What Are We Drinking? w/ Rachel Carey

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Hannah Diviney: actor, author, disability advocate and the woman who got Lizzo and Beyoncé to change their lyrics within six weeks of each other.

Hannah has cerebral palsy, and most of what she does comes back to one idea. She grew up without seeing anyone who looked like her on screen, and she wants the next disabled kid to have it easier. That's why she started a global petition asking Disney for a disabled princess, and why she said yes to a sex scene in SBS's Latecomers that was a first for Australian television.

She takes Rachel through the middle of 2022 in full: a tweet she wrote in under 30 seconds, a phone so hot with notifications it burned her hand, an email from The New York Times she was sure was a prank, and the moment she walked downstairs and asked her mum, "I have to call out Beyoncé now, don't I?"

They also get into Glee and "cripping up," why she'd rather your kid asked her questions than got shushed, access coordinators on film sets, the trolling that followed, and her testimony at the Senate inquiry into the NDIS bill. Plus the night Jacob Elordi stopped on the Wuthering Heights red carpet to tell her she looked beautiful.

And because this is What Are We Drinking?, Hannah chose water. At 9:30 in the morning, on a show named after the drink. Ryan's read on what that says about her is a highlight.

This episode is funny, deep and incredibly important.

Key Topics

- Why Hannah chose water

- Defining yourself by values, not job titles

- Growing up with cerebral palsy

- The Disney disabled princess petition

- Glee, "cripping up" and authentic casting

- Access coordinators on film sets

- What to do when your kid has questions

- Calling out Lizzo, then Beyoncé

- Going viral and handling the trolls

- Filming the Latecomers sex scene

- Writing a rom-com with a disabled lead

- The Senate inquiry and the NDIS bill

- Putting lived experience in charge of the NDIS

- Stella Young and why "inspiring" has to be earned

- Meeting Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Moustafa "Moustie" Ardati — counsellor, coach, speaker, dual international and founder of Stay True Be You — for a big-hearted, funny and honest conversation about cerebral palsy, backing yourself and refusing to let anyone else set your limits.

Moustie was born with cerebral palsy after a first few weeks that were life and death. Growing up in a Lebanese family where the doctor's word was final, he learned early that the best way to change what people thought he could do was to go and do it, usually when nobody was watching.

He shares what it took to move from a specialised school into mainstream high school, rebuild his English from the ground up, get into the only uni he applied for, and go on to represent Australia in 2014, becoming a dual international within four months. Now he's working on his doctorate, researching the mental health of adults with cerebral palsy, and chasing a spot at the 2032 Paralympics.

Rachel and Moustie also get into reading body language, why emotional intelligence matters more than IQ, how he builds clients up before peeling back the layers, what happens when a venue isn't accessible, and the NDIS from the perspective of a self-managed participant. Plus some Bulldogs vs Panthers banter.

And, because this is What Are We Drinking?, Moustie joins Rachel over a Gloria Jean's Oreo shake. It's a choice he says sums him up: a big kid at heart who never orders anything just to impress.

On being one of the first, Moustie is clear. It's good to be the first, but he wants to make sure he's not the last.

This episode is funny, warm and unexpectedly hard-hitting.

Key Topics Discussed

- Growing up with cerebral palsy in a Lebanese family

- The first few weeks that were life and death

- Proving what's possible, quietly

- Moving from a specialised school to mainstream high school

- Rebuilding his English from the basics

- Getting into uni

- Representing Australia and becoming a dual international

- The goal of the 2032 Paralympics

- Reading body language and reading people

- Emotional intelligence vs IQ

- Accessibility and venues with stairs

- Becoming a counsellor and coach

- Building clients up before peeling back the layers

- Mental health and adults with cerebral palsy

- The Stay True Be You message

- The NDIS as a self-managed participant

- Bulldogs vs Panthers

- Where Moustie wants to be in ten years

What happens when your dad takes back the business, the staff and the shop — and you have to start again from $80 in the bank?

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Rama Pattison, MMA fighter and co-owner of Bakery Bros at The Orchard in Penrith, over an Espolòn Sparkling Margarita.

Rama takes Rachel through growing up in the Blue Mountains with undiagnosed ADHD, getting expelled from school by year seven, and finding basketball and then MMA as the only places that made sense. He talks through his first fight — under-trained, overconfident, a third-round TKO win — and how that led him into the gym where he met UFC fighter Tyson Pedro, the mentor and now business partner he now lives and works alongside.

The conversation turns to the family bakery business, built with his father, and the split that saw Rama lose the shop, the staff and the equipment in one move. He talks about rebuilding from nothing with Tyson and their friend Connie, opening Bakery Bros days before launch with barely enough cash to cover the lease, and turning it into a working wholesale operation.

Rachel and Rama also get into brotherhood, masculinity and why men are finally talking to each other, fatherhood and what kind of man he wants to be, and Bake and Grow — the community baking program Rama runs with Aden from OurChoice Disability, teaching kids skills they don't always get the chance to build elsewhere.

