Podcast appearances and mentions of Wheeler Centre

Why the AI bubble is bound to burst, the influence of Big Tech and the concept of ‘enshittification’ with tech journalist Cory Doctorow. In today’s episode of Culture Club Chats, we sit down with Canadian-British author, activist, journalist and blogger Cory Doctorow. Cory’s work at the intersection of technology and culture reached new heights following the publication of his 2025 book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. The term ‘enshittification’ was coined by Cory and describes the degradation of online services and platforms like Facebook, Amazon and X in pursuit of profit. In this conversation, Cory unpacks why the AI bubble is bound to burst, how Big Tech has reshaped the internet, and what the future of our increasingly online lives might look like. Cory is coming to Australia this month. He'll be at Sydney’s Festival of Dangerous Ideas from the 22nd to the 23rd of August, and Melbourne’s Now or Never Festival, presented by The Wheeler Centre, on the 25th of August. In Bookmarked, Cory recommends Here Where We Live Is Our Country by Molly Crabapple and Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer. Thanks for listening - Jas & Mags xo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone has an opinion on AI. Some say it's the inevitable future. Others think it'll take our jobs, fuel misinformation, and hand even more power to Big Tech and billionaires. This week, Sarah sits down with bestselling author, technologist and journalist Cory Doctorow to unpack whether AI really is the future or just a wildly overhyped tech bubble. They also dive into Cory's theory of the "reverse centaur", why bosses and billionaires are so obsessed with AI, why he believes it's one of the dumbest financial investments of our time, and where Australia fits into the global AI race. Cory Doctorow appears at Sydney's Festival of Dangerous Ideas from 22-23 August and Now or Never on 25 August at Melbourne's The Capitol, presented by The Wheeler Centre. Cory's books mentioned in this episode: Enshittifcation: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI: How to Think About Artificial Intelligence Before It's Too LateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unmissable episode for Slow Horses fans, writer Mick Herron unveils the next instalment in his phenomenally successful Slough House series with host Jason Steger. Originally presented on Thursday 21 May 2026 by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT University.Spies lie. They betray. It is what they do. Readers were first introduced to Jackson Lamb and his team of misbegotten secret service agents in Slow Horses, an offbeat spy story filled with biting satire, murky morality and political prescience.In Clown Town, the latest instalment of the series, the ugly side of state security threatens to come to light as the disappearance of a mysterious book and the death of a sadistic former IRA informant has secret agent River Cartwright asking some uncomfortable questions. Filled with blackmail, covert operations and cover-ups that go all the way to the top, this page-turner sees the slow horses embroiled in their most high-stakes spy games yet.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear from acclaimed author and broadcaster Stan Grant in this special edition of The Fifth Estate as he reflects on the fragility of words and why contemplation and philosophy matter in an era of increasing division, with host Sally Warhaft. Originally presented on Tuesday 16 July 2026 by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT University. Drawing wisdom from an array of thinkers and artists, including Plato, Simone Weil, Cormac McCarthy, Thomas Aquinas and even Radiohead, Stan Grant’s expansive and philosophical new book When Words Fail Us invites readers to reconsider the meaning and necessity of silence in an age of noise, speed and relentless distraction. Written after stepping away from public life, the book explores how words can fail to meet the moment in the context of Australia’s history, identity and political division. Grant offers a rare insight into how the power of listening can lead to connection, compassion and love. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole. The official bookseller was Hill of Content.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Coper explains how angertainment has co-opted our social media feeds and taken over our lives, in conversation with Sushi Das.Originally presented on Wednesday 24 June 2026 by The Wheeler Centre and supported by RMIT University. Social media is no longer a platform for connection – it’s a gladiatorial arena powered by an addictive mix of anger and entertainment. As a result, we’re being driven apart: our politics more extreme and empathy on the decline, while those who know how to game the outrage economy for clicks only become more powerful and influential. In this illuminating in-conversation, pioneer communications expert and the strategist behind GetUp! – Australia's first major online political movement – Ed Coper sits down to unmask the architects of this new power. From manosphere gurus and tech oligarchs to political demagogues and corporate giants, he reveals how social media has evolved into an outrage machine that feeds on scandals, spectacle, extremism and notoriety to bait us into constant engagement. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The team chats with Xanthea O'Connor about the Next Chapter program at the Wheeler Centre. It’s a landmark writing programme which elevates untold stories & with 10 writers each winning $15,000.00, applications close 31 July. The post Xanthea O'Connor – June 21st, 2026 appeared first on Sunday Arts Magazine.

