Our annual panel of pop culture experts Brodie Lancaster, Alison Willmore, Hannah Diviney and Jared Richards gather for a dissection of the zeitgeist. Baby Reindeer, The Bear and hot rodent men: lt has been a ferocious (and sometimes feral) year for pop culture, and it seems that we’re not slowing down any time soon. On the occasion of the 2024 Melbourne International Film Festival, host Brodie Lancaster is joined by Vulture and New York magazine film critic Alison Willmore, disability advocate and star of the new Australian film Audrey Hannah Diviney, and ABC Entertainment Reporter Jared Richards to discuss the most influential and popular film, TV, podcasts and books of the past 12 months. Expect hot takes served with a dash of frenzy and a healthy dose of reality-check. The event was presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre and Melbourne International Film Festival as part of MIFF Talks, a program presented by the University of Melbourne. It was recorded on Saturday 17th August at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'The Golden Hour' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist. The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 5 November this year, the American people will go to the polls to make a choice, the impact of which will be felt around the globe.  Will Republican nominee and now convicted criminal, former President Donald Trump, topple Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris?? How did America reach this point, and how will either candidate’s victory impact Australia’s relationship with the US and the global political landscape?  Don Watson, celebrated Australian writer and former political advisor to Paul Keating, unpacks these questions and more at a special Fifth Estate event with host Sally Warhaft, live at The Wheeler Centre.  This event was recoded on Thursday 5 September 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.Don Watson's Quarterly Essay is available from The Paperback Bookshop here. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole. The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture.Disclaimer: If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, the transcript was automatically generated by Apple's AI and is not affiliated with The Wheeler Centre. AI transcripts may contain errors.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don Watson: On the US Election

Award-winning journalist Heather Ewart hits the Back Roads to Kyneton to journey through her great Australian road trips.   Over a career spanning four decades, Heather Ewart has been senior political reporter and a foreign correspondent posted to London, Washington and Brussels. Raised on a farm in country Victoria, her adventures have come full circle to see her hosting ABC TV’s popular program Back Roads. In Ewart’s new book, Back Roads: The Great Aussie Road Trip, the much-loved journalist shares hot tips from her travels around Australia. From ideas on where to go and when to go, what to pack and what to see – she covers it all.   Ewart joined Barrie Cassidy at Kyneton Town Hall to discuss the joyous moments of her road trips and share practical tips for discovering lesser-known parts of this beautiful country.   The event was presented in partnership with Macedon Ranges Shire Council. It was recorded on Monday 26th August 2024 at Kyneton Town Hall. The official bookseller was Aesop’s Attic. Featured music is ‘I See You Out There’ by Tellsonic.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great Aussie Road Trip: Heather Ewart in conversation with Barrie Cassidy [Kyneton]

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Alison Willmore

Consuming Culture

As part of The Wheeler Centre's 2024 Spring Fling program and in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, listen to an exclusive podcast interview with celebrated writer Olivia Laing, interviewed by Sophie Cunningham.  Olivia discusses her new book, The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise, which moves between real and imagined gardens, exploring how new modes of living can and have been attempted amidst the flower beds. The result is a beautiful and exacting account of the abundant pleasures and possibilities of gardens: not as a place to hide from the world but as a site of encounter and discovery, bee-loud and pollen-laden. Listen as you take a walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens, and experience first-hand the joy of wandering in nature.  Presented in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.  This conversation was recorded on Monday 22 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'Spacemoons' by Justnormal.Disclaimer: If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, the transcript was automatically generated by Apple's AI and is not affiliated with The Wheeler Centre. AI transcripts may contain errors. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Garden Against Time: A Conversation with Olivia Laing

From ‘manfluencer’ culture and the rising popularity of Andrew Tate, to lists ranking teenage girls on their appearance, there’s an urgent need to address the widespread sexism and misogyny in our schools and wider society. Left unchecked, these harmful attitudes and behaviours will see rates of male violence against women continue to rise. In this panel discussion, three experts consider where these attitudes begin, and the importance of positive male role modelling in addressing them. The problem is evident – now it’s time to identify the steps that will lead to systemic, meaningful change. Join award-winning journalist and consent educator Jane Gilmore, activist and co-founder of Not One More Niki, Tarang Chawla, and founder of The Equality Institute Emma Fulu, for a hopeful and practical conversation about how we can all take action to create positive generational change for young men. This episode is for parents, carers, educators and anyone interested in discussions about healthy modelling of masculinity for the current and future generations of boys and young men. Content Note: This conversation includes discussion of pornography, violence and abuse.  This event was recorded on Thursday 25 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boys to Men: Remodelling Masculinity

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers have been sharing stories on this continent for millennia. From best-selling and award-winning poetry, memoir and fiction to powerful works that defy categorisation, Blak writing depicts, challenges and honours culture, community and Country. Much-loved books by First Nations writers stand strong on shelves in homes, libraries, bookshops and classrooms – but there are always more books and writers to be discovered and rediscovered. In 2023, University of Queensland Press (UQP) introduced its First Nations Classics series to amplify Blak voices in the literary canon. This NAIDOC Week, we celebrated the second instalment of First Nations Classics with some of the remarkable authors and contributors involved in the series. Hear a special performance by proud Bundjalung and Lama Lama artist Tamala Shelton honouring the 2024 NAIDOC Week theme, ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’ and the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations cultures.    The event was recorded on Thursday 11 July 2024.It was presented in partnership with Blak &amp; Bright. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore.Featured music is DRMNGNOW ‘Get Back To The Land’ edit (recorded live at The Wheeler Centre)Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blak, Loud and Proud: First Nations Classics 2024 [Tamala Shelton]

The Olympic Games have always been a site of soft diplomacy for participating nations. This has never been truer than in 2024, as athletes and countries prepare to compete from 26 July to 11 August at the Paris Olympic Games.Olympic champions Patrick Johnson and Kieren Perkins join award-winning sports reporter Tracey Holmes to discuss the future of the games and examine how Olympic competition is shaped by the tensions of geopolitical affairs. Together, they deep-dive into Australian representation at the Games and discuss international divisions and points of connection. They also look ahead to a major event in Australia’s calendar: the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. This event was recorded on Tuesday 9 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global Game Changers: The Evolution of the Olympic Games

