Big Little Small Talk

Megan speaks with Charlie Rowe, CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Service Queensland, about the Strong Fathers, Strong Families program he developed. The discussion covers the importance of education around domestic violence, the impact of intergenerational trauma, and the program's success in preventing recidivism among participants.

In this episode, Megan interviews Janice Holstein, a celebrant with a rich background in local government and farming. Janice shares her childhood experiences on a dairy farm, her transition into a celebrant role, and the impact of community events like the 2011 floods.

Katrina Marsh is a family counsellor and author of You Are My Whole World, Did You Know That? — a book written for grown-ups, with an important message about seeing the world through a child’s eyes.

Katrina explores how children’s behaviour is often a way of communicating big feelings they don’t yet know how to manage. She offers parents and caregivers gentle, practical guidance on building emotional safety, strengthening their connection with their children, and helping them develop emotional resilience.

It’s also a reassuring reminder that parenting isn’t about being perfect — it’s about understanding our children and helping them feel safe, loved and understood.

Tim Hair is a Paramedic and Enrolled Nurse. He spent many years in the Australian Defence Force where he learnt to practice what’s known as “austere medicine”. Essentially, it is medical care delivered in resource-constrained, remote, or hostile environments.

Tim currently works for LifeFlight’s First Minutes Matter program; teaching communities practical skills to respond to emergencies — because those first few minutes can quite literally make the difference between life and death.

Tim talks about what happens in those crucial first minutes, why we can all play a role in saving a life, and what he’s learned from teaching communities to be ready when the unexpected happens.

Today on Big Little Small Talk, I’m talking to Pauline Rogers from Pauline’s Quilting World — a woman who has turned a love of fabric, creativity and quilting into something much bigger than making beautiful quilts.

Pauline’s story is about creativity, community and the joy of sharing a skill with others. We chat about where her quilting journey began, what keeps her inspired, and the people and stories that have become part of her world along the way.

So, let’s find out what makes Pauline tick — and what we can discover when we take the time to ask a few questions and have a little small talk.

Adi Francis is an Australian journalist, broadcaster, and TV news anchor for the ABC. She was appointed an ambassador for Dementia Australia in 2026. Adi shares her personal experience as a carer for her mother who has dementia.

Mark Cartner is the founder and director of Walkabout Training, an indigenous-owned business that offers bespoke outdoor education programs for youth at risk

Wendy Hick lives on a remote cattle property at the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria near the Queensland-Northern Territory border town of Camooweal. Access to education and improved communication services in rural and remote Australia have been a focus for Wendy. She is dedicated to ensuring communities and families in geographically isolated areas have a voice.

Michaela Nutt is an arts advocate who is passionate about the role of the arts in our communities. She is also a Board Member of the Darwin Centre Against Sexual Violence and a Member of the NT state team for calisthenics.

Graham S. Green, much like his namesake is an author. However, Graham is much more; he is also a cultural advocate and TESOL (Teaching English to Other Languages) teacher.

Asia is a long way from the central west of NSW where Graham grew up on a farm. After his first degree at university in Canberra, he found himself in Taiwan teaching English to adults and children…. and so began his love for other cultures.

Currently Graham works in the field of refugee education and migration narratives, particularly with the Yazidi people. He has been trusted with their stories and has re-told them in his novels, including the “The Weaver’s Tale Trilogy.”

Alecia Staines grew up on a farm at The Gums 200 kms west of Toowoomba. She knew that pregnancy and birth was a normal part of the life cycle, it didn’t need to be hard.

As a mother of 6 children Alecia felt that birthing was becoming the forgotten feminist issue and decided in 2021 to create the Maternity Consumer Network (MCN). It would be a network that provided support for maternity services, advocacy, information sharing, strategic direction for campaigns as well as Respectful Maternity Care Training.

MCN’s specific areas of focus are; campaigning for respectful care & reducing trauma, saving rural maternity services and supporting midwifery and home birth options.

Alecia is currently embarking on a PHD entitled “Barriers to Respectful Maternity Care”.

Karen Makkai didn’t start her working life teaching meditation, in fact she studied to be a speech pathologist.

In 2020 Karen was plunged into the world of breast cancer - she was diagnosed with an aggressive lobular carcinoma. What followed was the usual chaos of cancer; mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy. To try and still her mind, manage her stress, her mood and to fill in the long hours of infusions, Karen turned to meditation. The practice has become central to Karen’s life….she lives, breathes and teaches mediation.

Karen wants to give back to the organisation that helped her on this long, scary journey…The Jenny Black Cancer Wellness Centre at Hope Horizons Toowoomba.

She is 5 years cancer free and holding a women’s only dance party called ‘Flashdance for Hope’ 12 September @ 6.30pm.

In the words of William W. Purkey: "You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like there's nobody listening, and live like it's heaven on earth."

Jade Hubbard is a young woman, wise beyond her years. When the opportunity came up to play rugby union in the UK, she was mature enough to seize the opportunity.

Despite the fact she had to make the agonising decision to leave her young son and partner behind in Australia, she knew had to go. Jade revelled in the experience and came back with life changing memories. She continues to coach girls rugby union teams, and has added a daughter to her growing family.