Celebrated writer and thinker Amitav Ghosh explores rebirth, regeneration and the cycles of life with host Dr Sreedhevi Iyer. Originally presented on Wednesday 27 May by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT University. Amitav Ghosh is one of India’s most celebrated writers. With a career effortlessly spanning fiction, non-fiction and reportage, his work is characterised by big picture thinking with an unwavering drive to bring the climate crisis into stark focus. These qualities are on display in his captivating new novel, Ghost-Eye, a story that begins in mid-century Calcutta, with a child who claims to remember a past life and leaps to contemporary Brooklyn, where a middle-aged antiquarian is drawn into investigating a family mystery. As the two seemingly unrelated stories converge, Ghosh crafts a narrative that offers a powerful meditation on fate, meaning and the awakening of wonder. Ghosh sits down with Sreedhevi Iyer to discuss his latest novel, what it means to write about the climate breakdown and his remarkable career to date. Featured music is 'No One There' by Ava Low.The official bookseller was Readings.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karen and Irma chat about how to decide on the POV(s) for a novel, and how to listen to what the book itself wants to be.Then Irma talks to Melbourne Writers Festival Director Veronica Sullivan and Sorrento Writers Festival Director Corrie Perkin about their pathways to becoming directors of two of Australia's biggest festivals, the way they plan their programs, practical advice on what writers and their publishers can do to break into the festival circuit, what writers do wrong when pitching to festivals and how to get it right, the controversy around the Sydney Writers Festival exclusivity clause and the Bendigo and Adelaide festival boycotts, what makes both a good panellist and a good panel, how Corrie's devastating experience of closing her bookshop led to creating a new festival, and why an event with Behrouz Boochani had a profound impact on Veronica.About Corrie and VeronicaCorrie began her career as a cadet reporter at the Age and over the next three decades, worked in a variety of editing and writing roles. In 2009, she opened an independent bookstore in Hawksburn that ran that for 12 years. Then in 2023, she founded the Sorrento Writers Festival, which has quickly grown to become Australia's second-biggest literary festival.Veronica began as a volunteer at Melbourne Writers Festival, then went on to intern at the Emerging Writers' Festival. She was a founding board member and then program manager of the Feminist Writers Festival, and then became head of programming at The Wheeler Centre, before assuming her current role as Director of Melbourne Writers Festival.Show NotesMelbourne Writers FestivalSorrento Writers FestivalFind out more about Irma and KarenVisit Irma Gold's website, or follow her on Instagram and FacebookVisit Karen Viggers' website, or follow her on Instagram and FacebookFollow Secrets From the Green Room on Instagram and Facebook

It was meant to bring us all together, to cross the divides of land and sea and become a virtual town square. A place for people to connect and share their thoughts, ideas and dreams. The vision was there, but the reality of social media has become something much different. It’s a place driven by outrage, hate, and controversy. And it’s ruining public debate and possibly us as a society. Ed Coper is one of the founding strategists behind GetUp! and he’s written a new book Angertainment about how social media has birthed an entire outrage industry that is harvesting and monetising our worst impulses. In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, Ed tells us how we got here and why understanding it is the first step to defeating it. Ed Coper appears at The Wheeler Centre in Melbourne on Wednesday 24 June. Angertainment is available now. The Weekend List: To do: Get to a Jazz bar (recommended by listener Timmy) To do: Get around the SBS To Watch: John Safran’s new doco Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran (on SBS) To Watch: The Socceroos (beat?) the US at the World Cup Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales as he discusses the importance of trust in our online and offline communities and how Wikipedia evolved into one of the internet’s most reputable sources of information. With host Sally Warhaft. Originally presented on Wednesday 20 May 2026 by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT University.When Jimmy Wales founded Wikipedia more than two decades ago, he changed the landscape of knowledge forever – although at the time, almost no one realised it. Today, Wikipedia draws 11 billion monthly views in the English language alone.In the current ‘post-truth’ era, the internet is a sea of disinformation, the rise of AI threatens to erode hard-won knowledge and facts are increasingly malleable. In his new book, The Seven Rules of Trust, Wales shows us that it's more important than ever to return to the problem at the heart of it all: that without trust, we have no knowledge. And without knowledge, we can't fight back.In this fascinating edition of The Fifth Estate, Wales sits down with host Sally Warhaft to discuss the importance of trust in our online and offline communities, how Wikipedia evolved into one of the internet’s most reputable sources of information and shares his optimistic take on the future.The official bookseller was Hill of Content.Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This special episode is a broadcast of the Trans Book Festival's First Nations Panel, first recorded on 19th April at the Wheeler Centre. First Nations writers and poets Arlie Alizzi, moirra., and Lay Maloney (Weaving Us Together) yarn with chair Jazz Money (mark the dawn) about what it means to be a trans Ancestor, the responsibility of truth-telling with ink, and how Blak Love transcends all expectations.

We would like to believe Elspeth, a successful investigative journalist, is telling the truth but when it comes to her own family, she is damaged. Readers will not be sure whether than can feel for her, or fear her.  Mali Cornish has many twists and turns in ‘The Missing Mother'.The Wheeler Centre in Melbourne plays a pivotal role in developing the culture of writing not just in Victoria but Australia. Xanthea O'Conner talks about 'The Next Chapter' which is an initiative to foster new voices for publication.      

