quite live up to what she'd imagined it might be as a little girl growing up on a remote cattle station near Alice Springs.But Tanya booked to go to Berlin the very next day, beginning an obsession with learning about what life was like behind the Iron Curtain.Several years later she would return to Europe, this time to the East, to the Czech Republic.There in fairytale Prague, not long after the Velvet Revolution, Tanya would fall in love with the city and into a relationship with an older man.And she would draw unexpected parallels between the magic and isolation of Prague and that of Central Australia – their people and their stories.Tanya has written several memoirs about her life from the great expanse of the Northern Territory, to the cobbled streets of Prague.Alice to Prague, An Alice Girl and Beyond Alice are published by Allen & Unwin.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores country Australia, rural Australia, boarding school, Northern Territory, mustering cattle, expat Australians, Eastern Europe, Soviet Union, Fall of the Wall, travelling Australians, falling in love, grief, grieving, relationships, love for country, central Australia, Adelaide, bullying, studying law, working in the legal system, teaching English abroad.

The late Widjabul Wieybal woman of the Bundjalung Nation Rhoda Roberts lived through great loss and grief, in the midst of becoming one of Australia's most influential cultural leaders in the arts (R). Content Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that this episode of Conversations includes the names and voice of someone who has died, used in accordance with the wishes of their family.Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO, a guiding force in Australia's arts scene and the woman who coined the term "Welcome to Country", died in March at the age of 66 after being diagnosed with cancer.Rhoda grew up with the lessons her father taught her and her siblings about ignoring racism in their town and not allowing themselves to become victims.Rhoda is a member of the Bundjalung nation, Widjabul clan of Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland; and her father grew up on a mission near Lismore, where his family fought to maintain their language and culture.Rhoda had a twin sister called Lois, but their relationship was shattered just days before their 21st birthday, when Lois was left with a brain injury in an horrific car crash.Rhoda went on to become an actor, journalist, broadcaster, director and festival programmer.It was during her role as creative director of the Awakening segment of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Opening Ceremony that her sister Lois went missing.Six months later, Rhoda's fears were realised when a hiker found a body in the bush.Originally broadcast in September 2016.Listen to Rudi Bremer's episode of Awaye about the legacy of Rhoda Roberts.This episode of Conversations was produced by Pam O'Brien.It explores grief, death, tragedy, traumatic brain injury, TBI, First Nations, Aboriginal Australians, racism, prejudice, fathers and daughters, sibling relationships, losing a sister, performing arts, Aboriginal arts, race relations, family trauma, Lismore, Northern Rivers.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Nick Orchard on how a tough childhood, mental health issues, couch surfing and hip hop have helped him learn how to help others recover from burnout and impostor syndrome.When Nick was growing up, his mum struggled with her mental health and when he was on a date as a teenager he got the worst call of his life, and went to be with his mum when she needed him most.Nick turned to the Melbourne hip hop scene for a sense of community and purpose.It's also where Nick would go looking for a couch to sleep on after he found himself with no permanent home to go to.Just when things hit rock bottom, a call from a stranger helped turn his life around.Nick eventually landed a very big job in government, but that imploded in burnout and he found himself in a different, despondent place - driving 130km down a deserted road, with no memory of how he got there.That experience flicked a switch in him, and today he uses what he has learned to help others as a burnout coach.This episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores mental wellbeing, executive burnout, bouncing back, mental health, mental illness, childhood trauma, boxing, purpose, meaning, life, counselling, boxing, professional coach, senior management, anxiety, impostor syndrome, leadership.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Melina Marchetta grew up in Sydney in a close-knit Sicilian family, but she never wanted to be seen as 'that Italian girl'. Years later, she drew on her story to write an Australian classic (R).Growing up, Melina lied about the fact she was forbidden to go out on the weekends, and instead told her friends she had to attend lots of weddings.At 19 years old, she visited Italy for the first time and met her great aunts, still grieving the siblings who had left for Australia decades earlier.Melina was working in the Commonwealth Bank when she began writing the novel inspired by her family's story.Looking for Alibrandi was rejected five times before it was published some years later.Then it became an Australian classic.Originally broadcast in April 2019.Melina's latest novel The Place on Dalhousie was published by Penguin in 2019.And her latest children's book in the What Zola Did series, was published in 2022.This Conversation was produced by Nicola Harrison. Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores Australian literature, writing, books, memoir, semi-autobiographical, novels, youth literature, teen literature, romance, coming of age, migrant stories, Italian-Australian stories, movie adaptation, Pia Miranda, Kick Gurry, Anthony LaPaglia.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Tracy Drain is Chief Engineer of the Europa Clipper, a NASA spacecraft currently travelling to Jupiter on a journey that will take six years.Europa is one of Jupiter's four largest moons, and scientists believe there could be an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust.Having water would make Europa one of the best places to look for signs of life in the solar system.Tracy Drain has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab for more than two decades.She is also a National Geographic Explorer and was in Australia for the World Science Festival in Brisbane.This episode of Conversations was produced by Jen Leake, the executive producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores NASA, robotic space travel, Jupiter, Jupiter's moons, Europa, The Europa Clipper, mechanical engineering, NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols, Uhura, solar system, mechanical engineering, AI, Mars Reconnaisssance Oribter, Keiper Project, Alien life, Earth-like planets, asteroids, moon landing, the space race, SpaceX, Elon Musk.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Together with his husband, Vinko Anthony runs a matchmaking agency for gay men looking for the type of enduring commitment and love that they found. As part of his role as matchmaker, Vinko shares what he's learnt about love and listening through the ups and downs of his own relationships.Vinko grew up on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, where he spent a lot of his childhood with his Nonna.The two of them would walk together for hours in silence, listening deeply to the birds, the waves and the wind.Then, when they got home and sat down to eat, VInko and his Nonna would listen to each other.Vinko took these lessons in listening and love very seriously, and he brought them with him when his family migrated to Australia and also into his vocation as a matchmaker.When Vinko finally got the courage to tell the love of his life a secret he had been hiding for five years, he had to trust that all that love and listening would be gracefully given back to him.Vinko has written a book about his love story and his matchmaking business. It's called All In: How to Make Love Stick.Vinko and his husband, Andrea, co-founded a dating agency called Beau Brummell Introductions, for gay men in Australia, the US, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Zealand.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores dating, online dating, homosexuality, growing up gay, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Italy, Puglia, travel, STI, living with HIV, falling in love, relationship advice, dating agency, matchmaking, masculinity, affair, love, listening, how to date, finding true love, travel, business, falling in love, family, coming out, mardi gras, love at first sight, building a business with your partner, HIV/Aids, Prep, communicating in relationships, commitment, long-term relationships, how to communicate with your partner, reactivity, how to listen, accepting yourself, how to find love, dating apps, tinder, hinge, bumble, grindr, feeld.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Stephanie Wood was new to online dating when she met a sweet man named Joe. But within weeks, she realised 'farmer' Joe was not who he claimed to be (R).Stephanie was a successful and well-travelled journalist when she met a sweet man named Joe online.They spent many romantic weekends away and discussed a future where they would live together in the country.But after months of his last minute cancellations and no shows, Stephanie finally ended the relationship.What she discovered next was a shocking tale of deceit and manipulation.Once she began telling her story, Stephanie realised there were hundreds of other women, and a few men just like her.Fake is published by PenguinSince Sarah first spoke with Stephanie in 2019, her story has been turned into an acclaimed TV series starring Asher Keddie.Stephanie's newsletter Vamp is available on Substack.This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores online dating, dating apps, catfishing, the Tinder Swindler, betrayal, deceit, love, relationships, modern dating, grief, dating for women, manipulation, narcissism, is my partner a narcissist, gaslighting, is my partner gaslighting me, ripped off, lies.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