Meredith Whittaker is not afraid to take on tech giants. In 2018, she led the famous mass staff walkout at Google over the company’s laissez faire attitude towards sexual harassment allegations and the moral and ethical implications of its business practices. Now, as President of Signal, the not-for-profit encrypted and secure messaging app, Whittaker is one of the world’s most respected experts on data surveillance and the future of big tech. She has advised the White House, the US Federal Trade Commission and many government and civil organisations on privacy, internet security and policy.  At this special Melbourne-exclusive event, Whittaker is joined by host Vanessa Toholka as they discuss data privacy, artificial intelligence, and technology’s impact on democracy in this contentious and pivotal US election year. Hear from a leading global expert on a subject that has far-reaching implications for all of our futures. This event was presented in partnership with Igniting Change. It was recorded on Wednesday 26 June 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘No One There’ by Ava Low.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surveillance Technology and AI: Meredith Whittaker in Conversation

In this Wheeler Centre podcast exclusive, hear former Next Chapter recipient Khin Myint in conversation with Anna Krien as they discuss Myint's Fragile Creatures. Khin Myint is an Australian-Burmese writer from Perth. His debut memoir, Fragile Creatures, is about how his family tackled his sister’s wish to die as she fought a non-terminal illness. Fragile Creatures, is a family story told with humour, wonderment and complete honesty. This is a book about what happens when realities clash – it’s about care, truth and the hardest choices. This conversation was recorded on Monday 17 June 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah the illstrumentalist. Crisis support can be found at Lifeline: (13 11 14 and lifeline.org.au), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467 and suicidecallbackservice.org.au) and Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636 and beyondblue.org.au)  Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Podcast Exclusive]: Khin Myint in Conversation with Anna Krien

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[Podcast Exclusive]: Khin Myint in conversation with Anna Krien

In 1993, Ma Thida was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her support of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy and for ‘endangering public peace, having contact with illegal organisations, and distributing unlawful literature’. Released from prison in 1999, Thida’s advocacy for freedom of expression continues unabated as Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee and as a current fellow in the Writers-in-Exile Programme of PEN Germany. Earlier this month, Ma Thida appeared at The Wheeler Centre in conversation with writer, essayist and academic Michelle Aung Thin. Together, they discussed the current political situation in Myanmar, Thida’s activism and survival of the harsh conditions of Insein Prison, and her ongoing dedication to freedom of expression. The event was recorded on Thursday 6 June 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.It was presented in partnership with PEN Melbourne and supported by RMIT Culture. Featured music is 'No One There' by Ava Low.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ma Thida: Myanmar's Struggle for Democracy

S Shakthidharan’s debut play Counting and Cracking began with a shoebox of his great-grandfather’s letters. Working with his family and the wider Sri Lankan diaspora, he excavated his family’s history, weaving threads of culture and connection into a multi-award-winning theatrical epic following four generations over five decade. To celebrate the Melbourne debut of this global hit, Shakthidharan is joined in conversation by Masterchef sensation Minoli De Silva, who infuses her culinary artistry with Sri Lankan flavours at Darwin’s Ella restaurant, and actor and comedian Suren Jayemanne, whose stand-up work draws on his experiences as an Australian with Sri Lankan heritage. Hosted by journalist Bhakthi Puvanenthiran, these acclaimed Sri Lankan creatives came together for an insightful and celebratory exploration of how personal narratives and cultural influences shape their craft, from family kitchens to international stages. This event was recorded on Sunday 2 June 2024 on the set of Counting and Cracking at the Union Theatre as part of RISING. It was presented in partnership with RISING and University of Melbourne Arts and Culture. The official bookseller was Readings.Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Counting and Cracking is now playing at the Union Theatre until 23 June 2024 as part of RISING. Tickets can be purchased via rising.melbourneSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cultural Catalysts: Creativity in the Sri Lankan Diaspora

Sam Elkin’s Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga, recounts his bumpy journey from lesbian to transgender lawyer in the aftermath of the 2017 marriage equality postal survey. Set against the backdrop of a growing moral panic about the ‘trans agenda’, Elkin’s debut book is part-love letter and part-cautionary tale. Honest and unflinching, it’s sure to spark many prickly and productive conversations. Join Elkin as he launches Detachable Penis with host Yves Rees at an intimate and relaxed evening at The Wheeler Centre. This event was recorded on Monday 6 May 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was Hares and Hyenas.Featured music is 'No One There' by Ava Low. Please note this episode contains coarse language.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Elkin: Detachable Penis

Bestselling author Dervla McTiernan discusses her suspenseful new novel about two families at war with host J.P. Pomare at Geelong Library. Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and deeply in love. Until they leave for a weekend at his family’s cabin in Vermont, and only Simon comes home. Dervla McTiernan is the critically acclaimed author of five novels, including The Murder Rule, which was a New York Times thriller of the year. Dervla has won multiple prizes, including a Ned Kelly Award, Davitt Awards, a Barry Award, and an International Thriller Writers Award. She is also the author of four novellas, and her audio novella, The Sisters, was a four-week number one bestseller in the United States. This event was presented in partnership with Geelong Regional Libraries. It was supported by Sorrento Writers Festival. The official bookseller was Torquay Books.It was recorded on Wednesday 24 April 2024 at Geelong Library and Heritage Centre.Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dervla McTiernan: What Happened to Nina? [Geelong]

Steve Albini was a legendary audio engineer and musician. The frontman of Big Black and Shellac, Albini saw the machinations of the industry up close and from multiple vantage points, working with huge international acts including PJ Harvey, Nirvana and Pixies. Despite recording with some of the biggest names in the business Albini continued, throughout his career, to collaborate with countless experimental bands. He passed away last week, aged 61. On the eve of Meredith Music Festival in December 2015 – where he played with his band, Shellac – Albini joined host Woody McDonald at The Wheeler Centre to reflect on his storied career, his thoughts on the current state of music and predictions for the future.This event was recorded on Thursday 15 December 2015 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'Riding Bikes' by Shellac.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Albini

Paul Auster was a true giant of American literature. Acclaimed for his best-selling works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, including The New York Trilogy, Invisible, and The Brooklyn Follies, Auster wrote complex and daring tales of humans experiencing, anticipating or searching for something lost, something they are struggling to comprehend.  In his 2021 book, Burning Boy, he turned his eye to the 19th-century bad boy of American literature, Stephen Crane. Crane is known for popularising American naturalism, a literary movement that has influenced generations of writers (including Auster himself). But he was as daring off the page as he was on it.  Throughout his short life, Crane cavorted from one high-stakes situation to the next: from engaging in political journalism that disrupted the course of the 1892 presidential campaign, to entering a common-law marriage with the proprietress of Jacksonville’s most elegant bawdyhouse, to surviving a shipwreck that nearly drowned him, and eventually relocating to England, where Joseph Conrad became his closest friend and Henry James wept over his tragic, early death.  In November 2021, Auster joined host Corrie Perkin for a conversation about Burning Boy and the nature of creative legacy. What are the questions one master chooses to ask of another? And what is there to learn from a life lived so bright it burned? This conversation was originally released as a digital event as part of The Wheeler Centre’s 'Postcard’s From Abroad' series on Wednesday 3 November 2021.The official bookseller was Hill of Content bookshop. Featured music is 'Traveling again' by Sarah the illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Auster: Burning Boy

