The Confab with Michael G: Recent Episodes
Michael G
The Confab – a program of conversations with people from Canberra and from around the world. You will get to know their stories, passions their contribution to humanity and hear music that has inspired them during their life’s journey.The Recordings are produced in the studios of 2xxFM 93.3 and the last six weeks of recordings can be accessed on line or on demand at 2xxfm.org.au
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Luke previously worked as the physiotherapist for the Geelong Football Club (while being a Western Bulldogs supporter, giving him a good understanding of a dual narrative).
He has long been a lover of books and writing, and has three novels in a drawer, but when COVID-19 hit, he decided that it was time to take his shot.
He won the 2021 Bellarine Writers Competition short story competition and was the Equal Second Prize Winner of the Sorrento Creative Writer Prize. Gerald Murnane said Luke's writing is ‘impressive’ and ‘possesses material, natural sensibilities and instincts.
Join me on the Confab to gain an understanding of Luke’s life journey and passions.
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On a number of occasions prior to 2017 Hannah wanted to donate some of her pre-loved baby items to local charities. Often the charities most likely to need these items were unable to accept donations due to a lack of both space and resources to sort, clean, safety check and store items. This meant that many valuable and needed pre-loved items weren’t able to be passed on to women in need. It also meant that when these services had clients in need, they often weren’t able to assist them with baby items and equipment quickly and easily.
In her search for someone to donate to, she came across St Kilda Mums in Melbourne and Dandelion Support Network in Sydney. She discovered similar services in various other states and territories in Australia and after reaching out to a range of local services, she realised this was something that was much needed in Canberra, this led to the creation of Roundabout Canberra.
Join me on the ConFab to gain and understanding of her life journey and passions.
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Joe Matera is an Italian-Australian guitarist, rock journalist and author. In addition to a solo career, Joe is the guitarist in the Sweden-based rock band Rough Rockers, and was formerly the lead guitarist of Australian famous pop rock band Geisha between 2007 and 2010.
Joe is also well known as a rock journalist, having published over 600 articles since 1999. He writes for magazines such as Guitar Player, Guitar World, Goldmine, Record Collector and others.
He has interviewed bands and celebrities including Aerosmith, Metallica, Foo Fighters, Kiss, Queen, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi and Black Sabbath. Matera's work has appeared in many magazines such as Classic Rock, Guitar & Bass, Metal Hammer and Total Guitar.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
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CEO Sunita Kotnala has been named the 2025 Canberra Citizen of the Year.
Tinkering has been a lifelong hobby for Sunita Kotnala, who grew up crafting driftwood and blocks of wood into furniture for fun.
When she became bored of her dining room table, instead of buying a new one, Ms Kotnala took out her tools and transformed it.
Women’s Shed Canberra runs hands-on home repair and maintenance workshops for women.
The focus is on skill-building and mental health for women of all backgrounds.
Participants develop skills in; carpentry; using power tools and DIY.
Through the Women’s Shed Canberra, Sunita has made a space for women of all backgrounds and abilities to: meet, get inspired and develop new skills.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of her life journey and passions.
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My guest on the ConFab with Michael G is a multiple woodwinds specialist Jim "J" Geddes. Jim has been touring the world being featured in groups such as the "World Famous Harry James Orchestra" to large Tony-Award winning Broadway shows such as "Ave Q" and "In The Heights." “J” has also played in countless American rock, swing and funk groups through out the states.
J is also a fine classical musician and has played flute and clarinet with many classical orchestras in Minnesota, Wisconsin and California. He is currently residing in Taipei, Taiwan
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
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Brother Thomas Oliver (Olly) Pickett AM co-founded Wheelchairs For Kids in 1996 to provide adjustable wheelchairs and occupational therapy expertise for children in developing countries, free of charge.
Since then, more than 60,000 custom-built wheelchairs have been gifted to children in over 80 countries.
With over 250 retiree workshop volunteers, Wheelchairs For Kids is one of Western Australia’s largest (and with an average age of 74, one of Australia’s oldest) volunteer-led charities. A further 550 people from aged care and community groups sew covers for wheelchair soft supports, and crochet rugs and soft toys.
Olly also spearheaded the development of an innovative, low-cost wheelchair design to World Health Organization standards that grows as the children do – a world first.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
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Dr Suzanne Packer is a pediatrician and child advocate who was the 2019 Senior Australian of the Year.
Since starting her career as a paediatrician in 1972, she has worked tirelessly to advocate for the rights of children. Sue has been a leader in child abuse prevention and treatment and a champion of the importance of early childhood environments for the developing brain.
Sus has been involved in child abuse prevention through the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect since its very early days and has treated babies and children suffering terrible trauma from child abuse and neglect.
In addition, Sue has championed the importance of early childhood environments for the developing brain, leading to recognition by education and government agencies. Sue was one of the driving forces behind the acknowledgement of the importance of creating child-friendly spaces in hospitals and the value of play in recovery.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of her life journey and passions.
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As a young person, Corey developed a love of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects but found little encouragement for Aboriginal people to pursue careers in STEM.
A key reason was that regional and remote schools were often critically under-resourced, and their students did not receive the same learning experiences as students in urban areas.
In 2018 Corey founded DeadlyScience, a not-for-profit organisation to provide STEM resources and learning experiences to regional and remote schools in Australia and connect young Indigenous people with STEM professionals.
Since then DeadlyScience has grown to be Australia’s leading Indigenous STEM charity working with over 800 schools and community organisations across all states and territories.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
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Duncan established Wiradjuri Echoes in 1998, since then the Wiradjuri Echoes have worked towards reconciliation and equality. He won the 2003 NAIDOC artist of the year award, Dare to Lead Education Award 2009, Friends of Education Award 2011, Ngunnawal Centre University of Canberra Award 2007, Senior Citizen Centre Award for sharing culture 2016 and in 2016, the Order of Australia Medal.
Duncan is also an Ambassador for CANTEEN for kids and has been working alongside this organisation for over 10 years. through art, dance and music, Duncan has been instrumental in being a role model to the indigenous community, striving for equality and helping indigenous children identify with their culture and teaching the importance of education and respect for the community.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an understanding of his life story and passions.
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Nicole is a multi-award-winning author who shines a light on environmental, animal rights and social justice issues through captivating picture books. Her books engage readers and help to create a generation of thoughtful, committed and compassionate individuals.
The themes in Nicole’s books have inspired school students and families to learn more about elephants used in tourism, the human-made perils for ocean animals, the impact of soft plastics, and what it truly means to be an Australian citizen.
One her inspiring books We Are Australians has been shortlisted for three Awards – Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year 2023, Environment Award for Children's Literature 2023 and the Karajia Award for Children's Literature 2023. Jelly-Boy won the Conservation Awareness for Children category of the Whitley Awards, bestowed by the Zoological Society of NSW and was was recognised as a Notable book in the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Awards 2021. This follows on from Billie winning the ACT Writing and Publishing Award in the children’s category 2019.
