Rare Air with Meri Fatin

If you follow thought leaders on the energy transition, you'll be familiar with the hashtag Electrify Everything. The argument is that a huge proportion of ‘global energy needs' can be met with electricity sourced from renewables – and to use it we simply need to – electrify everything. This is the message of Australian inventor and engineer Saul Griffith – recently returned from two decades in the US where he's advised, among others, NASA and the Biden Administration. Saul Griffith's book, “The Big Switch – Australia's Electric Future” details some very clear thinking that could drive Australia's energy transition pathway.

"I think it's a scandal in this country that so much wealth is being extracted and Aboriginal people are no better off." Paul Cleary is author of "Title Fight: How the Yindjibarndi Battled and Defeated a Mining Giant".  For over a decade he followed this story as a journalist, before finally sitting down to the task of recording the complex and troubling detail of this tale in a book. If ever a story was worth telling, it's this one.  It highlights an organisational culture in FMG that on one hand revered and respected Aboriginal people, but on the other used the courts and a vast array of unconscionable tactics to secure below par compensation native title agreement with traditional owners. And it reveals the tenacity and vision of Yindjibarndi people and their leader Michael Woodley who in 2020,  after a thirteen year dispute, secured exclusive native title over the land FMG has been mining.    

The power of great storytelling has never been more evident than in the fight to change hearts and minds around sustainability, environmental care and climate action.  The people who can sweep us along in their enthusiasm and can-do attitude offer solid foundations for optimism as we witness the earth struggling …and the solutions seem too much for us as individuals to contemplate.  Matthew Evans is one of those people.  Matthew is a chef, food critic, TV host and farmer, and increasingly across his career he has spoken and written the truth about our food and its journey to our tables, always leaving us with the tools to choose better.  A couple of years ( but just a few episodes) ago Matthew joined me on Rare Air to discuss his book On Eating Meat. It was great to be getting together again to chat about his new book “Soil:  The Incredible story of what keeps the Earth, and us, healthy”

It began with a deep sea cod. David Carter and Jeff Hansen are people who have the courage of their convictions. What's surprising about their alliance is that at first glance one might struggle to see HOW their convictions are aligned. David Carter is CEO of Austral Fisheries. He's spent 42 years with the company, working from the ground up as a graduate and thriving under inspiring mentorship. His commitment to sustainable fishing practices has defined his career. This year David was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Marine Stewardship Council and Austral Fisheries has been carbon neutral for four years. Jeff Hansen joined Sea Shepherd Australia in 2006 and was instrumental in the success of two anti- whaling expeditions in the Antarctic before being offered Australian directorship by Sea Shepherd founder Captain Paul Watson. It's Jeff's passion and regard for the ocean and it's inhabitants that has focussed his efforts into eradicating illegal fishing, plastic pollution and mitigating climate change. It was an appearance at a Senate inquiry about Australia's future activities in the Southern Ocean, that led to his auspicious meeting with David… because of a shared concern for a deep sea cod - the Patagonian toothfish.

There's a whiff of hope out there.  Sounds like a strange thing to say as Australia comes to grips with the early days of the corona virus pandemic as this episode is recorded.  We are a nation that has literally NO IDEA what 2020 will be like. Yet, there's still hope and author Andrew Wear has tapped into it. Andrew is a very experienced public policy expert from Melbourne.  He's worked for Government across a vast array of different policy areas from Planning and Community, Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources. But his view is global. And that came in handy when he decided to write a book that looked at how some of the world's biggest problems were being solved.  The Book is called SOLVED  - and it details how ten countries solved ten big problems from climate change to multiculturalism. 

Can meditation really save the world? Tom Cronin thinks so. Big ideas and the people who chase them are captivating. Tom Cronin's big idea is to bring an ancient practice, meditation, and sweep the message of it's benefits across the globe using the even more ancient art of storytelling.  The practice of meditation is tens of thousands of years old and of everyone who takes it up, relatively few become teachers.  For many, personal enjoyment of the multitude of benefits is enough.  And of those who become meditation teachers, no matter the strength of their personal practice, or conviction that meditation improves wellbeing, even fewer feel compelled to reach a global audience.  At 29, as a stressed-out bond and swap broker, Tom Cronin took up meditation.  As he developed his practice, he'd work days on the trading floor, and over time, nights as a meditation teacher. The transformation for Tom was extraordinary, but can be illustrated like this. At 29 his biological age was measured as 37.  With the help of meditation, by the time he was 42, his biological age was just 34.  Tom became so passionate about the profound change meditation could effect, that he built a new career taking this information to the world, hosting retreats, mentoring, speaking publicly, and in 2019, releasing a book and a film, both entitled “The Portal : how meditation can save the world”. The book and film use the stories of a wide range of people whose lives have been utterly transformed by their meditation practice. In this episode of Rare Air, Tom explains how meditation changes a human being, and how it has the power to defuse the tensions affecting humanity today.

The idea of an artificial womb – a place where a prematurely born baby could continue to safely gestate closer to full term, is one scientists have worked on intermittently since the late 1950's. Until recently it's been considered a wild card, a fairly unorthodox angle on dealing with pre-term birth. Currently there are a handful of teams around the world working at various stages of development, including here in Perth, through the Women and Infant's Research Foundation (WIRF).  The Western Australian team, based at the University of Western Australia is headed up by New Zealander Assoc Professor Matthew Kemp and collaborates closely with researchers at the Tohoku University Hospital in Japan among others. It's hard to conceptualise but Assoc Prof Matthew Kemp describes it this way: “At it's core. Our equipment is essentially a high-tech amniotic fluid bath combined with an artificial placenta.  Put those together and with careful maintenance what you've got is an artificial womb." The implications for the successful development of an artificial womb cannot be overstated. Being born too soon is the single largest cause of death and disability in children up to five years old in the developed world. It's also a major burden not only on the child, with ongoing health issues, but also on their families, the health system, schools…the list goes on. And imagine the hope it offers to terrified parents knowing their baby will be born on the very cusp of viability.  In this conversation, Assoc Professor Matthew Kemp discusses the determination, dedication and serendipity that has gained the artificial womb project significant recognition.

