The Lever

We're very lucky to have one of Luke's true broadcasting gurus Judy Shelley, stop by for an epic conversation about controversial disqualified knowledges that emerge in chaotic times, under appropriately wild conditions in Melbourne's southern suburbs. Find out how things are just as wild up in the Byron Shire! While these knowledges may be judged on their respective merits, find out how every moment is an opportunity to become more unified, to protect and stand beside people we never quite understand for a more just world, or even a world we can bear to survive in. Judy is a veteran broadcaster with her flagship show "Multicultural Nation" a mainstay on the Byron Shire's Bay FM 99.9. Wherever you reside, be part of a community interested in diversity, justice and unique storytelling at Multicultural Nation's facebook page here. If you can forgive the poor sound quality for this episode, this is an instant classic that we'll revisit in future episodes. Tell us where the conversation needs to go next by emailing us at theleverpodcast@gmail.com. Leave your thoughts and feedback, and we'll discuss it on the next show. Subscribe and leave a review at the Apple Store, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, Listen Notes, Deezer, and  http://www.facebook.com/dysatisfunctional. Follow UnreasonabLuke and if you want to support progressive Australian independent media, visit Luke's Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/join/lukestickels.

Melanie leads an all-star team with Zya, Erin and Kate through some of the big risks and norms they've grappled with as women over the years. Tune in to hear how many different ways life can be done when it comes to adventure, bold choices, observing and responding to traditions over work and family, and driving one's own sexuality. A bit of a successor episode to our previous "Unlearning Monogamy" episode. Same deal each week: talking lite around the serious stuff, and talking seriously around the lite stuff. Tell us where the conversation needs to go next by emailing us at theleverpodcast@gmail.com. Leave your thoughts and feedback, and we'll discuss it on the next show. Subscribe and leave a review at the Apple Store, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, Listen Notes, Deezer, and  http://www.facebook.com/dysatisfunctional. Follow Luke at https://twitter.com/UnreasonabLuke and if you want to support progressive Australian independent media, Luke's Patreon page is here: https://www.patreon.com/join/lukestickels. If you want to find out more about Kate, get at her here: kateelliscoaching.com and @listening_room.  

As Melbournites head into ever more strenuous lockdown conditions, Luke, Melanie and new guest Leila share what's keeping them happy, healthy and hopeful. They survey the scene locally, nationally and internationally, then get into what's working for themselves and their communities, including quotes to inspire and their "desert island discs". A sister episode to Luke and Nick's first episode of the season, revisiting policy, welfare and the arts. Luke references the amazing Indigenous land rights campaigns discussed during RMIT's "Activism at the Margins" conference from February 2020, which you can view on the Youtube channel here. Tell us where the conversation needs to go next by emailing us at theleverpodcast@gmail.com. Leave your thoughts and feedback, and we'll discuss it on the next show. Subscribe and leave a review at the Apple Store, Spotify and http://www.facebook.com/dysatisfunctional. Follow Luke at https://twitter.com/UnreasonabLuke and if you want to support independent media and culture in Australia, Luke's Patreon page is here: https://www.patreon.com/join/lukestickels. If you're new to the podcast, check out the backlist: start at Poo Jogger and keep going! Luke is still shocked they're as good as they are.

This week Luke is lucky to be joined by Season 1 OG Melanie, and fresh design thinking from Corrie. Both bring their hearts and brains to a conversation about unlearning monogamy, challenging social assumptions and bad habits passed onto us, as we figure out how to have the best relationships and lives possible. We bring our characteristic levity, cheeky analysis, and depth to a topic that can't possibly be summed up in one go. This is definitely a unique conversation that doesn't exist anywhere else on your podcast playlist. Tell us where the conversation needs to go next by emailing us at theleverpodcast@gmail.com. Leave your thoughts and feedback, and we'll discuss it on the next show. Subscribe and leave a review at the Apple Store, Spotify and http://www.facebook.com/dysatisfunctional. Follow Luke at https://twitter.com/UnreasonabLuke and https://www.patreon.com/join/lukestickels. If you're new to the show, Season 1 had no right to be as good as it was, so check it out, tell your friends. ;] 

The Lever is back for Season 2! This week we're joined by Season 1 OG: musician, creator and educator Nick, who joins Luke to discuss the plight of musicians and artists in the global Corona shutdown, heterodox responses from unexpected quarters of the Anglosphere, and the potential for a "great unmasking" that exposes the national media, politicians, our own bad votes, and how we sure love the arts but prefer not to pay for it. UBI, the neo-liberal bipartisan consensus, welfare, work and creativity are all up for grabs within. Email us at theleverpodcast@gmail.com with your thoughts and feedback, and we'll discuss it on the next show. Subscribe and leave a review at the Apple Store, Spotify and http://www.facebook.com/dysatisfunctional. Follow Luke at https://twitter.com/UnreasonabLuke and https://www.patreon.com/join/lukestickels. If you're new to the show, Season 1 had no right to be as good as it was, so check it out, tell your friends.