This episode is honest, unfiltered and a genuinely good watch for anyone who's had to rebuild from a number that started with a dollar sign and not many zeroes.

Nine thousand families applied for Back in Time for Dinner. Carol Ferrone got it after a stranger tapped her on the shoulder outside a shoe shop and said she liked the look of her family. Seven days later the show was hers.Carol is a TV presenter, MC and storyteller who spent three seasons on the ABC's Logie-nominated Back in Time series, hosted by Annabel Crabb, living 170 years of Australian history in real time with her husband Peter and their three children. Their house was gutted eight times. She scrubbed laundry by hand in 44 degree heat, churned butter for a corner shop that opened to the public, wore original whalebone corsets, and boiled a calf's head for a Federation dinner. When her son Julian was sent to World War One in an Anzac uniform, the country cried with her.She and Rachel talk about the 1950s dinner where Peter ate alone at the head of the table and Carol threw a plate. What an 1870s corner shop taught her about community and why she thinks we've lost it. Why she quietly loved having no responsibility except the house, and what it costs to admit that out loud. And her view that a woman can run the room at work and still want to be led at home.Carol also wrote and shot Shaking Not Stirred, a documentary about her brother-in-law Ralph, who has lived with Parkinson's since his forties. She wrote it in one night, filmed it in a day on no budget, and had it finished in eight weeks. The premiere sold out in nine days and she upgraded the cinema four times. Every dollar of ticket sales goes to Shake It Up Australia. She has since received a certificate of recognition from the Governor-General for it. The third screening is at NSW Parliament House on 22 September.She finishes with the personal brand masterclass she normally charges for: the fool, the victim and the queen. One brand per category. The same skincare company for seven years. No filters on a 53 year old face.Carol drinks a mocktail espresso martini. A hundred and seventy years of costume, one zero-budget film, and her own eulogy: she never stopped, and she partied the whole time.

Audio Disclaimer:We apologise for some audio inconsistencies throughout this episode. We experienced some technical issues during recording and have done our best to enhance and clean up the audio in post-production. Thanks for your understanding, and we hope you enjoy the conversation regardless.In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with psychotherapist and psychosexual therapist Patrick Rory John for one of our most open and thought-provoking conversations yet.Patrick works across sexuality, relationships, disability, queer and trans identity, mental health and recovery. Their own lived experience sits at the heart of the work, having navigated addiction, disability, queerness, faith, discrimination and recovery before becoming a therapist.The conversation explores a topic that is still rarely discussed openly: sexuality and disability.Patrick challenges the idea that protecting people with disability should mean controlling their lives, and explains the difference between safeguarding someone and taking away their autonomy. They discuss privacy, dating, relationships, sex education, online safety, support workers, restrictive practices and the concept of dignity of risk.Rachel and Patrick also unpack queer relationships, pronouns, identity, heteronormativity, the impact of growing up without healthy queer relationship models, and why belonging and community matter so deeply.Patrick opens up about growing up in a Catholic Irish family in Sydney, coming out young, becoming heavily involved in the church, being excommunicated after their sexuality became known, and the addiction and recovery journey that ultimately led them towards therapy.They also talk about the future of sex education for people with disability, why support workers need better training, how providers can create safer environments without making people's worlds smaller, and the importance of actually listening to people with lived experience rather than speaking for them.And, because this is What Are We Drinking?, Patrick joins Rachel over a non-alcoholic margarita.This episode is funny, vulnerable, challenging and deeply human.

The NDIS is changing. But are these reforms creating a better future for participants, or putting the entire ecosystem under pressure?

In this special NDIS Reform Roundtable episode of What Are We Drinking? with Rachel Carey, industry leaders come together for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the biggest challenges facing the disability sector.

From registration changes and SIL Practice Standards, to pricing, participant choice, provider sustainability, AI decision-making and the future of the NDIS, this conversation explores the questions many people are asking but few are willing to debate openly.

Hosted by Rachel Carey, this roundtable brings together passionate voices from across the sector to discuss:

• Does the NDIS actually need reform?

• Will tighter regulation improve participant outcomes?

• Should every NDIS provider be registered?

• Are reforms prioritising savings over participant choice?

• Could changes unintentionally impact the people the scheme exists to support?

• What does the future of disability services look like in 5 years?

The conversation also explores the role of quality providers, lived experience, innovation and collaboration in creating a sustainable NDIS that delivers better outcomes for Australians living with disability.

This isn’t about being for or against reform.

It’s about asking the harder question:

How do we make sure the future of the NDIS works for the people who need it most?

Featuring:

Yasser Zaki - Global CEO of Tender Loving Care

Chris Hill - COO of Allara Support Services

Tim Roberts - General Manager of Ethical SDA

Amanda Winslade - Business Relationship Manager at Plan Partners

George Ayoub - Founder of Solution Ideas Ability Boutique

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Aden Perry — founder of OurChoice Disability — for a raw, funny and honest conversation about rugby league, disability support, community access, young leadership and building a business with purpose.

Aden shares his journey from growing up in the Sutherland Shire and chasing rugby league, to entering the disability sector at 18 and being confronted by the reality of personal care, group homes and the lives of people who need genuine support.