Dominic Smith's fourth novel, the New York Times best seller "The Last Painting of Sara de Vos" won both Indie Book of the Year AND the Australian Book Industry awards Literary Fiction Book of the Year in 2017.  For Rare Air, he joins me to discuss his most recent novel, The Electric Hotel. Set around the birth of cinema, as the Lumière Brothers sent commission agents around the world to demonstrate their cinematographe, The Electric Hotel introduces us to French filmmaker Claude Ballard. One of the original Lumière commission agents, then silent film heavyweight, now in his eighties, a dedicated mushroom forager and long-term resident of the Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood. It's a truly captivating story, beautifully researched, where even the most staggering human experience feels entirely plausible. Smith says his goal was to fall in love with silent film.  He watched over one hundred of them for research.  Preservation of these films has been an issue.  It was reported by the US Library of Congress in 2013, that 75 percent of silent films made in the US between 1912 and 1929 had been lost. This formed part of Smith's motive to write a book set in the era as he tried to imagine a comparable situation in the world of literature.  In this conversation Dominic Smith also speaks about the formation of his writing discipline and muses about being an American, born and bred in Australia. He spoke to me from his home in Seattle, WA.               

Eighteen years ago, when I started as a student of the Pilates method, I had no idea how quickly it would become a significant part of my daily life. A few years into my practice, I qualified as an instructor in Sydney, but didn't last long as a teacher, finding the effort of giving so intensively in the studio was a tough offset to my job as a mother of four little kids at the time. My very first instructor was Elizabeth Wilson at her fledgling Perth Pilates Studio. Today, with over 25 years teaching experience, Elizabeth is a senior Educator at Polestar Pilates Australia, and is the Director of the Perth Pilates Studio, which has grown exponentially since the day we first met.   Liz is without a doubt one of the most intelligent people I know and I love hearing her get nerdy about Pilates. This conversation was recorded at Sugarland Studios in 2018.

As a former food critic, chef, author and TV personality Matthew Evans is not new to the ethical sourcing of food.  It's been a passion for well over a decade, and the first book he published on the topic was 2010's The Real Food Companion.  Fast forward through many beautiful publications, and numerous TV series and we arrive at his most recent book – On Eating Meat.  For us as consumers it's easy to turn a blind eye, but Matthew is completely unafraid to take on the biggest players in the food industry about the -  at least concerning  - and sometimes appalling -  practices that bring food to our tables. Nor is he afraid to ask US to examine how we support these practices through our buying and eating power. Recorded at RTRFM Mount Lawley, Western Australia, July 4, 2019 Mixed by Adrian Sardi at Sugarland Studios Music "The Summit" by Blue Dot Sessions from freemusicarchive.org Image: Alan Benson

Professor Nadia Rosenthal has devoted her distinguished career to the understanding of how humans might harness the regenerative powers of some animals, to combat the vagaries of injury and age. Professor Rosenthal's research focuses on the role of growth factors, stem cells and the immune system in repairing injury and her primary focus is on heart muscle. Her book, Heart Development and Regeneration, is upheld as a definitive document in this field. I'm fascinated by the process of ageing, by all aspects of ageing. There are plenty of ways in which we are advised we can slow the process from the comfort of home – for example by fasting, by reducing inflammation … but regenerative medicine takes the notion of reversing damage, of holding back time… to the realm of science fiction. Currently, Professor Rosenthal is the Scientific Director of The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. She also holds a Chair in Cardiovascular Science at Imperial College London. Her PhD is from Harvard Medical School, where she later directed a biomedical research laboratory, then established and headed the Roman campus of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). And then there's an Australian link – Professor Rosenthal is Founding Director of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute at Monash University in Melbourne and founded “EMBL Australia” as its Scientific Head.

Joe Williams would be the first to agree that he won the genetic lottery in a lot of respects. A proud Wiradjuri man, born in Cowra, west of the Blue Mountains in NSW, he was spotted early as a naturally gifted rugby player.  Joe was recruited at thirteen years old and played with the NRLbetween 2004 to 2008.  After switching to boxing in 2009, Joe won two World Boxing Federation World Junior Welterweight titles.  But the biggest challenge for him hasn't been an athletic one – it's been the battle with mental illness, addiction and acquired brain injury. 

When I was looking for inspiration, I came across @lisatamati a genuine legend of the ultra-running scene. Similar age to me, she has run over 140 ultras, over 70,000 kms, all the while battling asthma and back that was broken when she was 21. While she epitomises the gritty competitor, she is also a deeply compassionate, community minded person. Easy going, approachable, never exaggerating or glorifying her achievements. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this conversation (and thanks a million Lisa).  

“I think I knew on some level that I wasn't conventional, that I wasn't an acceptable kind of girl and I worried very much (as a young woman) about how that might affect me…and it took me a very long time to realise that it was a waste of time trying to control how other people responded to me.”   I met Jane Caro at the 2019 Perth Writers Festival just after the publication of “Accidental Feminists” her exploration of the fortunes of a generation of women swept up in the social changes brought about by second wave feminism. For our conversation that day, the room was full to the brim of avidly connected people, mostly women, there to be in the presence of someone whose courage to speak up publicly has given THEM a voice. They were there for the ideas, but moreso for Jane Caro herself.   Curious to hear more about how Jane's work life is built around her strongest convictions, I invited her to speak with me for Rare Air.  In this conversation, among MANY things, Jane discusses the challenges of being an honest woman on social media, the value of “preaching to the converted” and her commitment to using her privilege to be a voice for those less safe to speak up.