Beloved humourist Kathy Lette joins host Elizabeth McCarthy to discuss her big-hearted, cheeky and deeply relatable novel, The Sisterhood Rules. Originally presented on Wednesday 25th March 2026 by The Wheeler Centre.Full of laugh-out-loud humour and flashes of devastating pathos, Kathy Lette’s The Sisterhood Rules is a romp through secrets, scandal and the unbreakable – if occasionally exasperated – bonds of sisterhood. Twin sisters Isabel and Verity have always been inseparable – until Verity has an affair with Izzy's husband, leaving them hopelessly estranged. But when their mother goes missing, Verity and Izzy are forced to reunite to find her. From there, the problems only get bigger: their mother has a new younger lover and where there's a will … he'd clearly like to be in it. Can the sisters stop their mother from making a truly terrible mistake? And, while they’re at it, can they salvage their own relationship from the rubble? The official bookseller was Hill of Content Bookshop. Featured music is 'Lucy's Trail (Don't Give Up)' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acclaimed British journalist Emily Maitlis reflects on a remarkable career at the forefront of global news, sharing insights and behind-the-scenes stories from some of the world’s most explosive headlines. With host Sally Warhaft. Originally presented on Thursday 5 March 2026 by The Wheeler Centre.Over a decades-long career, Maitlis has covered everything from the Paris terror attacks and the Grenfell fires to Brexit, interviewing everyone from prime ministers and presidents to Nobel laureates and Hollywood stars.She is perhaps best known for her 2019 interview with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – then Prince Andrew, Duke of York – regarding his association with Jeffrey Epstein. The four-hour conversation was widely credited with prompting Mountbatten-Windsor to relinquish his honorary military titles, royal patronages and ultimately resign from public duties.Maitlis recounts the world-changing events she has witnessed, as well as the bust-ups, blow-ups, scoops, walk-outs and unexpected triumphs that come with making – and breaking – the news. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is 'Living in a Fantasy' by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join national treasure Shaun Micallef as he takes the stage to delve into this bitingly funny Victorian Gothic tale for the modern age. With Jacinta Parsons. Originally presented on Tuesday 31 March 2026 by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Move over, Dracula, and take a number, Nosferatu: there’s a new vampire in town, and after several thousand years he’s realised that the trouble with immortality is that eventually … it sucks.To soothe his sickened soul, the Comte De’Ath embarks on a grand holiday. From psychoanalysis in Vienna to blood transfusions in London, the Comte learns that a change of scenery can do wonders for the eternally living. Along the way, he meets the Queen, helps win the Second Matabele War, nudges Henry Ford towards the American Dream and even manages to fall in love. But with his own funeral scheduled at Carfax Abbey, the real question looms: can he become mortal again in time to attend it? The official bookseller was the Sun Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Traveling again’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A host of Melbourne International Comedy Festival comics gather to explore how comedy survives, thrives and occasionally lands a punch on authoritarianism. The powerful often say they have a sense of humour. This turns out to be true – provided the joke is about someone else. From public denunciations to legal action and intimidation, comedians across the world are increasingly required to work within narrowing spaces, where the right punchline at the expense of the wrong politician carries the risk of personal and professional consequences. When laughter is policed this closely, what does it reveal about the strength – and fragility – of power? Join host Tom Ballard alongside leading comic voices Bahaa Dabbagh, Leon Filewood and Sam Jay for a timely conversation on the role and power of comedy in an age of rising authoritarianism. This event was recorded on Saturday 28 March 2026 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Melbourne International Comedy Festival Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist. Content warning: This episode contains strong course language.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Literary icon Nell Zink joins host Jaclyn Crupi to discuss her seventh much acclaimed novel, Sister Europe. In this dazzling satire of modern life, an eclectic cast of characters gathers at a tedious literary award ceremony in Berlin. Over the course of the evening, their assumptions, foibles and irrepressible humanity are slowly brought to light.A Guggenheim Fellowship recipient and the celebrated author of Avalon, Doxology and Nicotine, among others, Nell Zink is widely hailed as a singular voice in literary fiction. In a Melbourne first, she takes the stage at The Wheeler Centre to discuss her sharp and tightly wrought new novel, Sister Europe, and its animating themes: loneliness and the possibility of transcending it, the tension between old and new worldviews and the challenge of defining one’s identity in an increasingly complex world.This event was recorded on Tuesday 3rd March 2026 at The Wheeler Centre.The official bookseller was Hill of Content Bookshop.Featured music is Lucy’s Trail (Don’t Give Up) by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction, Laila Lalami’s The Dream Hotel is a chilling dissection of surveillance culture, technological overreach and the quiet, everyday ways people become complicit in their own monitoring. Set in a near-future America shaped by predictive surveillance, Lalami tells the story of a woman swept into a surreal dystopia where dreams are weaponised by the state. Accused of a crime she hasn’t committed – yet – and detained indefinitely in a retention centre in the Californian desert, she must navigate a world in which corporations trade in the contents of our subconscious and algorithms claim the authority to determine guilt, innocence and destiny. Lalami joins host Sonia Nair to explore the seductive pull of technology, the commodification of the private self and the unnervingly plausible future where a single line of code could seal a person’s fate. This event was recorded on Wednesday March 4th 2026 at The Wheeler Centre.The official bookseller was The Chestnut Tree Bookshop.Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Emily Maitlis sat down to question then-Prince Andrew about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, few could have predicted she would walk away with the scoop of the century. The interview on the BBC’s Newsnight became one of the most explosive moments in modern media and a masterclass in calm, forensic questioning that reshaped the global conversation around power and accountability. In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, Emily reflects on the decades of reporting that led that night, the meticulous planning behind the scenes and the unexpected message she received from a close friend of the King just weeks after it aired. Tickets for Emily Maitlis live in Australia. Emily Maitlis appears at the MCEC presented by The Wheeler Centre on 5 March and at the All About Women festival in Sydney on 8 March. Weekend list with Helen Smith Listener Marc TO WATCH: Fleabag on Amazon Prime TO READ: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid TO WATCH: Frankenstein on Netflix TO EAT: Dumpling Lasagna Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK writer Zadie Smith became a world-wide sensation with the publication of her first novel White Teeth when she was 24. Now aged 50, she's bringing her trademark intelligence and wit to the subject of midlife.Her latest work is Dead and Alive, a new book of essays, where she writes about black British history, paintings, politics, our online lives and getting older.She also talks about up growing in North West London and where she's returned to live with her own family.Zadie will be in Australia next month as part of the All About Women festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 8th and at The Wheeler Centre in Melbourne on March 10th.Further InformationAll About Women at Sydney Opera HouseZadie Smith at The Wheeler CentreThis episode explores growing up in North West London, immigrants, black British history, the internet, smart phones, social media, the technology of the book, mid life, being 50, free university, Cambridge, diversity, academia, tap dancing, painting, politics, being a writer, non-fiction, young novelists, find success at young age.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

At 13, Kate Reid already knew exactly where she was headed: a career in Formula 1 and a life lived at full throttle. But after earning a degree in aerospace engineering and taking up a coveted position at one of the top F1 teams in the UK, she discovered that the reality didn’t match what she’d dreamed. So, she made a swerve no one expected: to forge a career in pastry. With her Melbourne-born bakery Lune Croissanterie now famous worldwide, Reid sits down to reflect on her unique path, from initially pursuing aerospace engineering at RMIT University, to following her lifelong passion for F1 racing, to finding fame as the mastermind behind ‘the best croissant in the world’ (The New York Times). Join Reid as she discusses perfection, obsession and making her own kind of success story, with host Alice Zaslavsky. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear Omar El Akkad discuss his searing work, 'One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This' with host Tasneem Chopra. Sparked by his viral tweet during the bombardment of Gaza – viewed over 10 million times – Omar El Akkad’s 'One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This' lays bare the fractures he has seen in the West’s empty promises of freedom and justice. In this timely session, the Egyptian-Canadian novelist and journalist reflects on how events like the Black Lives Matter protests, the escalating climate crisis and the violence in the Middle East have reshaped his understanding of migration, power and inequality and forced him to confront what it means to live in a West that has betrayed its fundamental values. Praised by Richard Flanagan as ‘a howl from the heart of our age’, El Akkad’s book explores exactly how the West has failed and offers hope for a way forward. Originally presented on Wednesday 22 October 2025 by The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is 'City Phases' by John Abbot.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear from Atlantic culture critic and Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer Sophie Gilbert as she discusses her new book 'Girl on Girl' with host Kate Jinx. They dive into the pop cultural forces of the late 1990s and Y2K era that shaped and warped women's relationships with themselves and other women. Casting her eye across pop culture of the past 30 years, she tackles everything from Madonna, the Spice Girls and the Kardashians, to MySpace, the #GirlBoss movement and The Simple Life. In this new book, Gilbert reveals the cultural forces that shaped a generation and laid the groundwork for the misogyny of today. In this conversation, Gilbert discusses how millennial pop culture twisted feminism into objectification, the insidious power of media narratives and the pervasive influence of porn, and her own experience of growing up during these defining decades.Originally recorded on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at The Wheeler Centre.The official bookseller was The Sun Bookshop.Featured music is 'No One There' by Ava Low.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode for Patreon subscribers, Tom moderates the ‘Freedom For The Press’ event live at The Wheeler Centre in Melbourne on Tuesday 15th October 2025. “Censorship and secrecy threaten democracy. A discussion on press freedom and the public’s right to know.”The panel features: Andrew Wilkie MP – Independent Federal MP & defender of whistleblowers Greg Barns SC – Barrister & human rights advocate Melissa Fyfe – Award-winning senior writer, Good Weekend ---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over EIGHTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU ---------- Links - The Information Rights Projecthttps://informationrights.org/ Produced by Michael Griffin Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After arriving in Australia as a refugee, Jelena Dokic shot to fame when she made the semi-finals of Wimbledon at just 17 years of age. But off the court, there were even greater challenges: from her struggles with mental health to surviving the abuse of her tennis coach father. In this special live recording of Australian Story, Dokic opens up to Leigh Sales about the details of her extraordinary life, from escaping war-torn Yugoslavia to becoming a Grand Slam finalist. She reflects on her past, from overcoming child abuse and domestic violence and explores the impact it had on her mental health. Despite the obstacles she faced, Jelena found a way to not only survive, but thrive – transforming her pain into power and purpose. She discovered her voice, built a successful career after tennis and ultimately found happiness. Hear Dokic speak with grace and honesty about her hard-won wisdom and the strength it takes to rise above hardship.This event recorded on Thursday 18 September 2025 at The Edge, Federation Square. It was presented in partnership with the ABC.The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're joined by Sophie Gilbert — writer, critic for The Atlantic, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of Girl on Girl. We dive into the rise of “girlhood” as an online identity — why it resonated so deeply, how it became a brand, and what it says about how women are seen (and see themselves). From the internet's obsession with returning to girlhood to our protectiveness around Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter's star power, and the lasting imprint of 90s and 2000s pop culture, we unpack how nostalgia, femininity, hyper sexualisation and marketing collided to shape a generation. Sophie Gilbert appears in Sydney on 16 October presented by Sydney Writers Festival, in Canberra on 17 October presented by Canberra Writers Festival and in Melbourne at The Wheeler Centre on Tuesday 21 October.