Fern Brady, one of the UK’s most exciting stand-ups, visited The Wheeler Centre to discuss her bestselling book Strong Female Character as part of the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Hosted by Australian stand-up comedian and writer Laura Davis, Brady discussed her writing process, Catholic upbringing and late diagnosis of autism.This event was recorded on Wednesday 3 April 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.It was presented in partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Lucy’s Trail’ by Sarah the illstumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Conversation with Fern Brady: Strong Female Character

Chanel Contos has led a powerful movement to include consent education in the national curriculum, and was recently appointed by Julia Gillard to chair the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership’s Youth Advisory Committee. Her debut book, Consent Laid Bare: Sex, Entitlement &amp; the Distortion of Desire, is a battle cry from a generation no longer prepared to stay silent. In it, Contos explores the political, legislative and cultural changes required to combat Australia’s culture of misogyny and normalisation of sexual violence, and outlines steps to achieve true gender equality. Consent Laid Bare advocates for intimacy, consent and enjoyment to be centred in all sexual relationships. At this exclusive Melbourne event hosted by Madison Griffiths, Contos discussed the vital role of consent amidst a culture influenced by porn, the patriarchy and male entitlement.The event recorded on Tuesday 5th March 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with the Victorian Women's Trust. The official bookseller was Readings.Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole. Content note: This event includes references to sexual abuse and assault. If you need support relating to these topics, you can learn more and seek advice via the below resources. Lifeline: 13 11 14Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Headspace: 1800 650 890Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1800 806 292Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chanel Contos: Consent Laid Bare

Origin of You by Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 and Sui Zhen is a highly personal musical exploration of lived experiences of migration, motherhood, grief and reconnecting with identity.   The album uses three central motifs: 空 (Kōng), or Emptiness; 疼 (Téng), or Pain; 气 (Chi), sometimes known as ‘Energy’ to explore these stories.   Live at The Wheeler Centre, Wang and Zhen came together with host Eugenia Lim to talk about their craft, the origins of their collaboration and the importance of storytelling. This event was recorded on Tuesday 26 March 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.Origin of You is out now via Music in Exile: https://musicinexile.bandcamp.com/ Featured music is ‘Watch My Mum Dance’ by Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 and Sui Zhen  (Recorded live at The Wheeler Centre)Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Origin of You: Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 and Sui Zhen

Richard Flanagan’s masterful new novel Question 7 is his most personal book yet: a tribute to his parents and to his island home of Tasmania, and a hypnotic melding of dream, history, place and memory. Beginning with Flanagan’s father’s imprisonment near Hiroshima when the atom bomb was dropped, Question 7 traces a chain reaction of events, from the turbulent romance between literary giants H.G. Wells and Rebecca West, to the intricate world of 1930s and 40s nuclear physics, to a young Flanagan trapped on a perilous Tasmanian river rapid. One of Australia’s most revered novelists, Flanagan was awarded the Man Booker Prize for The Narrow Road to the Deep North and the Commonwealth Prize for Gould’s Book of Fish. He joins host Astrid Edwards to discuss Question 7’s unique blend of history, fiction and autofiction, and its examination of the stories we construct about ourselves and others. This event was presented in partnership with RMIT Culture.It was recorded on Thursday 9 November 2023 at The Capitol. The official bookseller was Readings.Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Flanagan: Question 7

Join co-hosts and co-creators Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate Robinson for a special live recording of their hit podcast Being Biracial, coinciding with International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Along with special guests, comedian Aurelia St Clair and AFLW champion Darcy Vescio, they discuss navigating the world as a mixed-race person and the dualities of living across multiple cultures. St Clair also shares a very special stand-up set. The event was presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre, The Round and Being Biracial.It was recorded on Thursday 21 March 2024 at The Round.Featured music is ‘Take It Slow’ by Green Twins. Listen to more episodes of Being Biracial here: https://beingbiracialpodcast.com/listen-nowSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being Biracial Live at The Round with Aurelia St Clair and Darcy Vescio

Known for literary masterpieces like The Sisters Brothers and French Exit, Canadian writer Patrick deWitt has been delighting readers for more than a decade. In his latest work, The Librarianist, deWitt’s distinctive verve and humour come to the fore. His exploration of the life of retired Oregon-based librarian Bob Comet masterfully blends melancholy and comedy. With host Marieke Hardy, deWitt delves into his expansive career and the compassion for the outcast that animates his latest novel, celebrating the extraordinary in so-called ordinary life.This event was recorded on Thursday 29 February 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.The official bookseller was Hill of Content Bookshop. Featured music is ‘No One There’ by Ava Low.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick deWitt: The Librarianist

Jane Harrison’s work has captivated audiences globally, earning her international acclaim for plays including Stolen and Rainbow’s End. With an impressive body of work and a deep commitment to promoting and developing First Nations perspectives – including as the Director of the Blak &amp; Bright First Nations Literary Festival – Harrison has established herself as an essential voice in the Australian cultural landscape. In this episode, Harrison discusses the work of reimagining the past in her first novel for adult readers, The Visitors – a radical retelling of the events of 26 January 1788 from a First Nations perspective. Based on her play of the same name, which first wowed audiences at Sydney Festival in 2020, The Visitors is now a multi-artform phenomenon, appearing as a novel, a production and an opera. In this wide-ranging and frank conversation with host Tony Birch for Melbourne City Reads, Harrison discusses the story’s journey across artforms and shed new light on this critical moment from Australia’s past. This event was part of the Melbourne City Reads series. It was recorded on Monday 9 October 2023 at The Wheeler Centre as part of the Spring Fling series. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist. Spring Fling was proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund. Special thanks to official bookseller Readings and accommodation partner The Sofitel.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jane Harrison: The Visitors

Richard Ford is a true literary luminary. The author of eight novels and four short story collections, Ford’s illustrious career spans nearly five decades and numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Independence Day.At this special Melbourne event hosted by journalist Jonathan Green, Ford discusses his exceptional career and examines his most famous protagonist: the enigmatic Frank Bascombe, who has been hailed as one of the most unforgettable characters in American literature.This event was recorded on Tuesday 27 February 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop.Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Ford in Conversation