It's essential there's mystery around the life of a sex worker. No need to explain why. When a worker and client are in the room together, what transpires can feel deeply positive, therapeutic, even, over time, transformative. But outside the room, that exchange is weighed down by layers of societal judgement that can render it degenerate, immoral and dangerous. New Zealand-born sex worker, now sexual healer EJ Love has recently gone public about her work and is writing a book that she hopes will shift the shame and blame around sex. In this candid interview EJ talks about what led to her being in the industry, her own attitudes to sex and the deeper meaning in her work. Three Gates Media thanks EJ for answering all our sometimes naive and curious questions.   Recorded at RTRFM, Perth Mastered by Adrian Sardi of Sugarland Studios

The word is "repartee". Anglican priest Father Chris Bedding has it by the truckload, yet he's extremely careful to make sure that his significant comedic and improvisational talents are kept out of the Church context. Called to the priesthood while still at school, there's no doubt Chris takes the complex and demanding role as parish priest very seriously. But in the eight years since he arrived in Perth from NSW he has also found a supportive artistic community in which he's been able to develop his other passion - improvisation, comedy and acting. In response to Chris voicing his guilt about making time for this passion, one of his parishioners said " Honestly if we were getting one hundred percent of your creative energy we wouldn't be able to cope! It's good that you have another outlet." With fellow comedian and trainee Uniting Church minister Paul "Werzel" Montague, Chris has developed a comedy act called Pirate Church, which has toured nationally, melding the "inherently hysterical" comedic potential of religion and piracy where nothing is sacred and "progressive leftie hipsters like us" are the first to be pilloried. In this interview Father Chris also reflects on the responsibilities of his role, his commitment to issues of social justice including marriage equality and the current challenges of being a member of the clergy. This interview was recorded in 2016.  Much has happened in Fr Chris's career since then. Recorded at the studios or RTRFM in Perth, Western Australia  

Composer Cat Hope has been described as “a superstar of Australian new music” best known for her graphic scores and new score-reading technologies.   It's fascinating to wonder how the daughter of a military family with no especial leaning towards the arts has ended up being an internationally recognised authority on experimental music. Despite the bass guitar being her first love (instrumentally speaking), Cat Hope began as a flautist - it was the main instrument through which she achieved her undergraduate degree at the University of Western Australia. She has always been a political animal, and described herself in her university days as being, to all intents and purposes -  “a punk”  - studying classical music by day and attending thrash gigs and engaging in active anarchic action by night.   Yet it was at UWA that Cat's ears were first tuned to new (experimental) music, where she realised that classical and new music are not completely separate…that new classical music is often an outcome of new political happenings and that some of it sounded a lot like the punk music she was already listening to. A long time spent in Europe, particularly in the heady days of post Wall Berlin, Cat refined her bass playing, learned how to write a solid pop tune and finally settled back in Perth in 1997, continuing to play and compose in her groundbreaking style here despite the creative brain drain and cultural cringe of the time, forming bands including Gata Negra, Lux Mammoth and Decibel. Two decades later, as an established member of the local, national and international arts community, one (as she says) with “the privilege of a full time job”, Cat Hope has visibly returned to her political roots, taking a stand against the Federal Government's severe funding cuts to the arts and actively promoting women in the new music arena. In 2017 Cat takes up a brilliant new appointment as Head of the Sir Zelman Cowan School of Music at Monash University in Melbourne. Find examples of Cat Hope's music here on her BandCamp page.  Three Gates Media thanks Cat immensely for this conversation. This episode of Rare Air was recorded in 2016 at the studios of RTRFM 92.1 in Mount Lawley, WA Mixed by Adrian Sardi of Sugarland Studios Music "The Summit" by Blue Dot Sessions from freemusicarchive.org

Ever wondered what it means to be Sikh? In Harjit Singh, we couldn't have found a better or more patient explainer. Harjit was a little kid when he came to Australia (Perth) with his family. Growing up there were times when he wondered if it were possible to be an Aussie and Sikh at the same time, for example after 9/11 when people assumed he would be happy about the terrorist attacks in the US because he wears a turban. In his broad Australian accent, he tells how he negotiated those doubts and plenty of other prejudices. Guided by Sikh principles instilled in him by his parents, he set up Turbans and Trust, an organisation that attends public events to tie turbans on those with inquiring minds, while answering every question you've ever had about the religion. This episode of Rare Air will reshape misconceptions in a profoundly positive way. Thanks Harjit for spending the time. This episode of Rare Air was recorded in 2016 at the studios of RTRFM 92.1 in Mount Lawley, WA Mixed by Adrian Sardi of Sugarland Studios Music "The Summit" by Blue Dot Sessions from freemusicarchive.org

There are so many life experiences in the melting pot that makes Aisha Novakovich who she is today. Parents from starkly different backgrounds, losing her Dad very young, being fostered out to numerous homes, and learning to be a Westerner before she learned to be a Muslim. By her early teens Aisha already had a strong sense of social justice and was exploring her faith (and others) very deeply before deciding to take on Islam with absolute conviction. Wearing the full face veil - the niqab - in her teens, she had a poster of Osama bin Laden on her bedroom wall. While her attitude has altered since then she continues to be a vocal spokesperson for young Muslims, sometimes working alongside Member for Cowan, counter terrorism expert, Professor Anne Azza Aly. Experiencing domestic violence in her first marriage has led to Aisha's study of law, which she hopes to use to assist others in the same situation.  In 2016, Aisha experienced public backlash after telling her story to Fairfax newspapers.  It has tempered her voice, but not her energy. Three Gates Media thanks Aisha for sharing some of her story. This episode of Rare Air was recorded at the studios of RTRFM 92.1 in Mount Lawley, WA Mixed by Adrian Sardi of Sugarland Studios Music "The Summit" by Blue Dot Sessions from freemusicarchive.org

"It hits you in a spot where it makes you feel that no-one values Indigenous people.  We've done nothing wrong.  I come from a proud generation of Yindjibarndi people."   This is the second part of our interview with Michael Woodley, CEO of the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation.  Michael describes how, aged in his twenties, supporting a young family and working his way up the ranks at Hamersley Iron (a great story in itself), his grandfather, Woodley King, came to him and asked him to come home to Roebourne.  To lead the Yindjibarndi community.  Michael's priorities were clear - he was required to serve his community - he didn't give it a second thought. Like all leadership changes, it wasn't all smooth sailing, but Michael was clear on his Grandfather's goals for the community and set about the ground work to achieving them. In Part 2, Michael returns to the conversation about the unresolved native title dealings with mining company Fortescue Metals Group ( FMG), reflects positively on how well his community represented themselves at a recent Federal Court hearing, and on how the legal process has impacted his sense of worth as an Indigenous man. The traditional singing is Michael Woodley himself, recorded at the Woodbrook Law Camp near Roebourne, October 24 2015.  Cicadas recorded by the roadside. Three Gates Media thanks Michael Woodley for this interview.