When Charles Lomu was born, he was lovingly given to his grandparents, in the Tongan adoption custom of pusiaki.He lived a gentle, religious life in Tonga, and saw love in action through his grandparents' care.The family moved to Australia, where Charles grew to be an up-and-coming Rugby League player.When grief shook his family, Charles turned down a dark path, which ended in periodic detention in jail.Further informationOriginally broadcast July 2022.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan and the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Benjamin Gilmour describes the hectic work of saving lives, and what it's like to bring people back from the brink of suicide. (R)Ben was been a paramedic for twenty six years and was based in inner Sydney for more than a decade.A regular working week for Bondi's ambulance crews would see them called out to cardiac arrests, drug overdoses, domestic disputes, and to suicides.Their patch included a notorious cliff known as 'The Gap', where it would often be Ben's job to convince people to come back from the edge.Content WarningThis episode deals directly with suicide, and may be distressing for some people.Please do seek help if you need it. There is always someone who can talk with you.If you or anyone you know needs helpLifeline on 13 11 14Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467BeyondBlue on 1300 22 46 36Headspace on 1800 650 890Further informationOriginally broadcast January 2020.The Gap was published by Penguin.Listen to Benjamin's conversation with Sarah on directing his feature film, Jirga, in Afghanistan (2018).This episode was produced by Michelle-Ransom-Hughes and the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It deals with suicide, mental health, mental illness, PTSD, mateship, colleagues, work friends, The Gap, cardiac arrest, first on the scene, front line workers, ambos, ambulance, paramedics, emergency, 000.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

When Anna Ferguson was a little girl she was badly hurt in a roller coaster accident. Although she made a full physical recovery, emotionally everything was different, and for many years she couldn't understand why she remained either angry or numb.Anna was 10 years old when she went with her family to the Melbourne Royal Show.Anna was excited to ride a roller coaster for the first time, but something went wrong on the ride, and Anna and her sister were trapped for hours.Both of them needed major medical treatment, and while they made a fully physical recovery, overnight Anna changed from a happy, outgoing little girl into a child carrying a lot of anger and resentment.As the years went on, Anna realised she was still carrying the legacy of that accident in her nervous system.So she set about bringing her nervous system back into balance, first through becoming a champion Muay Thai fighter, and then by going to university to study psychology. Anna is now a counsellor who specialises in teaching people practical ways to get regulate their nervous system - whether that's by calming or by energising it.Anna's latest book, 21 Days To A Less Anxious You is published by HarperCollins.You can read more about Anna's work at her website.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores mental health, mental wellbeing, dysregulation, neurodivergence, cancer, terminal cancer, brain tumour, parenting, regulated parenting, vagus nerve, trauma, PTSD, childhood trauma, how to regulate yourself, breath work, meditation, tapping, yoga, Anna the anxiety coach, depression, fight, flight, freeze, fawn, the wellness industry, psychology, Muay Thai, boxing, fighting, exercise for mental health, carers, caring for a spouse, the NDIS, therapy, overwhelm.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Military strategist Jennifer Parker on the story behind the biggest disruption to oil supplies in world history, happening now in the Strait of Hormuz.The narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf has a particular geographical importance to the world, as the land on one side belongs to Iran, and the country has a history of using it to pressure its enemies in times of conflict.A quarter of all oil production passes through it so disrupting that flow can have an enormous impact on the global economy.Right now, in response to heavy bombardment from the U.S and Israel, Iran has effectively shut down this waterway by attacking commercial vessels trying to get through. Jennifer Parker served for more than 20 years as an officer with the Royal Australian Navy and has travelled through the Strait of Hormuz during her multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf.She is currently an associate at the ANU's National Security College and a fellow at the Lowy Institute. This episode of Conversations was produced by Jen Leake, the Executive Produce is Nicola Harrison.It explores Iran, The Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, conflict, war, global oil production, the US, Israel, war, attacks, commercial shipping, Royal Australian Navy, China, US submarines, international law, Donald Trump, the Persian Gulf States, global economy, fuel prices, drones, ballistic missiles, nuclear weapons, Russia, Venezuela.

