Uncommon Sense

Don Watson, acclaimed author and former speechwriter to Paul Keating, speaks in-depth about his Quarterly Essay, High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink, on the 2024 US Presidential Election and whether the United States of America is disintegrating. He travelled around the country as part of his research for the essay earlier this year.Amy will also be joined by a special panel with Daniel Boetker-Smith (CCP Director), Catlin Langford (outgoing CCP Curator), Jessie Norman, and Christopher Sutherland, to talk about a brilliant photography prokect and book co-published by Perimeter Editions and the Centre for Contemporary Photography. Auto-Photo: A Life in Portraits tells the story of Alan Adler, a Melbourne man who is likely the the most photographed person in Australia, and is also perhaps the oldest and longest-serving photobooth technician in the world. Alan maintained a suite of photobooths across Melbourne/Naarm for over 50 years – most notably, at Flinders Street Station – and would undertake weekly testing and servicing on each photobooth across his network. Adler would take a seat in the booth and produce a test strip of photographs – these photos from the 1970s to the 2010s – form the basis of the book and a forthcoming exhibition in 2025. In 2018, with the booth at Flinders Street Station facing imminent closure, Christopher Sutherland and Jessie Norman – whose operation later became known as Metro-Auto-Photo – began working with Adler to generate interest in his work and to successfully save his photobooth. It's Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as Moon Festival) on Tuesday 17th September. Joey Leung, founder of Joy Jaune, an artisan patisserie and dessert shop at the Preston Market, and author and Sinologist Linda Jaivin talk about the significance of Mid-Autumn Festival in China and to many other Asian cultures, including Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They talk about the story of the Moon Goddess Chang'e, the traditions around mooncakes, family reunion, and more! Joey sells her beautiful mooncakes every Moon Festival – check out her Instagram!

Amy Mullins chats with Don Watson, acclaimed author and former speechwriter to Paul Keating, about his Quarterly Essay, 'High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink.' In this historically rich and incisive account, Watson explores Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and a nation approaching its democratic high noon. As part of his research, Don travelled across the U.S. earlier this year, exploring the question: Is the United States disintegrating? Key themes of his essay include voter suppression, the rise of fascist politics, Australian parallels, and deeply rooted systemic racism, with his queries capturing a critical juncture in history. Furthermore, he says: “The core of the problem lies in their founding documents — the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, as they never began resolving the race debate.”

British philosopher and best-selling author A. C. Grayling joins Amy in the Triple R studios for a very special in-depth conversation. Anthony tells us how we can consciously build our own philosophy of life, and why it is so important that we have one of our own. Grayling doesn't want to be prescriptive, but rather says we should take what's best for us from a range of philosophical schools and ideas. Amy and Anthony discuss free will and Sartre and Beauvoir's concept of existentialism, the key ancient philosophical schools and philosophers, including the Stoics, Cynics, and Epicureans. They also explore universal topics of love, friendship, and what happiness really is today compared with how it was conceived of in the past. He explores these ideas in his recent book, Philosophy And Life: Exploring the Great Questions of How to Live.

A very special interview was brought out of the archives as acclaimed British writer Robert Macfarlane joins Amy for an in-depth conversation about the connections between landscape, language, people, and place. This expansive conversation begins with an exploration of the aspects of nature, landscape, and place that motivate Robert's writing. Robert says, “We can think of thought itself as site-specific and as motion sensitive,” and that bodily movement in a particular landscape can prompt transformative thoughts and feelings that are not always accessible outside that place. “There are thoughts I've had while climbing mountains that I could not have had at sea-level. There are thoughts that I've had while walking 20 to 30 miles a day that were borne of the tiredness in my body and the landscapes through which I was moving at that time,” Robert recounts.He explains what motivated his inquiry into the underland – that part of the landscape that exists underfoot, and which has long-standing significance for human culture and practices. While writing Underland: A Deep Time Journey, Robert realised this was “a very, very old human story... [and] began from that apparent paradox, why have we gone into the darkness to see things for as long as we've been human?”Amy and Robert also draw on ideas from his past works including, Mountains of the Mind, The Old Ways, and Landmarks. Robert is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge University.

Author and former financier Satyajit Das joins Amy for a long-form conversation about the rise of ecotourism, the joys and wonders of seeing animals "in the wild," along with ecotourism's problematic effects, as explored in his latest book, Wild Quests: Journeys into Ecotourism and the Future for Animals (Monash University Publishing).Is Das witnessing the end of the natural world as we know it?Das was named in 2014 by Bloomberg as among the 50 most influential people in financial markets. He has held senior positions in banks and industry and now works as a consultant to investors and corporations globally. His previous books include, Traders, Guns & Money (2006), Extreme Money (2011), A Banquet of Consequences (2015, updated 2021), and Fortune's Fool: Australia's Choices (2022). He is also the author (with Jade Novakovic) of In Search of the Pangolin: The Accidental Eco-Tourist (2006).