Nick Lawrence is a remarkable human being. Dealing with gender dysphoria made life difficult enough, from refusal to wear girly clothes as a very young child to coming out as lesbian as a teenager, Nick was approaching 30 before he decided to take the plunge and take steps to transition. On top of that, based on his loneliness and lack of community connection and access to advice during this period Nick set up Transmen of WA. Now he spends more time on being available to trans people and their families than he does on his full time job. Three Gates Media thanks Nick immensely for his candour and generosity in this interview.

“Until we know no more Yindjibarndi are coming, we've got no right to give this country away.” Michael Woodley, Bidarra law carrier, CEO Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation As a journalist and sometimes just as a human being, I have followed the story of the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group in their native title negotiations, since 2011. In late October 2015 I finally went to this place I'd been talking about for years with my Three Gates Media colleague Marnie Richardson.  We stood at the top of Mt Welcome in Roebourne, in 40 plus degree heat and looked in all directions. Across the Harding River, we saw the place where the Yindjibarndi first camped in the 1930's when they were herded off their land (situated south of here)…the bleak cemetery carpeted with red dust, the Fifty Cent Hall, scene of numerous native title meetings, the disused Victoria Hotel outside which sixteen year old John Pat was bashed to death in 1983 sparking the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody. Roebourne is far from a tourist destination. The weekend we arrive it's almost deserted due to sorry business.  It's a town battered by many demons delivered by white fellas.  But the commitment to keeping culture and making change for the better has a vibrant beating heart. The first time I interviewed Michael Woodley, I'd had to draw myself a picture to understand the complicated situation that had arisen. THIS interview is primarily a chance to meet Michael Woodley himself.  But to understand the man, you have to understand the struggle. In the first half of our conversation Michael gives a simple explanation of how negotiations went sour, talks about his grandfathers, including Ned Cheedy who, aged 104,  stood up and spoke in angry defiance at a Native Title meeting in March 2011… and about the irrevocable changes brought to a culture tens of thousands of years old, when white fellas came to mine their land. Three Gates Media thanks Michael Woodley for sharing his story. Traditional song performed by Michael Woodley.   Recorded by Meri Fatin at Woodbrook Law Camp.  October 2015 Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût

Religious vocation isn't commonly discussed anymore, so it's hard to get a sense of how prevalent the calling is.  When we think of vocation, it's often the image of a nun or priest in robes that springs to mind.   Major Margaret MacDonald's story is a modern story of vocation, of giving one's life to God's work by rolling up sleeves and getting amongst the marginalized in the community.  That's the Salvation Army way. She grew up in a Salvationist family in Wales, who came to Australia as Ten Pound Poms, finding their feet in the Salvationist community in Bunbury.  Margaret first felt the calling to the ministry as a teenager and was champing at the bit to get started, but was strongly encouraged to continue her education, which she did.  She finished a DipEd and began a teaching career, which she found so rewarding it threatened to derail her earlier plans. But when she and her husband Alan took stock, in the early years of their marriage and careers, they realized they could no longer ignore the powerful call to the ministry, so they headed to training college for two years and then into the community to do God's work. What does that mean for a Salvationist?   Assisting people at a grassroots level in their community in so many ways, intervening in domestic violence situations, offering help and advice when money is tight,  even providing food and shelter in your own home.  As Margaret puts it, it's “to be God in that community”. Margaret and Alan have faced some enormous hurdles, some of the placements they were given by the Salvation Army were truly challenging, especially raising three boys at the same time. Sincere thanks to Margaret MacDonald, to her family and to the Salvation Army Floreat Corps for their generous help in bringing this story to life.

“When I say I've been sober for 21 years, I mean entirely sober. I stopped smoking, I stopped drinking, I stopped drugs I stopped everything. I haven't had a cup of tea. I stopped every single stimulant and thing that could in any way alter my behaviour. I am that kind of person. I'm an all or nothing person. I was ALL. I was a polyglot user of anything I could get hold of, in any amount I could and then I stopped.” In the second part of this conversation with poet, vegan, anarchist and pacifist John Kinsella he speaks of personal redemption and his daily efforts towards the ‘secular ascension' noted in his work by American literary critic and Yale academic Harold Bloom. Sincere thanks to John Kinsella for agreeing to this interview. "We are poised before...what I prophesy will be a major art." Harold Bloom, on John Kinsella's Peripheral Light: Selected and New Poems Published July 2005

“When I was 18 and roused up and passionate I probably wanted to pull the pillars of the world down. I certainly have learned over a lifetime that the most effective way of bringing change is to show that there are other ways of doing things better and more humanely.” Trawling the internet doesn't reveal as much as you'd expect about poet John Kinsella. As a Neo Luddite - a term he coined – he's probably quite happy about that. Not finding much on the internet doesn't mean there's not much to be said – quite the contrary, but the bulk of the speaking is done prolifically through his writing (more than 30 volumes so far) and in the blog he shares with his wife of 22 years, Tracy Ryan, called Mutually Said: Poets Vegan Anarchist Pacifist. A conversation with John Kinsella, will naturally turn to the ethics of a range of big picture issues: identity, indigenous rights, farming, capitalism, our food and transportation. But also, in this conversation , which is divided into two parts, Kinsella speaks about his earlier life, grappling with drug and alcohol addiction, the turning point and the quest for secular virtue he pursues daily.  Sincere thanks to John Kinsella for agreeing to this interview. Recorded at the studios of RTRFM, Beaufort St, Mt Lawley, Western Australia Mixed by Adrian Sardi - The Vault audio post production Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût Production Music Ambient M by Antony Raijekov ( Free Music Archive)

