Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

The child of doctors, Bhawani followed her parents footsteps into medical school without a second thought. But after the dissatisfaction of decades as a GP, Bhawani discovered the field of voluntary assisted dying and it changed the course of her life. 

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Bhawani O'Brien grew up in Malaysia with Sri Lankan parents, both of whom were doctors.

Bhawani was also expected to become a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer or an accountant. Luckily for her, she adored her father, and followed his footsteps into medical school without protest.

But after decades working as a GP, Bhawani had lost her purpose and also her beloved father, who died back at home in Malaysia while Bhawani was stuck behind locked borders in Western Australia.

Not long after his death, she found a random pamphlet in her pigeonhole at work.

It was about voluntary assisted dying, which became legal in WA in 2021, and it changed the course of Bhawani's professional and personal life.

She immediately started her training as a voluntary assisted dying practitioner, and has since helped 100 people in their dying moments.

This episode of Conversations contains discussion about death, palliative care, voluntary assisted dying, VAD, medical practioners, doctors, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Australia, Australian Medical System, Medicare, Covid, border lockdowns, Western Australia, families, family relationships, grief, grieving, mourning, funerals, cancer, motorneuron disease, alzheimers and dementia, migration, immigration, multiculturalism, racism, medical fraternity, terminal illness, living wakes, saying goodbye, good deaths.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Ruth Shaw runs a collection of three tiny bookshops at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island. Even more than the books on her shelves, Ruth's life has been a high adventure full of danger, tears, heartbreak and love. 

Help and support is always available

You can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.

Ruth Shaw runs a collection of three tiny bookstores at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island.

In them, she sells books of adventure, drama, tragedy and romance.

But many of these stories pale in comparison to the colourful life Ruth has lived.

In the decades before she became a bookseller at the end of the world, Ruth sailed the seas, she was attacked by pirates, she deserted the navy, she played cards to survive, she had her heart broken and had it mended by a special man in gumboots.

Content Warning: this episode of Conversation contains discussion of sexual assault, forced adoption and infant death.

It also explores military service, the Navy, teen pregnancy, family relationships, fishing, fishing boats, romantic relationships, publishing industry, New Zealand, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, travelling, ocean travel, pirates, card sharks, card games, gambling, guns, international travel, Catholicism, Catholic Church, Cardinals.  

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Ken Wyatt was the first Indigenous minister for Indigenous Affairs. When he made his first speech to parliament, he wore a kangaroo skin cloak given to him by Noongar elders in Perth and he shared with his government colleagues the extraordinary journey he took from a boy in a remote Western Australian settlement, to Canberra. 

Ken Wyatt has Yamatji, Wongi and Noongar ancestry. He came into the world as a premature baby on a mission south of Perth called Roelands Farm, run by the Protestant Church.

From 1938 to 1973, Roelands housed more than 500 forcibly removed Aboriginal children from all over Western Australia. One of those children was Ken's mother Mona, who was separated from family at just 4 years old.

Mona married Don and they built a life for themselves away from Roelands, in Nannine, a railway fettler's camp in remote WA. That's where Ken grew up, as one of 10 children.

Ken went on to enjoy a fulfilling life as a teacher, and he was in his fifties when he decided to have a tilt at politics.

He joined the Liberal Party, and in 2010 he was elected as the first Aboriginal member of the House of Representatives.

Wearing a kangaroo skin cloak given to him by Noongar elders in Perth, Ken made his first speech in Federal Parliament, about his extraordinary journey from Roelands to Canberra.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Indigenous peoples, Australian history, Aboriginal history, Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal Policy, Australian Politics, Indigenous Policy, Indigenous Affairs, Australian Government, federal ministers, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Western Australia, racism, Aboriginal missions, school teachers, mentors, political campaigns, elections, Indigenous Voice to Parliament, referendum, retirement, marriage, families.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Kasey Chambers grew up surrounded by country music, singing around the campfire with her family, and listening to her father's cassettes of old country classics. She now makes her own country music, which has won her a devoted following and recognition as one of Australia's favourite country music stars. 