Amy Mullins returns to the airwaves. Regular guest Dr Emma Shortis talks all things US politics, including the 2024 Presidential election debate and race. Will Joe Biden drop out of the race to make way for a different Democratic candidate? What is the status of Donald Trump's legal battles? How has the US Supreme Court transformed US government, society, and politics (once again) through its recent decisions on presidential immunity and the Chevron Doctrine? Emma is Senior Researcher, International and Security Affairs Program at The Australia Institute. Author and Cornell University Professor of philosophy Dr Kate Manne returns to speak in-depth with Amy about her excellent new book, Unshrinking: How To Fight Fatphobia. As Kate describes it; "part memoir, part polemic, and part (all?) philosophy, this book aims to show why fatphobia is a vital social justice issue, and provide an analysis of what fatphobia is and how it works." She proposes "a radical reevaluation of who our bodies exist in the world for: ourselves and no one else." Kate spoke about her previous best-selling books with Amy in 2020 – Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny and Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women. Interview from 2020 is here: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/uncommon-sense/episodes/4851-kate-manne-on-sexism-misogyny-and-her-book-entitled-how-male-privilege-hurts-womenProfessor Andrew Walter dissects the UK election results, which saw the UK Labour Party romp it in, ousting the Tory government and decimating their levels of representation in the British parliament. What does the new Labour government look like and how has the political landscape shifted? Andrew is Professor of International Relations in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

Author and philosopher Dr Kate Manne returns to speak in-depth with Amy about her excellent new book, Unshrinking: How To Fight Fatphobia. As Kate describes it; "part memoir, part polemic, and part (all?) philosophy, this book aims to show why fatphobia is a vital social justice issue, and provide an analysis of what fatphobia is and how it works." She proposes "a radical reevaluation of who our bodies exist in the world for: ourselves and no one else." Kate spoke about her previous best-selling books with Amy in 2020 – Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny and Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women. Kate Manne is a Professor of Philosophy at Cornell University. Interview from 2020 is here: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/uncommon-sense/episodes/4851-kate-manne-on-sexism-misogyny-and-her-book-entitled-how-male-privilege-hurts-women Broadcast on 9 July 2024.

Professor James Curran delves into the discussions and real intentions behind the AUKUS agreement and Australia's plan to obtain nuclear submarines from the US and the UK. How exactly does the US perceive AUKUS? James reveals how the US' view differs greatly from the Australian government's view. With so many practical questions weighing around the delivery of the submarines and the cooperation of the US, UK, and Australian navies, does Australia have a Plan B? James Curran is International Editor of the AFR and Professor of Modern History at the University of Sydney. In our discussion he talks about his essay on AUKUS in the Australian Book Review, 'AUKUS in the Dock: Questions and challenges for the Albanese government.' Read his ABR essay here and his AFR columns here. Dr Bertrand Bourgeois speaks in-depth about the snap French elections for the National Assembly (lower house) called by President Emmanuel Macron. With the far-right National Rally or Rassemblement National (led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella) leading in the polls, closely followed by the far left coalition, the New Popular Front or Le Nouveau Front Populaire (comprising La France Insoumise or France Unbowed, the Greens, Communists, and Socialists), and Macron's centrist coalition Ensemble, including his Renaissance party coming in third – was it a miscalculated gamble to go early? Why is Jean-Luc Mélenchon such a polarising figure? What do the parties and coalitions stand for and why is the far-right becoming “mainstream” in France? Dr Bertrand Bourgeois is a Senior Lecturer in French Studies at the University of Melbourne.Alison Croggon, theatre critic and Arts Editor for The Saturday Paper talks with Amy about the state of Australian theatre. Alison writes in The Monthly that, “a generation of small independent theatremakers has been betrayed by government neglect and bad policy, creating a cultural crisis.” Read Alison's essay in The Monthly here.

Dr Bertrand Bourgeois speaks in-depth about the snap French elections for the National Assembly (lower house) called by President Emmanuel Macron. With the far-right National Rally or Rassemblement National (led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella) leading in the polls, closely followed by the far left coalition, the New Popular Front or Le Nouveau Front Populaire (comprising La France Insoumise or France Unbowed, the Greens, Communists, and Socialists), and Macron's centrist coalition Ensemble, including his Renaissance party coming in third – was it a miscalculated gamble to go early? Why is Jean-Luc Mélenchon such a polarising figure? What do the parties and coalitions stand for and why is the far-right becoming “mainstream” in France? Dr Bertrand Bourgeois is a Senior Lecturer in French Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Acclaimed writer Ceridwen Dovey brings real space objects to life in her new collection of short stories, Only The Astronauts (Penguin Books). Ceridwen reflects on the stories and inner lives she creates for Elon Musk's rocket test mannequin, 'Starman,' as well as the International Space Station, the first sculpture ever taken to the Moon, the Voyager 1 space probe carrying the Golden Record, and more. Ceridwen speaks with Amy in-depth about the restorative effects of reading and writing fiction, as well as her process for writing these wonderful short stories in the form of a fable. Listen to Amy's past interview with Ceridwen on the commercial satellite mega-constellations damaging the night sky: https://soundcloud.com/uncommonsense-rrr/interview-with-ceridwen-dovey-only-the-astronautsCeridwen Dovey is an Australian fiction writer, creative non-fiction writer, science writer, and anthropologist based in Sydney. She is also the author of Blood Kin; Only The Animals; In the Garden of the Fugitives; On J.M. Coetzee: Writers on Writers; Life After Truth; Inner Worlds Outer Spaces; and Mothertongues (with co-writer Eliza Bell and original songs by Keppie Coutts). Ceridwen's science writing has been recognised with an Australian Museum Eureka Award and two UNSW Press Bragg Prizes for Science Writing.

Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute, joins Amy as he talks all about inequality in Australia – the topic of his current national speaking tour. To attend the online live-streamed event being hosted in Adelaide, visit: https://australiainstitute.org.au/event/unequal-australia-adelaide/To listen back to Amy's past interview with Richard about his book, Econobabble: How to Decode Political Spin and Economic Nonsense: https://soundcloud.com/uncommonsense-rrr/interview-with-richard-denniss-econobabble

With pressure on the government (again) to raise the rate of JobSeeker, will they finally prioritise the welfare of those on the lowest incomes in the country? Greg Jericho, Guardian columnist and Chief Economist for The Australia Institute previews the upcoming Federal Budget with Amy, which is to be delivered on Tuesday 14th May. Greg tells us what budgets are really all about – choices. British best-selling author Johann Hari joins Amy Mullins to talk about his excellent new book, Magic Pill, which examines the benefits and risks of controversial new weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy. Johann has in fact tried this medication himself and is conflicted about whether they are the miracle solution for obesity that they appear to be. We get into all the nuances of the science and debate around these medications, as well as the real causes of obesity and why people who try to lose weight the old-fashioned way (through diet and exercise) – may initially lose weight but struggle to keep it off. Hint: it actually isn't your fault. This interview is essential listening for all people wanting to understand how our modern society has geared us towards obesity and disrupted our metabolic systems. Victoria Johnson, spokesperson for the Gippsland Forest Guardians, talks about a significant discovery of Slender Tree-ferns (Cyathea cunninghamii) in the Strzelecki ranges, south-east of Melbourne. They are critically endangered in Victoria and the total population is estimated at less than 1,000. Slender Tree-ferns are listed as Critically Endangered under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee (FFG) Act 1988 and have current species-specific prescriptions in the Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014 (as amended in 2022). However, they are currently under threat due to logging operations occurring very close to the endangered ferns at Turtons creek, in some cases only 5 metres away. Victoria tells us about this unique plant species and what we can do to ensure its protection.

British best-selling author Johann Hari joins Amy Mullins to talk about his excellent new book, Magic Pill, which examines the benefits and risks of controversial new weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy. Johann has in fact tried this medication himself and is conflicted about whether they are the miracle solution for obesity that they appear to be. We get into all the nuances of the science and debate around these medications, as well as the real causes of obesity and why people who try to lose weight the old-fashioned way (through diet and exercise) – may initially lose weight but struggle to keep it off. Hint: it actually isn't your fault. This interview is essential listening for all people wanting to understand how our modern society has geared us towards obesity and disrupted our metabolic systems.

Amy speaks with Bruce Pascoe and partner Lyn Harwood about their new book, Black Duck: A Year at Yumburra (Thames & Hudson), which is a personal reflection on life, Country and the consequences of Dark Emu through six seasons on Bruce and Lyn's farm. Bruce Pascoe is a Bunurong, Yuin and Tasmanian Aboriginal writer of literary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays and children's literature. He is the enterprise professor in Indigenous Agriculture at the University of Melbourne. He is best known for his work, Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture (Magabala Books, 2014). Lyn Harwood has worked as a teacher, a dancer, an editor, a publisher and an artist. She is a director on the Board of Black Duck Foods, promoting Indigenous food agriculture and has instigated a community based fuel management practice for the Mallacoota township.

Amy Mullins is joined by renowned author and Professor of Philosophy A. C. Grayling for a deep examination of his new book, Who Owns The Moon? In Defence of Humanity's Common Interests in Space.With rare earths and natural resources that are essential for future technology from microprocessors to EV batteries running out on the Earth – humanity is now looking towards its closest solar neighbours for future resources. Moving away from the question of should we harness these resources, A. C. Grayling instead asks 'who' should access these natural resources, what rules are required to govern its use, and what they owe to the denizens of planet Earth.Grayling tells Amy, “What we are actually trembling on the brink of at the moment is humanity in the form of Chinese and private entrepreneurs now taking possession of the moon and space beyond the moon, shaping how things will happen out there – unconstrained by any really serious mature-minded, robust and enforceable set of agreements of how they should behave out there. And so we've just stepped out of the front door of our house and found a complete wild west.”

Julian Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton joined Amy Mullins to update us as to Julian's state of mind and health ahead of the UK High Court's impending decision, which is to be handed down tonight 9.30pm AEDT (10.30am London time). The court will decide whether Wikileaks founder and journalist Julian Assange will be able to appeal the decision to extradite him from Britain to the United States where he faces 18 charges for publishing US military documents and diplomatic cables and up to 173 years in prison or even the death penalty. Gabriel tells us about his attendance as a guest of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie at President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union Address and the intense lobbying efforts happening behind the scenes at the US Congress. When will the Australian government make greater representations to the United States on its citizen's behalf? Gabriel Shipton is a film producer and produced a documentary on the persecution of Assange called, ITHAKA (free to watch on ABC's iView). You can listen to that May 2022 interview here. To support Julian Assange and take action, visit the campaign website: https://www.action.assangecampaign.org.au

Renowned Australian-born film critic Adrian Martin joins Amy to discuss the brilliance of Jean-Luc Godard's cinematic masterpiece, LE MÉPRIS (Contempt, 1963), starring Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Giorgia Moll, and Fritz Lang. Filmed in Capri, Italy, LE MÉPRIS depicts the breakdown of a marriage, but it is also about much more than that as you'll hear. It has been newly restored in 4k and is having its Australian premiere at Europa Europa Film Festival in Melbourne on the 6th and 11th March 2024 (Hawthorn and Elsternwick). The screenings are co-presented by Melbourne Cinémathèque.This is the extended full version of the interview. In the original interview that aired, we heard some of the iconic music by Georges Delerue who composed the epic and sweeping soundtrack to LE MÉPRIS, including Générique and Camille.To view Godard's films from home, they can be found at your local library, university library, Picture Search Video & Vinyl in Richmond, on Kanopy (often via your library's subscription, here is LE MÉPRIS), and Apple Movies and Google Movies. Godard's films are distributed in Australia by Madman Entertainment and Umbrella Entertainment.

