This episode of Random Acts of Conversation, I have a lovely lighthearted chat with Nadia, known online as 'A Girl Tasting Whiskey'.

We chat about whiskey (with an e, and without one), trying out new things, and how starting out with a bit of a joke-flex turned into a real flex. Theres plenty of laughs, and some whiskey education along the way for all the uninitiated! For more good vibes and good whiskey, go follow https://www.instagram.com/agirltastingwhiskey/

As always, we would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

Inala is a force of creativity, generosity, kindness and action. We have a wonderful yarn about growing up without smart phones, going from Contemporary Dance to Human Rights Law, and how to navigate a range of challenges of advocacy, listening, sharing and understanding.

She has a wonderful book - Marrul: Aboriginal Identity & The Fight For Rights. Which I highly recommend everyone ducks out and gets their hands on!

Inala is a Director at Murrup Barak, Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development at University of Melbourne. Director on the Board of Adam Briggs Foundation. Director on the Board of State Library of Victoria. Immediate past President, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium (NATSIHEC) for 2022. Social commentator. Change maker. Advocate for Indigenous rights, social justice and human rights. Author of 'Marrul - Aboriginal Identity and the Fight for Rights' - out now at all good bookstores and via Monash University Publishing. https://publishing.monash.edu/product/marrul/

As always, we would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

A very special episode of Random Acts of Conversation, recorded live at a Yes23 Fundraiser, chatting with Rueben Berg about Voice, Treaty, Truth and the upcoming referendum on the Voice to Parliament.

We talk about shared futures and aspirations for that future, how the voice can work, what it means to have a voice to parliament and we also speak to some objections that may come up around the voice and how to speak to them in order to bring people together. It's a really wonderful yarn, and the audience was really amazing for this lovely afternoon on Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung country.

As a proud Gunditjmara man Rueben Berg is committed to using his skills and expertise to continue to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Rueben is experienced in working in the Indigenous and non-Indigenous arena and has developed and refined his skills and expertise through his professional experiences in program managing government programs, his Indigenous perspective on architecture and his role as a facilitator. Rueben has extensive leadership and capacity development experience and is committed to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians.

Rueben is also a founder of the Indigenous Ultimate Association and Indigenous Architecture and Design Victoria. In addition, Rueben is a Member of the Heritage Council of Victoria, a Director at Westernport Water, a Commissioner for the Victorian Environmental Water Holder, and a Member of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.

Here are some links that we refer to in the yarn;

Yes23 Yoorook Justice Commission

First People's Assembly of Victoria

The Waitangi Tribunal

Truth and Reconciliation Comission of Canada

I hope you enjoy this yarn, and find your way over to following Rueben, Yes23 and throwing your support behind the Yes vote in the upcoming referendum on the Voice to Parliament. Special mention to Sophie Einfeld and the Einfeld Family for pulling together this great event, and allowing myself and Rueben to have this great chat.

You'll find this on all the podcasting platforms. Hopefully you find this chat informative, and please feel free to share it around. As always, we would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

Coming back with a new season of Random Acts of Conversation, and kicking it off with my dear friend Rob Mills. A fixture on the Australian entertainment scene, Rob is a gifted performer and a ripper bloke. His new book Putting On A Show is available now through Affirm Press - it looks at What's going on behind the bravado of the 'average Aussie bloke'? Following the untimely deaths of two friends, Rob began questioning who he is as a person and a man. Charged by his naturally inquisitive nature, and with enough smarts to know he didn't have all the answers, Rob called on the help of experts and friends. This book is the result of all those questions: a fascinating, chatty, insightful and often hilarious deep dive into both his own life and that of the man on the street.

We chat about being blokes, being mates, looking after people and yourself, and the amazing current hit musical he is starring in - '& Juliet'.

I hope you enjoy this yarn, and find your way over to following Rob, picking up a copy of his book, and if you're able to - trotting along to see his new show!

You'll find this on all the podcasting platforms. Hopefully you find this chat informative, and please feel free to share it around. As always, we would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

Rhiannon is a Melbourne based barrister and passionate advocate for increasing awareness and support for families who have experienced pregnancy loss. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month so we thought it was a good time to have this chat.

