Áine speakse with Dr Evelyne Tadros, CEO of the Mental Health Coordinating Council. We discuss the announcement by Federal Minister Mark Butler MP on Wednesday 22nd April 2026 of the government’s plans to make huge cuts to NDIS spending and exit 160,000 participants from the program.

Without adequate psychosocial supports currently available in the community and with huge unmet need, what will this mean to people living with complex mental health needs and their families?Transforming Perceptions, bringing you news, views, updates and information from the lived and living perspective, community, multicultural and mainstream mental health sectors; and music from round the world.

Áine chats with Kristy Turnbull, a Practice Specialist in Relationship and Sexuality Education from Interrelate. Kristy shares why the old fashioned one conversation on the "birds and bees" no longer meets the needs of young people and their families. Kristy says that its essential that sex education begins from an early age and that there are multiple conversations throughout a young persons adolescence and early adulthood, each presented at a level that they can understand. Interrelate offers a range of training and support for kids, parents, families and schools which can be accessed via their website.

Transforming Perceptions, bringing you news, views, updates and information from the lived and living perspective, community, multicultural and mainstream mental health sectors; and music from round the world.

“The [Australian] Federal Government has committed $14.6 million in new funding to strengthen Australia’ response to allergic disease” and to support further research and education initiatives.

Áine chats with Natalie Nguyen, mother of Edward, a 9 year old boy who has been diagnosed with multiple allergies. we discuss the challenges that Edward faces every day and how their family deals with challenges of a child growing up with an allergic disease.

Transforming Perceptions, bringing you news, views, updates and information from the lived and living perspective, community, multicultural and mainstream mental health sectors; and music from round the world.

“The [Australian] Federal Government has committed $14.6 million in new funding to strengthen Australia’ response to allergic disease” and to support further research and education initiatives.

Áine chats with Dr Sandra Vale, CEO of the National Allergy Council about the issues affecting the community and the impact on individuals and families dealing with allergic disease.

Dr Sandra Vale has a background in public health nutrition with experience in project management and implementation, resource development and training. Prior to becoming the National Allergy Council Chief Executive Officer, Sandra was the ASCIA Education Officer and in that role was the project officer involved in developing and implementing the National Allergy Strategy.  Sandra completed her PhD through the University of Western Australia in the area of food allergy prevention.  She has a PhD; BSc (Nutrition & Food Science); Certificate IV (training and assessment).

Our community radio show is on air on Saturday afternoons on 2xx 98.3 FM Community Radio Canberra.

Transforming Perceptions, bringing you news, views, updates and information from the lived and living perspective, community, multicultural and mainstream mental health sectors; and music from round the world.

In this episode Áine chats with Albert Jamae about his career in the entertainment industry working as a documentary film-maker, TV, radio, film and theatre as an actor, singer, dancer and children’s entertainer. Albert and his wife established a performing art school in their home town and mentored and supported many local kids who had a passion for performing. His increasing interest in writing and his own reflections on his childhood experiences brought Albert to explore men’s development, attending men’s retreats and men’s circles. Albert is now documenting his insights in a new book titled Shaping Tomorrow’s Man, which is due out in July 2026.

This interview was done live-to-air on Transforming Perceptions radio show and has been edited for podcast.

Áine chats with James Gray, Principal Coordinator at BiPolar Australia about the upcoming global day of awareness for BiPolar on the 30th March 2026. James discusses the important work of Bipolar Australia, advocating for those living with and caring for those with bipolar in the community and working to influence change and policies within local and federal government. We also shares his personal experience and recovery from bipolar.

James has a background in data analysis and hands-on experience across volunteer organisations. He's skilled at turning complex information into practical insights that promote growth and deliver real outcomes for people and communities.

Áine chats with Megan Spindler-Smith, Acting CEO of People with Disability Australia (PWDA) about the concerns expressed by families and those living with disability around the latest reforms to the NDIS and the Thriving Kids Initiative being rolled out across 2026 and 2027. 

Key concerns expressed in feedback to PWDA and its member organisations are the lack of timely information about what people can expect and what is being proposed and how that may change eligibility and access to support; funding for foundational supports, including psychosocial supports; the introduction of algorithmic tools to assess participants, and whether the NDIS system is ready to transition at scale.