Graham Readfearn, the Guardian Australia's Environment Reporter gives us the latest on local and global environmental news, including a coral bleaching event taking place right now on the Great Barrier Reef. He also tells us about Antarctica's sea ice reaching alarmingly low levels, a mystery paralysis syndrome afflicting lorikeet populations, and his podcast series, Weight of the World – the climate scientists who saw the crisis coming.For International Women's Day, award-winning author and science journalist Angela Saini joins Amy from New York to talk about her latest book, The Patriarchs: How Men Came To Rule. Angela delves into the origins of "the patriarchy" and gendered oppression and finds that patriarchal societies are a far more recent historical development than we might imagine. She also talks about our fascination with matriarchy and women-led matrilineal societies and reveals that many different types of matrilineal societies exist across the world today. Angela explains how patriarchy is not inevitable and what feminists and people seeking a gender equal world can do to turn the tide. The Patriarchs was shortlisted for the 2023 Orwell Prize. It's published by Harper Collins Australia. This is the extended full version of the interview with Angela Saini. Angela's previous books are, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, and Superior: The Return of Race Science.Renowned Australian-born film critic Adrian Martin joins Amy to discuss the brilliance of Jean-Luc Godard's cinematic masterpiece, LE MÉPRIS (Contempt, 1963), starring Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Giorgia Moll, and Fritz Lang. Filmed in Capri, Italy, LE MÉPRIS depicts the breakdown of a marriage, but it is also about much more than that as you'll hear. It has been newly restored in 4k and is having its Australian premiere at Europa Europa Film Festival in Melbourne on the 6th and 11th March 2024 (Hawthorn and Elsternwick). The screenings are co-presented by Melbourne Cinémathèque.This is the extended full version of the interview with Adrian Martin. In the original interview that aired, we heard some of the iconic music by Georges Delerue who composed the epic and sweeping soundtrack to LE MÉPRIS, including Générique and Camille.To view Godard's films from home, they can be found at your local library, university library, Picture Search Video & Vinyl in Richmond, on Kanopy (often via your library's subscription, here is LE MÉPRIS), and Apple Movies and Google Movies. Godard's films are distributed in Australia by Madman Entertainment and Umbrella Entertainment.

For International Women's Day, award-winning author and science journalist Angela Saini joins Amy from New York to talk about her latest book, The Patriarchs: How Men Came To Rule. Angela delves into the origins of "the patriarchy" and gendered oppression and finds that patriarchal societies are a far more recent historical development than we might imagine. She also talks about our fascination with matriarchy and women-led matrilineal societies and reveals that many different types of matrilineal societies exist across the world today. Angela explains how patriarchy is not inevitable and what feminists and people seeking a gender equal world can do to turn the tide. The Patriarchs was shortlisted for the 2023 Orwell Prize. It's published by Harper Collins Australia. Angela's previous books are, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, and Superior: The Return of Race Science.This is the extended full version of the interview with Angela Saini.

Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute talks about his new essay in The Monthly on tax reform – Richard says tax reform is about democracy, not economics, and reforms should not be centred on what we want, but on who we want to be. He also talks about the intertwined issues of rising company profits, interest rates, the supermarket duopoly, and price gouging. Award-winning photojournalist Andrew Quilty joins Amy for an in-depth conversation about his latest book, This Is Afghanistan: 2014–2021 (Miegunyah Press: Melbourne University Publishing). The stunning book is a visual record of the nine years Andrew spent living and working in the complex, beautiful, and war-torn country. You can view some of Andrew's work on his website, including some of the images we discuss in this interview. Dr Emma Shortis, historian and Senior Researcher in the International & Security Affairs Program at The Australia Institute talks all things US politics, including President Biden's recent foreign policy and diplomatic approach to Israel's place in the Middle East, as well as the intersection of Russian and far-right US politics, the death of Navalny, and the war in Ukraine.Additional links as discussed in the last interview:Mehdi Hasan, Biden can end the bombing of Gaza right now. Here's how (Guardian)White House, Remarks by President Biden, 8 February 2024Jon Stewart, The Daily Show, On Tucker Carlson's Putin Interview & Trip to Russia

Award-winning photojournalist Andrew Quilty joins host Amy Mullins for an in-depth conversation about his latest book, This Is Afghanistan: 2014–2021. The stunning book is a visual record of the nine years Andrew spent living and working in the complex, beautiful, and war-torn country. Andrew talks about his experiences photographing the War in Afghanistan, capturing life, destruction, conflict and the natural landscape. You can view some of Andrew's work on his website, including some of the images we discuss in this interview. Andrew's book, This Is Afghanistan, is published by Miegunyah Press: Melbourne University Publishing.Andrew Quilty is the recipient of nine Walkley Awards, including the Gold Walkley, for his work on Afghanistan, where he was based from 2013 to 2022. He has also received the George Polk Award, the World Press Photo Award and the Overseas Press Club of America award for his investigation into massacres committed by a CIA-backed Afghan militia. August in Kabul (MUP: 2022), was his first book.