An exclusive Wheeler Centre live-recorded podcast featuring best-selling American author Eric Puchner, as he lifts the curtain on his latest novel 'Dream State', in conversation with host Ronnie Scott. Selected by Oprah for her book club in 2025 and an instant New York Times bestseller, 'Dream State' tells the story of Charlie, a gifted anaesthesiologist; his best friend Garrett, a brooding, introverted nerd; and medical school drop-out Cece, whose engagement to Charlie seems certain – until she meets Garrett. A love triangle plays out across generations in this panoramic and deeply human tale of family, loss and the fragile dreams that shape our lives. Hear from Puchner as he discusses this work of exceptional literary depth in this exclusive podcast recording. This podcast was originally recorded on Monday 6 October 2025 by The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Diffuser’ by Shiruky.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get your fix of honest and original media analysis from two insiders who’ve broken plenty of news and been broken by it, too. In this special live recording of We Used to be Journos, hosts Antoinette Lattouf and Jan Fran sit down to reveal the way the media works, from questionable editorial decisions that shape the weekly news to the stories that masquerade as unbiased reporting. They unpack some recent headlines and reveal how the media sausage gets made – so you know what you’re being fed. In this fearless assessment of the Australian media landscape they have a low tolerance for spin and absolutely no time for BS. You’ll never look at the news in the same way again. Originally presented on Saturday 20 September 2025 by The Wheeler Centre, in partnership with Ette Media.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the age of algorithms, music is under constant pressure to respond to mood, brand and data.Hear from music journalist and cultural critic Liz Pelly with host Lauren Taylor in this sharp and insightful exploration into how streaming platforms have transformed our relationship with music. Pelly unpacks the shift from art to algorithm-driven content, where music is reduced to a commodified experience and listeners to mere data points.Drawing from years of investigative reporting culminating in her bold exposé 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist', Pelly uncovers how the economics of streaming are reshaping the music industry and what this seismic change means for artists, listeners and cultural production at large.The conversation explores ways to reclaim that human connection in music and fight for a more meaningful future in the age of corporate playlists and mood marketing. This event was recorded on Thursday 28 August 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Now or Never. The official bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop.Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is a fascist, running an authoritarian regime. We hear this allegation a lot, now. But is he? Really? Fascism expert Jason Stanley says he moved with his family to Canada so that he could leave behind, and protest against, the political climate in the United States. Today, Stanley, a University of Toronto philosophy professor, and author of Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future, argues that American exceptionalism has blinded many Americans from thinking fascism could ever take root in their country. And he discusses if fascism could flourish here in Australia. Jason Stanley appears in Curious at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday 28 September and in Melbourne on Thursday 2 October, presented by The Wheeler Centre.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is a fascist, running an authoritarian regime. We hear this allegation a lot, now. But is he? Really? Fascism expert Jason Stanley says he moved with his family to Canada so that he could leave behind, and protest against, the political climate in the United States. Today, Stanley, a University of Toronto philosophy professor, and author of Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future, argues that American exceptionalism has blinded many Americans from thinking fascism could ever take root in their country. And he discusses if fascism could flourish here in Australia. Jason Stanley appears in Curious at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday 28 September and in Melbourne on Thursday 2 October, presented by The Wheeler Centre.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beloved author David Nicholls takes to the stage with host Beverley Wang, to discuss his latest novel 'You Are Here'.This talk was originally presented on Tuesday 20 May 2025 by The Wheeler Centre.In 'You Are Here', David Nicholls weaves the stories of these two seemingly disconnected characters, bringing them together in a powerful, emotionally rich narrative brimming with his trademark blend of warmth, wit and insight into the human condition.Hear from one of today’s most cherished writers as he shares the inspiration behind his latest literary triumph and discusses the universal themes that will make it a story for our times.The official bookseller was the Sun Bookshop.Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robbie Coburn is a poet and author of the young adult verse novel The Foal in the Wire (Lothian/Hachette Australia, 2025). His poetry collections are Ghost Poetry (Upswell, 2024), And I Could Not Have Hurt You (Kiddiepunk, 2023), The Other Flesh (UWAP, 2019) and Rain Season (Picaro Press, 2013). He has also published several chapbooks and zines.His poems have been published in Australian and overseas journals including Meanjin, Island, Westerly, and Poetry (Chicago), and anthologised in Oystercatcher One  (5 Islands Press, 2024), To End All Wars (Puncher and Wattmann, 2018) and Writing to the Wire (UWAP, 2016).He has been featured at The Wheeler Centre and La Mama Poetica, appeared as a guest at literary festivals including the Sydney Writers' Festival, Canberra Writers Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival and Perth Poetry Festival, and run poetry workshops for youth mental health organisation Headspace.He grew up on a farm in Regional Victoria and now lives in Melbourne. Production & Interview: Tina Giannoukos