The attached photo of the cover of Nicole’s book We Are Australians was painted by Jandamarra Cadd.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an understanding of her life story and passions.
Amar is the President and Founder of charity organisation Turbans 4 Australia. Since 2015, they have been providing assistance to Australians from all walks of life while also promoting multiculturalism and religious tolerance.
Turbans 4 Australia has worked tirelessly to help hundreds of thousands of Australians in need. They have assisted people facing all kinds of challenges, from those impacted by natural disasters like floods, bushfires and cyclones, to those facing homelessness, domestic violence, poverty, unemployment and isolation.
Their meals are vegetarian, and people have welcomed them with open arms and have been the first group to support first responders.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life story and passions.
Ann has had a successful career in the public and private sectors. Ann’s professional journey has been diverse.
She trained and worked as a Maths/Science Teacher joined a large food manufacturing company as a Quality Assurance Manager and Production Manager, supported her father in a small business venture and worked in Washington DC as a senior diplomat in the Australian Embassy working with the US Government to advance Australia’s interests in industry, science, energy and climate change.
Recently Ann has decided to run in the upcoming ACT Legislative Assembly elections as an independent with a previous guest on the ConFab.
Join me the this episode of the ConFab with Michael G to learn about Ann’s life journey and her passions,
John a Canberra confectioner who founded the experimental ice-creamery Frugii Dessert Laboratory, sadly passed away in 2021.
John had long indulged in his hobby — creating unusually flavoured ice-creams and desserts — while selling them from his home, until he launched the business on Braddon's Lonsdale Street.
John's creations came to be featured in international culinary publications as he continued to explore atypical food combinations.
Some of his more unusual ice-cream flavours included hummus, black truffle, butter chicken and Vegemite, which he launched to mark Australia Day.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to reflect on his memory, his contribution to our culinary experiences, passions and his inventiveness.
Les Bistronomes Restaurant was founded in 2014 by two French men with a desire to extend Bistronomie to Canberra. It was originally located in the inner location of Braddon. The bistro was relocated to the community suburb of Campbell in 2019 where Clément Chauvin has become the Sole Owner and Executive Chef.
Clément has experienced working in 3 and 2 star Michelin restaurants in France, and has experienced working with Gordon Ramsay’s Claridge’s (a 1-star Michelin restaurant).
Canberra ha welcomed his cooking with open arms. After six months at Sage Restaurant, he won Best Chef of the Year by the Australian Hospitality Awards, in addition to Best Restaurant of the Year by the Restaurant and Catering Awards. He remained for two years in Gorman house and then moved to Water’s Edge, where he obtain his first hat in The Good Food Guide.
Fast forward a few years and Clément has become the sole owner and Executive Chef of multi-award-winning restaurant, Les Bistronomes.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
Bernard Collaery is an Australian barrister, lawyer and former politician. Collaery was a member of the ACT first Legislative Assembly. He has served as Deputy Chief Minister and Attorney-General.
In 2018, he was charged with disclosing protected intelligence information. The case related to the Australia–East Timor spying scandal however In July 2022, the charges were waived by Attorney-General.
Bernard is the principal a Canberra-based law firm with an international law division embracing international maritime and treaty law, refugee and civil rights law. He has appeared as counsel in various jurisdictions
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions
Emily had previously been interested in depicting highly detailed portraits of Australian wildlife species, but now find herself inspired by the elements these animals leave behind such as bones, shells, feathers, and the plants of their environment.
Emily arranges these elements along with treasured ceramic and glassware vessels, as a modern Australian interpretation of the tradition of memento mori still life painting - a reminder of the fragility, beauty and transience of life. Emily aims to bring a sense of quiet contemplation to my work, and a reminder of the charm of simple ‘treasures’ found on walks on the beach and in the bush.
Join me on the ConFab to gian an understanding of her life journey and passions.
This episode was originally broadcast on 2xxfm in June 2020
This podcast was recorded in 2020 and is one of my earliest interviews. Unfortunately, Pat's audio is not the greatest and reflects use of a speaker phone in Parliament House. However, Pat's story, his perspective of reconciliation and truth telling as one of Australia outstanding first nation statesperson is highly regarded and will give you an insight to our first nation narrative. I strongly recommend listening to the podcast, unfortunately the audio is not up our normal standard but you can hear his wise words.
Pat is an Australian indigenous rights activist and former politician. He was a Senator for Western Australia representing the Australian Labor Party and is known as the “Father of Reconciliation".
He is a Yawuru elder from Broome, Western Australia. He has been chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and a Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. In addition to a brief stint as a Roman Catholic priest, he was the winner of the 2008 Sydney Peace Prize and the 2009 John Curtin Medal.
Join me on the Confab to lean more about his life journey and passions.
Adam is a Partner in one of Australia’s major consultancy firms in the area of Climate Change and Sustainability Services.
His role is primarily related to addressing the challenges of sustainable development – how can the world sustain a decent standard of living for all current and future human beings in a way that doesn’t undermine the integrity and longevity of the biosphere. He is a frequent TV and radio commentator on the subject of Climate Change and is passionate about sustainability.
Join me on the Confab to lean more about his life journey and passions.
Graeme is a lawyer, author, and company director. His autobiography Finding A Way achieved popular acclaim in 2016.
Graeme has led the merger of four blindness agencies to form Vision Australia, and chaired the board of that agency.
He is also a Director of: The National Disability Insurance Agency;
The State Insurance Regulatory Authority, regulating workers’ compensation and motor vehicle accident insurance in NSW and is the Chancellor of Central Queensland University.
He has been a human rights practitioner for more than 30 years and was appointed as a Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission for nine years, responsible for issues relating to disability, race and human rights.
Graeme was awarded an AM for his work on the development of the Australian Disability Discrimination Act.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an insight to his life journey and passions.
Jioji Ravulo is the Professor and Chair of Social Work and Policy Studies in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at The University of Sydney.
His research, writing and areas of interest include mental health and wellbeing, alcohol and other drugs, youth development, marginality and decoloniality.
Jioji is involved in various community based research and co-design initiatives, including projects that support health literacies across equity groups, enhancing service delivery models for young people and their families, promoting the involvement of diversity in educational settings and supporting the meaningful inclusion of indigenous perspectives and practices.
Jioji is also an Adjunct Professor in the School of Law and Social Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, supporting social work education, policy development and research across the region.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life history and passions.
Tonight, we are in conversation with Kaaron who is an Australian author of horror, science fiction, and fantasy short stories and novels.
Kaaron is the author of the short story collections Through Splintered Walls, The Grinding House, and Dead Sea Fruit. Her short stories have won Australian Shadows Awards, Ditmar Awards and Aurealis Awards
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of her passions and life journey.
In 2019 while visiting England I spent some time contributing to community radio in Milton Keynes while touring the area we stopped off for a coffee at Twiggs Nurseries and coffee establishment in Buckingham as we were trying to find a decent coffee in the area.