Kasey Chambers started singing around the campfire as a little girl.

She and her family spent much of the year camping on the Nullarbor Plain, where her dad would hunt for foxes and rabbits.

Kasey and her brother Nash had a free range childhood, and went to sleep to the sound of their father's rifle as he worked through the night. 

Singing came naturally to Kasey, and she loved all the old country classics, as well as some Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen.

Kasey has spent her life making music and connecting with audiences. It’s what she believes she was put on the earth to do.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about country music, Australian outback, hunting, families, guitars, singing, vocals, musicians, singers, Country Music Association, CMA, Country Music Awards, Golden Guitars, ARIA Awards, music awards, popular music, Crowded House, Neil Finn, Paul Kelly, family relationships, marriage, divorce, parenting, women musicians.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Candice Fox is one of the world's most successful crime writers, but she when she is not at her writing desk, you can find her rushing around Sydney rescuing stranded and injured wallabies, cockatoos, lizards, frogs and ducks. 

Listen to Richard's first Conversation with Candice Fox here. 

Candice Fox is one of the world's most successful crime writers.

Her latest work is about a female agent who goes undercover in a rogue firefighting crew in New York City.

To research the book Candice travelled to New York to meet up with firefighters and find out more about the real people working in firehouses.

While Candice is a prolific writer and a mum, she's not someone who believes in downtime.

When she's off duty from her writing desk, she straps on a tiny torch and a tool belt, and hurtles around Sydney rescuing stranded and injured wallabies, cockatoos, lizards, frogs and ducks, often with her small daughter Violet as her sidekick.

Candice has also recently taken up oil painting, inspired by some of her charges from her work in animal rescue.

“This episode of Conversations discusses Australian wildlife rescue, Australian fauna, animal rescue, volunteer work, injured animals, firefighters, first responders, New York, NYC, 9/11, September 11, crime fiction, crime novels, crime thrillers, crime writers, crime authors, novelists, book publishing, research, families, motherhood, mother-daughter relationships, families, family history, family legacy, childhood memories, prison, prisoners.

Gideon Haigh is a prolific author, but it took him decades to write down the story closest to his heart — the life and tragic death of his brother, Jaz, who was killed in a car crash at just 17 years. But eventually, on a hot summers evening, it all came pouring out onto the page, and became his book My Brother Jaz.

Gideon Haigh's brother Jasper was 17 years old when he died in a car crash.

Until this year, Gideon and his mother were the only two people who really knew what happened to Jaz on that tragic night.

Gideon has spent decades perfecting answers to questions about his brother — answers that never invited further discussion.

This year, something peculiar happened, and in a few days, Gideon poured his pent-up recollections onto the page, to be turned into a book about the story of his brother, Jaz.

This episode of Conversations discusses sibling relationships, brothers, death, mourning, parent-child relationships, families, grief, writing, the publishing industry, car accidents, road accidents, motor vehicle accidents, autobiographies, biographies, memoirs.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Pauline McGrath's life changed forever when her husband of 30 years, David, was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor. Together Pauline and David set out to take advantage of the incoming Voluntary Assisted Dying laws about to come into effect in Queensland. Since David's death, Pauline has been has kept her promise to him to speak openly about their experience and be an advocate for VAD. 

A few years ago, Pauline McGrath came home from work and found the lights on and the dog already fed.

This was something which had never happened in her 30-year marriage to David, a director of paediatric medicine at Queensland Children's Hospital.

Straight away, Pauline asked David, "Who has died?"

Her beloved husband told her he had a brain tumour, and that voluntary assisted dying was going to be an option for Queenslanders in six months.

This moment began a heartbreaking but ultimately empowering path for David, Pauline and their family.