Jenny Briscoe-Hough on the uncomfortable truths which saw her set up Australia's first ever not-for-profit funeral home (R).After her mother died, Jenny Briscoe-Hough had an epiphany about the business of funerals.Although her family brought in their own flowers and had a simple service, the bill came to $11,000. A short time later, Jenny began thinking about setting up a not-for-profit funeral service in her local area.With the help of a documentary and a crowdfunding campaign, she and the community of Port Kembla raised more than $120,000 to buy an old fire station in town.This is now where Tender Funerals operates, helping families prepare their dead for burial or cremation.On the day of the funeral, family and friends can wash and dress the body themselves, bring flowers from their own gardens, and run the service the way they want it.Learn more about the Natural Death Care Movement.Watch the trailer for Lynette Wallworth's documentary which helped begin the funding campaign.Watch the Australian Story episode about Tender Funerals.This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. The executive producer was Pam O'Brien.It explores death industry, funerals, grief, grieving, how to grieve, Western attitudes towards death, funerals, ritual, charity, crowd funding, power of community, dying, how to die well, mothers, daughters, filmmaking, Lynette Wallworth, after life.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

From wearing red stilettos on her first day of university and travelling solo into rural Egypt, to relocating to the United States with four kids in tow, Margie Warrell created her own life for herself off the dairy farm.Margie grew up on a dairy farm in Victoria, the eldest daughter in a big Catholic family. It was assumed she would either enter the convent or marry a farmer. But Margie knew she wanted a very different life.First, she branched off into the big smoke to go to university; then she packed her terrible backpack from the Army Disposal Store for a yearlong solo adventure around the world.Margie went on to survive an eating disorder, an armed robbery, and family tragedy to create her own big, bold, beautiful story.Now, she helps other people make big, bold choices for their lives.Content Warning: this episode of Conversations includes reference to eating disorders, armed robbery and suicide.Margie's latest book is called The Courage Gap, and is published by Berrett-Koehler.You can find more information about Margie's work and her other books at her website.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores farming, agriculture, invisible siblings, moving out of the country, motherhood, miscarriage, eating disorders, bulimia, anorexia, marriage, expatriate life, Washington DC, politics, Congressional chiefs, leadership, coaching.

Writer Tony Birch with tales of his Fitzroy childhood including his grandmother Alma's 'op shop fever', his love for pine cones and blankets, and the macabre holiday he lived through when he was 5 years old (R).Tony grew up in inner city Melbourne in the 1950s and '60s.His grandmother taught him to waste nothing. So Tony and his siblings would scour the streets for bottles, lead and copper to sell, and for wood from demolished houses to use for firewood.His grandmother even ran a sly grog shop on Sundays to make extra money.One day, however, Tony was sent to spend Christmas with a nice middle-class family in a leafy suburb.When they insisted he stay on with them, he began plotting his escape.Tony's short story collection, Dark As Last Night was published in 2021 by UQP.Tony's other books include Women and Children, published in 2023, and his latest book Pictures of You.This episode of Conversations explores Australian life, Melbourne, Thrift Shops, Saving, grandparents, frugal living, social history, social life in Australia, families, origin stories, books, writing, Australian literature, short stories, penny pinching.

Writer Drusilla Modjeska has built a career exploring the extraordinary lives of pioneering women writers and artists, who have never stopped asking important questions about gender, freedom and expression.Drusilla was born in England right at the end of the Second World War.She was raised to be a well-behaved and self-effacing young woman, in a very conservative time in history.But Drusilla escaped this version of herself by marrying very young and moving to Papua New Guinea, and then to Australia.On the other side of the world, her eyes were opened to different ways of being, and Drusilla went on to build a big career exploring the lives of pioneering women writers and visual artists.In writing about the lives of women artists, Drusilla was eventually led to writing about her own mother, Poppy, whose creativity and independence were stymied by marriage and who was committed to a psychiatric institution when Drusilla was 12 years old.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores surrealism, surrealist art, art of the Pacific, Claude Cahun, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Clara Westhoff, Rainer Maria Rilke, Marcel Moore, Gabriele Münter, Kandinsky, Lee Miller, Dora Maa, Picasso, painting, World War 2, boomers, conservatism, trad wives, feminism, manosphere, Louis Theroux, toxic masculinity, equal rights, misogyny, psychiatric treatment for women, institutionalised, women of world war 2, The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, the fany.To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast' with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