Lloyd the owner and barista has selected the best beans available in the country, the best styles and brands of milk and makes a perfect flat white. Lloyd set up his small café in the middle of his nursery, the environment and feeling in the cafe, next to beauty of the flora was perfect. It was well worth the visit if you appreciated coffee.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
While I was visiting Milton Keynes I spent some time on a community radio station where I meet Nina Castree. During our initial meeting Nina told me that Across Milton Keynes, 1 in 4 children live in poverty, meaning that more than 16,000 children experience the affects of their household not having enough money, sometimes for basics such as school shoes, heating or food. This concept “the working poor”is now common in most developed countries.
Nina and the community of St Marks church developed the concept of:
- NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO GO TO BED HUNGRY
The help of the local community, we can feed hungry tummies all across the city. We want children all over Milton Keynes to have dinner so that they can turn up at school the next day without the burden of hunger pangs. We've got a simple system that gets dinner to where it's needed, when it's needed, so that children don't have to go to bed hungry.
Tonight on the ConFab with Michael G you will gain an understanding of Nina, her life history and passions.
Canberra has a reputation for fantastic coffee, baristas, coffee roasters and a range of great cafes. On any sunny day of the week you will find these cafes (the great ones) full, people enjoying the sun on the streets and if they really fantastic coffee high end bikes leaning up on a wall.
One one of thees occasions (after a long cycle ride) I meet Isaac a barista and one of finest cafes in Canberra. Over a period of time I have got to know Isaac and his coffee making skills.
Join me on the ConFab to meet Isaac and learn about his life journey and his passions.
Luka is actively involved with various volunteering organisations, including the Rainbow Ranters Toastmasters Club, and is a Justice of the Peace serving the LGBTIAQ+ community.
Luka’s volunteer contributions have been recognised at the Volunteering Awards (Canberra Region), in which he has been awarded the Corporate Volunteer Award (2021) and the Inclusion Award (2020) and was Highly Commended in the Young Volunteer of the Year Award category (2019).
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
You may have meet Xavier at a market and saw a number of novels on display and wondered what was the genres and who was the author. I discovered that Xavier was the author and was based in Canberra, Australia.
Xavier has published 5 novels, and a few more in the pipeline - including new exploits with Agent Max Shaw!
He has a background in communications and a passion for story telling weaving in opportunitys presented in his working life.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his passions and life journey.
Mike was a former politician who twice represented the local Division of Eden-Monaro in the Parliament of Australia, Mike was also a member of the Australian Army serving in Somalia, East Timor, Bosnia and Iraq.
In April 2020, he resigned from Parliament and is now working in the private sector.
We gain a personal perspective of someone who has experienced the dark side of war zones and the inner workings of the Australian federal parliament.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his passions and life journey.
Have you recently wandered down to the Haigh Park Village Markets in Canberra and came across a stall holder selling Mother’s Treats (We just gather and blend them together to create magic **** Blessings!), who reminds you of the best of the Nimbin culture.
Tonight, we gain a personal perspective of someone who has experienced in their young life the destruction of the former Yugoslavia and the impact of the subsequent civil war between opposing ethnic groups.
Join me on the ConFab to meet Bosko and learn about his journey from the former Balkan Peninsula to the Canberra region and his passion for poetry.
Elizabeth is an Australian politician and is currently the leader of the Liberal party of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.
Elizabeth migrated from South Korea to Australia when she was seven years old and studied law at the Australian National University.
Prior to becoming a legislator, Ms. Lee had an active law practice and was a lecturer at the Australian National University and the University of Canberra. She is the first Korean-Australian politician elected to state and territory governments in Australia.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to gain an understanding of her life journey and passions.
Peter Strong is a noted public advocate for small business, for community empowerment and for good policy. He has been the CEO of the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia.
He spent some time working in both the former Soviet Union, China and middle eastern countries working with local communities to manage change and ownership of their future. He is now involved in the field of Community Economics.
Peter has been frequently involved in media events and interviews including many appearances on the ABC program the Drum.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of Peter’s life story and passions.
Jo (a Greens member of the ACT Assembly) is strongly committed to urgent action on climate change. As a child, Jo was concerned about climate change but assumed that by the time she grew up someone would have fixed the problem. Unfortunately, this is not the case and so Jo has decided to do everything in her power to help find solutions.
Jo started The Carbon Diet, working with her family to cut their household emissions. Not only did they cut their carbon footprint by 75%, but also had fun and now have a better, richer life from making a few simple changes.
Jo is involved in grass-roots movements and is inspired by the creativity and collaboration of people in these movements, including school students, ‘Knitting Nanas’ and everyone in between, who come together to face a problem that's bigger than any one of us.
These experiences has given Jo hope for the future and a belief that we can make a better choice. She looks forward to using her skills and her love for this region to help Canberra make that choice.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of her passions and life journey.
Working as part of a university and industry research team, Vincent has learned the value of making the most of what is made available to you.
By pressing whole apples, Vincent and the joint research team from the University of Newcastle and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, have found a way to enrich the nutritional and economic value of its juice.
Working as part of a highly-skilled research team, and working in partnership with industry to innovate and encourage the evolution of the fruit juicing industry, was not the type of project Vincent imagined he would participate when he started his undergraduate degree.
He believes not wasting any opportunity and ensuring you are passionate about your choice of field of study, are essential ingredients to a successful university journey.
He believes that a higher education gives a tremendous advantage in one's career pathway and gives you the skills you need, before jumping right into the work force.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an insight on his life journey and passions.
The jeweller Paris Argentina (Paris’s shop in the Block Melbourne) is more than just a name; it’s a reflection of his rich family history, a mix of Argentinian, French, Danish, and Spanish ancestry, that has inspired him and his partner to create exquisite handcrafted jewellery that blends traditional techniques with contemporary designs. Their name is a nod to the artistic and cultural influences that have shaped us and our jewellery creations.
Paris believes that jewellery is an expression of personal style and should be as unique as the individual wearing it.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to gain an insight to his passions and life story.
Bruno a French artisan has created a wonderful French flavoured experience in a local suburb.
Bruno and his family spent a year and a half living in Vannes, a quaint coastal town in Brittany in 2007-2008. Upon their return, the idea of creating a typical crêperie (like in Brittany) here in Canberra started to develop in Bruno’s and his partners imagination.
They wanted a casual, unpretentious yet stylish place, with a “feel good” atmosphere for people to relax and enjoy some of the charming Breton culture.
Join me on the Confab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
Jesse has been folding origami since he was 6 years old. He finds that it is a great meditative practice.
In 2018, Rowan entered Jesse's life. Seeing Jesse make tiny origami, Rowan challenged him to make 2 small pieces of origami that she would turn into a pair of earrings. The result were a pair of cubes made out of pink printer paper. Rowan varnished them and turned them into earrings. She still wears them today, 4 years later.