David's wish was for Pauline to speak openly about their family experience. So that's what she's been doing while grieving her husband, supporting her two daughters, and embarking on the next chapter of her own life.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about VAD, voluntary assisted dying, euthanasia, palliative care, cancer, brain tumor, relationships, parents, children, daughters, marriage, love, grief, good death, mourning, grieving, medicine, doctors, hospitals, Queensland, Brisbane, paediatricians, cancer treatment, advocacy, dying, end of life laws.

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.At the make or break moment of his choreography career, the last person Rafael expected to hear from was Australia’s pop princess, Kylie Minogue.

Rafael Bonachela was born in the dying years of Franco’s Spain, into a patriarchal culture that didn’t appreciate little boys who wanted to dance. 

As the eldest of four brothers, his father expected him to be an example of academic achievement and bravado.

This hardline approach slowly drove his father away from the family, though when it came time to say goodbye, Rafael saw an unexpected side of him.

At the age of 17, when the wide world beckoned, Rafael left his home country without a backward glance, grasping with both hands the opportunity to become a professional dancer.

After a last ditch attempt at becoming a choreographer, he received an email from Kylie Minogue. And the rest is history.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Spain, Spanish, Catalonia, Catalonian, General Francisco Franco, Spanish history, small towns, villages, dancing, Fame, choreography, dance school, choreographers, London, Australia, Sydney, Sydney Dance Company, classical dance, music, theatre, performing arts, high school, homosexuality, gay, LGBTQIA, coming out, death, grief, artistic director, naked, nakedness, undressed, modern dance, contemporary dance.  

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Anita Heiss is a Wiradjuri woman and a prolific author. Her latest novel, Dirrayawadha, brings together Indigenous and colonial history, as well as Wiradjuri language, into a 19th century love story between an Irish convict and a brave Wiradjuri woman. 

Anita Heiss is a Wiradjuri woman, an author of many books and a Professor of Communications at The University of Queensland.

Many of Anita's books focus on great love stories, and the inspiration for these romances came from the enduring, devoted love she saw between her parents – the very Austrian “Joe-the-carpenter”, and Elsie, a proud Wiradjuri woman.

Anita’s latest book goes back to the 1800s, bringing to life the brutal frontier wars in Bathurst, when martial law was declared.

Her book is called Dirrayawadha - which is a Wiradjuri command meaning 'rise up'. 

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about authors, novels, romance, adventure, politics, Australian history, Indigenous history, Aboriginal culture, Indigenous languages, academics, universities, parents, childhood, marriage, multiculturalism, racism, Sydney, Bathurst, frontier wars, convicts, first nations, Indigenous Literacy Foundation. 

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Jack Beaumont (not his real name) grew up in a turbulent family in Paris before joining the French Air Force as a young man. After a devastating mid-air accident, he joined the DGSE and became a French secret agent and he now uses his first-hand knowledge to write spy thrillers set in the world of international espionage. 

Jack Beaumont (not his real name) is a former intelligence operative and the author of several spy thrillers.

Jack grew up in a turbulent family in Paris and when he got older he decided to train as a jet fighter pilot with the French Air Force.

During a training dogfight at supersonic speed, Jack suffered a devastating injury that meant he could no longer fly jets, but he still wanted a job steeped in adventure and danger.

So he began piloting covert spy missions, and eventually became a spy with France's secret intelligence service: the DGSE, maintaining up to five secret identities as a time.

While he now lives in a beautiful part of Australia with his wife and family, Jack has struggled to leave behind the extreme hyper vigilance of his early working life.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about spys, secret service, France, French Secret Service, DGSE, French Air Force, French Military, fighter pilots, fighter jets, back injuries, spinal injuries, disability, mid-air accidents, thrillers, novels, nom-de-plume, pen names, Australia, authors, writing, publishing, private schools, Napoleon, boarding school, Paris, families, family relationships, international relations, diplomacy, CIA, MI5, crime fiction, global politics.