“We all had nicknames and because I knew a little bit more than the rest of the guys they said you better be The General…and when I went to Jamaica in ‘84 I met Mortimo Planno who was a very important Rastafari and introduced myself as The General and  he said 'You should be the General for Justice' … so from ‘84 onwards its been General Justice."   He might be best known as the cool dreadlocked DJ and reggae event promoter around Perth but at his heart, General Justice is a loving and committed family man.   Married to DJ Mumma Trees, he has six daughters, his mum, grandkids and extended family around him and he never fails to acknowledge them.   His early life in Chapeltown Leeds was disrupted when his Dad was diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to the Isle of Man for several years to recover.  General went to live with his grandparents and ended up speaking Spanish better than English for a time!   An epic world trip with his friend Dick ultimately led him to Perth and although he returned to the UK for a couple of years, he's based himself in Perth since the early 70's.   It was here in Perth that the great man himself, Bob Marley once exchanged a few words with The General that literally changed his life forever. And the rest is history. Three Gates Media thanks General Justice for sharing his story. Recorded at the RTRFM Studios, Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley Western Australia. Mixed by Adrian Sardi - The Vault Audio Post Production Theme Music: Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût Production music:  Dangerous Times ( and Version) by Dudley Green, Mr General and Mr Chemist I Am Who I Am ( Version) by Freedom Masses

As a young boy growing up in Vancouver, Canada, Tina Ross had one big wish.  To be a girl. She had no way of explaining why she felt different.  But those differences made her withdrawn and anti-social because she could never “be herself”.   A letter wrongly addressed to “Tina Ross” was to give the young boy a name, when finally, decades later living in Perth, Western Australia she was able to make her wish come true. I met Tina when she was asked to join in a panel discussion for media about reporting transgender.  The panel was convened in the wake of former Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner's gender reassignment and coming out as Caitlyn Jenner. Although Tina's transition happened quite smoothly, thanks to an accepting family back in Canada and having a good job to pay the bills, she is very aware of the pitfalls of life as a transgender person. Two years after gender reassignment surgery in Thailand, she brims with such enthusiasm for her new life as Tina, the friends, the fun, the sense of finally being able to be “herself” full-time. AND she is getting comfortable with the idea that she has an advocacy role to play within the community. Three Gates Media thanks Tina so much for sharing her story. Tina has requested the use of the female pronoun throughout this piece. Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût Production music You Are Truth from “Convalesence” by Anima ( Free Music Archive) Recorded at the studios of RTRFM, Beaufort St, Mt Lawley Western Australia 

"We said it would be really nice if the first tissue-engineered sculptures to be presented within a cultural context would be a something like a worry doll because it would express our anxieties and worries and the fact that it's not that simple." Hidden away in the School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology at the University of Western Australia, is SymbioticA. It's a place where art is created - using living materials and scientific techniques - to make us think about what is happening in the world of biotechnology. Make no mistake, it IS as unique and unusual as it sounds. It's founders, Oron Catts and Dr Ionat Zurr are celebrated around the world for their pioneering works, including making the first piece of in-vitro meat and the victimless leather jacket which had to "die" spectacularly in the Museum of Modern Art on New York where it made it's debut.

“I'm sick and tired of the things you never get tired of…so that's why I decorate my house the way I do”     Every community has characters.  Evi Ferrier is one of Perth's.   Her home, in the swanky suburb of Mosman, is mosaicked from top to bottom  - a riot of eye-catching  colour in a sea of boring good taste.  Her free spirit and sense of fun pervades everything she does and she's a strong supporter of the arts as well as being an artist herself. Although she'd shown aptitude for art at school, it wasn't until she was married with children that Evi attended the Claremont School of Art and fell in love with mosaicking.    In a sense, it was borne of Evi's loathing of waste, that her childrens' craft activities as well as broken crockery and mirrors were not destined for the rubbish bin, but for adorning her home.  For Evi, the mosaicking is her “gardening” and even now she'd been in that house for 30 years , there's an ongoing project.   Recently her bowerbird tendencies prompted a “sculpture park” on an empty block across the road from her home – an open “house” with rooms and furniture that grew up out of  junk left out for roadside collection. The whole community got involved in the fun and when it was time to end it – she held a party there.   Friends say she's the best kind of friend herself, generous and caring, and this sense of community extends to volunteer work.  Evi has volunteered in Africa three times inspired by Gemma Sisia, the Australian woman who has set up the School of St Jude in Tanzania and Evi has also helped with children with eating disorders at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and with disabled children at Rocky Bay.     Now in her early 70's Evi energetically pursues numerous interests ranging from dragon boating to knitting to tap dancing and continues to delight all who come across her.   Thanks a million to Evi for sharing some of her stories with us and allowing us to photograph her delightful home. Recorded at Evi Ferrier's home in Mosman, Western Australia Mixed by Adrian Sardi Rare Air podcast © Meri Fatin Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût Production music Another Day by Ketsa ( Free Music Archive)

"My father lived and breathed soldiering... and he didn't want me to be in the Army. But he signed the paper... and away I went on a career I've loved." Mick Malone's 27-year career in the Australian Defence Force was mostly spent in the SAS, including a twelve month tour of duty in Vietnam. His passion for military books was ignited by the reading required of those in the regiment. For over 25 years he's been running Imprimatur Books, specialising in old and rare military books, including the highly sought-after unit histories. He's about to publish a biography of SAS hero Ray Simpson VC and has written other publications about the Special Air Services Regiment. Mick served in the SAS from 1967 to 1992 from Trooper to Captain and was posted to the Royal Military College Duntroon and to RSM of 1st Commando Regiment among his appointments. He was awarded OAM ( Medal of the Order of Australia) in 1989. Recorded in the RTRFM Studios, Beaufort St, Mt Lawley, WA Mixed by Adrian Sardi ( The Vault Audio Post Production) Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût Production music Here at Last - Andrew Seistrup ( Free Music Archive) Rare Air podcast © Meri Fatin Photo by Meri Fatin