In 2020, the first lockdown in Canberra, Australia, saw Jesse out of work. He got impatient not being able to work and so turned to Rowan and asked if they could try make a business making origami jewellery, like the pink cube earrings they had made. Rowan agreed.
Now in 2023, this couple have celebrated Focus Folding's 3rd birthday! They are still going strong and regularly attend markets in Canberra.
Join me on the Confab to hear their life journey and passions.
Antiques run in Jane blood. Between father and Jane, they have nearly 90 years of experience selling antiques. Growing up in Canberra Jane spent every weekend going to country auctions and clearance sales. They used to joke that a trip from Canberra to Batemans Bay, which is a two-hour drive, would take us eight hours because they stopped at every op shop and secondhand shop on the way."
Jane is a co-owner of Dirty Janes which has become an institution in the NSW Southern Highland and Canberra.
Join me on the Confab to gain an understanding of her story and passion.
Kitty is a leading health and wellness icon. She went from being overweight and a diet junky to founding one of the country's leading health and wellness programs. Hundreds of thousands of people now follow her.
Her journey is about -
· all the poor foods and information we consume as consumers
· how we all make poor life choices
· why and how we can all do so much better
· why health is so intrinsically linked to our moods and success.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to hear her life journey and passions.
This podcast makes reference to adult themes and drug use.
Dr Kudzai Kanhutu is an infectious diseases physician with a background in immunology and French language studies. Her current clinical roles are in refugee health and general infectious diseases.
Beyond infectious diseases Kudzai special research interests include digital literacy, public health policy and women’s health. Her curent research undertakings are in the areas of virtual care and housing as a social determinant of refugee settlement outcomes.
In addition to providing clinical care to patients at RMH and Cohealth Dr Kanhutu is keen to collaborate with researchers working in digital health and/or refugee health.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of her life history and passions.
Michael Kirby is an international jurist, educator and former judge of the High Court of Australia. He has undertaken many international activities for the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the OECD and the Global Fund Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
He is also heavily engaged in international arbitrations; domestic mediations; and teaching law. He is Honorary Professor at 12 Australian and overseas universities.
He was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal, named Laurette of the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education and in 2010 he was named co-winner of the Gruber Justice Prize.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight to his life’s journey and passions
Professor David Hardman David is a vascular surgeons in Canberra and has over 25 years of experience. He is a senior lecturer at the Australian National University Medical School and has published over 100 papers in medical journals. He is also a member of the Australasian Society for Vascular Surgery.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Hardman is actively involved in research. He has published extensively on various topics related to vascular surgery, including arterial disease, venous disease and lymphatic surgery. His research has helped advance the field of vascular surgery and improve patient care. He also passionate collector of art work, particularly first nations painting.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
After arriving to Australia in 2003, Ali has completed his Master of Business Administration from Charles Sturt University, Master of Professional Accounting from James Cook University and a Graduate Certificate in International Relations from Griffith University.
Prior to arriving in Australia, Ali obtained Bachelor of Business Administration from Gujarat University in India. Ali has had a successful career as an entrepreneur with business interests in vocational education, accounting and information technology sectors.
Ali has also served on the board of various government and non-governmental organisations and regularly features on various current affairs and news shows as a passionate activist for human rights, social cohesion and race relations. Ali has served the board as a volunteer board member including the chairman since 2005.
Ali was appointed as the CEO of Islamic College of Brisbane in 2020. Ali believes that educating the next generation is the best way to ensure the progress and growth of our community.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
I first meet Sandra in the Block a famous heritage arcade in Melbourne. Sandra is the owner of the concept “The Alpaca Collection” is a boutique-clothing store for both women and men.
The concept was established in 1998, with clothing made exclusively from alpaca yarn from Australia and around the world, the business has continued to diversify.
Once considered a gift from the gods and the most important relic of the history of the Incas. Today, a world concerned about the environment and its sustainability has the opportunity to know and understand the importance of Alpacas and their fibre. Sandra understands this concept, and wants as many people to understand the contribution of Alpacas to the environment and our sustainability.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of her life journey and passions.
By 30 Gary ran the protection team for the Australian Prime Minister and by 38, the office of the Australian Federal Police Commissioner. Silently struggling, by 40 his 10 year path to self-destruction was complete.
Gary has called on his unique experience and expertise to coach individuals and teams in high pressure fields manage mental barriers for high performance. In March 2023 he established Strong Men'd based in Brisbane Australia.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an insight on his passions and life journey.
Tina is a barrister practicing almost exclusively in the area of native title. She has been a barrister for 17 years and has been briefed to appear as junior counsel for the applicants in a number of fully contested native title proceedings, including on-country hearings. She has appeared before the Full Federal Court and the High Court in native title appeals.
Tina is highly respected for her ground-breaking work in the area of native title law. One of the few women who specialise in this area, she is respected for her tenacious yet approachable style with First Nations clients and legal professionals alike.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an understanding of her lifes journey and passions.
Frank’s farm story started over 25 years ago. He purchased a 100-year-old farm that was tired and needed passion and devotion to bring it back to life. In its past life it was a thriving apple, pear and quince orchard with fruit taken by train to Sydney markets and by ship to England, often winning prizes there.
He always knew that one day our farm will become our sanctuary. However, a corporate international career kept pushing this idea back until the world turned upside down and many families reached a crossroads and had to make some life changing decisions. His was to return to Australia and focus on sharing our passion for organically grown food with our family and friends
Today the family farm, which is less than an hour drive from Canberra and a bit more from Sydney, is a place for a peaceful getaway with our produce carefully grown in the most organic ways we know while maintaining eco-friendly and sustainable practices.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an insight on his life story and passions
Irina will take us through her life journey, starting from her early years as a child growing up in the Soviet Union, following her sports accomplishments, academic journey that took her to the U.S. and Ireland, moving onto her international corporate career that had Irina globetrotting across 4 continents.
Returning to her entrepreneurial roots due to a family relocation to Australia, Irina will take us on a journey of her passion for organically grown food & sustainable agriculture as well as the decision to leave the corporate world in order to run a family farm in NSW, Australia.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an insight on her life story and passions
Ruth O’Brien is a singer-songwriter from Canberra, ACT/Ngunnawal Country.
Her girlish yet powerful voice combined with her metaphorical, storytelling, songwriting-style effortlessly draws the attention of people of all ages.
Influenced by the sounds of jazz, soul, pop, folk and classical music, Ruth is able to create a sense of vulnerability and intimacy in her performances, leaving people feeling connected to the experience.
In 2014, she received funding from the Australia Council to write, record and release her debut EP, Invaluable. In May, she will release her second EP, Songs for Abby.
Ruth has had many amazing performing opportunities as a vocalist and songwriter including at the 2016 Australia Day Live Concert, at the National Folk Festival 2022, as a support for Sydney singer-songwriter NGAIIRE, and in April will support her music hero, Katie Noonan, on the Joni Mitchell’s Blue 50th Anniversary tour, in Springwood, NSW on the 14th Apr, Canberra on the 15th April, and Goulburn on 16th April.