Author Jane Smiley has been hailed as one of the Great American Novelists of the 20th century. Her remarkable career spans more than 30 books, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece A Thousand Acres and The Last Hundred Years trilogy.At this exclusive in-conversation event with host David Francis, Smiley looks back on her incredible life and career and gives audience members an exciting preview of her upcoming novel, Lucky: a novel about music, womanhood and finding yourself. This event was recorded on Wednesday 28 February 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. The offical bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop. Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jane Smiley in Conversation

Taylor Swift’s concerts have shifted the economic climate of entire cities; she has prompted US Senate hearings about major ticketing reforms and industry-defining conversations about copyright and ownership; and her public and private life have driven tabloid fodder for decades (Kimye drama, anyone?). The pop icon’s genre-bending career and reputation have made waves across the globe, and her cultural influence will be felt for generations. Earlier this week at The Wheeler Centre, Rolling Stone journalist Brittany Spanos and host Brodie Lancaster delved into the mythology and influence of Taylor Swift. At this exclusive Melbourne event, Spanos analysed Swift’s meteoric ascent to become one of the most celebrated and prolific musical artists of all time, and her ongoing impact on fandom, popular culture and the music industry. Brittany Spanos’s visit to Melbourne was part of the University of Melbourne’s Swiftposium conference. This was her only public event. This event was recorded on Tuesday 13 February 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Love Story’ by Taylor Swift.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brittany Spanos: Swiftmania (Taylor's Version)

Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani was imprisoned on Manus Island for over six years, and during that time he became acutely aware that oppression takes root when people look away. He was determined to use his sharpest weapon – his words – to survive, and to expose Australia’s inhumane treatment of asylum seekers. Now, in 2023, not only is Boochani free, he’s also a multi-award-winning author, documentary maker, humanitarian and scholar. His words, and those of other writers and activists, have changed lives, his own included. And they’ve helped keep us accountable. A scholar of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies, Kylie Moore-Gilbert also spent years unjustly imprisoned in unimaginable conditions. Invited on a study tour of Iran in 2018, Moore-Gilbert was falsely accused of espionage and imprisoned for more than 800 days, including seven months in solitary confinement – before her ultimate release through an Australian-brokered prisoner exchange. Boochani and Moore-Gilbert come together for this special event, presented by PEN Melbourne and the Wheeler Centre to mark the Day of the Imprisoned Writer. With host Karen Percy, these remarkable survivors share their powerful stories, and reflect on the role of writing to shine a light in the darkest places. This event was presented in partnership with PEN Melbourne.It was recorded on Tuesday 14 November 2023 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was the Sun Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Living in a Fantasy’ by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Day of the Imprisoned Writer: Behrouz Boochani and Kylie Moore-Gilbert

Before he found runaway success with his debut novel, Boy Swallows Universe, and follow-up All Our Shimmering Skies, Trent Dalton spent decades as a journalist investigating the real-life social inequities that underpin his third novel, Lola in the Mirror: poverty, violence, homelessness – and the power of hope. The result is a moving, darkly funny story about life and death that is by turns heart-breaking and eye-opening. In conversation with musician and writer Clare Bowditch at Melbourne Town Hall, Dalton discusses Lola in the Mirror and the passion for social justice that inspired him to write it. This event was recorded on Thursday 12 October 2023 at Melbourne Town Hall as part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling series.Spring Fling was proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund.Special thanks to event partner and official bookseller Readings and accommodation partner The Sofitel. Featured music is ‘I See You Out There’ by Tellsonic.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trent Dalton: Lola in the Mirror

For the Wheeler Centre’s 2023 end-of-year showcase, a host of the brightest names in Australian stand-up comedy – including Janty Blair, Scout Boxall, Nat Harris, Zoë Coombs Marr, Vidya Rajan, Dane Simpson and Alex Ward – came together to gaze into the Wheeler Centre’s crystal ball and answer some burning questions about what lies ahead. What will 2024 bring for pop culture, fashion and politics? Our stellar line-up of comics shared playful, insightful and at times deranged predictions. Forget the ambiguous notifications from Co-Star – the comedy crystal ball will tell you everything you need to know about 2024 (no guarantees). The following recording is an excerpt from the event featuring our fabulous host for the evening, Karen From Finance and comedian and 3RRR Breakfaster, Nat Harris.It was recorded on Tuesday 5 December 2023 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Br1ghter’ (Instrumental Version) by Tape Machines.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedy Crystal Ball: What's in Store for 2024

When acclaimed songwriter and performer Jen Cloher (Ngāti Kahu, Ngāpuhi) started to learn about their Māori heritage their whole outlook on life changed. In the new podcast series, Everybody’s Trying To Find Their Way Home, Cloher speaks with icons like Dr. Lou Bennett about Sovereign Language Rematriation and Emma Donovan about the lasting legacy of Aunty Ruby Hunter. At the heart of the podcast is a gentle provocation to us all. What does it feel like when we make the journey towards our own ancestral languages and traditions? How does that journey help to make our occupation on these lands more conscious and embodied? What joy can be found in knowing the stories of strength that come through our own bloodlines? For Spring Fling, Cloher took to the stage with a panel of Māori and First Nations songwriters including Uncle Kutcha Edwards, Allara and Breanne Peters. Together they recorded a special live episode of Everybody’s Trying To Find Their Way Home, complete with an array of joyful musical performances. This event was presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. It was recorded on Saturday 14 October 2023 at The Capitol. Featured music: ‘Mother Tongue’ performed by Kutcha Edwards, Allara, Jen Cloher and Breanne Peters and ‘He Toka-Tū-Moana ’ performed by Jen Cloher and Breanne Peters.Podcast Producer: Simon Winkler. Sound Recordist: Simon Maisch. Sound Post-Production: Simon Cotter. Production Assistant: Joshua Suhaven.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everybody's Trying to Find Their Way Home