Amy speaks with Ray Stefani, Co-President of the Fish Creek Football Netball Club. They chat about the small and very special farming town of Fish Creek in South Gippsland and the footy club's long and successful history. The Fish Creek Football Netball Club is the most successful country footy club in the state, with its Seniors team winning 37 premierships since its inception in 1903 (well 38, really...). They also talk about the devastating fire that destroyed their clubhouse and almost everything in it on 4th November 2023 and their efforts to rebuild. Their Rising From The Ashes Gala Dinner is on Saturday 2nd March, 6pm-11pm at Leongatha Hall, with AFL and netball stars Brendan Fevola, Neil Balme, Leigh Montagna, David Parkin, Belinda Snell, and Kate Eddy in attendance. Donate to Fish Creek's GoFundMe here.

Please note the first interview of this episode contains topics that may distress some listeners, including allegations of child sexual abuse and harm to children. Please see helpline information below.Host Amy Mullins speaks with Nick Feik, freelance journalist and former editor of The Monthly, about his essay in The Monthly which details his own investigations and the findings of a Tasmanian commission of inquiry that uncovered decades of abuse towards young people in the state's care, including at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre and Launceston General Hospital. Nick also talks about the damning Richardson Report into the Home Affairs Department and the media's current lack of scrutiny towards the then responsible minister, Peter Dutton MP.Then, Amy speaks with Tom Harley, great grandson of former Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, and Emeritus Professor of Politics Judith Brett. They talk about the Save Ballara campaign, which is under threat of auction and development. Tom is seeking to protect the 1.68 hectare bush garden and historic home of Australia's second Prime Minister Alfred Deakin. Ballara is a unique early 20th century bungalow home, inspired by Californian and Colonial Indian architectural styles. It was designed by Pattie Deakin and is situated in old Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula. Tom and Judith talk about the significance of Ballara to Deakin's personal and political life, as well as to his wife Pattie Deakin, and why Tom wants to make Ballara and its historical contents an asset for the Australian public to engage with. Finally, Amy speaks with Ray Stefani, Co-President of the Fish Creek Football Netball Club. They chat about the small town of Fish Creek in South Gippsland and the footy club's long and successful history. The Fish Creek Football Netball Club is the most successful country footy club in the state, with its Seniors team winning 37 premierships since its inception in 1903 (well 38, really...). They also talk about the devastating fire that destroyed their clubhouse and almost everything in it on 4th November 2023 and their efforts to rebuild. Their Rising From The Ashes Gala Dinner is on Saturday 2nd March, 6pm-11pm at Leongatha Hall, with AFL and netball stars Brendan Fevola, Neil Balme, Leigh Montagna, David Parkin, Belinda Snell, and Kate Eddy in attendance. Donate to Fish Creek's GoFundMe here.HELPLINES:If you or anyone you know needs mental health support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.For support related to child sexual abuse, you can call Bravehearts on 1800 272 831.Children and young people up to 25 can seek help via the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.

Amy speaks with Tom Harley, great grandson of former Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, and Emeritus Professor of Politics Judith Brett. They talk about the Save Ballara campaign, which is under threat of auction and development. Tom is seeking to protect the 1.68 hectare bush garden and historic home of Australia's second Prime Minister Alfred Deakin. Ballara is a unique early 20th century bungalow home, inspired by Californian and Colonial Indian architectural styles. It was designed by Pattie Deakin and is situated in old Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula. Tom and Judith talk about the significance of Ballara to Deakin's personal and political life, as well as to his wife Pattie Deakin, and why Tom wants to make Ballara and its historical contents an asset for the Australian public to engage with. Listen to Amy's interview with Judith Brett from September 2017 about her biography of Alfred Deakin, The Enigmatic Mr. Deakin.

Born in Chicago in 1938, author, artist, feminist, and commentator Sara Dowse speaks in-depth about her Jewish family history and how it is intertwined with the history of Zionism and specifically the dissenting voices within it who disagreed with the establishment of the state of Israel at the expense of Palestinians – those such as Asher Hirsch Ginsberg who wrote under the pen name Ahad Ha'am ("man of the people"). You can read Sara's columns for John Menadue's Pearls and Irritations on Israel's silencing of its critics as well as The Sabra transformed. Sara's book about her Great-Aunt is called, As the Lonely Fly. Broadcast on 6 February 2024.

We remember John Pilger, renowned Australian-born independent journalist and filmmaker, who passed away on 30 December 2023, by re-airing an interview Amy conducted with John at the Triple R studios in February 2017 on his prescient documentary, The Coming War On China (free to watch here).