It was arguably THE GUT that brought Dr Michael Mosley his earliest public recognition. His 1994 documentary on the work of West Australian researchers Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren brought nominations for an Emmy, A BAFTA and also brought a LOT of mail. The experience marked the realization that Hippocrates was on to something 2500 years ago when he said “All disease begins in the gut” Dr Mosley has made countless documentaries since, often experimenting on himself. He's ALSO authored several books including the 5:2 Diet, the eight week blood sugar diet and the Clever Guts diet….which have gleaned the best advice he's gathered on how to prolong good health. It was a privilege to host Dr Mosley at the Sugarland Studio in Perth Western Australia during his recent Australian Tour. Music: The Summit by Blue Dot Sessions sourced via freemusicarchive.org

It was arguably THE GUT that brought Dr Michael Mosley his earliest public recognition. His 1994 documentary on the work of West Australian researchers Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren brought nominations for an Emmy, A BAFTA and also brought a LOT of mail. The experience marked the realization that Hippocrates was on to something 2500 years ago when he said “All disease begins in the gut” Dr Mosley has made countless documentaries since, often experimenting on himself. He’s ALSO authored several books including the 5:2 Diet, the eight week blood sugar diet and the Clever Guts diet….which have gleaned the best advice he’s gathered on how to prolong good health. It was a privilege to be able to host Dr Mosley at the Sugarland Studios in Perth during his June 2018 tour.

"I didn't learn that people didn't have the same visions as me until later in life" Although Rebecca Millman was used to the powerful intuition of her family members, she didn't accept or hone her abilities as a psychic medium until she was well into her 20's. There were plenty of experiences, including having objects thrown at her when she was alone at home which scared her so much she slept in the car outside. But in this conversation,  Rebecca makes her gift seem surprisingly normal.   Recorded at the RTRFM studios, Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley Mixed by Adrian Sardi ( Sugarland Audio Post Production) Picture by Marnie Richardson Rare Air podcast © Meri Fatin Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût Production music "Goth Gap Year" by Ant Gray

“I'd sit by myself in the middle of the lawn being very sad that it was me. But very thankful it hadn't happened to someone I knew.” Symon Still was a born athlete. He moved just because he could. Growing up in a family that was always doing some form of sport, it was natural he would fill many hours of the day trying to improve his fitness and skill. His ambition was clear and he achieved it - becoming a physical education ( and maths) teacher - where daily immersion in his favourite past-time was coupled with the fun of coaching and interacting with kids. Then a distracted driver changed Symon's life forever. But as you'll hear, despite the chronic health issues. pain and emotional challenge of life as a paraplegic, Symon's resilient character remains a powerful life force. NOTE:  Symon Still died at home in Western Australia on January 9, 2022.  His legacy will never be forgotten. This podcast was mixed by Adrian Sardi (Sugarland audio post production) Photo by Meri Fatin Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Françoiz Breût Ketsa - Another Day - Goodnight Sunlight freemusicarchive.org Production music La Bon - Man from freemusicarchive.org  

"People really don't understand how poorly chemicals are regulated in Australia and how poorly risk is managed." Jane Bremmer was mother to a small baby when she and her partner Lee Bell moved into their first home in the Perth foothills. It wasn't long before they discovered they were living opposite a massive open toxic pit of petroleum waste, which they believed had been causing significant health issues in the community for many years. That discovery was the catalyst for two decades of committed campaigning and community education, making Bremmer and Bell highly regarded consultants for international NGOs. Jane talks about the highs and lows of her life as a campaigner from the introduction of Contaminated Sites laws in Western Australia to hate mail and death threats. Jane says the life of an activist is high energy but it can be demoralising when you cant break through to the people who can do something about it. Thanks to Jane Bremmer for being part of Rare Air. This podcast was mixed by Adrian Sardi ( Sugarland audio post production) Photo by Marnie Richardson.

"There is no hope - you don't see anything that indicates your life will change." Joe Tuazama reflects on his seven years in a refugee camp in Guinea, where every day the main goal was to find enough to eat. First his family fled Liberia to Ivory Coast. But Ivory Coast was terrible in it's own way, so the family headed to refugee camps in Guinea, becoming separated in the process. Seven years in the hell and hopelessness of that environment did not dampen Joe's spirit, and when he finally made it to Australia he made the best of his opportunities. Having already taken up major responsibilities within his family, he expanded that to his community, initiating many activities focussed on the needs of young people and developing a positive relationship with police. Joe Tuazama is President of the Organisation of African Communities of Western Australia. Mixed by Adrian Sardi ( Sugarland audio post production) Photo by Meri Fatin Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Francoiz Breut Bella Mondo Africa - Revolution Blé Marius - Kouli feat Le Super Wassiato RareAir podcast © Meri Fatin

I got a small piece of paper with a bullet telling me 'you have to leave, otherwise this will be it for you'. Doctor Eman Ahmad had been practising medicine in her home city of Basra in Southern Iraq for twenty years, but over time civil unrest and international attacks meant bombing and assassinations became part of daily life. She was given the opportunity by the AMA (Australian Medical Association) to apply to practice in Australia and ultimately take up permanent residency. But it wasn't an easy journey. In this episode of Rare Air, Eman gives an insight into life as an Iraqi during the fall of Saddam's regime and the joys and challenges of a new life in Australia. Mixed and Mastered by Adrian Sardi ( Sugarland audio post production) Photo by Marnie Richardson @threegates

A career in the world of Indigenous art is a natural fit for Wardandi woman Clothilde Bullen, who has a number of acclaimed artists in her family. For ten years she was the curator of Indigenous art at the Art Gallery of Western Australia ( AGWA) and her depth of understanding about the potential positive impact of art to communities is second to none. That's compounded by being the daughter of two generations of Stolen Children. After life-changing leadership development, in 2015 Clo left the safety of full-time work to undertake study for a Masters and PhD with plans to clear the path for many other indigenous people to become curators. In early 2017 she moved her family to Sydney to take up the role of Curator, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Collections & Exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art. 

