Straight Talk with Mark Bouris

Tony Abbott, Australia’s 28th Prime Minister, joins me to talk about leadership, courage, and conviction in an age where those qualities are under siege. 

We unpack his views on what makes a great leader, how Australia has changed, and why he believes we’ve lost our national confidence. We also spoke about :

• His Early life and education
• Understanding Leadership and Courage
• Challenges of Modern Political Leadership
• Handling Illegal Boat Arrivals
• Patriotism and National Sovereignty
• The Role of History in Shaping Leadership
• The Importance of Objective History
• Reconciling Faith and History
• The Role of Faith in Leadership
• The Impact of his new Book

Purchase Tony's new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Australia-Minister-foreword-Geoffrey-democracy-ebook/dp/B0F393W9TH

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Michelle Payne is an Australian horse racing icon and the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015, riding Prince of Penzance to victory and breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport.

Ten years on from that magical win, I speak to her about:

• Growing up with ten siblings
• Making history as the only female to win the Cup
• The dark side of fame
• Brain injuries from her career
• Dealing with the loss of her sister
• The role of faith
• Her living and working relationship with her brother Stevie
• Her new books & what she’s working on now

Purchase Michelle’s new book here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Michelle-Payne-and-Angus-Fontaine-Ride-On-9781761473142

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You might know Mick Fanning as one of the greatest surfers of all time, but there’s a lot more to him than that. He’s a sharp businessman who helped build and sell Balter Breweries for a reported $200 million.

Mick’s a three-time World Champion, one of the most respected figures in modern surfing, and someone who’s lived one hell of a life. I sat down with him at his latest venture, Palm Valley — a new wave pool on the Gold Coast.

We spoke about:

• What made him the best surfer in the world and how he beat Kelly Slater and Joel Parkinson

• Behind the scenes of creating multi-million-dollar businesses and products — Balter and Reef Signature Sandals

• Dealing with the loss of his three brothers

• What really got him through his hard times

• The Northern Rivers floods and community

• His new chapter as a husband, parent, and businessman

• And his alter egos, Eugene and Cyborg

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Kate Reid built her career as an aerodynamicist at Williams Formula 1, before stepping out into the world of pastry making.

In this episode, she opens about obsession, burnout, mental illness, and finding a new purpose, realising that her dream job wasn’t the dream life. She talks about rebuilding her life through baking and creating Lune Crossainterie, applying the same engineering mindset to mastering the croissant.

Purchase Kate’s new book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Destination-Moon/Kate-Reid/9781761632464

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In this episode of Straight Talk, I sit down with former Prime Minister John Howard — Australia’s second-longest-serving PM — for an unfiltered conversation about leadership, politics, and the lessons that shaped his life.

We start from the beginning: his early years in Earlwood, his education and early professional life, and how his interest in politics led him from a legal career into public office. John reflects on his early parliamentary years, his challenges as Treasurer, and the tax reforms that changed the nation.

We discuss the introduction of the GST, his gun law reforms, and his relationships with world leaders, before turning to the media’s influence, recent election outcomes, and the state of leadership today.

In classic Howard style, he opens up about stability in government, Australia’s immigration policy, and his personal passions — from sport to family life.

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Glenn Pallister was one of the original producers of Rugby League's The Footy Show. In this episode, he takes us inside his incredible career — from the early days of building one of Australia’s most iconic TV shows, to what made it a cultural phenomenon. Glenn shares untold behind-the-scenes stories, working with Matty & Fatty, producing Shane Warne's interview show, and reflects on whether The Footy Show could ever make a comeback.

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Anthony “Harry” Moffitt served nearly 30 years with the SAS, completing 11 combat tours before becoming Director of High Performance. Wounded in action in 2008, he later trained as a psychologist and now advises elite teams worldwide. In this episode, Harry reflects on SAS selection, risk-taking, modern stoicism, military diversity, technology in warfare, and the “fourth pillar” philosophy driving high performance.

Pre- order Harry's new book:https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781761563133/

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Sarah Grynberg built her career behind the mic as Executive Producer of Hamish and Andy and on breakfast radio, before stepping out front with her own hit show A Life of Greatness.

In this chat, she opens up about burnout, personal growth, the role of community, her spiritual journey, becoming a mindset coach and why podcasting can be as therapeutic as it is powerful — including her experiences interviewing some of the world’s biggest stars.

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Peter Freedman AM is the founder and chairman of RØDE Microphones, the Australian audio powerhouse that revolutionised podcasting and the global creator economy.

Was awesome to have him in the studio to talk about his life story. Coming to Australia as an immigrant at a young age, experiencing rough bullying, dropping out of high school, going through hell before finding success and ultimately changing podcasting/creator forever. We had an intriguing conversation about A.I.’s future and Australia’s.

Mentored+ is a new platform built to bring you the best insights on business, career, and life. Join our community of hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners : https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/

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Josh Szeps is an intellectual, comedian, and host of the podcast Uncomfortable Conversations.

Josh is known for his nuanced takes — which often spark backlash. In this episode, we get into his recent article on Israel and Palestine, his views on gay parenting, identity, tribalism, media manipulation and much more.

Check out his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/uncomfortable-conversations-with-josh-szeps

Check out Josh's Substack here: https://substack.com/@joshszeps

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