Conversations

Micaela Sahhar grew up hearing stories of her Palestinian family's life in Jerusalem before 1948, and what happened when they had to leave.

There was her grandfather’s tourism business, her grandmother’s wedding necklace, and the dramatic circumstances of her father’s birth.

Most of all there was the house, built by her grandfather for his extended family, at 8 Asa Street Jerusalem.

This was the house her family had fled in 1948.

And one midnight, many decades later, Micaela found herself standing outside its front gate.

Further Information Find Me at the Jaffa Gate, an encyclopedia of a Palestinian family is published by NewSouth books.

This episode was recorded at the 2026 Byron Bay Writer's Festival.

The producer was Jen Leake and Nicola Harrison is the Executive Producer.

It explores family, memoir, Palestinians, Israel, 1948, bombings, violence, mass displacement, Christianity, religion, Arabic, Melbourne, grandparents, Palestinian diaspora, family stories, memories, trauma, history, family home, keys, memory, Nakba, church, Jerusalem, Jordan, maternity hospital, tourism.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.

Raising girls in an age of smartphones and early sexualisation is tough and in this complex arena, parenting educator Maggie Dent says we can't leave these lessons to chance.Growing up Maggie was a tomboy and noticed when she was treated differently from little boys, who were allowed to be their exuberant selves when she was not.

She can clearly recall her indignation at being made to wear a dress as a little girl.

The process of raising girls has changed since Maggie was a child, but there are new challenges today like smartphone usage and unwanted sexualisation of young girls, among others.

She says there are core lessons we can learn to face these challenges and raise confident and well-adjusted girls.

Further information

This episode of Conversations was first broadcast in 2022.

Girlhood: raising our little girls to be healthy, happy and heard is published by Pan Macmillan

This episode explores parenting, daughters, young girls, raising girls, smartphones, early sexualisation, psychology, emotions,  mothers, fathers, aunties, friends, teachers, attention, focus, listening, guidance, self-esteem, anxiety, bullying, teenagers, support.

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.

Political journalist, George Megalogenis has mapped key areas in our population, workforce and geopolitical standing in recent decades, and looks at how these shifts are impacting our collective political future.

For the first time since Federation, Australia’s population is mostly made up of migrants and their children. 

Professional women have now replaced men doing blue collar jobs as the largest segment of the workforce.

And on the world scale, Australia can no longer rely on our traditional allies or trading partners.

These three elements have already changed the political landscape in our country, and this will only continue as time goes on.

Further information

Three Shocks: Who we are becoming in the 21st Century is published by Penguin Random House.

This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan and the Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.

It covers auspol, populism, John Howard, Paul Keating, Harold Holt, Pauline Hanson, One Nation, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Western Australia, parliament, teals, Higgins, Bennelong, Chinese-Australians, Peter Costello, First Nations, Federation, convicts, migration, White Australia policy, one parent born overseas, census, data, graphs, data journalism and Prime Ministers.

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.

Melissa Redsell was in Year 12 when her doctor told her she was going to have a baby.  After her baby was born, she was told she had 'ruined her life'. Then she set out to prove all her doubters wrong.When Mel broke the news to her parents, they were disappointed and at school, the Principal instructed her to not expect any special treatment.

At 7 months pregnant, Mel graduated, and a little while later, her beautiful baby girl Breanna was born.

Six weeks later, Mel moved out of home into a share house.All her friends were partying, and she was in the thick of the sleepless nights and nappy changes. So, a few months later she decided to make a big change.

Further information

First broadcast in 2023

Learn more about Mel's charity, A Brave Life

Help and support is always available

1800RESPECT is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The episode of Conversations was produced by Nicolar Harrison.It explores pregnancy, childbirth, teen pregnancy, families, divorce, education, independence, doctors, Year 12, surprise pregnancy, charity, babies, newborns, nappies, feeding, childcare, share house, domestic violence, getting help, family support, starting over, motherhood.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.

Paul E Mullen has spent decades interviewing and studying men who have committed unthinkable acts of violence and says these tragic events represent the endpoint of a slow-building private narrative of resentment, isolation and rage. (CW: descriptions of violence)

Now retired, Paul dedicated much of his life's work to the extreme end of the human condition.

First focusing on victims, researching the psychology of stalking and domestic violence.

But after he was caught up in the aftermath of a massacre carried out by a lone gunman, the trajectory of his career changed.

Paul began studying the minds of men who commit a mass killings, to unlock the workings of their minds and recognise the warning signs.

Further information

Running Amok: Inside the mind of the Lone Mass Killer is published by NewSouth

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

It explores violence, murder, lone actor mass murder, Pt Arthur, psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, resentment, rage, fame, isolation, gun violence and gun control, media, serial killers, criminally insane, fantasy rehearsal, depression, suicide, narcissistic injury, early intervention, prevention, threat assessment.

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.

Guitarist and engineer Josie Scott battled crippling gender dysphoria for decades before finally deciding to live openly as a trans woman in her 60s.

In 1984 in Adelaide, two brothers formed a pioneering alternative rock band called The Mark of Cain.

They wanted to make music that was heavy and intense with lyrics about war, and death, and being misunderstood.

Over the years the band gained an international following and plenty of fans at home in Australia.

Earlier this year, one of the band's two founders, Josie Scott, announced on the band's website that she was a trans woman.