New York Times columnist and author M.Gessen on the slow strangulation of democracy, happening right now in Trump's America.M Gessen grew up in the Soviet Union and migrated to the US as a teenager before returning to Russia in the 90s to cover the country's brief attempt at democracy and then the slow slide back into autocratic rule under Vladimir Putin.M's insight into the mindset of the autocrat offers some clarity on why such leaders do the things they do and how they see the world.This Conversation was recorded at the Brisbane Powerhouse, as part of the Brisbane Writer's Festival.Further Information M Gessen is an author and New York Times columnist, their latest book is Surviving AutocracyThis episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan, Nicola Harrison is the Executive Producer.It covers US politics, President Donald Trump, democratic institutions, the Soviet Union, state terror, state tyranny, Vladimir Putin, journalism, protest, ICE, Minneapolis, autocratic rulers, power, dogma, mindset, democratic freedom, voting in elections, Hannah Arendt, Milan Kundera, mutual aid, organising.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Colin's band, Men At Work, was one of the biggest acts of the 1980s. Their first album shot the band to international fame. Then quite quickly, everything unravelled, and Colin had to begin again (R)

When Megan Gilmour's son was 10 years old, he spent nearly two years in isolation at the Sydney Children's Hospital. The months he missed at school didn't just affect him academically. Megan, her daughter and her husband all relocated from Canberra to be with Darcy in Sydney as he underwent life-saving medical treatment, and lived at hospital.Over his many months in hospital, Darcy missed a lot of school. What worried Megan wasn't just that he was falling behind academically, it was his loneliness and the way he was losing connection to his friends and his community.Over time Megan watched how Darcy's sense of belonging vanished because he wasn't physically at school.So along with two other mums she met through the Sydney Children's Hospital, Megan decided to do something about it.Not just for the kids who are missing out of school because they are in hospital, but for the growing number of kids who are away from school for a whole host of reasons.Megan is the CEO and co-founder of Missing School, and she was the 2025 ACT Australian of the Year.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores chronic illness, sick kids, school non attendance, school refusal, my kid doesn't want to go to school, young carers, neurodiverse children, autism, ADHD, AuDHD, learning difficulties, childhood cancer, blood disorders, lonely children, invisible siblings, parenting, motherhood, online learning, COVID, digital schooling, bone marrow transplant.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

It was a Sunday night in the garage of their family home when journalist and author Kate Legge found out her husband of 30 years had been cheating on her for decades.After a downward spiral as she came to terms with the news, the two of them took a road trip to Broken Hill to investigate the four generations of cheaters in his family line.The process led Kate to look into the murky waters of how love was expressed in her own family, with an intellectually frustrated mother who could be surprisingly cruel.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan and the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It covers topics including marriage, divorce, cheating, infidelity, relationships, alcohol, lies, counselling, research, memoir, family history, writing, psychology.Further information Infidelity and Other Affairs is published by Thames and HudsonKate Legge's new book coming out in April is series of essays on food and friendship called Delicious, published by Allen and Unwin.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.I

Lisa Petty began her dance career in 1980s New York, intoxicated by the grime and flamboyant life of the city. She witnessed countless friends lose their lives to AIDS,  and the lessons she learned in closeness have stayed with her.As a young woman, Lisa Petty was visiting her aunt in a retirement home when she started to speak to the older people there about the role of wartime dance halls in their lives.These were stories of luminous intimacy. The old men and women's faces would light up as they remembered being close enough to attractive strangers to smell them, to move together with music, and to have a few hours reprieve from the stress of war.These stories inspired Lisa's masters studies and she moved to New York to pursue a career in dance.There, she found a friend soulmate in a man called Raymond, and they lived together for several years, before and after he became sick with AIDS.After Lisa returned to Melbourne, she left her dance career behind and began working as an intimacy and movement director, helping performers to channel their character's energy and translate that into the language of touch.Further informationThis episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations' Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison. It covers topics including intimacy, touch, single mum, AIDS, New York, Kaposi sarcoma, dance, intimacy co-ordinator, movement coach, theatre.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

