Conversations

Latest Episodes:

Teachers — Story Collection Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Memories, motivation and life lessons from those at the front of the classroom - stories from across 20 years of Conversations.

Teachers share stories from their life’s work.

Facing up to challenging students, sitting alongside a young person in turmoil, making lifesaving decisions for an entire school, and the simple joy of seeing knowledge take root.

We celebrate the dedication found in schools across the country by featuring some extraordinary principals and teachers.

Content warning:

Sergio Rosato’s story (from 8-25 minutes) deals with bushfire survival.

Brendan James Murray’s story contains a mention of self-harm that is not explicit (55-56 mins).

Listen to the full episodes from featured guests Manisha Gazula, Sergio Rosato, Lynne Hinton, Eddie Woo, Sarah Donnelly and Brendan James Murray.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Stefanie Collett, Pam O'Brien, Jenna Koda, Nicola Harrison and Meggie Morris. Story editing by Michelle Ransom-Hughes. The Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney. Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski presented this interview.

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.

Digging Up Mum and Dad — Story Compilation Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

The secret lives of parents — stories from across 20 years of Conversations.

Espionage, Hollywood scandal, a second family, daring wartime missions, and a deadly weapon — revelations unearthed by adult children delving into the lives of parents long gone.

Familial mysteries are some of the most spellbinding in our archives, and this collection features life stories from around the globe, revealed in the hunt for answers.

Further information

Listen to the full episodes from featured guests:

Paul Carter

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/paul-carters-adventures-as-an-oil-rig-worker/7756936

Darleen Bungee

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/darleen-bungey/12255026

Nadia Mahjouri

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/nadia-mahjouri-morocco-father-matrescence-motherhood-tasmania/104960782

Jane Eales

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/jane-eales-discovery-about-her-mothers-mysterious-past/7753290

This episode was produced by Anna Priestland, Pam O'Brien, Alice Moldovan and Jenna Koda. The story editor was Michelle Ransom-Hughes and the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney. Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski presented the interviews.

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.

A Feast of Cooks — Story Collection Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Our chefs and cooks and the food that made them — stories from across 20 years of Conversations.

Unforgettable sensory moments from childhood are behind the devotion of some of Australia’s most well known chefs.

From Gary Mehigan’s grandfather’s secret chocolate stash, to the aroma of the traditional Cantonese broth, made by Hetty McKinnon’s mother, wafting from her morning kitchen.

This tasting plate of stories about food and cooking also includes stories from Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris, Hetty McKinnon, Josh Niland, Jimmy Shu, Maggie Beer and Poh Ling Yeow.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Pam O'Brien and Nicola Harrison. The story editor was Michelle Ransom-Hughes. The Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney. It was presented by Sarah Kanowski and Richard Fidler.

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.

Maximum McInnes Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

A collection of some of the best moments from actor and writer William McInnes — celebrating 20 years of Conversations. The voice of actor William McInnes is unmistakable, whether in larger than life TV roles; or as himself, telling true stories. A firm favourite of Conversations’ listeners, this episode is a collection of highlights from his many appearances on the program.

You’ll enjoy William’s rendition of a Perry Como classic; hear him wax lyrical about the mayhem and magic of family life in Australian suburbia, circa the mid-to-late 20th Century; and be drawn in by his hilarious and heartfelt shaggy dog stories about raising his children as a single dad, after the death of his wife Sarah Watts.

Listen to William's full episodes on fatherhood, Australianisms and Christmas.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison and Michelle Ransom-Hughes. The Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.

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.

Shipwrecked and alone: surviving the Blythe Star Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

At 18 years old, Mick Doleman miraculously survived when his ship capsized in the freezing Southern Ocean off Tasmania. But as he floated in a life raft with his nine crewmates, his ordeal at sea had only just begun.

Crushing on Aladdin and Nigella Lawson — how Daniel learnt to love himself Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

Writer and journalist Daniel Nour on the pressures of his vivacious Egyptian-Australian family, and 'inviting people in' instead of 'coming out'.

Daniel grew up in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, the only son of Egyptian migrants.

He dearly loved his parents, who taught him how to stand up to bullies, drove him to Tournament of the Minds competitions, and helped him buy his first car, but he could never be his whole, true self around them.

For most of his life, Daniel was in denial about being gay, despite his raging crushes on handsome film characters like cartoon Aladdin and the Scorpion King, played by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

Daniel even very briefly contemplated life as a priest in order to escape the familial pressure to marry a woman and give his parents grandchildren.

But after a confidence-boosting trip to Egypt, and then an embarrassing, dishonest appearance on national television, Daniel was finally honest with himself.

Further information

How to Dodge Flying Sandals and Other Advice for Life: An unreliable ethnic memoir is published by Simon and Schuster.

Daniel is a member of Sweatshop Literacy Movement, you can keep up to date with his work at his website.

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

It explores migrant stories, multiculturalism, coming out, Coptic Orthodoxy, protestant church, faith, religion, homosexuality, Arab-Australians, racism, first generation Australians, growing up in Sydney, Cairo, writing, books, family dynamics, body image, male body image, masculinity, gym culture, diet culture, memoir.

