Conversations

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What caring for the dying taught Bronnie Ware about living Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Bronnie Ware was recovering from burnout when she wrote a blog post reflecting on years working as a palliative carer and the epiphanies patients shared with her as they faced death. It was read by millions and became the basis of her best-selling book, The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying.

And the lessons Bronnie learnt from her dying patients also helped her confront some darker elements of her childhood and eventually find peace.

The book has become a touchstone for many people all over the world, including influential thinkers like Dr Gabor Mate and Dr Rangan Chaterjee.

Bronnie's wildlife vlog can be found on her website bronnieware.com

This episode of Conversations was produced by Jen Leake. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores death, dying, palliative care, family, regrets, nature, depression, chronic illness, carer work, Bronnie Ware, The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying, writing, forgiveness, wildlife, spirituality, memory, meditation.

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.

My father Bryce Courtenay: the charming, charismatic, compulsive liar Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

To Australia he was a genius adman and best-selling author but behind closed doors Bryce Courtenay was a deeply flawed husband and father. His son, Adam, has tried to make sense of the lies, the ego and the heartbreak.

When Adam Courtenay was growing up, he saw his dad Bryce as a hero.

Bryce worked in advertising so he knew all the latest, coolest trends, and at bedtime, Bryce told Adam and his brothers amazing stories about his life in South Africa and the Courtenay family’s noble origins.

When Bryce went from adman to wildly successful writer with his debut novel, The Power of One, Adam couldn’t have been prouder.

As Adam grew older, he became aware of the gaps in the stories his father told so well, and realised just how many lies Bryce had told his family and the nation.

At first, Adam tried to ignore the fables and fibs - he wanted badly to believe them because they made Bryce's storytelling so powerful.

But when Adam became a writer himself, an author of historical books and a journalist, he needed to champion the truth above all else.

Further information

My Father Bryce is published by Hachette.

This episode of Conversations explores novels, writing, advertising, Australiana, Australian books, memoir, father son relationships, big egos, Australian voices, Tandia, The Night Country, Whitethorn, The Potato Factory, Tommo & Hawk, Solomon's Song, Nick Duncan Saga, The Persimmon Tree, Fishing for Stars, The Milky Bar Kid, knowing your parents, marriage, fatherhood, journalism, betrayal, cancer, divorce, affairs, infidelity, public personas, modern history, literature.

How this journalist took on a war criminal and won Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

In 2017, journalist Nick McKenzie heard rumours of executions and cover-ups inside Australia’s most elite military unit. For the next eight years, Nick waged an epic battle for the truth to be acknowledged about Ben Roberts-Smith VC.

Along with his colleague Chris Masters, Nick began an investigation which hinged on Australia’s most famous, and most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, who served in the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) from 2003 - 2013.

By following the story, they were plunged into the defamation trial of the century.

His fight examined evidence of bullying, intimidation, war crimes and murder, and took him across Australia and to Afghanistan.

As he unearthed secrets Ben Roberts-Smith had thought he'd long ago buried, Nick had to deal with death threats, and powerful forces intent on destroying his career.

He also witnessed attempts to silence brave SAS soldiers, who had witnessed their famous comrade commit unspeakable acts.

For years Nick waged an epic battle for the truth to be acknowledged.

Earlier this year, Ben Roberts-Smith lost an appeal against a defamation judgement, which found he committed war crimes.

UPDATE April 2026: Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested and charged over allegations of war crimes following a five-year investigation.

The 47-year-old was charged with five counts of the war crime of murder relating to his time serving in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

The criminal charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Further information

Crossing the Line is published by Hachette.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores war, Afghanistan, the SAS, war crimes, allegations of war crimes, legal history, Australia's military history, Andrew Hastie, ADF, Iraq, Nine, Fairfax, Kerry Stokes, Seven, Media, Anthony Besanko, Brereton Report, AFP, Federal Police, phone tapping, Mick Keelty, Federal Court, truth defence, David Wroe, peer pressure, military life, camaraderie, life at war, civil versus criminal court.

Encore: Paralympian Christie Dawes is super/normal Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

Christie took up wheelchair racing as a child as part of her rehab after a car crash left her with paraplegia. Sometimes dangerous and always thrilling, the sport helped to restore her sense of self and Christie went on to compete in seven Paralympic Games.

But she almost gave up one of her events, the marathon, after a terrifying experience in Boston in 2013.

Christie manages to split her time training for races, holding down several jobs, and raising her family.

Further information

If you need someone to talk to, help and support is always available

Lifeline on 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
Headspace on 1800 650 890

This episode was produced by Michelle Ransom Hughes and the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.

This episode of Conversations touches on suicide, Paralympic Games, terrorism, disability, family, wheelchair marathon, wheelchair racing, positivity, sport, women, alcohol, equal rights.

How I went from being a pregnant, homeless teenager to running a BHP mining merger Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

Claire Parkinson is the daughter of a long-distance lorry driver and her first job was cleaning the urinals at her local Suffolk factory. A stint as a prison officer set her up with stability and responsibility, then she was assigned to protect a notorious murderer.

Content warning: this episode contains strong language.

As a child, Claire was the apple of her father’s eye and when she got pregnant unexpectedly while a teenager, he could not speak to her at all and the two fell out.

Claire became homeless for a time, then tried to adjust to life with her new baby boy.

Eventually she got a job as a prison officer at Highpoint Prison, where she was assigned to look after the child murderer, Myra Hindley.

Prison taught Claire many lessons, ones she was forced to lean on in a move halfway around the world, and a new career in mining in Australia, bringing her back to her dad.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan. The Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.