Megan is a strategic, innovative and influential Executive Leader with over two decades of driving highly successfulinclusion, culture and change initiatives across the not-for-profit, public and private sectors.  They are currently theActing CEO of People with Disability Australia, the national cross-disability rights and advocacy organisation.

As a proud Disabled person, they are passionate about developing and implementing profound intersectional-focused strategic change for people with disability at a national level, to foster widespread accessibility and integrated inclusion. Megan creates cultures ofrespect, inclusivity and intersectionality.  Through their lived experience, clinical and human-centred/organisational development background, they have driven change atthe national level for accessible media and inclusion of people with disability networks across multiple sectors. They were named as a finalist and the top 8 Disability Inclusion Changemaker 2024 and a finalist for the DLI Change Maker2022 and 2023.

PWDA has been a peak national cross-disabilityand advocacy organisation in Australia since 1981.  They not only represent the needs and issues of people with a range of disabilities, but demonstrate inclusivity through theengagement of people with disabilities in their staffing, board management and membership.  ”They represent Australianswith disability at the United Nations, particularly in relation to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and are a designated Disabled Persons Organisation”.  PWDA area founding member of Disabled People’s Organisations Australia, with First Peoples Disability Network, National Ethnic Disability Alliance and Women with Disabilities Australia.  PWDA’s “vision is for a socially just, accessible and inclusive community, in which the human rights, belonging, contribution, potential and diversity of all people with disability are recognised, respected and celebrated with pride”.

Áine chats with Tim Heffernan, about the launch of the advocacy toolkit on 12th February 2026 at Parliament House Sydney, NSW designed to assist and support individuals and organisations to argue the case for NSW to adopt a Human Rights Act. 

A human rights Act would not only provide protections for vulnerable people living in the community, especially those living with disabilities and mental illness, but would also strengthen and support frameworks and structures that already exist in legislation and provide a human rights lens through which to create new legislation.

Tim is an experienced Peer Worker with a demonstrated history of working from a lived experience perspective mental health.  He is skilled in Peer work, non-profit organisations, Social Services, Coaching, and Crisis Intervention.  Tim is a strong communityand social services professional with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) focused in English and Australian History from University of NSW (UNSW) and a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work from MHCC.

In Conversation Samantha James, Director at the Sensory Specialist:

Áine chats with Sarah James, a small business commentator, Founder of the Sensory Specialist and disability advocate, who contributes to public conversations around inclusion, accessibility and consumer issues.  Sarah speaks about the concerns expressed by families around the upcoming reforms to the NDIS, changes to the Assessment tools and the introduction of Thriving Kids Program which are scheduled for mid-2026.

As a former Psychology teacher, Sarah has worked closely with children of all needs and abilities.  This lived experience hashelped her to curate and develop inclusive tools that actually work for children and adults with a range of abilities. 

The Sensory Specialist is an NDIS registered provider which opened in 2020 and is based in Melbourne.  Sarah has recently been featured in The Age, The Herald Sun, The Sydney MorningHerald, 9Honey and ABC Radio Melbourne.

Karen is an Author, Veterinarian and Podcaster and lover of Australian wilderness, flora and fauna. I chatted with Karen Viggers about her journey to becoming an author. She has written five novels all based in Australia and is currently working on her sixth novel. Her stories have been set on the south eastern coast of Australia; Brunei Island and Antarctica; Canberra; and also Tasmania and include - The Stranding (2008), The Lightkeeper’s Wife (2011), The Grass Castle (2014), The Orchardist’s Daughter (2019) and Sidelines (2024).

Her work is set in Australian landscapes and communities, and explores contentious issues, such as dying with dignity, displacement of First Peoples, wildlife conservation, clear-felling of native forests, and now, modern parenting and junior sport. She also co-hosts a podcast Secrets From the Green Room where she interviews writers and other book industry colleagues about books and writing.

I really enjoyed chatting with Karen about her work. It made me think about my own love of writing and storytelling and how luxurious it might be to enjoy reading her stories across the festive season, either reading at home, on a beach, in the bush, or early on Christmas morning in bed.