Amy Mullins returns to the airwaves. She speaks with Greg Jericho, Guardian columnist and Chief Economist for The Australia Institute, who dives into tax "reform" and the Stage 3 tax cut changes announced by the Albanese Labor government, as well as Australia's slowing inflation and the extent of the RBA's role in controlling it. Born in Chicago in 1938, author, artist, feminist, and commentator Sara Dowse speaks in-depth about her Jewish family history and how it is intertwined with the history of Zionism and specifically the dissenting voices within it who disagreed with the establishment of the state of Israel at the expense of Palestinians – those such as Asher Hirsch Ginsberg who wrote under the pen name Ahad Ha'am ("man of the people"). You can read Sara's columns for John Menadue's Pearls and Irritations on Israel's silencing of its critics as well as The Sabra transformed. Sara's book about her Great-Aunt is called, As the Lonely Fly. Plus we remember renowned independent journalist and filmmaker John Pilger who passed away on 30 December 2023, by re-airing an interview Amy conducted with John in February 2017 on his documentary, The Coming War On China (free to watch here).

James Curran, international editor of the Australian Financial Review and Professor of Modern History at the University of Sydney, speaks in-depth about his latest essay for Australian Foreign Affairs, 'Excess Baggage: Is China A Genuine Threat To Australia?' James writes that, "Australia's fears of China... are profoundly shaped by what is being said and discussed in Washington." Are Australia's fears largely unfounded? What are China's intentions toward Taiwan? What is the United States aiming to achieve through AUKUS? Read an edited extract of James' essay here. Companion interview with former Australian Ambassador to China Geoff Raby.

El Gibbs, writer, disability advocate, and editor of Bluntshovels.au joins Amy to talk about the Disability Royal Commission's final report. The commissioner's handed down their their 222 recommendations in September after extensive hearings detailing the violence, abuse, and neglect of disabled people in Australia. El analyses the Royal Commission's activities, its findings, and what should happen next. She also addresses the ongoing COVID impacts on disabled and chronically ill people who are effectively excluded from engaging with society properly and safely as almost all COVID measures have been dropped. James Curran, international editor of the Australian Financial Review and Professor of Modern History at the University of Sydney, speaks in-depth about his latest essay for Australian Foreign Affairs, 'Excess Baggage: Is China A Genuine Threat To Australia?' James writes that, "Australia's fears of China... are profoundly shaped by what is being said and discussed in Washington." Are Australia's fears largely unfounded? What are China's intentions toward Taiwan? What is the United States aiming to achieve through AUKUS? (Interview with Geoff Raby on China, as referenced). Sean Reynolds, cultural archaeologist and founder of @Melbourne_GhostSigns on Instagram, speaks about his passion for ghost signs in Melbourne and Victoria more broadly, and tells us what they reveal about our local histories. He also tells us about a community fundraising campaign for the Chiltern Athenaeum Museum building to get a climate control system. This will enable the Victorian gold rush town to protect their precious collection of items, photographs and records documenting the history of the Chiltern district and its people from the mid 1800s to the present.

Don Watson and Chris Wallace analyse the outcome of the Voice to Parliament referendum in-depth. They also examine Australia's response to the Israel-Palestine conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and Labor's unwavering support of AUKUS, as outlined in Don's recent essay in The Monthly. Don Watson is an award-winning author and former speechwriter to Paul Keating. His books include, Death Sentence: The Decay of Public Language, Recollections of a Bleeding Heart: A Portrait of Paul Keating PM, The Bush, and Watsonia. Professor Chris Wallace is a political historian, commentator, and former member of the Canberra Press Gallery and her books include, Political Lives: Australian prime ministers and their biographers and How To Win An Election. To mark the 70th anniversary of Britain's atomic tests at Emu Field in South Australia – the first on terrestrial land in Australia – author and academic Dr Elizabeth Tynan speaks about her book, The Secret of Emu Field: Britain's forgotten atomic tests in Australia. It was at Emu Field, SA on October 15, 1953 that a terrifying black mist spread across the land after an atomic bomb detonation (Totem 1), bringing death and sickness to Aboriginal people and other people in its path. Secrecy around the testing activities and its effects still exists today. Totem 2 was detonated on October 27, 1953. Elizabeth is an Associate Professor at James Cook University. Her previous book, Atomic Thunder: The Maralinga Story, won the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Australian History and the CHASS Australia Book Prize in 2017. Read about ICAN's Black Mist campaign here. Read Nic Maclellan's long-form article on the Emu Field tests.Melbourne-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Claire Deak talks about her debut solo album, Sotto Voce, and two women composers of the Baroque whose music she explored and drew inspiration from – Francesca Caccini (1587-c.1645) and Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677). Claire delves into her neo-classical compositions and musical practice as we hear some of her atmospheric and imaginative new works throughout the interview. Sotto Voce is out via Lost Tribe Sound.Tracklist (in order) as aired in the last interview:Claire Deak - Prefigured (Ritornello)Claire Deak - Dolce TormentoClaire Deak - Liberated SighsClaire Deak - A Million Cloaked Ghosts

Melbourne-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Claire Deak talks about her debut solo album, Sotto Voce, and the two women composers of the Baroque whose music she recovered and reimagined – Francesca Caccini (1587-c. 1645) and Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677). Some of their compositions are intuitively sensed and worked into new compositions by Claire using a range of Baroque and modern instruments, as well as innovative modern and analogue recording techniques that bend our concept of time. Claire delves into her neo-classical compositions and musical practice as we hear some of her atmospheric and imaginative new works throughout the interview. Claire has kindly given us permission to feature her music in the podcast for your listening enjoyment. Sotto Voce is out via Lost Tribe Sound. Visit Claire Deak's Bandcamp page here.Tracklist (in order) as aired in the interview:Claire Deak - Prefigured (Ritornello)Claire Deak - Dolce TormentoClaire Deak - Liberated SighsClaire Deak - A Million Cloaked Ghosts