For the last decade or so we've looked on as the United States has radically changed itself, but the UK has been changing too as it continues to struggle with economic stagnation and the fallout from Brexit.The British people, famous for their aversion to radical and emotional politics, have embarked on a course which was supposed to take them back to the comforting certainties of the past, but has instead, brought them into an uncertain new world.It began with the huge shock of Brexit, then the constant turnover of Prime Ministers including Liz Truss whose term in office was famous outlived by a head of lettuce.In 2025 British Labor won government in a massive landslide, which saw many hope things might settle down, but now Kier Starmer is hanging on by his fingernails.And for those looking to the monarchy for a sense of continuity and national unity, that's not going well either.So what on earth has happened to the land of toast and tea? Ian Dunt is a British political journalist and author of How Westminster Works and Why is Doesn't Ian is also a regular contributor to Late Night Live on Radio National.This episode of Conversations was produced by Jen Leake, the Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores British politics, Brexit, the financial crash, austerity, David Cameron, The Conservative Party, referendum, European Union, New Labor, populism, government services, the UK-US alliance, Christianity, Marxism, puberty, disillusioned, dogma, ideology, psychedelic, journalism, political discourse, British public school system, elites, power, Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, immigration.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

In the 1990s, Glenn Jarvis was living in London working for a very powerful American corporation called Enron. He was under a huge amount of stress at work, when his mental health began to spiral downwards.In the late 1990s Australian Glenn Jarvis won a job in London with Enron, a giant American energy and investment corporation. Life was exhilarating and he made lots of friends.But after a time Glenn began to notice some very odd transactions at Enron.Giant amounts of money were flooding in to the company that simply couldn't be accounted for.Glenn took it up with with his bosses, but they didn't want to know.In part because of the questions he was asking, Glenn's reputation at work began to change, and his mental health began to deteriorate.He had a psychotic episode, and spent the next 2 years in and out of mental health units in Australia and the UK.Eventually he found himself back in town of Queanbeyan where he grew up, with no job, no money, and few friends who understood what he'd been through.His family stuck by him, but things were difficult, and he ended up in supported accommodation.Across the road from where he was living was a local Bowling Club. He would go there and buy a single beer most nights, and eventually befriended some of the regulars.With the help of these elderly friends, and meaningful work, Glenn began a slow and painstaking climb back into an entirely different kind of life.

The former Kings Cross street kid on his time in prison, recovering from an alcohol-induced brain injury, the puppy called Sunny who showed him what love is and how buying car parking spaces set him up for the rest of his life.Warning: This episode contains sensitive topics and reference to physical violence against women.John Howard came from a dysfunctional and often violent home in the outer suburbs of Sydney, and when he was able to, he ran away to the dank but promising Kings Cross of the 1960s and 70s.He would see Abe Saffron having dinner at the local Bourbon & Beefsteak joint and John found himself doing odd jobs for his sex worker friends in exchange for somewhere to sleep.John was caught up in a horrific assault and in the following years he found himself in jail and then drawn to drinking.At his lowest point he was rescued by chance by a passing taxi, and taken to hospital to recover from an alcohol-induced brain injury.As he was recovering, it was a toy poodle puppy called Sunny who showed John what love and affection were — and from there he was able to build his life for the first time.Further informationYou can call the National Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence counselling service on 1800-RESPECT or 1800-737-732. This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations' Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison. It covers topics like homelessness, alcoholism, prison escape, solitary confinement, toy poodles, lesbian separatism, disability support pension, brain injury, Callan Park hospital, Rozelle Hospital, getting sober, quitting alcohol, Kings Cross, street kid, sex workers, drug use, drug addiction, prostitute, Bourbon & Beefsteak, Abe Saffron, The Coconut Grove, doggy poo bags, pooper scoopers, Potts Point.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Kate McClymont is chief investigative reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, she has won 10 Walkley Awards for her work on some of the biggest crime and corruption cases in NSW.She grew up on a farm in NSW, and during university, funded her start in Sydney by setting up a busking booth in Kings Cross.Passers-by would pay her to answer a question, have an argument, or verbally abuse them. Kate's start in crime reporting came from an early job writing for a gossip column.  She was instructed to cover a wedding of a family member of known criminal figure, George Freeman.Kate compared the sequins in the bridal party's outfit to a bullet-proof vest, and received the first of many death threats throughout her career. She has exposed the crimes of politician, Eddie Obeid, former Health Services Union boss, Michael Williamson and financial fraudster, Melissa Caddick, among many more.This episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan and the Executive Producer was Nicola Harrison.It explores crime, investigative journalism, newspapers, police, corruption, politicians, Eddie Obeid, Melissa Caddick, fraud, murder, defamation, court cases, police, lawyers, timelines, research, contacts, financial fraud, death threats, award winning journalism, the Sydney Morning Herald, Four Corners, Chris Masters, Sydney, NSWTo binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast' with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