After a Dysatisfunctional Summer hiatus, The Lever is back for a Season 1 Finale! Original thought leader, creative and your spiritual better, Manushka, joins Luke as he tries to say the whole thing was her idea. If creative projects, unwanted birthdays, awkward family and friendship moments are things in your life, this is the episode for you. Email us at theleverpodcast@gmail.com with thoughts and feedback about what Manushka should come back to weigh in on next. Do you prefer the 1:1 interview, or the group vibe? Let us know at http://www.facebook.com/dysatisfunctional . New season starting in the 2nd half of 2019! Stick around ;]

Aaaaand, we're BACK. In this new episode, Ben takes us down the Roman roads of Western civilisation, via The Ramsay Centre's inability to find a host university. We explore how progressives are riddled with contradiction, and how Tony Abbott is personally responsible for the awkward position this Course of Western Civilisation finds itself in. This visual diary was too busy for a cover image, but we very much wanted to share it with you. Email us at theleverpodcast@gmail.com with thoughts and feedback, or nominate our next urgent topic.  

This week Caitlin, David and Luke take a look at the byelections happening around Australia in July and try to figure out just what the heck is going on. We pride ourselves on being able to make any side of politics discomforted, so if you're offended, you might just be in terrible company! Journos and moderate centrists might cop more of a shellacking than anyone this hour. Listeners have commended the quality of talent and wit each week. If you like what we're putting together here, go recommend us to your weird friend, family member, work colleague or prison penpal! Follow our Facebook page at fb.com/dysatisfunctional, find our blog at dysatisfunctional.com, and Subscribe to our Youtube channel at Dysatisfunctional TV. At 100 subscribers we get a custom slug! (Eww) Hit that Subscribe button so you can tell your friends you got in on the ground floor. Thanks for joining us on this merciless quest for the truth of our strange lives together. The Lever is produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, and Woi Wurrung people, of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to elders and families, past, present and future. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded, and that Australia is the only Commonwealth country that does not have a treaty with its Indigenous peoples.

Trigger warning: sexual harassment of a child. Our third episode of The Lever is an interview between Luke and his 9-year-old family member, about a fellow 9-year-old's ongoing sexual harassment against her, and the rippling effect of its mishandling over 2 years by the school. It follows up from last week's exploration of men's violence against women, with a different view and approach that is entirely complementary and will absolutely sit you on your butt. The story is as warm as it is sobering, intelligent as it is chilling, and a striking insight into a child's capacity to demand truth and justice from the adults who have so much say over her life. We hope you're as struck by what she has to share as Luke was. Follow our Facebook page at fb.com/dysatisfunctional, read the blog at dysatisfunctional.com, and Subscribe to our Youtube channel at Dysatisfunctional TV. At 100 subscribers we get a custom domain! Hit that Subscribe button so you can tell your friends you got in on the ground floor. Thanks for joining us on this merciless quest for the truth of our strange lives together. The Lever is produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, and Woi Wurrung people, of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to elders and families, past, present and future. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded, and that Australia is the only Commonwealth country that does not have a treaty with its Indigenous peoples. LIFELINE: 13 11 14    KIDS HELPLINE: 1800 55 1800  

Our second episode of The Lever does what it says on the tin. Trigger warning: violence against women, sexual assault and murder, men being different varieties and combinations of ignorant and/or well-meaning. We're very lucky to have Melanie back from last week being more fair than we really deserve, Kat dropping truthpearl bombs, Ben turning the moment around to see how it's made, and myself trying not to be too much of a brocialist. Follow our Facebook page at fb.com/dysatisfunctional, read the blog at dysatisfunctional.com, and Subscribe to our Youtube channel at Dysatisfunctional TV. Our sketch comedy satire of the Equal Marriage vote is up there so check it out. At 100 subscribers we get a custom domain! Hit that Subscribe button so you can tell your friends you got in on the ground floor. Thanks for joining us on this merciless quest for the truth of our strange lives together. The Lever is produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, and Woi Wurrung people, of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to elders and families, past and present. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded, and that Australia is the only Commonwealth country that does not have a treaty with its Indigenous peoples.

Our first episode of The Lever! The skills, tech and people have aligned, and we couldn't be happier to share it with you. Join Luke, Melanie, Nick and Tom for a fairly epic exploration of some symbolic shit going on, and we mean that literally. Follow our Facebook page at fb.com/dysatisfunctional, read the blog at dysatisfunctional.com, and Subscribe to our Youtube channel at Dysatisfunctional TV. Our sketch comedy satire of the Equal Marriage vote is up there so check it out. At 100 subscribers we get a custom domain! Hit that Subscribe button so you can tell your friends you got in on the ground floor. Thanks for joining us on this merciless quest for the truth of our strange lives together. The Lever is produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung people, of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to elders and families, past and present. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.