That experience became the foundation for OurChoice Disability — a business Aden started at just 21 years old with a simple mission: to give participants real experiences, real connection and real opportunities to build confidence, independence and capacity.

Rachel and Aden unpack why community access is so much more than “just going out for fun.” From learning how to order a coffee, go shopping, build friendships, cook meals, move your body, regulate emotions and come home with a story to tell — this conversation is a powerful reminder of how much growth happens in everyday moments.

They also discuss rugby league, resilience, knockbacks, mental health, tall poppy syndrome, the pressure of being a young founder, asking for help, building a young team, and the impact potential NDIS cuts to community participation could have on participants and families.

This episode is energetic, emotional, hilarious and deeply relevant to the disability sector right now.

Topics:

Aden Perry’s upbringing in the Sutherland Shire

Rugby league, resilience and knockbacks

Playing footy across Sydney, Wollongong and representative pathways

Rachel giving Aden his first job in disability

Entering personal care at 18

The confronting reality of disability support work

Working in group homes

Supporting participants with complex needs

Why Aden started OurChoice Disability at 21

What OurChoice is really about

Community access as capacity building

Helping participants build independence

Social skills, confidence and friendship

Giving participants “dinner table stories”

Why community participation is not just playtime

NDIS cuts and the risk to social/community participation

The pressure of being a young founder

Mental health, burnout and asking for help

Tall poppy syndrome

Building a young team and strong culture

Why sport, movement and fitness matter

Meal prep, life skills and future program ideas

Rachel and Aden’s full-circle relationship

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Dain Walker — personal brand strategist, founder of Rivyl, author, speaker, creator and the man known as “the internet’s brand strategist.”Dain shares the full story behind his journey, from a chaotic childhood and time in foster care, to being $200,000 in debt, working at Telstra, and having a life-changing moment after seeing Gary Vee speak live. That moment became the spark that pushed him into content, branding, entrepreneurship and building the creative empire he leads today.Rachel and Dain dive deep into personal branding, why businesses without visible founders are already falling behind, and why people connect with people, stories and characters far more than logos. Dain breaks down the difference between authenticity and identity, why imperfect characters are more powerful, and how founders can use their story to build real trust online.They also unpack business growth, creativity, fatherhood, leadership, podcasting, content teams, trauma, resilience and the importance of designing the person you want to become.And yes — instead of whiskey, wine or a flashy cocktail, Dain chose vanilla custard. Naturally.This episode is funny, raw, practical and packed with gold for anyone building a brand, business or better version of themselves.

Key Topics Discussed

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Rhys and Jaxon from Empower Care Solutions Hub for a raw, funny and genuinely moving conversation about friendship, business, disability support and what it means to help young people feel like they belong.

From becoming best mates and building a business together, to working long hours, navigating burnout and putting everything back into the people they support, Rhys and Jaxon open up about the real grind behind Empower Care. Their mission is simple but powerful: helping young people feel seen, heard, believed in and supported to take the next step.

They share the stories behind Empower Care’s programs, including Teens Night, Fit Friends, 1:1 support and community-based activities that build confidence, connection and real-life skills. Empower Care’s own website describes these programs as spaces for young people to build confidence, friendships, independence and genuine connection.

The conversation also dives into the viral learner licence moment, supporting young people through anxiety and isolation, the importance of genuine care in disability support, and why connection should always come before goals.

This episode is about more than support work. It’s about belonging, confidence, brotherhood and the kind of impact that happens when people actually give a shit.

Key Topics Discussed

- How Rhys and Jaxon became friends

- Building Empower Care from the ground up

- The early grind of business ownership

- Burnout, sacrifice and backing each other

- Supporting young people with disability

- Why young people need belonging and connection

- Rhys’ personal experience with anxiety and feeling lost

- Jaxon’s journey from stable employment into support work

- Teens Night and the power of social connection

- Fit Friends, cooking, gym and community activities

- The viral learner licence success story

- Building confidence through small wins

- Professional boundaries vs genuine care

- Why families want support workers who actually care

- Imposter syndrome and showing up scared

- Social media, storytelling and building a brand

- Their long-term vision for an Empower Care community hub

- Advice for young people and parents

What Are We Drinking's first guest — Amanda Rose, returns, and she doesn't hold back.

From women in business and government procurement to AI, taxation, entrepreneurship, financial independence and the future of Australia, Amanda doesn't hold back.

As the founder of Small Business Women Australia, Amanda is on a mission to change how women access opportunities, contracts and economic power. She shares why only a tiny percentage of government contracts go to women-owned businesses, why she's built another business focused on changing that, and what she believes needs to happen to create genuine financial independence for women.

Rachel and Amanda also tackle some of the biggest issues facing Australians right now — the cost of living crisis, small business pressures, AI's impact on jobs, payroll tax, housing affordability, government policy and why critical thinking matters more than ever.

Whether you agree with Amanda or not, one thing is certain: she's never afraid to say exactly what she thinks.