Acclaimed actor, activist and 2023 Sydney Peace Prize-winner Nazanin Boniadi shares her dream of a 'a free, prosperous and secular democratic Iran'. Iranian-born actress Nazanin Boniadi has had an impressive onscreen career, including leading roles in the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of  Power and Homeland. But it’s her major role as a human rights advocate that has led to her most recent recognition. Over more than two decades, Boniadi has worked tirelessly to elevate the voices and struggles of Iranian citizens and activists, fighting for the country’s democracy and freedom – particularly for women and children. She has advocated at the highest levels, including at the UN Security Council, the US Senate Human Rights Caucus, and in the British Parliament. Boniadi was selected as the recipient of the 2023 Sydney Peace Prize for ‘lending a powerful voice to support Iranian women and girls and their #WomanLifeFreedom movement, and for using a high-profile platform to promote freedom and justice in Iran’. At an unmissable event at The Capitol in Melbourne, Boniadi delivered a stirring keynote lecture on democracy and women’s rights, followed by a Q&amp;A hosted by Mahsa Hajjari. This event was recorded on Tuesday 31 October 2023. It was presented by the Sydney Peace Foundation and RMIT Culture. Supported by the Wheeler Centre, Amnesty International, Future Women and the Victorian Women’s Trust. Featured music is ‘Fuzzy Feeling’ by Timothy Infinite.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nazanin Boniadi: The 2023 Sydney Peace Prize Lecture

Leigh Sales is one of Australia’s most beloved journalists. A veteran anchor of the ABC’s flagship current affairs program 7.30, the new presenter of Australian Story, co-host of hugely popular podcast Chat 10 Looks 3 with Annabel Crabb, and a bestselling author, Sales has been recognised with three Walkley Awards over the course of a career that has seen her interview countless political leaders, innovators and artists. In her new book, Storytellers: Questions, Answers and the Craft of Journalism, Sales turns her talents on her remarkable peers – including Waleed Aly, Richard Fidler, Niki Savva and Stan Grant – revealing candid insights into the craft of journalism and the power of storytelling. Over an intimate dinner at award-winning winery Montalto, Sales was joined by her close friend Lisa Millar, co-host of ABC News Breakfast, as they shared insights from their careers in the media and offer a peek behind the curtain of this vital but often misunderstood profession. This event was recorded on Friday 6 October 2023 AT Montalto as part of Spring Fling. Presented in partnership with Montalto. The bookseller for this event was Antipodes Bookshop and Gallery. Featured music is ‘Mirror’ by Simon Winkler.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leigh Sales at Montalto

The author of The Great Believers and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Rebecca Makkai is back with an explosive new work. Described by the New York Times as ‘spellbinding’, I Have Some Questions for You is part campus novel, part true-crime podcast investigation, all told through the lens of the #MeToo era.Join Makkai and host Rachael Brown as they reckon with the past and interrogate just how deep our obsession with true crime runs. This event was presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. It was recorded on Saturday 14 October 2023 at The Capitol as part of Spring Fling. Spring Fling was proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund. Special thanks to official bookseller Readings and accommodation partner The Sofitel.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Makkai Has Some Questions

In this episode, acclaimed science journalist Ed Yong takes us beyond the limits of human perception to uncover the world through the eyes of animals. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us explores the boundless sensory environments animals occupy, offering a reminder of the intricacies of nature and how little we truly know about the planet we inhabit. In this remarkable book, Yong brings to bear the same clear-eyed insight that earned him a Pulitzer Prize for his COVID-19 coverage for The Atlantic. As part of Spring Fling, Yong joined Guardian Australia nature columnist Helen Sullivan live at The Capitol for a revelatory conversation. This event was presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. It was recorded on Saturday 14 October 2023 at The Capitol as part of Spring Fling.  Spring Fling was proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund. Special thanks to official bookseller Readings and accommodation partner The Sofitel.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Yong: An Immense World

In this episode, Caroline O’Donoghue, bestselling author and host of the award-winning podcast Sentimental Garbage discusses her new novel The Rachel Incident. Set in Ireland against the backdrop of the post-economic crash of 2009, The Rachel Incident delves into the realm of youthful yearnings, early adulthood, and the bittersweet transition from carefree student to responsible professional. O’Donoghue joined Abigail Ulman live at the Wheeler Centre for Spring Fling to discuss the danger and delight of youthful dalliances, and the great love story of enduring friendship. This event was recorded on Thursday 12 October 2023 at the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling.  Featured music ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist. Spring Fling was proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund. Special thanks to official bookseller Readings and accommodation partner The Sofitel.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caroline O'Donoghue: The Rachel Incident

Pop culture aficionados Kate Jinx and Brodie Lancaster join us for a special live recording of their hit podcast See Also. Each week on their pod, Brodie and Kate skip across the pop culture spectrum and dissect the TV shows, films and books everyone is talking about, forgotten cult classics they’ve been revisiting, and everything in between. Bookending each episode with recommendations for restaurants, gigs, skincare, fashion and even life admin, they share everything you need to know to plug in to the zeitgeist. Since its launch in 2022, See Also has amassed a loyal following of listeners – and for Spring Fling, Kate and Brodie recorded the podcast’s first ever live episode! Joining them on stage at the Wheeler Centre were special guests, actor and writer María Angelico and live music from Harvey Sutherland. This event was recorded on Tuesday 10 October 2023 at the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling.  Featured music is 'Let's go find the SUN' by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.See Also theme music performed by Harvey Sutherland and Meg Christensen (live at the Wheeler Centre) More from See Also Spring Fling was proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund. Special thanks to official bookseller Readings and accommodation partner The Sofitel.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melissa Lucashenko: Torching the Colonial Myth

To celebrate the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling, we asked six beloved Victorian writers to reflect on the theme Above and Beyond: considering what it means to look further, delve deeper, and ask big questions of ourselves and the world around us. The following is an audio recording from award winning writer, speaker and appearance activist, Carly Findlay, reading her original essay for the project. This work was commissioned by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program in partnership with the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling, presented at venues across Melbourne from 2 to 14 October 2023. Visual artist ENOKi has created a series of vibrant, visually arresting illustrations in response to the written pieces. This collaborative project is available to view in person at City Square on Swanston from the end of September 2023. Read the essays in full and discover more audio recordings from the project at wheeler centre.com Featured music is ‘And Lucy Dreams’ by Lotus. This work was delivered in partnership with the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carly Findlay: A Perfectly Melbourne Day

To celebrate the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling, we asked six beloved Victorian writers to reflect on the theme Above and Beyond: considering what it means to look further, delve deeper, and ask big questions of ourselves and the world around us. The following is an audio recording from award winning writer Alice Pung, reading her original essay for the project. This work was commissioned by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program in partnership with the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling, presented at venues across Melbourne from 2 to 14 October 2023. Visual artist ENOKi has created a series of vibrant, visually arresting illustrations in response to the written pieces. This collaborative project is available to view in person at City Square on Swanston from the end of September 2023. Read the essays in full and discover more audio recordings from the project at wheeler centre.com Featured music is ‘Handwriting’ by Frank Jonsson. This work was delivered in partnership with the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alice Pung: A Great Mischief