Militant activists don't often have fans in the media and general public with many having no time for their "lawlessness". In episode two of the Rare Air podcast, militant activist Simon Peterffy, who heads up the Forest Rescue group in WA, highlights his profound fears for the health of the planet. He has no time for petitions and cake stalls - he is compelled to get in there and physically stop the destruction. Simon was one of the three activists who jumped on board the Japanese whaler Shonan Maru 2 in January 2012 and were detained for over a week before being handed back to Australian authorities. And as you'll hear, its not the only time he's put his life on the line for the sake of the planet. Thanks to Simon for being so generous with his story. Mixed by Adrian Sardi ( The Vault audio post production) Photo courtesy of Simon Peterffy Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Francoiz Breut

The story has a fairytale quality. Tina Harrod grew up in a tiny NZ town and arrived in Sydney aged 17 with a suitcase, a few hundred dollars and one incredible voice. That voice has been the ticket to a wonderful and profound life experience, in which she has discovered her true gift as a songwriter with encouragement and mentoring from her "university" - revered jazz maestro, the late Jackie Orszaczky. This conversation with Tina Harrod is the first in the Rare Air podcast series. As well as being a critically acclaimed jazz singer, Tina has sung with some of the best known names on the Australian rock scene. Thanks to Tina Harrod for agreeing to be the first interview for this series. The name Rare Air was chosen because these are lesser known stories (and sometimes unknown stories) of humanity, endeavour and passion, told for the first time. Mixed by Adrian Sardi ( Sugarland audio post production) Music The Revolution is Eternal by Tina Harrod from the album The Revolution is Eternal Theme music Les Jeunes Pousses by Francoiz Breut Photo courtesy of Tina Harrod Rare Air podcast © Meri Fatin

Just found this conversation recorded live on RTRFM in 2010 ( the actual interview starts at 3'11). I can't believe myself - what drug was I on?

It's essential that's there's mystery around the life of a sex worker. When a worker and client are in the room together, what goes on can feel deeply positive, therapeutic, possibly transformative. But outside the room, that exchange is weighed down by layers of societal judgement that can render it degenerate, immoral and dangerous. New Zealand-born sex worker, now sexual healer EJ Love has recently gone public about her work and is writing a book that she hopes will shift the shame and blame around sex. In this candid interview EJ talks about what led to her being in the industry, her own attitudes to sex and the deeper meaning in her work. Three Gates Media thanks EJ for answering all the dumb and curious questions.

The word is "repartee". Anglican priest Father Chris Bedding has it by the truckload, yet he's extremely careful to make sure that his significant comedic and improvisational talents are kept out of the Church context. Called to the priesthood while still at school, there's no doubt Chris takes the complex and demanding role as parish priest very seriously. But in the eight years since he arrived in Perth from NSW he has also found a supportive artistic community in which he's been able to develop his other passion - improvisation, comedy and acting. In response to Chris voicing his guilt about making time for this passion, one of his parishioners said " Honestly if we were getting one hundred percent of your creative energy we wouldn't be able to cope! It's good that you have another outlet." With fellow comedian and trainee Uniting Church minister Paul "Werzel" Montague, Chris has developed a comedy act called Pirate Church, which has toured nationally, melding the "inherently hysterical" comedic potential of religion and piracy where nothing is sacred and "progressive leftie hipsters like us" are the first to be pilloried. In this interview Father Chris also reflects on the responsibilities of his role, his commitment to issues of social justice and the current challenges of being a member of the clergy. Three Gates Media thanks him for making time to record this interview in his genuinely hectic schedule.

Composer Cat Hope has been described as “a superstar of Australian new music” best known for her graphic scores and new score-reading technologies. It’s fascinating to wonder how the daughter of a military family with no especial leaning towards the arts has ended up being an internationally recognised authority on experimental music. Despite the bass guitar being her first love (instrumentally speaking), Cat Hope began as a flautist - it was the main instrument through which she achieved her undergraduate degree at the University of Western Australia. She has always been a political animal, and described herself in her university days as being, to all intents and purposes - “a punk” - studying classical music by day and attending thrash gigs and engaging in active anarchic action by night. Yet it was at UWA that Cat's ears were first tuned to new (experimental) music, where she realised that classical and new music are not completely separate…that new classical music is often an outcome of new political happenings and that some of it sounded a lot like the punk music she was already listening to. A long time spent in Europe, particularly in the heady days of post Wall Berlin, Cat refined her bass playing, learned how to write a solid pop tune and finally settled back in Perth in 1997, continuing to play and compose in her groundbreaking style here despite the creative brain drain and cultural cringe of the time. Two decades later, as an established member of the local, national and international arts community, one (as she says) with “the privilege of a full time job”, Cat Hope has visibly returned to her political roots, taking a stand against the Federal Government’s severe funding cuts to the arts and actively promoting women in the new music arena. Three Gates Media thanks Cat Hope for sharing some of her story.

There are so many life experiences in the melting pot that makes Aisha Novakovich who she is today. Parents from starkly different backgrounds, losing her Dad very young, being fostered out to numerous homes, and learning to be a Westerner before she learned to be a Muslim. By her early teens Aisha already had a strong sense of social justice and was exploring her faith (and others) very deeply before deciding to take on Islam with absolute conviction. Since then she's been a vocal spokesperson for young Muslims. Experiencing domestic violence in her first marriage has led to her study of law, which she hopes to use to assist others in the same situation. Three Gates Media thanks Aisha for sharing some of her story.