For years, Brendan Cullen was known around Broken Hill as the happy man who ran thousands of ewes across tens of thousands of hectares with a smile. What they didn't see was  the guy crying in a room by himself, drinking himself stupid, thinking he wasn't providing enough for his family.Brendan calls himself a ‘glorified shepherd'.He manages a sheep station outside Broken Hill, a part of the country he loves and knows like the back of his hand.But Brendan also has another moniker: ‘the desert swimmer'.A few years ago, he was floored by a cruel bout of depression, the core of which he later understood came from an experience of childhood sexual abuse that he never spoke about.While recovering, Brendan decided to try to swim the English Channel.As his swim coach Mike ‘the Tractor' told him: swimming the channel is straightforward – you get in the water at Dover and keep swimming until you hit something, and that something is France.The swim is just one of the tools in his 'toolkit' that he uses to stay mentally well and present with his family, and his flock.Desert Swimmer is written with Paul Mitchell and published by Allen & Unwin.Content warning: this episode of Conversations contains discussion of childhood sexual abuse.Help and support is always available. You can call or text Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores rural, remote Australia, men's mental health, mental wellbeing, mental fitness, exercise for mental health, farming, boarding school, childhood sexual abuse, children who abuse other children, fatherhood, access to education, how to ask for help, mental illness, long distance swimming, ocean swimming, farming, sheep, livestock, Menindee, farming families, succession plans, generational farming, family business.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Filmmaker Lynette Wallworth on how nearly dying as a little girl set her on a lifelong path to interrogate out-of-body experiences, spirituality and what really happens to us when we die.When Lynette was a little girl, she had a near death experience on her grandparents' property.Her father brought her back from the brink and what she saw and experienced there, on the edge of death, came back with her.For years, Lynette struggled to talk about what happened so she made paintings and artworks trying to make sense of this experience.But when she started visiting remote Indigenous communities here in Australia and abroad, in the Amazon, that she finally found some sort of language for describing the scientifically unprovable. There, in cultures where out of body experiences are accepted as either spiritual or possible through the use of psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and ayahuasca, Lynette stopped feeling weird.Her latest film investigates how doctors in Melbourne are turning to psychedelic drugs to help ease their terminally ill patients towards death, and in the process learn that "we weren't put on earth to run around in fear".Edge of Life will be available to stream on Binge from 28 March.Currently, you can watch it via Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Fetch and YouTube.You can find more information about Lynette and her films at her website.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores death, dying, grief, medical trials, shamans, hallucinogens, science, psychology, psychiatry, acceptance, palliative care, caring for the dying, nursing, art, filmmaking, philosophy, shrooms, magic mushrooms, the immortality key, religion, spiritualty, quacks, health and wellness industry, tripping, epiphanies, film.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

The chief conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra on the chair of spikes which accompanied his early musical career, and why he doesn't tone down his Italian self for work (R)During his Suzuki lessons in Turin, Italy, a young Umberto Clerici was sitting up straight on a chair full of spikes, lest his posture slip.Umberto chose the cello as his instrument, mainly because it wasn't the violin, which sounded like a cat in a washing machine when played by the older students in his neighbourhood.Throughout his career playing in orchestras around the world, Umberto has gone to great lengths to let the music filter through him, to embody the meaning behind the notes, to learn what the composer thought or felt.Today Umberto Clerici is the chief conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast' with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