To open the Wheeler Centre’s 2023 Spring Fling series, six Australian cultural icons took to the stage at Melbourne Town Hall for an intimate evening of storytelling, reflecting on the moments that shaped them and called upon them to–go above and beyond in their careers, personal lives and creative endeavours. Hosted by Patricia Karvelas, the line-up of special guests included writer and disability activist Hannah Diviney, tennis champion Jelena Dokic, award-winning author Melissa Lucashenko, prominent campaigner for the Voice to Parliament Thomas Mayo, and Zimbabwean-Australian singer, actor and writer Rufaro Zimbudzi, followed by a very special musical performance by celebrated singer-songwriter Emma Donovan. The following reflection on the theme Above and Beyond was shared on Opening Night by proud Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man, Thomas Mayo. Thomas is the National Indigenous Officer of the MUA. He is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and has been a leading advocate since its inception in May 2017. He is the Chairperson of the Northern Territory Indigenous Labor Network, advises the Diversity Council of Australia and the From the Heart campaign, and is an executive member of the Northern Territory Trades and Labour Council. Thomas has previously written five books published by Hardie Grant, and has articles and essays published in The Guardian, Griffith Review and Sydney Morning Herald. This event was recorded on Wednesday 4 October 2023 at Melbourne Town Hall. Featured music is Different Days by Chill Cole.Spring Fling is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, and is supported through the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund.  Special thanks to official bookseller Readings and accommodation partner The Sofitel.  Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opening Night: Above and Beyond - Thomas Mayo

To celebrate the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling, we asked six beloved Victorian writers to reflect on the theme Above and Beyond: considering what it means to look further, delve deeper, and ask big questions of ourselves and the world around us. The following is an audio recording from proud Noongar woman and award-winning author Claire G. Coleman, reading her original essay for the project. This work was commissioned by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program in partnership with the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling, presented at venues across Melbourne from 2 to 14 October 2023. Visual artist ENOKi has created a series of vibrant, visually arresting illustrations in response to the written pieces. This collaborative project is available to view in person at City Square on Swanston from the end of September 2023. Read the essays in full and discover more audio recordings from the project at wheeler centre.com Featured music is ‘Watching Galaxies from Afar’ by Ave Air. This work was delivered in partnership with the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claire G. Coleman: The Walls I Carry

To celebrate the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling, we asked six beloved Victorian writers to reflect on the theme Above and Beyond: considering what it means to look further, delve deeper, and ask big questions of ourselves and the world around us. The following is an audio recording from Miles Franklin Literary Award winning novelist, Jennifer Down, reading her original essay for the project. This work was commissioned by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program in partnership with the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling, presented at venues across Melbourne from 2 to 14 October 2023. Visual artist ENOKi has created a series of vibrant, visually arresting illustrations in response to the written pieces. This collaborative project is available to view in person at City Square on Swanston from the end of September 2023. Read the essays in full and discover more audio recordings from the project at wheeler centre.com Featured music is ‘Now We Gather’ by Joseph Beg. This work was delivered in partnership with the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jennifer Down: The Immortality of the Crab

To celebrate the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling, we asked six beloved Victorian writers to reflect on the theme Above and Beyond: considering what it means to look further, delve deeper, and ask big questions of ourselves and the world around us. The following is an audio recording from storyteller and educator on transgender liberation, Nevo Zisin, reading their original essay for the project. This work was commissioned by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program in partnership with the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling, presented at venues across Melbourne from 2 to 14 October 2023. Visual artist ENOKi has created a series of vibrant, visually arresting illustrations in response to the written pieces. This collaborative project is available to view in person at City Square on Swanston from the end of September 2023. Read the essays in full and discover more audio recordings from the project at wheeler centre.com Featured music is 'Heart Beam' by ELFL. This work was delivered in partnership with the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nevo Zisin: As Above, So Below

To celebrate the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling, we asked six beloved Victorian writers to reflect on the theme Above and Beyond: considering what it means to look further, delve deeper, and ask big questions of ourselves and the world around us. The following is an audio recording from Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man and best-selling author, Bruce Pascoe, reading his original essay for the project. This work was commissioned by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program in partnership with the Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling, presented at venues across Melbourne from 2 to 14 October 2023. Visual artist ENOKi has created a series of vibrant, visually arresting illustrations in response to the written pieces. This collaborative project is available to view in person at City Square on Swanston from the end of September 2023. Read the essays in full and discover more audio recordings from the project at wheeler centre.comFeatured music is 'Arriving' by Hanna Lindgren. This work was delivered in partnership with the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bruce Pascoe: Jinoor

Kevin Jared Hosein is fast becoming known as one of global literature’s most exciting new talents. His new novel, Hungry Ghosts, explores violence, religion, family and class against the backdrop of 1940s colonial central Trinidad. This extraordinary work has received praise from literary icons such as Bernardine Evaristo and the late, great Hilary Mantel, who called the work ‘deeply impressive’. Recorded exclusively for the Wheeler Centre podcast, hear from Hosein on his highly anticipated debut tour of Australia. Kevin appears in conversation with screenwriter and author Cath Moore, discussing his latest work of fiction, exploring Trinidad’s colonial past, and promoting an appreciation of Caribbean literature to a global audience.The event was recorded on Wednesday 16 August 2023 at the Wheeler Centre. Featured music is Ultra Chill by IMPRISMED.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Jared Hosein: Hungry Ghosts [Podcast Exclusive]

The Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling returns for 2023 and this year we’re going Above and Beyond. From October 2 to 14 we’re celebrating the big ideas and the small moments that make us human, and the creative thinking that drives us to be better versions of ourselves. Across 24 captivating events we’re looking further, delving deeper, and asking bigger questions with outstanding thinkers who are reshaping our world and envisioning extraordinary futures. To celebrate the return of Spring Fling, in this episode we revisit 2022's inaugural Opening Night gala event at Melbourne Town Hall, where a star-studded lineup of writers shared a personal ‘lightbulb moment’, reflecting on a defining shift that changed their mind, sparked a big idea or helped them blossom. Enjoy this highlight from disability advocate and Heartbreak High star Chloe Hayden. Tickets to Spring Fling 2023 are on sale now. Explore the full program at wheelercentre.com including details of this year’s Opening Night: Above and Beyond at Melbourne Town Hall on Wednesday 4th of October featuring Jelena Dokic, Thomas Mayo, Melissa Lucashenko, Hannah Diviney, Rufaro Zimbudzi, musical guest Emma Donovan. Hosted by Patricia Karvelas. ______ This event was recorded at Melbourne Town Hall on Wednesday 2 November 2022 as part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling Opening Night: Lightbulb Moments.Featured music is Kwick Baby by Youth Community. Spring Fling is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and is supported through the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund – a $200 million partnership of the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chloe Hayden's Lightbulb Moment