Find out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.

The walking nun — Sister Clare Nolan on entering the convent and saving lives Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

Sister Clare Nolan was the head of nursing at St Vincent's Hospital when the HIV/AIDS epidemic reached Australia. She met with politicians, brothel workers and gay activists in the same room to work out how to save the men under her care in Ward 17 South.

Clare was 21 years old when she entered the convent, against her mother's wishes, joining the Sisters of Charity novitiate to prepare for life as a nun.

Clare had already completed her training as a nurse, and so she didn't want to join a contemplative order, closed off to the rest of the world.

Clare wanted to take care of the sick and marginalised as a nurse, and as a nun, and so she became a 'walking sister'.

Sister Clare quickly rose up the ranks, becoming the director of nursing at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, right as the HIV/AIDS epidemic reached Australia.

Clare found herself in meetings with politicians, immunologists, brothel workers, gay activists and Catholics, working together to figure out how to save the hundreds of patients who came under her care in Ward 17 South - the first and only dedicated HIV/AIDS ward in the country.

Further information

You can learn more about the Sister's of Charity of Australia and St Vincent's Health Australia online.

Find out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.

Encore: What does a 'disaster specialist' actually do and how do they survive? Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

When there's a plane crash, a bomb blast, a flood or a pandemic, Lucy Easthope's phone starts ringing. This is how she stays cheerful and trusts her gut in the face of never-ending disasters. (R)

When Lucy was 10 years old, she was at home with her dad watching a Liverpool Football Club match when all hell broke loose.

The Hillsborough Disaster, as it came to be known, was a fatal crowd crush that killed almost 100 people and as Lucy and her dad watched it all unfold on the television, she remembers him shouting, "Someone needs to sort this!"

That formative experience inspired Lucy to go on to become what's called an 'emergency planner' or 'disaster specialist'.

When a plane crashes, a bomb explodes, a city floods or a virus spreads across the planet, Lucy's phone begins to ring and she springs into action.

Lucy's speciality is the care and return of personal items to grieving families, through which she's learned that a cup of tea and truthfulness are as important as DNA testing.

Further information

When the Dust Settles is published by Hodder & Stoughton.

Find out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, executive producer was Carmel Rooney.

It explores natural disasters, floods, famine, starvation, plane crashes, train crashes, mass death, tsunami, Bali, Japan, tube bombing, stadium crush, mass panic, disaster relief, survival, mental health, coping mechanisms, high cortisol, adrenaline, Grenfell, pandemic, terrorism, terror attack, Lismore, tornado, covid, ebola.

Miss Australia, gangland girlfriend, counsellor and ex-criminal: Felicia Djamirze's story Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

Felicia Djamirze grew up in the criminal underworld, then became a beauty queen. But her life outside the pageant circuit was mired in the world of drugs, bikie gangs and violence.(CW: graphic discussion of domestic violence and crime)

Felicia Djamirze is a counsellor, an advocate for women's justice, a three-time Miss Australia winner and in a former life, a convicted drug trafficker.

Felicia grew up surrounded by drug abuse and crime in a rough part of Sydney. Her family was marked by addiction and connections to the criminal underworld.

As she got older, Felicia attracted a lot of attention for her looks, eventually finding the world of beauty pageants, which she thought was her way out.

But behind the scenes, Felicia's life was far from glamorous.

While living with a partner who was in a bikie gang, she survived severe domestic violence. Then, during her next relationship she was caught up in an horrifically violent encounter with the Queensland Police when they burst into her home to arrest her partner for dealing meth.

Felicia admitted her involvement and was convicted for drug trafficking. In the aftermath, she retrained as a counsellor and mental health advocate.

She now aims to use her experiences to help others find a way out of the justice system and re-enter, unashamedly, into the real world.

Further information

Content warning: this episode of Conversations contains descriptions of domestic violence.

Help and Support is always available.

If you are experiencing Domestic Violence 1800 Respect is available 24 hours a day on 1800 737 732.

For support with PTSD in Australia, Lifeline (13 11 14) and Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) offer crisis support.

Accessory, written with Erin O'Dwyer, is published by Affirm Press.

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

It explores crime, conviction history, police brutality, bikies, meth, substance abuse, epic origin stories, family dynamics, relationships, prison, outlaw motorcycle gangs, arms dealing, ice, Russian mafia, Hells Angels, Bandidos, Rebels, Comancheros, Finks, and Mongols.

Find out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.

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.

A Dad's mission to save his daughter, and conquer cancer Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

Matt Dun left school at 17 to join the Australian navy as a submariner and later finished his high school certificate as an adult attending TAFE at night.He then trained in biomedical science and was researching childhood leukaemia when his family received some devastating news, their little daughter Josie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

Matt turned all his energy and expertise into searching for treatments to help Josie and other children like her.

He found running was one thing that helped him cope with the stress and pain of his daughter’s illness, and with his wife founded the charity, RUN DIPG

Further information

The charity founded by Matt and Phoebe Dun is RUN DIPG

Find out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.

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

It explores childhood brain cancer, biomedical science, grief, family, DIPG, drug trials, research, submarines, the Australian Navy, running.

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