Join me on the ConFab to gain an insight on her life story and passions.
The photo was taken by Meg Houghton
Mary is an Australian actress, comedian, television personality and writer.
In 1987 Mary became a member of the ground-breaking stage show ‘Wogs out of Work’, where her comic creation Effie was born followed by the creation of TV comic series Acropolis Now. Mary has a diverse range of TV, film and stage credits are numerous. Mary has also written two books.
Mary has also won the Logie Award for Most Popular Comedy Personality in 1993.
Mary is hanging up the wig and letting her hair down for a tour of her most intimate show to date. Having garnered rave reviews with her premiere of This Is Personal at the Sydney Opera House in May 2022, she is set to take her masterpiece to audiences Australia-wide.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to gain a insight of her life’s journey and her passions
Victoria Pearce (a specialist Textiles Conservator) is the Director of Endangered Heritage in Canberra, its a conservation laboratory serving the public and private collectors.
Victoria has worked in museums and galleries and auction houses around the world mentoring and teaching in best practice for the conservation of movable heritage.
Victoria project managed the Establishment of the National Textiles Museum of Malaysia and went on to do conservation needs assessments on built heritage in China and worked in Singapore.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to gain an insight to her life story and passions.
Costa is a landscape architect, environmental educator and television presenter who has an all-consuming passion for plants and people. As co-creator and host of Costa’s Garden Odyssey for SBS, he caught the attention of a nation.
Since 2013, Costa has continued his journey as the much-loved host of one of the ABC’s most iconic and Logie award-winning programs, Gardening Australia. Costa is a must have TV and radio guest on talk shows, lifestyle programs, current affairs programs, gameshows and brings the comedy gold in unexpected places to audiences young and old.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael G to gain an understanding of his life journey and passions.
When NASA classified Karl as non-astronaut material in 1981 he walked straight into ABC Radio station Double J and offered to talk about the Space shuttle launch. They said ‘Okay’ and his radio career took off from there. ‘Great Moments In Science’ ran on Double J while Karl moonlighted as a medical student.
Karl has degrees in Physics and Maths, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine and Surgery and has worked as a physicist, tutor, film-maker, car mechanic, labourer, and as a medical doctor at the Kids’ Hospital in Sydney.
His enthusiasm for science is has become totally infectious and no one is better able to convey the excitement and wonder of it all than Dr Karl.
Join me on the ConFab with Michael to gain an understanding of his passions and life journey.
Grand Hatters is a unique boutique store that showcases some of the finest men's and ladies headwear from around the world.
With over six decades of high end men's fashion experience, Craig have teamed up with a fellow colleague to create a iconic establishment where personalised service has made it a must go shopping experience in Melbourne.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an understanding of Craig’s passions and life journey.
Rev Tim Costello is one of Australia’s most respected community leaders and a sought after voice on social justice issues, leadership and ethics.
For 13 years until October 2016, Tim was Chief Executive of World Vision Australia.
Tim is a spokesperson for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, which campaigns for law reform to prevent harm from poker machine gambling.
In earlier roles Tim was National President of the Baptist Union of Australia and Mayor of St Kilda, as well as Executive Director of Urban Seed.
Tim was named Victoria’s Australian of the Year, was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO); and in 1997 was named as one of Australia’s 100 National Living Treasures.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his passions and life journey
Lisa Millar is an Australian television news presenter and journalist. Lisa is currently co-host of the ABC's breakfast program News Breakfast alongside Michael Rowland.
Lisa has previously been a foreign correspondent for ABC News based in London and Washington DC. In December 2018, Lisa joined News Breakfast as co-host In the following year Lisa
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into her passions and life journey.
Tommy is a rapidly rising multi-disciplinary artist from Canberra, Australia. His work is represented and collected both nationally and internationally. He fuses organic abstract painting and light to create a new beast in his futuristic and emotive light reactive artworks.
His work has been described as ‘transformative' and takes fluid art to places not seen before. He has calibrated with other artist to create thought provoking art projects and experiences by transforming conventional spaces into places of wonder.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his passions and life journey.
Meet Andrew a key member of the Cannoli Brothers. The company has been in business since 2016 serving their range of cannoli across the Capital Region at producer’s markets and events. The company setup their manufacturing operation in the industrial hub in Fyshwick.
Andrew has been involved in a number of business ventures in Canberra and we gain an understanding of these business ventures during the conversation.
Join me this Thursday to gain an insight to Andrew and his journey.
Meet Sam a Gold Logie-winning actor and Victorian Australian of the Year 2018, he is also the cofounder of Love Your Sister which is a million-strong village of everyday Aussies committed to vanquishing cancer with hard science and the best new technologies.
Love Your Sister supports precision treatment for ALL cancer patients, whatever the cancer, regardless of location, income, or status. We strive for the right treatment for every cancer patient, first time, every time.
Love Your Sister is Australia’s hardest working cancer vanquishing charity, and since its inception in 2012 has raised over $16M for medical research.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight to Sam and his journey.
Meet Andrew who is the ACT Chief Minister who is passionate about supporting Canberra’s diverse community.
Through a range of innovative policies, he has helped shape Canberra to become Australia’s most inclusive city and the most LGBTIQ-friendly city in the country.
Andrew has lived in Canberra for more than 40 years and attended Holt Preschool, Turner Primary, Lyneham High and Lake Ginninderra College, before studying a Bachelor of Arts (Policy Studies) at the Australian National University, majoring in economics and political science.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight to Andrew and his journey.
I first me Cindy at the local farmers markets (Epic markets) one Saturday morning. Cindy is one of many artisans who are provide a ranger of culinary delights to visitors to the markets. Cindy has established a loyal following and has branched out on the range of breakfast options.
Cindy (a small business owner) initially established the Hot Skillet before branching out to establish Oatmeal CBR serving hot and cold porridge bowls to her loyal customers. Cindy has demonstrated a sound understanding of running a small business focusing on culinary experiences.
We talk about her childhood and journey to become leading artisan cheese fromager. Join me this on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight to Cindy’s passions and her life journey.
Meet SJ who with her team are producing fine artisan cheese from the heart of the Orange NSW Australian wine region
SJ started to be interested in making cheese 8 years ago after a course at the TAFE in Adelaide. Her your favourite part about being a cheese making is collecting the milk from a farm - it means connecting to the animals and people involved in making the raw product from the moment the cut the curd, the magic that a humble product like milk can give us such diversity.
We talk about her childhood and journey to become leading artisan cheese fromager. Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight to SJ’s passions and her life journey.
Raymond is a medical Doctor and an Associate Professor of Finance. Raymond’s research interests are diverse: as a financial economist, he studies market microstructure, asset pricing, political economy and classical economics; while, as a medical researcher, he has also explored issues relating to end-of-life care.
He was the lead author Dr Wai-Man (Raymond) Liu said the study found people grieving a close friend suffered a significant decline in physical health, mental health, emotional stability and social life. The research undertaken to support the research and report found that The trauma caused by the death of a close friend endures four times longer than previously believed, according to the research from the Australian National University (ANU).