This episode of Conversations touches on bhp job cuts queensland coal mining, virgin australia breastfeeding, childcare, crime, counter terrorism, George Michael, LinkedIn, positivity, growth mindset, family dynamics, origin story, hard work, jail, prison officer, corrective services, corrections, mortgage interest rates, and being a single mum.

265 days alone at sea — the young boat builder who rowed across the Pacific Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

Tom Robinson was a 14-year-old living in the Brisbane suburbs when he made a promise to himself to become the youngest person ever to row across the Pacific Ocean. Nine years later Tom set off from Peru bound for Australia without a support crew and limited communication.

Tom navigated by the stars, made eye contact with a shark and rowed up to 15 hours a day when strong currents pushed him off course.

And when his adventure ended, it was in a completely unexpected by perfect way.

Read more about Tom at his website:

https://www.tomrobinsonboats.com/

This episode of Conversations was produced by Jen Leake. Executive producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores solo adventure, rowing the Pacific Ocean, boat building, remote Pacific Island communities, family, rescue, bad weather, world records, isolation, fear, survival, adventure, near death, volcanic islands, marine life, weather, storms, storms at sea, naked, rescue, teenage adventurer, and getting off your phone.

The secret lives of diplomats: surviving 'bomb season' in Jakarta Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

Diplomat Grant Dooley was inside the Australian Embassy building in Indonesia when a bomb went off, killing several people. This was just the beginning of a series of devastating events that Grant had to come to terms with years after moving back home to Australia.

In 2004, Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, moved to Jakarta with their two young children to start a three-year posting at the Australian Embassy.

In September of that year, Grant arrived at the embassy complex for a brief visit. Not long after he entered the building, a bomb went off outside, which partially destroyed the building and killed many people.

The Australian Embassy had been the target of an attack plotted by Jemaah Islamiah, a terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda.

Little did Grant know that he and his family had arrived in Indonesia in the middle of a horror show of bombings, natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions, which would not end for the next several years.

The embassy bombing was followed by the Boxing Day Tsunami, a second Bali bombing, the Garuda plane crash in Yogyakarta and more.

Not only was Grant a witness to these events, he was also a first responder to some of them.

Further information

Bomb Season In Jakarta is published by Affirm Press.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris; executive producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores terrorism, diplomacy, expats, Bali bombings, Sumatra, earthquake, tsunami, Schapelle Corby, Bali 9, drug smuggling, banged up abroad, how to become a diplomat, the real life of diplomats, PTSD, post traumatic stress, Jemaah Islamiyah, jihadist organisation, al-Qaeda, Paddy's pub, Sari Club, Aceh, John Howard, Alexander Downer, Kevin Rudd, Prabowo Subianto, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Joko Widodo, foreign affairs, books, writing, memoir, modern history, Abu Bakar Bashir, 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing, East Timor, South East Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, war.

Conversations Live podcast extra: Mel Buttle Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

Sarah and Richard give you a sneak peek behind the scenes of the now complete Conversations Live Tour, Brisbane edition.

Comedian, Mel Buttle was one of the special guests who appeared on stage to share some photos close to her heart, and the stories attached to them.

Further information

To see Mel's photos for yourself, head to the ABC Conversations Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/abcconvos/

Encore: Candice Fox—How to raise a crime writer Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

As a child, Candice Fox knew her family wasn't what most people would consider normal. Their Christmas included lunch at Long Bay jail, where her father worked (R).

At home, Candice's mother Ocean was busy rescuing lost people, injured native animals, and bringing home odd things from the council clean-up.

In one 5-year period, Ocean fostered more than 140 children. To escape the chaos of home, Candice would immerse herself in her mum's collection of illustrated true crime stories.Then she began writing her own. She grew up to become one of the world's best-selling crime authors.

Further information

Originally broadcast in March, 2024.

Candice’s novels High Wire and Fire With Fire are now being adapted for the screen.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. Executive producer was Carmel Rooney.

It explores writing, books, animals, Australian animals, wildlife rescue, conservation, childhood memories, true crime, crime novels, crime writing, foster families, foster children, blended families, how to become an author, books.

When Dr Tottman had to run towards her life Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

Dr Charlotte Tottman is a clinical psychologist who specialises in supporting cancer patients. Both her parents had died young from different cancers, so Charlotte always joked she would be next. In 2018, it wasn't a joke anymore.

While on a beach holiday, Charlotte found a lump in her breast.

When she got her own cancer diagnosis, all of Charlotte’s skills as a psychologist went out the window.

She was scared, and angry, and determined to keep going rather than letting herself rest.

After falling in a heap, Charlotte has found her way back - helped by an ex-husband’s generosity, by her own penchant for swimming only in bikini bottoms and by needing to be there to have deeper conversations with her children as they became adults.

Further information

Charlotte's podcast, Upfront About Breast Cancer - What You Don't Know Until You Do, is produced with Breast Cancer Network Australia, and is available to stream at Apple Podcasts.

If you or anyone you know needs help:

Breast Cancer Network Australia on 1800 500 258
Cancer Council on 13 11 20
Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
Lifeline on 13 11 14

This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, executive producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores breast cancer, cancer diagnosis, parenting, motherhood, mother-daughter relationships, divorce, finding love again, career change, double mastectomy, body image after cancer, psycho-oncology, helping people with cancer, how to talk to your children about cancer, mindfulness, swimming, mental health, shock, coping with illness, recovering from illness, major surgery, origin story.

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