Good Weekend Talks

In this episode we meet Rhanee Rego, the young Novocastrian who became interested in the case of Australia's "worst serial child killer", Kathleen Folbigg, when studying law. Six years later, Rego was instrumental in securing the release of Folbigg, who'd been jailed in 2003 for killing her four infant children. With Folbigg's convictions now quashed, Rego is working to secure what's expected to be one of the biggest compensation p...

In this episode we meet Rachelle Unreich, Melbourne-based author of the book, A Brilliant Life: my mother's inspiring story of surviving the Holocaust.

Recently shortlisted for The Age’s non-fiction book of the year, this mother-daughter memoir weaves the remarkable story of Rachelle's mother Mira, who survived four concentration camps from the age of 17, together w...

In this episode we meet bestselling author Johann Hari, who has gone down an Ozempic rabbit hole to work out how and why this weight loss drug works. Hari writes about his findings in a new book, Magic Pill, including his own dramatic drop in clothes size. Whilst marvelling at how drugs like this are changing obesity management, he remains conflicted about their use and longer-term ramifications.

H...

In this episode we meet lawyer and author Shankari Chandran, who won the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award for her novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens. Chandran’s writing explores the Sri Lankan diaspora in Australia, and weaves sharp commentary on racism, injustice and ignorance through richly told stories of family and community.

Her new novel, Safe Haven, publis...

In this episode, we meet economist Sean Turnell, who was imprisoned in Myanmar in 2022, following a military coup. Turnell spent 650 days behind bars, including two months in a metal room within a room that he calls "the box". He talks to us today about everything from his anxiety over the continued imprisonment of his colleagues from Myanmar, to forming a movement with other Australians who've been wrongfully imprisoned abroad, li...

In this episode, we speak with Peter Winneke, who has spent more than two decades in the philanthropic sector, working for the Myer Foundation and serving on the boards of Philanthropy Australia, the Sidney Myer Fund, the Reichstein Foundation and the Catherine Freeman Foundation.

Winneke is on a mission to convince Australia's high-net-worth families to give more of their wealth away, and has written a book to that end, 

In this episode, we speak with Sydney chef Neil Perry, and we're asking a specific question - can one restaurateur single-handedly lift a suburb from the doldrums? Perry now has three Double Bay eateries, Margaret, Next Door, and the Melbourne import Baker Bleu, with two more scheduled to open in August.
Hosting this episode about the Perry family business, his experience in the food scene over many decades and what it takes to ...

In this episode we discuss the wave of anti-gay murders that struck Sydney from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s and beyond, and why so many have still not been solved. The police have long been accused of inaction over these murders but thanks to a special inquiry into anti-gay hate crimes held last year, it's become clear that much more the simple police indifference is responsible.

Criminal lawyer Nicholas Stewart joins Good Wee...

In this episode we speak to para surfing star Joel Taylor. At 21, Joel was a pro bodyboarder left paraplegic after a freak wave dumped him at the famous Pipeline break in Hawaii. Two decades on, he’s a world surfing champion.

Joel speaks with senior Good Weekend writer Tim Elliott about his early life as a Jehovah’s Witness, his love of the ocean, that life-threatening injury and his phenomenal com...

After releasing his first book of short stories, The Boat, Nam Le was branded a "criminally talented" young author of "a singular masterpiece". That was back in 2008, and he hasn't released another book ... until now.

Returning to the literary stage with a book of poetry - 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem - Le talks to Good Weekend senior writer Konrad Marshall about what happened in the interim, and how he found his way back ...

David McBride is awaiting sentencing for the leak of classified military documents from his time as an army lawyer in Afghanistan.

In a candid conversation with senior Good Weekend writer Jane Cadzow, he speaks about what led him to do it, the personal fallout and his complex relationship with his father William, who blew the whistle on problems with thalidomide in the 1960s before his own fall from grace.

See omnystudio.com/listen...

In this episode, we take an exclusive peek into a groundbreaking Melbourne trial into the use of psychedelics for the terminally ill, to help ease their end-of-life angst. Joining us to discuss the trial are psychiatrist Dr. Justin Dwyer, one half of the clinical research team coordinating the three and a half year effort, and journalist Kate Cole-Adams, who has been following the process and has written our cover story this week, ...

As CEO and founder of national charity organisation The Man Cave, Hunter Johnson helps young men build self-esteem and emotional resilience, while arming them with the tools to navigate the sometimes toxic 'manosphere'.

In this episode of Good Weekend Talks, senior writer Melissa Fyfe talks to Johnson about his youth at an elite high school, his journaling practice, visiting Buckingham Palace - even working with Harry and Meghan -...

He's toured the world as a rock star, but ended up in Hobart running an arts festival.

In this episode of Good Weekend Talks, Brian Ritchie, bass player for American folk punk band Violent Femmes speaks to The Age arts editor Elizabeth Flux about his career in music, how he became artistic director for Mona Foma, his friendship with the eccentric head of MONA, David Walsh, and how the Shakuhachi flute keeps him grounded. 

See omnys...

In this episode, we speak with actor Eric Bana and director Robert Connolly about their new film, Force of Nature, a sequel to their 2020 smash it, The Dry.

Hosting this conversation about their shared work experience, leeches on location, and filming in frigid and wet Victorian forests, is senior culture writer for The Age and 

In this episode, we speak with neuroscientist Joel Pearson, author of a new book, The Intuition Toolkit, about the science behind intuition and how we can harness that to make better decisions.

In this episode of Good Weekend Talks, we go to Melbourne Park - home of the Australian Open - and speak to former tennis star, author, and now inspirational Nine commentator, Jelena Dokic.

We'll be back in late January 2024 with plenty of exciting interviews booked in the calendar.