At the time of the conversation he was working at an emergency department of a Canberra hospital.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his passions and life journey.
Meet Tim the head gardener of Floriade who with a dedicated team have created a visual experience post lock down that has translate into this year’s extensive and inspirational flower display for visitors to the 2022 Floriade Tim has over 10 years of horticultural experience and is passionate about nature and the enjoyment it can bring to the community.
We talk about his childhood and journey to become Canberra's leading horticulturist.
Join me this on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight to Tim his passions and his life journey.
Meet Chris & Jen, during 2015 they came up with the catchy brand-name of 'The Fruity Farmer' for their range of homemade seasonal Fruit Gins & Liqueurs alongside their pick-your-own Christmas tree business Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees,
Every Autumn they launch a new fruit infused liqueur to add to their range, which now totals 14 different drinks. They sell direct at local Farmers' Markets & Events; in the UK local farm shops, butchers, delicatessens, plus to pubs, restaurants and caterers.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into their backgrounds and passions.
If you love doughnuts this story may be of interest. Krofne is a Canberra-based bakery and social enterprise. They make delicious baked goods, handcrafted doughnuts.
Krofne is not your typical business, as a social enterprise, they aim to create employment opportunities for teens and adults with special needs. Danijela and John Vrkic started the business with the vision that their son, Anthony, who has Down Syndrome, would be fully involved in the production, sale, and distribution of the donuts.
Their mission is to make a difference in the lives of teens and adults with special needs baking delicious treats for the community along the way!
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into Danijela’s life journey and passions.
If you have ever been to the Old Bus Depo Markets in Canberra you may have seen a stall featuring Australian black tea blends such as our spicy and delicious Australian Chai, and organic herbal blends which combine therapeutic benefits in a tasty, refreshing infusion. In fact David stocks around 80 teas Australian and imported black teas, green teas, white tea, herbal infusions and fruit infusions
David is a farmer and in his spare time goes to music festivals and writes and plays his own compositions.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his life journey and passions
Ralph is an award winning Australian fine art photographer who has exhibited in Berlin, Dubai, Palm Beach, Latvia, Portugal and Australia. His art represent how the power of physical movement in kayaking and the movements on the surface of the water can synthesize to act as creative inspiration freeing the mind of mental darkness to heal, recharge and inspire the inner self.
Before his emergence as a photo artist, Ralph had been involved in fine art in Australia since the 1970s, graduating from the Victorian College of The Arts majoring in Dramatic Arts in 1979 and with a Masters in Creative Industries. He came to prominence in Australia in the early 90s as an arts pioneer in multi-media performance whilst he was Associate Director of Sydney Theatre Company. This work led him to a decade or so in directing TV commercials with Australia’s leading advertising agencies.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
Con is a Cornea transplant and Refractive surgeon and a consultant at the Sydney Eye Hospital and Bowral District Hospital. He is Associate Director of the NSW Tissue Bank and Senior Lecturer for the Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology University of Sydney. Upon finishing his ophthalmology training through the Sydney Eye Hospital he completed a fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and worked there as a consultant for 3.5 years.
Con annually visits Darwin, Mandalay Myanmar and Vietnam where he provides expert care and training to local eye specialists.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight to his passions and life journey.
Jo is a Green member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and was elected in 2020.
Jo is a lawyer, writer, artist and businesswoman who has lived in Ginninderra for most of her life. Jo is strongly committed to urgent action on climate change and understands that we don’t have a moment to lose. As a child, Jo was concerned about climate change but assumed that by the time she grew up someone would have fixed the problem. Unfortunately, this is not the case and so Jo has decided to do everything in her power to help find solutions.
We talk about her childhood, her passions.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight to Jo and her journey.
Andrew is a Green Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly, he was elected in 2020.
Andrew is motivated by the need for urgent action on climate change to secure a safe future for his children and future generations. He is proud of the steps Canberra has taken to secure 100% renewable electricity, but understands that there is much more to do.
We talk about her childhood, her artistic passion.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight to Andrew and his journey.
Most people dream of a short commute to work, but Lawson man Sovithyea ‘SV’ Sar has the shortest commute of all – from his house to the café he runs from his front yard. SV started his eponymous business, SV Coffee & Bakery, last year during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, originally from inside his house.
He’s since seen a groundswell of support for the venture, which has now moved to the front yard to accommodate the locals and regulars. He is focused on the community and has organised a number of community events in Lawson.
Join me on the Confab to gain an understanding of SV’s life journey and passions.
Meet Tina from Denmark who has settled in the Southern Highlands, from the Nordic region to the artist center of the southern highlands. Tina has established a company that taps into our artistic endeavours.
We talk about her childhood, her artistic passion.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight to Tina and her journey.
Chris chose to be a flower and apple man because it brings his two loves together, the land and people.
His journey as a flower man began by selling flowers from the back of a truck on the side of the road. With time I was then able to establish my presence in key farmers markets around Sydney.
Several years ago he started his own flower farm and apple orchard in Freemans Reach in NSW and got to experience directly the amazing feeling that growing your own flowers give.
His main purpose is to share a wonderful and affordable variety of flowers of superior quality to fill customers lives with beauty.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
The REACH for Nepal foundation was established to help people make a real difference in the lives of those less fortunate in Nepal.
The Canberra based foundation was established after the 2015 earthquakes with the objectives of the foundation being defined in its acronym Rebuild, Educate, Assist, Children/Communities (providing) Hope for Nepal.
Initially established to focus on providing aid after the 2015 earthquakes, the foundation is now providing support in a range of other areas where there is a desperate need for assistance.
What sets REACH for Nepal apart is that it uses its strong cultural ties and detailed knowledge of Nepal to identify and support projects that contribute to rebuilding schools and villages.
The foundation also provides an opportunity for people who might otherwise feel quite helpless to assist and make a difference in a practical and/or financial manner.
Join me on the Confab to meet Craig, Taj and Lou to gain an insight into with they are involved in the foundation how this has changed their lives.
You may have tuned into the local ABC breakfast program and heard Lish Fejer from 5:30 am during the week. Tonight, Lish is my guest on the other side of the microphone.
Lish has worked in the field of science communication as a presenter, speaker, writer and exhibition developer. She joined the ABC Radio Canberra team in 2010. We talk about her passions and life story.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into her passions and life journey.
Emma is an emerging ceramic artist from Canberra, creating jewelry and homewares.
Emma trained in Silversmithing at the Canberra School of Art in 1999 before transitioning to a career in counselling and community education, working with young people experiencing barriers to participating fully in education and employment.
Emma kept up an art practice on the side as a hobby, including studying to be an Ikebana teacher. In 2008 she enrolled in a pottery class at her local arts center. and since then Emma has been building up her ceramic skills before launching 'The Seasonal Ceramicist' label in 2018. Emma now works part-time in education policy and part-time running 'The Seasonal Ceramicist'.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into her life journey and passions.