Each year at the Melbourne International Film Festival, a panel of guests gather to dissect the highs and lows of the zeitgeist. Host Michael Sun, essayist and regular writer for the Guardian, is joined by actor and writer Maria Angelico, Chicago–based New York Magazine Vulture culture critic Angelica Jade Bastién and visiting Los Angeles Times film critic Amy Nicholson to discuss the most overrated, underrated and personal favourite moments in movies, TV, podcasts and books of the past 12 months. Hear hot takes, heated discussions and great recommendations to enjoy post-festival. Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can ageing teach us? For broadcast and writer Jacinta Parsons, the answer is – perhaps everything. Inspired by many conversations with women across the country, A Wisdom of Age captures the brewing tone of revolution that sits in the hearts of women who are ready to tell a new kind of story about the experience of growing older. Set against the backdrop of an intimate two-course dinner at Montalto, Parsons reflects on her own experience of ageing, alongside the powerful stories of the remarkable women she’s encountered – each offering unique tales of resilience, wisdom and grace – and the lessons they’ve imparted. She joins host Hilary Harper for an honest, thought-provoking and energising conversation about ageing with love and the spirit of rebellion. This event was recorded on Friday June 6th 2025. It was presented in partnership with Montalto.The official bookseller was Farrells.Featured music is 'Lucy’s Trail (Don’t Give Up)' by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New South Wales government is investing $1.5 million to establish a dedicated literature hub next to the State Library of New South Wales, mirroring Victoria's Wheeler Centre.

Join New York Times bestselling author Lauren Roberts in her exclusive Melbourne appearance to celebrate Fearless, the highly anticipated third and final book in the Powerless series. Romance, fantasy and intrigue collide in this runaway BookTok success known for its fierce heroine, witty banter and deliciously fraught enemies-to-lovers plot. After the shocking cliff-hanger ending of Reckless, Fearless sees Paedyn Gray and Kai Azer return to the Kingdom of Ilya where Paedyn has a life-altering choice to make. Whatever she decides will determine her fate – and the fate of those around her – forever. In the ultimate battle of love and loyalty, who wins? Joined by Amie Kaufman, Roberts discusses writing slow-burn romance, gripping plot twists and bringing her smash hit, dagger-to-the-throat romantasy trilogy to its thrilling conclusion. This event was recorded on Wednesday 25 June 2025 at Melbourne Town Hall. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2020, Cheng Lei was working as a business reporter for China's state-run English language television station when she was arrested on charges of sharing state secrets. She was detained in China for over three years under harsh conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement and restricted access to her family, before finally being released. Now, back in Australia and free to write and speak her mind, Lei recounts her story in A Memoir of Freedom, an extraordinary memoir of her arrest, trial, imprisonment – and most importantly, her survival. Written with vivid immediacy, this new book is a powerful meditation on hope, freedom and the power of the human spirit. In conversation with James Scullin, Lei offers a complex, deeply personal account of her experience in confinement, resisting black-and-white thinking in favour of a more nuanced view.This event was recorded on Wednesday 18 June 2025. It was presented in partnership with Asia Society Australia. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is ‘Travelling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American Jewish journalist Peter Beinart reflects on the world around him – and his place within it – amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza offers a timely reflection, seeking to reimagine what it means to be Jewish in the wake of the horrors unfolding in the Middle East. Drawing on Jewish tradition and history, and global efforts at moral reconstruction, Peter Beinart calls for a new story to take hold – one in which Palestinian and Jewish safety are interconnected, and where the veneration of nation states cannot be at the expense of human life. He joins host Sarah Schwartz for an examination of one of the most pressing issues of our time and offers his vision for a future of peace and equality. This event was recorded on Tuesday 27th May 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with The Jewish Council of Australia.The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop.Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1985, Jeanette Winterson published her debut novel – the groundbreaking and subversive Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit. Genre-bending and narratively bold, it garnered then-rare mainstream success for a story that was fiercely feminist and challenged traditional gender roles. Four decades on, Winterson remains one of our most distinguished writers, renowned for her singular voice and restless curiosity. Her work spans a vast landscape of ideas, from artificial intelligence to religion, from myth to memory. In this episode, hear from one of literature’s most provocative and original minds, as Winterson joins the Wheeler Centre for an exclusive Melbourne appearance at The Capitol, reflecting on her remarkable career and the themes that continue to shape her writing. This event was recorded on Saturday 24th May 2025 at The Capitol. It was presented in partnership with RMIT University. The official bookseller was Hares and Hyenas. Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah the Illstrumenalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Irish novelist has always been open to where life can unexpectedly take him, and the excitement that comes with that kind of freedom.Colm Toibin's first big move was from rural Ireland to Dublin after his father died when he was young. Then, it was off to experience the wild hedonism and sexual liberation of post-Franco Spain, a pleasant shock after needing a prescription to buy condoms in Ireland.Since then, he's journeyed to Sudan, Los Angeles, New York and beyond.Wherever Colm goes, he keeps a running list in his head of tiny details — observations of seemingly mundane encounters, an offhand comment or the cut of a lady's suit on a train.Every now and then, these details bubble up in Colm's memory and another of his well-loved novels, like Brooklyn, Nora Webster or The Master, is born.This episode was produced by Meggie Morris. Conversations Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison. Presented by Sarah Kanowski.It explores film adaptations, death of a parent, grief, Ireland, homophobia, growing up gay, Catholicism, epic adventure, John Crowley, Nick Hornby, Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Julie Walters, Dublin, immigrant experience, the Irish immigrant experience, family separation, origin stories, falling in love, books, writers, novels, life-story, family dynamics, reflection, loss, funny, comedy, repression, orgies, condom prescriptions, journalism, foreign correspondents.Colm's latest novel Long Island is published by Pan MacMillan.He was in Australia as a guest of the Wheeler Centre, RMIT, Melbourne Writers Festival and Sydney Writers Festival.