Nick Lawrence is a remarkable human being. Dealing with gender dysphoria made life difficult enough, from refusal to wear girly clothes as a very young child to coming out as lesbian as a teenager, Nick was approaching 30 before he decided to take the plunge and take steps to transition. On top of that, based on his loneliness and lack of community connection and access to advice during this period Nick set up Transmen of WA. Now he spends more time on being available to trans people and their families than he does on his full time job. Three Gates Media thanks Nick immensely for his candour and generosity in this interview.

Ever wondered what it means to be Sikh? In Harjit Singh, we couldn't have found a better or more patient explainer. Harjit was a little kid when he came to Australia (Perth) with his family. Growing up there were times when he wondered if it were possible to be an Aussie and Sikh at the same time, for example after 9/11 when people assumed he would be happy about the terrorist attacks in the US because he wears a turban. In his broad Australian accent, he tells how he negotiated those doubts and plenty of other prejudices. Guided by Sikh principles instilled in him by his parents, he set up Turbans and Trust, an organisation that attends public events to tie turbans on those with inquiring minds, while answering every question you've ever had about the religion. This episode of Rare Air will reshape misconceptions in a profoundly positive way. Thanks Harjit for spending the time.

This is the second part of our interview with Michael Woodley, CEO of the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation. Michael describes how, aged in his twenties, supporting a young family and working his way up the ranks at Hamersley Iron (a great story in itself), his grandfather, Woodley King, came to him and asked him to come home to Roebourne. To lead the Yindjibarndi community. Michael's priorities were clear - he was required to serve his community - he didn't give it a second thought. Like all leadership changes, it wasn’t all smooth sailing, but Michael was clear on his Grandfather’s goals for the community and set about the ground work to achieving them. In Part 2, Michael returns to the conversation about the unresolved native title dealings with mining company Fortescue Metals Group ( FMG), reflects positively on how well his community represented themselves at a recent Federal Court hearing, and on how the legal process has impacted his sense of worth as an Indigenous man. The traditional singing is Michael Woodley himself, recorded at the Woodbridge Law Camp near Roebourne, October 24 2015. Cicadas recorded by the roadside. Three Gates Media thanks Michael Woodley for this interview.

“Until we know no more Yindjibarndi are coming, we’ve got no right to give this country away.” Michael Woodley, Bidarra law carrier, CEO Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation As a human being and sometimes as a journalist, I have followed the story of the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group in their native title negotiations, since 2011. In late October 2015 I finally went to this place I’d been talking about for years with my Three Gates Media colleague Marnie Richardson. We stood at the top of Mt Welcome in Roebourne, in 40 plus degree heat and looked in all directions. Across the Harding River, we saw the place where the Yindjibarndi first camped in the 1930’s when they were herded off their land (situated south of here)…the bleak cemetery carpeted with red dust, the Fifty Cent Hall, scene of numerous native title meetings, the disused Victoria Hotel outside which sixteen year old John Pat was bashed to death in 1983 sparking the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody. Roebourne is far from a tourist destination. The weekend we arrive it’s almost deserted due to sorry business. It’s a town battered by many demons delivered by white fellas. But the commitment to keeping culture and making change for the better has a vibrant beating heart. The first time I interviewed Michael Woodley, I’d had to draw myself a picture to understand the complicated situation that had arisen. THIS interview is primarily a chance to meet Michael Woodley himself. But to understand the man, you have to understand the struggle. In the first half of our conversation Michael gives a simple explanation of how negotiations went sour, talks about his grandfathers, including Ned Cheedy who, aged 104, stood up and spoke in angry defiance at a Native Title meeting in March 2011… and about the irrevocable changes brought to a culture tens of thousands of years old, when white fellas came to mine their land. Three Gates Media thanks Michael Woodley for sharing his story.

Religious vocation isn’t commonly discussed anymore, so it’s hard to get a sense of how prevalent the calling is. When we think of vocation, it’s often the image of a nun or priest in robes that springs to mind. Major Margaret MacDonald’s story is a modern story of vocation, of giving one’s life to God’s work by rolling up sleeves and getting amongst the marginalized in the community. That’s the Salvation Army way. She grew up in a Salvationist family in Wales, who came to Australia as Ten Pound Poms, finding their feet in the Salvationist community in Bunbury. Margaret first felt the calling to the ministry as a teenager and was champing at the bit to get started, but was strongly encouraged to continue her education, which she did. She finished a DipEd and began a teaching career, which she found so rewarding it threatened to derail her earlier plans. But when she and her husband Alan took stock, in the early years of their marriage and careers, they realized they could no longer ignore the powerful call to the ministry, so they headed to training college for two years and then into the community to do God’s work. What does that mean for a Salvationist? Assisting people at a grassroots level in their community in so many ways, intervening in domestic violence situations, offering help and advice when money is tight, even providing food and shelter in your own home. As Margaret puts it, it’s “to be God in that community”. Margaret and Alan have faced some enormous hurdles, some of the placements they were given by the Salvation Army were truly challenging, especially raising three boys at the same time. Sincere thanks to Margaret MacDonald, to her family and to the Salvation Army Floreat Corps for their generous help in bringing this story to life.

“When I say I’ve been sober for 21 years, I mean entirely sober. I stopped smoking, I stopped drinking, I stopped drugs I stopped everything. I haven’t had a cup of tea. I stopped every single stimulant and thing that could in any way alter my behaviour. I am that kind of person. I’m an all or nothing person. I was ALL. I was a polyglot user of anything I could get hold of, in any amount I could and then I stopped.” In the second part of this conversation with poet, vegan, anarchist and pacifist John Kinsella he speaks of personal redemption and his daily efforts towards the ‘secular ascension’ noted in his work by American literary critic and Yale academic Harold Bloom. Sincere thanks to John Kinsella for agreeing to this interview. "We are poised before...what I prophesy will be a major art." Harold Bloom, on John Kinsella’s Peripheral Light: Selected and New Poems Published July 2005