Glenda is currently the interim general manager at Canberra-based not-for-profit Domestic Violence and Crisis Service (DVCS).
Glenda was previously the President of ACTCOSS which is the peak body for community organisations and people experiencing disadvantage in the ACT.
Its vision is to live in a fair and equitable community that respects and values diversity, human rights and sustainability and promotes justice, equity, reconciliation and social inclusion.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into her life journey and passions.
Chris chose to be a flower man because it brings his two loves together, the land and people.
His journey as a flower man began by selling flowers from the back of a truck on the side of the road. With time I was then able to establish my presence in key farmers markets around Sydney.
Several years ago he started his own flower farm in Freemans Reach in NSW and got to experience directly the amazing feeling that growing your own flowers give.
His main purpose is to share a wonderful and affordable variety of flowers of superior quality to fill customers lives with beauty.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
I meet Lexxie during the recording of the Confab focusing on the masters in Forensic Medicine (the podcast was uploaded in July 2021).
I meet Lexxie when recording the Podcast, she is instrumental in this program. You will gain an understanding of the provision of medical and forensic care of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and in particular a understanding of the sex industry and people engaged in this industry.
Join me on this Confab with Michael G to gain an insight into Lexxie’s story and passions.
This program covers a number of issues associated with the sex industry, which may offend some listeners.
ruce is a first nation (Aboriginal Australian) writer of literary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays and children's literature. As well as his own name, he has written under the pen names Murray Gray and Leopold Glass. Since August 2020, he has been Enterprise Professor in Indigenous Agriculture at the University of Melbourne.
Bruce is best known for his work Dark Emu: Black Seeds: Agriculture or Accident? (2014), which reexamines colonial accounts of first nation people in Australia and cites evidence of pre-colonial agriculture, engineering and building construction by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We talk about his childhood and passions, books and truth telling.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
You may have seen a short story about Steve on our local ABC nightly news program about how the gift of music is changing the life of Canberra's school students. Steve works with St Vincent de Paul by providing free music lessons.
For the best part of a decade, Steve has opened his door free-of-charge to kids on the margins, to share the "gift of music" with those who couldn't normally afford it. His motto is, I want to celebrate the gift of music, and spread the word.
Steve is a Classical Guitarist influenced by Flamenco, Jazz, Fingerpicking and Folk. He has Performed with artists such as Tommy Emmanuel, James Morrison, Victor Borge, Slava Grigoryan, Riley Lee and William Barton, Grace Knight, Yothu Yindi and Sirocco.
Join me on this podcast to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
Dan has presented the breakfast on ABC Radio Canberra and now is one of the 7pm News bulletin presenter on Canberra ABC TV.
Dan grew up in the outback Northern Territory mining town of Tennant Creek and began reporting for the local newspaper when he was 14, going on to work for the NT News. From 2010 he was with National Indigenous Television (NITV) in Sydney and Canberra
We talk about his passions and life story.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
Meet Annie, you may meet or heard Annie and the Armadillos who are known for their groove based music, a mixture of rhythm and blues, funk, bop, soul and jazz, the kind that’s intended to get people on their feet. The group began in the mid 1990S as a trio doing cover versions of ballads and torch songs. They became popular at local restaurants and had a regular gig at the former Gypsy Bar in Civic.
We talk about her childhood and her passions, nursing career and love of music.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into Annie and her journey.
The Phoenix Kings band are a alt-rock pub band from Canberra. Their music is fast-paced with an Australian feel. They have been influenced by blues-rock bands of yesterday like Led Zep, ACDC, Angels, Screaming Jets but with a modern feel.
The band comprises Dion (vocals/rhythm guitar, song writer), Andrew (lead guitar), Paul (bass) and Brett (drums).
Their first album, ‘Yesterday Knows’ an independent, was a digital release in February and contains 12 tracks with a unique Aussie theme. One track has cracked the 1,000 hits.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight into a couple of band members life journeys and passions.
Michael is currently co-host of the ABC's breakfast program News Breakfast alongside Lisa Millar and is the ABC's senior network presenter.
Michael was previously North America correspondent and during his posting covered stories including the election of Barack Obama as US President, the outbreak of the financial crisis of 2007–2008, the Virginia Tech massacre and David Hicks release from Guantanamo Bay.
He is a seasoned journalist and broadcaster, he has spent more than 25 years covering some of the biggest stories in Australia and around the world.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight to his life and passions.
Caroline is a proud Ngunnawal woman who is dedicated to uniting people from all nations and walks of life.
A true champion of Aboriginal Culture, Caroline’s efforts have enhanced and grown the capacity of the Yurauna Centre to meet the needs of the community – while ensuring that preserving cultural heritage remains the essence of the Centre’s work.
As a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, Caroline generously gives much of her time to improving the lives of others and provides a shining example of what can be achieved in the community.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight into her story and passions.
Nurgul is a Uyghur community leader based in Canberra. Nurgul campaigns for Uyghurs to promote and advocate for the human rights and democratic freedoms for the Uyghurs and other Turkic people in East Turkistan (referred to in China as “Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region”).
She has mobilizes individuals and the international community to build bridges to take action on behalf of and to raise public awareness of the Uyghur issue with a special focus on Uyghur women and youth, and to activate persons and entities to work together to stop the systematic human rights abuses against the people of East Turkistan.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight to her life and passions.
If you have visited the Fyshwick markets on the weekend you may have meet Walid inspiring the general public about the merits of mangos, or if you want expert advice on what to buy, he’s the man who you go to get his wise advice on what in season.
Tonight, we get to known his story, about his young life in war torn Lebanon, his journey to Australia and interest in marine life.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into his passions and life journey.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
A masters in Forensic Medicine provides the participants expertise and specialised knowledge enabling them to become highly sought after in the forensic medical, or science fields. Building on their qualification in medicine and associated disciplines , they will be able to apply your knowledge in the interests of justice.
Tonight you will meet two key people who are instrumental in this program and we talk about gaining an understanding of the provision of medical and forensic care of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and a understanding of the sex industry and people engaged in this industry.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight into their story and the program.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
We will meet Dr Vanita Parekh OAM who is a senior staff specialist in sexual health and forensic medicine based in Canberra. Vanita is the director of the Clinical Forensic Medicine Services which includes the provision of medical and forensic care to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence funded under health.
Vanita established a clinical forensic medical service almost overnight following a rape case in Canberra. 17 years later her work has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia for Significant service to medicine as a specialist in the fields of sexual health and forensic medicine.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into her passions and life journey.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Science journalist and broadcaster Robyn presents RN's The Science Show and Ockham's Razor. He has conducted countless interviews with scientists on ABC TV on programs such as Quantum and Catalyst, narrated the Nature of Australia series and appeared in World Safari with David Attenborough.