To mark the 70th anniversary of Britain's atomic tests at Emu Field in South Australia – the first on terrestrial land in Australia – author and academic Dr Elizabeth Tynan speaks about her book, The Secret of Emu Field: Britain's forgotten atomic tests in Australia. It was at Emu Field, SA on October 15, 1953 that a terrifying black mist spread across the land after an atomic bomb detonation (Totem 1), bringing death and sickness to Aboriginal people and other people in its path. Secrecy around the testing activities and its effects still exists today. Totem 2 was detonated on October 27, 1953. Elizabeth is an Associate Professor at James Cook University. Her previous book, Atomic Thunder: The Maralinga Story, won the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Australian History and the CHASS Australia Book Prize in 2017. Read about ICAN's Black Mist campaign here. Read Nic Maclellan's long-form article on the Emu Field tests.

Indigenous leader Thomas Mayo and award-winning journalist Kerry O'Brien sit down with Amy for a special in-depth conversation about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, which Australians will vote on in a referendum this Saturday 14th October 2023. Thomas and Kerry explain the history behind the Voice, why we should support it, and the consequences if we don't. They also debunk the many myths and misconceptions around it. Thomas Mayo is a proud Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. Playwright, speechwriter, and philosopher Daniel Nellor speaks with Amy about his new book, What Are They Thinking? Conversations with Australian Philosophers. Daniel explores what philosophy is with the ten philosophers in the book – among many other themes – and examines what Australian philosophers like Peter Singer, Daniel Halliday, and Margaret Cameron, are thinking and writing about today. Dr Emma Shortis, Senior Researcher in the International and Security Affairs Program at The Australia Institute stopped by to discuss the latest in US politics, including the ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the ongoing court cases against Donald Trump, and the sudden escalation in the Israel-Palestine conflict and the US' response to it. The CNN interview with Dr Mustafa Barghouti on 8 October 2023 can be watched here: https://twitter.com/FareedZakaria/status/1711073549593493988

Acclaimed writer and journalist David Marr speaks in-depth about his new book, Killing for Country: A Family Story, which details Marr's great-great grandfather Reg Uhr's involvement in Australia's frontier wars of the nineteenth century as an officer of the Queensland Native Police. Uhr also recruited his two sons into the Native Police. Marr explains how the dispossession of land and massacres of Aboriginal people occurred and how they fought back. He also explains the historical significance of this story for Australian politics today.

Triple R's very own Daniel James and The Monthly's Rachel Withers sit down with Amy to delve into the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, providing an analysis and answer to every question you might have about it before you vote at the upcoming referendum. Daniel James is a Yorta Yorta man, writer, broadcaster, and host of The Mission on 3RRR. Rachel Withers is Contributing Editor of The Monthly and columnist for The Politics. Acclaimed writer and journalist David Marr speaks in-depth about his new book, Killing for Country: A Family Story, which details Marr's great-great grandfather Reg Uhr's involvement in Australia's frontier wars of the nineteenth century as an officer of the Queensland Native Police. Uhr also recruited his two sons into the Native Police. Marr explains how the dispossession of land and massacres of Aboriginal people occurred and how they fought back. He also explains the historical significance of this story for Australian politics today. To celebrate a great year of footy so far and a controversially close AFL Grand Final, Greg Champion, broadcaster, 3RRR alumni, musician, and member of the Coodabeen Champions, comes in with his guitar to chat and sing some old and new footy songs, including a few from his new album, Footy Songs Vol. 4.

Amy's first ever interview for Uncommon Sense was with Peter Wohlleben about his debut book, The Hidden Life of Trees. Now, the German forester, conservationist, and best-selling author returns to discuss his latest book, The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us If We Let Them. Amy and Peter delve into a wide-range of themes from the book. He reveals how together trees can create their own climate and weather systems, how trees communicate with birds and insects to protect themselves, the fascinating ways trees respond in situations of unexpected drought, the intricate and unexpected relationship dynamics between fungi, bacteria, and trees, and why ancient or old growth trees will play a key role in combatting climate change. Peter Wohlleben discusses these topics and much more. Peter tells us that, "the term 'mother tree' is a very old German scientific term. It's been used for centuries in Germany, because foresters always knew there is some way of care. And nowadays we know it more exactly, it's to create shadow [and] it's for caring for their own seedlings. The mother tree is able to detect with the root tips whether it is an oak or beech tree near it, [and] if the seedlings are their own seedlings or seedlings from different trees."