At the age of 63, Josie wrote that she had finally decided to 'embrace rather than endure who she is'.

And her decision to go public with her story was met with a huge and loving response from fans of the band.

Help and support is always available

Call QLife on 1800 184 527 for LGBTIQA+ peer support

Lifeline is available on 13 11 14 for 24/7 crisis support

Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 is available for young people aged 5 to 25. 

This episode was produced by Jen Leake and the Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores gender identity, music, Australian music, living authentically, transgender issues, male to female transition, drug abuse, substance abuse, addiction issues, romance, love, relationships, mother child relationships, heavy metal, Adelaide's music scene.

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.

Former Detective Sergeant, Deb Wallace on policing the heroin hotspot of Cabramatta in the 1990s and how Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' gave her new ideas for clamping down on illegal gang activity.

When Deb joined the NSW Police Force in 1983, there were very few women on the front line. 

She quickly discovered she had the cool-headed resilience ideal for police work, and she was determined to make a career of it.

In the mid-1990s Deb was a junior Detective when she was given a tough assignment — breaking up the gangs who ruled the streets of the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta.

At the time, Cabramatta was a vibrant place full of migrant families trying to carve out a new life in Australia, but crime was surging, and the train station was the centre of a thriving heroin trade.

After reading Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", Deb met up with the gang members in person to ask them about their lives. 

They told her that they were lost to the world crime, but she should focus on the next generation, so she helped set up a street school with Father Chris Riley.

Some years later Deb was given a new challenge — leading Strike Force Raptor, a squad charged with breaking up bikie gangs. 

Deb retired after 36 years on the force and now volunteers at Grace’s Place, a site of healing and restoration for young people affected by homicide.

Further information

Originally broadcast May 2023.

Read more about Graces's Place.

Michael Murphy, one of the men convicted for the murder of Anita Cobby, died from cancer at Long Bay Jail in 2019.

This episode was produced by Nicola Harrison. The Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.

It explores gang violence, drugs, toxic masculinity, Vietnamese community, improving the next generation, street school, bikies, outlaw motorcycle gangs, culottes, female cop, bar brawls, DV, domestic violence, happy childhood, legislation, cops, Anita Cobby, murder, how policing has changed, beat, partner, colleague.

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.

Mark Woodland is an unexpected CEO — he started his career in the Army as a tribute to his late brother, then went on to revolutionise his mum's paper-based childcare company.

As a young man Mark Woodland was at a loss with what to do with his life.

After years of moving around, the family — headed by Mark's single mum — settled in Ipswich, Queensland, where Mark showed himself to be a playful and enthusiastic boy, but school wasn't his first priority. 

When he graduated, Mark was most interested in driving around with his friends, playing music loudly with the windows down. 

When he needed money to fill the tank, Mark found a job at McDonald's.

His younger brother was a new recruit to the Army when he was killed in a  car accident. Ben was just 18.

Mark decided to honour his brother by keeping Ben's wish alive, and so Mark joined the army, and served for 10 years.

He left to help his mum run her childcare business, and Mark revolutionised the business' administrative system, moving from paper to a digital world.

Today Mark is the founder and CEO of tech healthcare company Kismet.

Further information

Read more about the short film, Versa.

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

It covers infant loss, NDIS, digitisation, childcare subsidy, daycare, family business, Army, Navy, not giving up, not quitting, car accident, morgue, Ipswich, Brisbane, Puckapunyal, Albury-Wodonga.

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.

Mary Li was a star ballerina when she fell in love with her dance partner Li Cunxin.  When their daughter Sophie was born profoundly deaf, Mary walked away from dance for many years.

Mary says she was the least likely girl to grow up to be a ballerina,

She grew up in a family of eight kids in the rough and tumble of the Queensland country town of Rockhampton.

But in a little timber hall, with cattle trains rolling by outside, Mary discovered a talent for dance.

That talent, and a huge amount of hard work and family support took her to the Royal Ballet School in London at sixteen.

She then became the principal dancer with the London Festival Ballet, then the Houston ballet.

There in Houston Mary fell in love with her dance partner Li Cunxin.

Li had also come a long way from his home in rural China, defecting to the U.S. as an adult and then becoming an internationally celebrated dancer.

In Houston Li and Mary married and had their first child, a beautiful daughter named Sophie.

But when Sophie was 16 months old their lives were turned upside down.

This episode was first broadcast in 2020

Further information

Mary's Last Dance is published by Penguin

After a catastrophic car crash in the parking lot of her hospital, Dr Olivia Ong became a paraplegic. But her obsession with learning how to walk again was stronger than her incomplete spinal cord injury.

When Olivia Ong was 28 years old, she had the world at her feet.

She had recently qualified as a doctor, something she had dreamed of since she was a child growing up in Malaysia.

She had married a man she loved deeply, and they were busy building their future together.

Then, everything changed after a car crashed into her in the parking lot of the hospital she worked in.

Olivia now refers to herself as a 'walking paraplegic'.

She spent years working hard to walk again, using simple exercise therapies she discovered in the United States.

Back On My Feet: From Doctor to Patient is published by HarperCollins.

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

It explores medicine, university, love, faith, spinal cord injuries, paraplegia, car crashes, from doctor to patient, marriage, love, motherhood, pain specialist, rehab specialist, California, Project Walk, exercise therapy, surgery, wheelchair user, people living with disability, parenting with disability, accessibility.

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.