Join Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry, hosts of the Guardian’s political podcast Back to Back Barries, for a clear-eyed analysis of the 2025 Australian federal election. After five weeks of relentless campaigning, Australians have cast their votes – and political commentators and former major party insiders Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry are here to offer a discerning examination of how, and why, we arrived at the results on 3 May 2025. In this special post-election live recording of the Guardian’s Back to Back Barries podcast, they look at the key moments that shaped the campaigns, unpack the role that Independents and minor parties had on the balance of power and discuss what has been revealed about the political, cultural and social issues shaping Australia.This event was presented in partnership with The Guardian. It was recorded on Thursday 15 May 2025 at The Edge, Federation Square.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over an intimate two-course dinner at Montalto, broadcaster and social policy expert Jamila Rizvi and comedian and podcaster Rosie Waterland come together with host Tracee Hutchison for a candid discussion about their deeply personal new book, Broken Brains. Drawing from their own experiences, Rizvi and Waterland reflect on their journeys with illness – Rizvi's rare brain tumour diagnosis and Waterland’s ongoing mental trauma from childhood abuse – and explore the unexpected ways these struggles intersect. Through a rare blend of humour and honesty, they offer solidarity and invaluable insights for anyone who has faced illness or cared for someone who has. Hear from two women who have navigated their own battles and now wish to share the hope, healing and perspective they’ve gained along the way. This event was recorded on Friday 9 May 2025. It was presented in partnership with Montalto. The official bookseller was Farrells. Featured music is 'I See You Out There' by Tellsonic. Please note this recording includes references to suicide. For support in Australia contact: Lifeline: 13 11 14Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Headspace: 1800 650 890 Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry at this special live recording of the podcast at Federation Square in Melbourne for the Wheeler Centre's 15th birthday celebrations. They discuss new leaders for the Greens and Liberals, Labor's ministerial reshuffle and whether the prime minister will use the enormous political capital afforded him to push for big change

Legendary tech journalist and podcaster Kara Swisher opens up about a lifetime of reporting on Silicon Valley with host Sophie Black. In a world where tech billionaires operate beyond the reach of government regulation and press scrutiny, Kara Swisher has devoted her career to holding them to account. Her new memoir Burn Book offers an insider’s history of some of Silicon Valley’s most influential companies, laying bare the utopian ideals and troubling compromises of the people who created them. Here, she discusses her wide-ranging experiences of reporting on the tech industry from boom and bust to global domination and offers a clear-eyed view on how big tech has shaped our lives. Hear this witty, scathing and frank account from a journalist who has seen the dark inner workings of the industry – and yet remains optimistic about tech's potential to deliver a better and fairer world. Originally presented on Thursday 6 March 2025 by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT Culture. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Magan Magan was born in Yemen in 1987. At the age of four, after living in Malta for several years, he and his family migrated to Australia. He was awarded a Hot Desk Fellowship at The Wheeler Centre and was co-editor of anthologies Growing Up African In Australia and Australian Poetry Anthology. Magan is the author of From Grains to Gold and the host of the Inner Self Rising Podcast, a show for free thinkers focused on self-development and living authentically. Follow him on Twitter: https://x.com/maganmagan9 Follow him on IG: https://www.instagram.com/innerselfrising

The Guilty Feminist 427. The Law Silencing WomenPresented by Deborah Frances-White with Claire Hooper and special guest Jennifer RobinsonRecorded 12 February 2025 at the Wheeler Centre, Melbourne. Released 3 March.The Guilty Feminist theme composed by Mark Hodge. Get Deborah's new book with 30% using the code SIXCONVERSATIONSPOD https://store.virago.co.uk/More about Deborah Frances-Whitehttps://deborahfrances-white.comhttps://www.instagram.com/dfdubzhttps://www.virago.co.uk/titles/deborah-frances-white/six-conversations-were-scared-to-have/9780349015811https://www.virago.co.uk/titles/deborah-frances-white/the-guilty-feminist/9780349010120More about Claire Hooperhttps://www.instagram.com/theclairehooperhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw4FAtpgJEAhttps://comedy.com.au/tour/claire-hooperMore about Jennifer Robinsonhttps://www.instagram.com/suigenerisjenhttps://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Jennifer-Robinson-and-Keina-Yoshida-How-Many-More-Women-9781761471797For more information about