In her latest book The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule, award-winning science journalist Angela Saini explores the science and history of male dominance, arguing that patriarchy is neither natural nor inevitable, but rather a fragile system that is constantly remade and reasserted. Saini joined Karen Pickering for a bold conversation interrogating why, how and where patriarchy manifests and persists. She discussed the ways patriarchies are established and evolve over time, explored matrilineal systems that have been subverted by colonialism, and looked beyond old narratives to understand why the patriarchy persists today. This event was presented in partnership with the Victorian Women’s Trust.It was recorded on Tuesday 15 August 2023 at the Wheeler Centre.The bookseller for this event was Readings. Featured music was Different Days by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angela Saini: The Patriarchs

The Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling returns for 2023 and this year we’re going Above and Beyond. From October 2 to 14 we’re celebrating the big ideas and the small moments that make us human, and the creative thinking that drives us to be better versions of ourselves. Across 24 captivating events we’re looking further, delving deeper, and asking bigger questions with outstanding thinkers who are reshaping our world and envisioning extraordinary futures. To celebrate the return of Spring Fling, in this episode we revisit 2022's inaugural Opening Night gala event at Melbourne Town Hall, where a star-studded lineup of writers shared a personal ‘lightbulb moment’, reflecting on a defining shift that changed their mind, sparked a big idea or helped them blossom. Enjoy this highlight from multi-award winning writer Maxine Beneba Clarke. Tickets to Spring Fling 2023 are on sale now. Explore the full program at wheelercentre.com including details of this year’s Opening Night: Above and Beyond at Melbourne Town Hall on Wednesday 4th of October featuring Jelena Dokic, Thomas Mayo, Melissa Lucashenko, Hannah Diviney, Rufaro Zimbudzi, musical guest Emma Donovan. Hosted by Patricia Karvelas. ______ This event was recorded at Melbourne Town Hall on Wednesday 2 November 2022 as part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling Opening Night: Lightbulb Moments.Featured music is Kwick Baby by Youth Community. Spring Fling is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and is supported through the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund – a $200 million partnership of the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maxine Beneba Clarke's Lightbulb Moment

Hear from our Head of Programming, Veronica Sullivan, as she reflects on last year’s successful Spring Fling, and shares what’s in store for audiences this year. In 2023 the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling is going Above and Beyond: looking further, delving deeper, and asking bigger questions with outstanding thinkers who are reshaping our world and envisioning extraordinary futures. Across 24 captivating events from 2 to 14 October, hear from international guests Hernan Diaz (Trust), musician and artist Lonnie Holley, Rebecca Makkai (I Have Some Questions for You), Caroline O’Donoghue (The Rachel Project and host of the hit podcast Sentimental Garbage) and Ed Yong (An Immense World), alongside local luminaries including Leigh Sales, Trent Dalton, Melissa Lucashenko, Thomas Mayo, Pia Miranda and Andrew Quilty.Tickets to Spring Fling are on sale now at wheelercentre.com. Buy three or more eligible Spring Fling events and get 15% off your purchase. The Wheeler Centre is incredibly thankful for the generous support of its patrons Maureen Wheeler AO and Tony Wheeler AO; series partners The Moat and Readings; and event partners the E.W. Cole Foundation, Montalto, Museums Victoria and RMIT Culture. Special thanks to accommodation partner The Sofitel. Featured music is Kwick Baby by Young Community. Spring Fling is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and is supported through the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund – a $200 million partnership of the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing Spring Fling: Above and Beyond (Oct 2-14)

One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction twice, Colson Whitehead is the multi-award-winning and bestselling author of works including The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad, which was also adapted for the small screen, produced and directed by Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins. Whitehead begun his new Harlem Trilogy with Harlem Shuffle, a genre-hopping family saga that acts as a crime novel, a morality play, a social novel about race and power, and a love letter to Harlem. Its sequel, Crook Manifesto, was published in July 2023. For the Wheeler Centre’s World of Words, hear from Whitehead live in conversation with journalist and filmmaker Santilla Chingaipe as he shares his creative process bringing bygone eras to life for the modern reader, discusses the challenges and rewards of writing a sequel for the first time, and immerses Melbourne audiences in the world of Harlem Shuffle. Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. This event was supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership. It was recorded on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at The Capitol as part of the Wheeler Centre’s World of Words series. Featured music is ‘Natural Habitat’ by Ealot.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colson Whitehead: Harlem Shuffle

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is being held Australia, and with more than two billion viewers expected to tune into this year’s tournament, it’s a landmark moment in Australian sporting history.  To celebrate, the Wheeler Centre invited players, media and passionate fans to come together for a special event exploring the significance of the Women’s World Cup in Australian sporting history and in the landscape of women’s sport. Activist and CBC Sports journalist Shireen Ahmed, Football Australia Legacy ‘23 Ambassador Azmeena Hussain, current National League player Emma Checker and inaugural Matildas captain Julie Dolan AM joined host Fiona Crawford to discuss personal and collective triumphs of women’s soccer, explore equality in all facets of the game, and reflect on this historic moment for Australia and for women in sport.This event was recorded on Saturday 29 July 2023 at the Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kicking Goals: Soccer, Equality and the Women's World Cup

As the owner of Darjeeling Express, British restaurateur Asma Khan astounds diners with sumptuous Indian cuisine and inspires as an advocate for social change. The Darjeeling Express kitchen is proudly run by an all-women team, and has been recognised as one of London’s best restaurants by the Evening Standard. Khan herself has starred in Netflix’s award-winning series Chef’s Table and is the UN World Food Programme’s Chef Advocate for the United Kingdom. Visiting Victoria for the Wheeler Centre’s international writers series, World of Words, Khan sat down for a long lunch at award-winning winery and restaurant Montalto. With writer and editor Bhakthi Puvanenthiran, she recounts the twists and turns of her culinary career, discusses her new cookbook Ammu, and shares her philosophy of food as a conversation about our universal similarities, connecting and uniting us across the globe. Presented in partnership with Montalto. The bookseller for this event was Antipodes Bookshop and Gallery. The event was recorded on Thursday 25 May 2023 at Montalto. Featured music is ‘They Dream By Day’ by Krotos.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lunch with Asma Kahn at Montalto