A content warning for listeners of this podcast, as we discuss pregnancy, pregnancy loss and other sensitive topics here - which is also one of the reasons it's a bit longer than usual. We did not want to rush through such sensitive and important conversations. We have a few laughs, shed a few tears and discuss pregnancy, pregnancy loss, what supportive environments and conversations look like, and talk about ways people can look after those around them.

You can find Rhiannon on Instagram at @rhi_malone

Some helpful websites for support and information can be found here;

• Bears of Hope - support services for families who experience baby loss - https://www.bearsofhope.org.au/
• Pink Elephants - support services for miscarriage and early pregnancy loss - https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/
• SANDS and Red Nose - miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn death support - https://www.sands.org.au/
• Stillbirth Foundation - raises funds to reduce the incidence and impact of stillbirth through research, education and advocacy - https://stillbirthfoundation.org.au/

To support the advocacy of HACSU (Health and Community Services Union), please check out their plan for working women, which includes provisions for Paid Pregnancy Loss Leave, and reproductive health support here: HACSU Plan For Working Women You'll find this on all the podcasting platforms. Hopefully you find this chat informative, and please feel free to share it around. As always, we would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

Joe is a proud Wiradjuri/Wolgalu, First Nations Aboriginal man born in Cowra, raised in Wagga NSW, Australia. Joe played in the National Rugby League for South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers and Canterbury Bulldogs before switching Joe to professional Boxing in 2009. Joe is a 2x WBF World Jnr Welterweight champion and won an WBC Asia Continental Title.

Although forging a successful professional sporting career, Joe battled the majority of his life with suicidal ideation and Bi Polar Disorder. After a suicide attempt in 2012, Joe felt his purpose was to help people who struggle with mental illness. Through customised workshops Joe talks of dealing with adversities, struggles, resilience, addiction, connection, emotional wellbeing & healing trauma in schools, communities, correctional services, sporting clubs and workplaces. https://www.joewilliams.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/joewilliams_tew/ You'll find this on all the podcasting platforms. Hopefully you find this yarn informative and enjoyable, feel free to share it around! We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

Max is a comedian, TV producer, and the creator of Laughscape - an award winning app where comedy meets mindfulness, people can be gently rocked to sleep with comedic stories and can get some daily de-stressors into their lives.

He is also a dad, and long suffering resident of protest alley - and we chat about life, laughs, apps, sleeping, and the new equity crowdfunding campaign for Laughscape. Max (and his partner Lia) are two wonderful, wonderful humans, who deserve all our support, and this is a good - light-hearted, laugh-filled chat - a bit silly and a bit serious, and we hope you enjoy it! https://www.instagram.com/maxprice3/ https://www.instagram.com/laughscapeapp/ https://www.birchal.com/company/laughscape

Stay tuned for the podcast link as well for all the podcasting platforms. Hopefully you find this yarn informative and enjoyable, feel free to share it around! We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

We know that people need feeding, the land needs looking after and animals deserve good lives - Farmer Steph decided to do the ultimate tree-change and get into Regenerative Farming to do just that! We talk about what regenerative agriculture entails, the importance of looking after animals and the land, cow flatulence, weiners, what it means to do work you really believe in and plenty of other wonderful little adventures along the way. Steph is a real gem, doing genuinely great work out in Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung country in Macedon in Victoria. I recommend getting behind regen farms and following them here;

https://regenfarms.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/regen_farms_aus/

Stay tuned for the podcast link as well for all the podcasting platforms. Hopefully you find this yarn informative and enjoyable, feel free to share it around! We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.

It has been a while between in-person yarns, but we are back with some good ones. First up is a chat with Josh Burns, Federal MP for Macnamara in Melbourne. We chat politics, why you'd want to be a politician, factions, the upcoming election, and why there aren't more beards in Parliament. Stay tuned for the podcast link as well for all the podcasting platforms. Hopefully you find this yarn informative and enjoyable, feel free to share it around! We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode was recorded the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their leaders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that we live, work and recorded this on unceded Aboriginal land - always was, always will be.