Uncommon Ground with Talal Yassine

In this episode of Uncommon Ground Talal Yassine sits down with Penny Bingham Hall, one of Australia’s most respected company directors and a former senior executive at Leighton Holdings.

Penny reflects on her childhood, her parents’ migration to Australia, and the values of confidence, education and independence that shaped her. She shares how a background in industrial design unexpectedly led her into construction, in...

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Arthur Sinodinos, former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister John Howard, senior minister, senator, and Australia’s former Ambassador to the United States.

Arthur reflects on his journey from a Greek migrant family in Newcastle to the centre of Australian public life, sharing insights on economic reform, political discipline, leadership, and diplomacy. He discusses...

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Adam Liaw, cook, writer, broadcaster and one of Australia’s most respected voices on food and culture.

Adam reflects on his unconventional journey from a high-achieving young lawyer to winning MasterChef Australia, and why that moment didn’t change his life in the way most people expect. Instead, he shares how curiosity, storytelling and a willingness to e...

Captain Mona Shindy is one of the most remarkable modern day Australian leaders — an engineer, trailblazer, and one of the first Muslim women to serve on an Australian warship. 

Arriving in Australia as a young migrant, Mona’s journey is defined by resilience, from the loss of her father at 14, to navigating male-dominated environments, to serving in high-pressure military operations. 

In this episode, Mona sh...

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Tim Fung, founder of Airtasker, to unpack the real story behind one of Australia’s most recognisable tech platforms. 

From growing up in Sydney and navigating a selective school environment, to landing at Macquarie Bank and ultimately being made redundant, Tim shares how pivotal moments, both planned and unexpected, shaped his entrepreneurial journey. 

From arriving in Australia unable to speak English to becoming one of the youngest mayors in the country, Bilal Hayek’s story is one of resilience, service and deep community connection. 

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Bilal reflects on his migration journey from Lebanon, the challenges of adapting to a new country, and the teachers and mentors who shaped his path. He shares how an unplanned career in youth work led...

In this powerful episode of Uncommon Ground, Professor Talal Yassine sits down with Shaun Christie-David, a social enterprise leader, restaurateur, and the founder of Colombo Social, Kabul Social, Kyiv Social, and the Plate It Forward Foundation.

From his humble beginnings in Western Sydney to launching some of Australia's most socially impactful dining venues, Shaun is reshaping what hospitality means. His mission? Use food as a f...

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Andrew Robb, former Trade and Investment Minister and one of the most influential political strategists of his generation for a rare and deeply personal conversation.

Andrew reflects on his journey from a childhood on dairy farms as one of nine children, to helping deregulate Australia’s economy and negotiating major trade deals across Asia. He also speaks candi...

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal sits down with OzHarvest Founder and social entrepreneur Ronni Kahn to explore the personal journey behind one of Australia’s most impactful purpose-led organisations.

From growing up in apartheid-era South Africa to living on a kibbutz in Israel, Ronni reflects on the formative experiences that shaped her understanding of inequality, community and responsibility. She shares how a suc...

From homelessness to hope, from law school dropout to CEO of a purpose-driven disability services organisation, this is the extraordinary journey of Yasser Zaki, Global CEO of TLC Disability Services.

In this powerful episode of Uncommon Ground, hosted by Professor Talal Yassine, Yasser opens up about his early life in Egypt, migrating alone to Australia, and experiencing homelessness at just 24. But it's what came after, a life-ch...

From Redfern ovals and Canterbury streets to world-title nights under bright lights, Anthony “Choc” Mundine has lived more than one lifetime in Australian sport. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Choc sits down with Talal to trace the full arc of his journey – from precocious footy kid and Australian Schoolboy who walked away at the peak of his powers, to becoming a world-title winning boxer who refused to ...

In the latest episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine speaks with veteran journalist Hugh Riminton about a life spent reporting from the world’s flashpoints. Hugh reflects on his childhood in Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the unlikely path that led him into journalism, and the coup in Fiji that first exposed him to danger in the field.

He shares powerful memories from covering Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa and the collapse of ...

From humble beginnings in Western Sydney to leading one of Australia’s largest structural package firms, Nabil Hafza’s story is one of grit, sacrifice and long-term belief.

In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Nabil reflects on his upbringing, leaving school early to pursue a trade, starting Future Form with just a few thousand dollars, and building it into a major player on some of the country’s biggest projects.

World champion boxer and cancer survivor Billy Dib sits down with Talal to trace an extraordinary life. From a corner shop in Engadine and schoolyard racism to the bright lights of world titles, celebrity promoters, heartbreak, and healing. Billy shares how his father’s “kill them with kindness” philosophy and a devoted English teacher (who taught him to read with boxing magazines) shaped the resilience that carri...

At just 27, Fatima Payman made history as the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman elected to the Australian Parliament. Her election was more than symbolic, it was a moment of visibility that resonated deeply across Australia, especially for young people who had never seen themselves represented in public life. 

In this candid conversation with Talal Yassine, Fatima shares her extraordinary journey, from refugee roots in Afghanis...

Season 2 of Uncommon Ground opens with David Campbell, one of Australia’s most versatile performers, an actor, singer, television presenter, and proud father.

In this intimate conversation with Talal Yassine, David reflects on the complexities of identity, from a childhood raised by his grandmother in Adelaide to discovering the truth about his parents and navigating the weight of being Jimmy Barnes’ son. He speaks cand...

Journalist, author and academic Stan Grant joins Talal Yassine for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about identity, faith, and the cost of speaking out.

From a childhood of poverty and constant movement across rural New South Wales, to interviewing world leaders and reporting from some of the globe’s most dangerous conflict zones, Stan’s story is one of resilience, grit, and unflinching honesty. He opens up a...

Cameron Kerr has spent 25 years at the helm of Australia’s Taronga Zoo, transforming it from a traditional attraction into a global conservation powerhouse. A zoologist and conservationist at heart, Cameron’s story begins in the rock pools of Collaroy and the paddocks of rural NSW, where a pet donkey and injured rabbits sparked a lifelong love of animals.

In this conversation, Cameron reflects on a career that bridges s...

Trailblazing business leader, arts patron and advocate for women in leadership, Catherine Harris joins Talal Yassine for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about business, family and purpose.

From growing up as one of ten children in a loud, loving Italian–Irish household, to co-founding Harris Farm Markets and guiding it through more than 50 years of highs, lows and reinvention, Catherine shares stories that shaped her ...