The act of care and service through food has been incredibly important to Besha Rodell throughout her life, from her first, euphoric experience of a fancy restaurant at age eight, to the aftermath of September 11.Today Besha is the chief restaurant critic at The Age.The thrill of a fancy restaurant first imprinted itself on her psyche when she was a girl, treated to dinner at Stephanie's iconic spot in Melbourne.As a teenager, Besha was transplanted to her mother's native USA and got her first job in hospitality — and found her people — in North Carolina.A stint in New York followed, where Besha witnessed September 11 in real time.Eventually Besha started a family with her boyfriend, Ryan, in North Carolina and the family found they were living under the poverty line. They got by thanks to a government food voucher program.Shortly after, Besha's blog posts, written for fun, gained traction and she was given her first assignment in food writing.Further informationHunger Like A Thirst is published by HardieGrant.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations' Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.This episode covers food, restaurants, restaurant critic, Stephanie's, Stephanie Alexander, Narnia, Melbourne, North Carolina, 9/11, September 11, migrant, not fitting in, government cheese, hospo, acts of service, behind the pass, line cook, pastry chef, methadone, coming off methadone, heroin, addiction, loving an addict, New York Times, food reviewing.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Naomi Mourra grew up as a door-knocking Jehovah's Witness but at 21, she realised Doomsday was not upon her, and left the religion for good.But as a child, Naomi Mourra thought she was going to live forever.She was told the end of the world was coming, but she would survive the apocalypse and live in paradise for eternity, because she was special.She spent her youth in Western Sydney, preaching these same beliefs to neighbours, strangers, and classmates because Naomi was raised as a Jehovah's Witness.Now, though, she describes herself as the city's only Lebanese, lesbian, ex-Jehovah's Witness.Naomi says she “woke up”, and it wasn't until she realised Armageddon was not actually coming, that she truly started to live.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores religion, Jehovah's Witnesses, dogma, family, Western Sydney, Armageddon, faith, leaving a religion, culture, sexuality, stand up comedy, lesbian, Lebanese culture, apocalypse, school, education, strangers, freedom, neighbours, strangersTo binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Tony Tan's parents pinned their hopes on him when they sent him from home in Malaysia to Melbourne to become a white collar professional in the 1970s. There he found “funny smelling cigarettes”, a lovely man called Terry and a destiny he couldn't escape.Tony was exposed to deep, rich flavour and the precision of cooking from a young age.His mother was a chef in Malaysian colonial kitchens and Tony would often accompany her to work, where he would sometimes receive a single golden, dripping roasted potato, or pinch the meat from a leftover kitchen carcass.He was a precocious child — known as Little Chilli — always wanting to know how certain cooking techniques worked. His parents didn't want him to follow them into the world of food, so they sent him to study at university in Melbourne, with hopes that he would ascend to the world of white collar work on behalf of the family.He had his first introduction to Lygon Street in the 1970s, and university couldn't keep him away from the world of food.Further informationTony Tan's most recent cook book, Tony Tan's Asian Cooking Class is published by Murdoch Books.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations' Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.This episode covers food tours, Kuantan, SBS, Shakahari, Stephanie Alexander, char siu, Tatler's, cooking school, Asian cooking class, roast chicken with soy sauce, recipes, sexual awakening, gay marriage, Trentham, regional Victoria.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

We rarely stop to wonder who invented the wheel, the alphabet or the printing press but so much of what feels fundamental to daily life was once a bold, untested idea, and someone had to think it up first.In The Shortest History of Innovation, Andrew Leigh traces that long thread of human ingenuity from ancient breakthroughs through to the inventions reshaping our world today like the car, social media and artificial intelligence. He also debunks some of the myths about how these things into the word and what happens when they collide with humanity.The Shortest History of Innovation is published by Black Inc Books.The executive producer of Conversations is Nicola HarrisonThis episode of Conversations explores history, ancient civilisation, the industrial revolution, medical breakthrough, human progress, invention, innovation, human psychology, AI, penicillin, the wheel, cutlery, vaccines, nuclear bomb, nuclear energy, medieval historyTo binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.