this and other episodes…visit https://www.guiltyfeminist.comtweet us https://www.twitter.com/guiltfempodlike our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/guiltyfeministcheck out our Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theguiltyfeministor join our mailing list http://www.eepurl.com/bRfSPTOur new podcasts are out nowMedia Storm https://podfollow.com/media-stormAbsolute Power https://podfollow.com/john-bercows-absolute-powerCome to a live recording:Six Conversations We're Scared to Have book tour: https://www.seetickets.com/search?q=deborah+frances-whiteWhat Does Not x Guilty Feminist https://dice.fm/partner/what-does-not-ltd/event/oeopdy-iwd-special-ft-the-guilty-feminist-19th-mar-the-old-queens-head-london-tickets16 Postcodes in London: https://museumofcomedy.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873652125Never Have I Ever in Melbourne: https://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/whats-on/season-2025/never-have-i-ever/Thank you to our amazing Patreon supporters.To support the podcast yourself, go to https://www.patreon.com/guiltyfeminist You can also get an ad-free version of the podcast via Apple Podcasts or Acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/guiltyfeminist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special podcast extra, at an event hosted by The Wheeler Centre, Sales interviews her idol Helen Garner about her new book The Season, in front of a live audience in Melbourne. Special thanks to The Wheeler Centre for permission to replay the audio. (0.00) The Season by Helen Garner | Apple Books(7.50) Year Of The Dogs | Apple and DocPlay Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Guilty Feminist 426. CommunityPresented by Deborah Frances-White with Claire Hooper and special guest Gina MartinRecorded 12 February 2025 at the Wheeler Centre, Melbourne. Released 17 February.The Guilty Feminist theme composed by Mark Hodge. More about Deborah Frances-Whitehttps://deborahfrances-white.comhttps://www.instagram.com/dfdubzhttps://www.virago.co.uk/titles/deborah-frances-white/six-conversations-were-scared-to-have/9780349015811https://www.virago.co.uk/titles/deborah-frances-white/the-guilty-feminist/9780349010120More about Claire Hooperhttps://www.instagram.com/theclairehooperhttps://comedy.com.au/tour/claire-hooper More about Gina Martinhttps://www.instagram.com/ginamartinhttps://www.tomorrowwoman.com.auhttps://ginamartin.onlinehttps://ginamartin.substack.comFor more information about this and other episodes…visit https://www.guiltyfeminist.comtweet us https://www.twitter.com/guiltfempodlike our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/guiltyfeministcheck out our Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theguiltyfeministor join our mailing list http://www.eepurl.com/bRfSPTOur new podcasts are out nowMedia Storm https://podfollow.com/media-stormAbsolute Power https://podfollow.com/john-bercows-absolute-powerCome to a live recording:Six Conversations We're Scared to Have book tour: https://www.seetickets.com/search?q=deborah+frances-white16 Postcodes in London: https://museumofcomedy.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873652125Never Have I Ever in Melbourne: https://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/whats-on/season-2025/never-have-i-ever/Thank you to our amazing Patreon supporters.To support the podcast yourself, go to https://www.patreon.com/guiltyfeminist You can also get an ad-free version of the podcast via Apple Podcasts or Acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/guiltyfeminist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat - a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. This time it's Magda Szubanski.At the height of her successful career, behind closed doors, Magda was coming to terms with the past of her Polish-born father, whom she loved dearly, and who was an assassin in his early life.Magda is well known for her comic performances across film and television, and is perhaps most beloved by Australians for her role as Sharon in Kath & Kim.But at the height of her successful career, Magda was navigating a more difficult journey, to integrate the disparate parts of her life. Most challenging was coming to terms with the past of her Polish-born father, whom she loved dearly, and who was an assassin in his early life.So Magda wrote a memoir, Reckoning, which delved into her father's complicated story and how it fit into her own distinct journey, from a child migrant to one of Australia's favourite comedians.Richard recorded this conversation with Magda Szubanski in 2015, at a Wheeler Centre event at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre.This episode of Conversations contains discussions about comedy, theatre, improvisation, university, Poland, Polish, Scotland, Scottish, England, immigration, migrants, Australia, families, family relationships, fathers, mothers, parents, siblings, Second World War, World War 2, World War II, assassins, Resistance, guerillas, Nazis, Germany, Germans, autobiographies, secrets, family secrets, family history, extended family, Babe, actress, acting, film, Fast Forward, television, comedians, Sharon, Kath and Kim.