Professor Chris Wallace from the University of Canberra talks federal politics, including the latest developments in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum campaign, the widely criticised and newly announced COVID-19 inquiry, and reporting on the Home Affairs Secretary who has stepped aside while an investigation is conducted by the APS Commissioner. Amy's first ever interview for Uncommon Sense was with Peter Wohlleben about his debut book, The Hidden Life of Trees. Now, the German forester, conservationist, and best-selling author returns to discuss his latest book, The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us If We Let Them. Amy and Peter delve into a wide-range of themes from the book. He reveals how together trees can create their own climate and weather systems, how trees communicate with birds and insects to protect themselves, the fascinating ways trees respond in situations of unexpected drought, the intricate and unexpected relationship dynamics between fungi, bacteria, and trees, and why ancient or old growth trees will play a key role in combatting climate change. Peter Wohlleben discusses these topics and much more. Sonya Takau, a proud Jirrbal Rainforest Aboriginal woman from Tully, QLD and Communications Officer of the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation, and Alix Livingstone, Founding Director of Defend the Wild discuss the historic National First Nations' Dingo Declaration, which has been signed by representatives from more than 20 First Nations groups saying that, “lethal control should never be an option”. They talk about the significance of the dingo to First Nations peoples and Country, why dingo culling has to stop, and the non-lethal options for protecting livestock from predators. They also talk about the upcoming Order in Council renewal deadline on October 1st in Victoria, which "unprotects dingoes" in certain circumstances – allowing for the killing of dingoes to protect livestock on private land and along the boundaries of public land in some areas of the state.

Author and former human rights lawyer Micheline Lee delves into the issues raised in her Quarterly Essay, Lifeboat: Disability, Humanity and the NDIS. Micheline explains that the NDIS, for all its good intentions, has not understood people with disabilities well enough. While government thought the market could do its job, a caring society cannot be outsourced.

The Politics' Rachel Withers joins Amy to talk federal politics, including the latest developments on the Voice referendum campaign. Micheline Lee delves into the issues raised in her Quarterly Essay, Lifeboat: Disability, Humanity and the NDIS. Micheline explains that the NDIS, for all its good intentions, has not understood people with disabilities well enough. While government thought the market could do its job, a caring society cannot be outsourced. Dr Adrian Marshall of the Grassy Plains Network and North West Alliance talks about Geelong's native grasslands and their endangered inhabitants, which are under threat from land development and urban expansion. Adrian will detail the Council's Geelong Strategic Assessment and its impacts on grasslands, Growling Grass Frogs, Striped Legless Lizards, and Golden Sun Moths. Submissions are due 5pm on Monday 25 September 2023.

Nick Feik, freelance journalist and former editor of The Monthly explains why the federal Labor government's response to the 2023 Intergenerational Report and the climate crisis is a sad joke on us all. He also tells us about the lack of whistleblower protections and the newly launched, The Whistleblower Project, Australia's first dedicated legal service to protect and empower whistleblowers who want to speak up about wrongdoing, offering pro bono legal support and advice for whistleblowers.Lucinda Holdforth, speechwriter and author, tells us what's wrong with 21st century virtues, like Authenticity, Vulnerability, Humility, Self-Care, Empathy, and Transparency, and how they've been captured by neoliberal thinking. Lucinda believes the quest for these attributes encourage people to put self before community and have replaced Courage, Truthfulness, and Integrity. To ensure a healthy democracy, do we need to reconsider what we think of as admirable traits in ourselves? Lucinda's book, 21st Century Virtues: How They Are Failing Our Democracy, is out via Monash University Publishing.Historian Professor Darius von Güttner Sporzyński from the ACU talks about The Great, a humorous 18th century period TV series from Australian writer-director Tony McNamara. Loosely based around the life of Catherine The Great, reigning Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, Darius thinks that Catherine was even more fascinating than her TV show character. A friend of Diderot and Voltaire, a patron of women artists, and a believer in science – was she a truly enlightened ruler? The Great is streaming on Stan.

Lucinda Holdforth, speechwriter and author, tells us what's wrong with 21st century virtues, like Authenticity, Vulnerability, Humility, Self-Care, Empathy, and Transparency, and how they've been captured by neoliberal thinking. Lucinda believes the quest for these attributes encourage people to put self before community and have replaced Courage, Truthfulness, and Integrity. To ensure a healthy democracy, do we need to reconsider what we think of as admirable traits in ourselves? Lucinda's book, 21st Century Virtues: How They Are Failing Our Democracy, is out via Monash University Publishing.

Amy Mullins returns to the airwaves. The Guardian Australia's Graham Readfearn delves into the latest global environment news, including a mass coral bleaching event happening across the Americas, UNESCO's determination on the health of the Great Barrier Reef, Antarctic sea ice at historic lows, and more. The NGV's Cathy Leahy, Senior Curator of Prints & Drawings and Conservator of Paintings Caitlin Breare join Amy to discuss their exhibition, Rembrandt: True to Life, featuring the work of 17th century Dutch master, Rembrandt van Rijn. They give us insights into Rembrandt's fascinating life, his print-making, oil paintings, and drawing practice, as well as the pioneering materials and techniques he used. We discuss several of Rembrandt''s works in the exhibition and what they tell us about him. With more than 100 etchings from the NGV Collection, alongside important paintings and loans from across the world, Rembrandt: True to Life is the most comprehensive exhibition of Rembrandt's work to be held in Australia in 25 years. Open until 10 September at the NGV International. The NGV is hosting a special event on September 9, Revealing Rembrandt, with the NGV's paper, frames, and paintings conservators as they share their insights into researching, conserving and caring for works by Rembrandt. Comedian and architecture enthusiast Tim 'Rosso' Ross talks about his love of modernist architecture and his upcoming Melbourne show, Designing a Legacy Live, inspired by his acclaimed ABC TV show (on iView) and which features an in-conversation with Australian design icon Mary Featherston.