Roybn was born in Buckinghamshire, England, and educated in Vienna and London. He graduated from the University of London with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree. During this period, he was active in university acting and, like many other notable students, made guest appearances in BBC series The Goodies, Monty Python's Flying Circus and Doctor Who.
Join me on the Confab with Michael G to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Meet Tiny who was the co-founder of The Green Shed. Locals have purchased nearly 69 million items sold by the iconic Canberra business since it first opened its doors in 2010.
The enterprise has saved more than 65,000 tonnes of goods from going to landfill. And they’ve given away almost 3.4 million items of clothing. But the milestone they celebrated in March 2020 was making more than $1 million in donations.
Tiny has taken on a new adventure, opening a maze and amusement park in his home country of Serbia which he and his wife have been building for the past seven years.
If you have donated a skateboard to Canberra's recycling shop the Green Shed in the past few years - the chances are, it is on its way to Serbia.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight to Tiny passions and his life journey.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Meet Mike and Ruthie the founding members and principal songwriters of the US band the Mammals. The Mammals are a contemporary folk-rock band based in the Hudson Valley area of New York, in the United States.
The Mammals sing and play in a style heavily influenced by traditional folk, soul, old-time, blues, Cajun, Celtic and rock and roll. Their lyrics sometimes address political and environmental concerns; topics such as war, social justice, and sustainability.
We talk about their passions, musical careers and their love of music.
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into their journey.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Reverend Bones is the moniker of Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and climate activist Michael John Bones.
Having grown up in a devout Pentecostal Christian community in the Aussie outback, Bones started deconstructing his faith in his early 20s. The songs from his debut album, Escape From Heaven, are inspired by his personal experience of the death of God, and his attempt at making sense of the world anew.
With an indie rock sound that combines flavours of country-blues, gospel and grunge, Bones explores themes like religion and spirituality, work and play, love and sex, addiction and mental health, masculinity and gender questioning, and the impending climate apocalypse.
Join me in conversation with the Rev to gain an insight to his passions and life journey.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
You will meet Nate a meteorologist, oceanographer, Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant and the weather presenter on the national broadcaster the ABC’s News Breakfast.
When Nate Byrne left his job as a Naval Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy to present the weather on ABC’s News Breakfast it was a dream come true. In fact, it was the beginning of a surprising whole new chapter. Since 2017 the boy from Mullaloo has been a familiar face to millions of early risers tuning in for their fill of morning news, sport and of course, weather.
We talk about his childhood and his passions.
Join me in conversation with Nate to gain an insight into his life and his journey.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Ashley is a leading philanthropist with a deep appreciation for performing and visual arts. She is currently a trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW, and has served as director of Opera Australia Capital Fund since 2014.
Over the last thirty years, Ashley has been a member of the board of Festival of Sydney, the National Art School, the National Gallery of Australia Council and Foundation, the National Institute of Dramatic Arts and more. She has written three books: Ripe Energy (Pemberly Press, 2005), On Our Terms (Pemberly Press, 2011), and A Particular Woman (Ventura Press, 2020).
Ashley continues to study and lecture on French decorative arts and history, and in early 2020 was awarded the Chevalier des arts et des lettres by the French Government.
Join me on this podcast to gain an understanding of her life and passions.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Meet Mim, an artist who used to reside in the Southern Highlands and is now a resident of the local area, who has exhibition in a local emporium. We hear her story about making the transition from the medical profession to a portrait artist with a unique style.
Her reasons for painting are simple. Through life’s journey, sentimentality never became part of her state of being. Thus she paints in order to preserve and maintain a memory, of places, people and things, through painting I keep the location, the people alive, reminding others of what exists. Once she paints something, Mim give it life, even if it’s only in her own heart. John Singer Sergeant best sums it up by saying, “every time I paint a portrait I lose a best friend”. ….thus I continue to paint.
*Join me on this podcast to gain an insight into Mim and her journey.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net*
Gemma is an Australian Paralympic swimmer and medical doctor and a Reverend in the Anglican Church. Gemma went on to win gold, silver and bronze medals at two Paralympic Games — in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000. Gemma was born in Canberra.
Gemma has an interest in music, playing the organ and cello and singing, and plays the cello with the Australian Doctors' Orchestra.
Join me in conversation with Gemma to gain an insight into her life journey and passions.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Michael is currently Director of Diagnostic Haematology at the Canberra Hospital, ACT Pathology and Consultant Haematologist with responsibility for inpatients and outpatients.
He is actively involved in teaching and lecturing medical students at Australian National University, ANU Medical School, and participates as investigator and sub-investigator for clinical trials and research in leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, thrombosis and inherited bleeding disorders. He is also passionate about participating in choir music.
*Join me on this podcast to gain an insight to his life journey and passions.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net*
*Stu is an artisan (Chocolatier) who creates wonderful chocolate delights from cacao beans and other ingredients.
He has a passion and philosophy that chocolate is an ingredient full of characters, complexities and stories, and not just something that coats a confectionery bar. He is based in Canberra and specialise in handmade multi-award-winning artisan style chocolate truffles, bars and unique items using chocolate made from cocoa beans sourced from different regions all around the world. He also has worked in a number of Michelin hatted restaurants.*
*Join me on this podcast to gain an insight into his life journey and passions.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net*
You will meet 2 seasoned musicians who met by chance earlier this year and decided to get together to play songs they grew up with. Glenda (lead guitar and vocals) and Szusza (bass guitar and background vocals) and are both transgender women.
You will be privileged to hear two original tracks composed and written by the band. We will also provide you with an opportunity to understand what being transgender is like, as Szusza and Glenda cover a range of transgender issues and their stories.
We talk about their musical careers, passions and life stories over two episodes of the Confab.
Join me on part 2 of this podcast to gain an insight into their journeys.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
You will meet 2 seasoned musicians who met by chance earlier this year and decided to get together to play songs they grew up with. Glenda (lead guitar and vocals) and Szusza (bass guitar and background vocals) and are both transgender women.
You will be privileged to hear two original tracks composed and written by the band. We will also provide you with an opportunity to understand what being transgender is like, as Szusza and Glenda cover a range of transgender issues and their stories.
We talk about their musical careers, passions and life stories over two episodes of the Confab.
Join me this on this podcast to gain an insight into their journeys.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
Catherine Sarah is an emerging singer/songwriter, releasing her debut EP, In Plain Sight.
Catherine was born in Canberra, studied at the ANU and is currently studying Medicine in Newcastle. Her music is a reflection of her life experiences and is a talented singer and songwriter. We gain an understanding what has influenced her life choices.
Join me on this podcast to gain an insight into her life journey and passions.
If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net
*Meet Dianne who has worked tirelessly with St Vinnies in one of their local night patrol vans, camp quality and the Orange Sky Van. I first meet Dianne at the Griffin Center in Canberra helping people wash their clothes.
We talk about her passions and what supporting really means.*
Join me on the Confab to gain an insight into her journey .If you want further information about the program or would like to nominate a guest with a special story pls visit www.theconfab.net