In her latest work of non-fiction, renowned journalist and author Kate Legge turns her attention to the oft-taboo topic of infidelity. Drawing from her own experiences, Legge’s Infidelity and Other Affairs critically examines the concept of lifelong monogamy and explores whether the urge to be unfaithful can be considered a hereditary trait. In June, Legge joined radio producer and presenter Elizabeth McCarthy for an intimate lunch and thought-provoking conversation at Red Hill’s acclaimed winery Montalto. Together they unpacked Legge’s latest work, reflecting on the process of bringing personal experiences to the page, and the complexities of modern relationships and inherited histories. Presented in partnership with Montalto. The event was recorded on Friday 16 June 2023 at Montalto. Featured music is Violet Sky (Instrumental Version) by PHELLO.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lunch with Kate Legge at Montalto

Dame Graça Machel is one of the world’s leading humanitarians and political activists. She was the first Education Minister of Mozambique, the co-founder and deputy Chair of The Elders, and has spent decades fighting for the rights of marginalised communities, earning international recognition and accolades. In 2010 she established the Graça Machel Trust as a Pan-African advocacy organisation focused on child health and nutrition, education, women’s economic and financial empowerment, leadership and good governance. She is also the only woman in modern history to have served as the First Lady of two countries, alongside Samora Machel and Nelson Mandela. At this exclusive World of Words event, Machel was in conversation with Dr Kudzai Kanhutu. Together they reflect on Machel’s remarkable life and work, and her lifelong devotion to advocating for women’s and children’s rights. Donations to Dame Graça Machel’s work Empowering and Educating African Women can be made via Rotary Australia here. This event was presented in partnership with Igniting Change and supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership. It was recorded on Tuesday 6 June 2023 at the Wheeler Centre as part of World of Words. Featured music is Living in a Fantasy by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Lifetime of Advocacy: An Evening with Dame Graça Machel

“Where are the people who are the other in this room? Because actually they have the skills, the capacity, the resilience, the understanding, and also they know where your blind spots are in terms of the way our social structures are set. We need them. They’re actually our experts” - Manisha Amin As part of Melbourne Design Week 2023, a panel of design experts examine the crucial role of design in breaking down barriers to social inclusion. Hear from Dr Manisha Amin, CEO of the Centre for Inclusive Design, which advocates for audiences that are often overlooked in the design process; and Simona Castricum, a multi-disciplinary creative and academic whose work explores queer and trans intersections in architecture, music, the public realm and civic life. And, joining halfway through the conversation, Honeycomb Access and Design architect Jenna Cohen shares her knowledge on designing accessible spaces and providing accessibility guidance to the building sector. Together with host Jess Lilley, Triple R broadcaster and co-founder of ethical advertising agency The Open Arms, they discuss the principles of inclusive design and why it is essential to an equitable society, looking beyond the practical and into the broader cultural and socio-political implications of design in our public spaces. This event was part of Melbourne Design Week 2023, an initiative of the Victorian Government in collaboration with the NGV. It was recorded on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at the Wheeler Centre. Featured music is Traveling Again by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Room for Everyone: Designing for Inclusivity

“Coal, oil and gas shouldn’t be vilified. They’ve brought us the civilisation we have – but with side effects. The big one is carbon dioxide leading to global warming, and we have to do something about it” – Alan Finkel. The clean energy transition is one of the world’s largest economic and environmental challenges, with the potential to usher in a new age of electricity and transform the planet. In a recent edition of the Fifth Estate, host Sally Warhaft met with Alan Finkel, author and former Australian chief scientist, to discuss the science and politics behind clean energy. In his new book, Powering Up: Unleashing the Clean Energy Supply Chain, Alan Finkel outlines his ideas for transforming our energy landscape, which have drawn both praise and criticism around the world. Warhaft sat down with Finkel to learn about the possibilities and challenges of a clean energy future, explore how Australia could lead the way in the global transition, and provide guidance on the road ahead for Australian industries and consumers. This event was recorded on Tuesday 30 May 2023 at the Wheeler Centre. The bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop. Featured music is Different Days by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Powering Up: Australia's Path to Clean Energy

“Real people are weirder than characters in any story” - Bora Chung.  With its unique blend of horror, speculative fiction and folklore, Bora Chung’s Cursed Bunny explores the cruelties and violence of patriarchy and capitalism in modern society. The chilling short story collection garnered international acclaim, was shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize and won the PEN/HEIM Translation Grant, marking Chung as a global star of contemporary South Korean literature.  Appearing in Melbourne for the first time, Chung joined Paige Clark in conversation to share the process of creating Cursed Bunny, the intricacies of translation, and the use of horror and speculative fiction to expose the weirdness of societal forces and the power they exert. This event was supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership.   It was recorded on Wednesday 17 May 2023 at the Wheeler Centre as part of World of Words.  The bookseller was Amplify Bookstore.  Featured music is No One There by Ava Low.   Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surreal Realities and Cursed Bunnies with Bora Chung

“Being able to pay a certain type of attention requires time, and it’s obviously helped by having more control over your time or how time feels, but then at the same time, paying a certain type of attention makes time feel different” – Jenny Odell. In this episode, Jenny Odell, the author of How to Do Nothing, explores the cultural forces that shape our understanding of time, challenges the notion that ‘time is money’, and offers new possibilities for experiencing time beyond the world of work and profit. Shaking up the conversation about time in her latest book Saving Time, Odell deep dives into the intricate connection between time and power, revealing how a clock designed for profit is linked to ongoing social inequalities, the climate crisis and our growing sense of existential dread. In conversation with host Fiona Wright, one of the most exciting voices in contemporary culture shares her subversive and inspiring vision for how we can save time – and how time might save us. This event was supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership.The event was recorded on Monday 22 May 2023 at the Wheeler Centre as part of World of Words. Featured music is Living in a Fantasy by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saving Time with Jenny Odell

Content warning: The Wheeler Centre wishes to advise this recording includes occasional coarse language.“I want to be responsible towards the person asking the question to the best of my ability, but the good news is I have no real power over them. And so, when we separate, I don’t feel like, 'Oh man, I might have just ruined someone’s life' or decided whether or not they’re going to have a child. Ultimately the decision is very much theirs” – Daniel M Lavery. Every week, millions of people visit Slate to read ‘Dear Prudence,’ an advice column offering indispensable life lessons with equal doses of humour and practicality. For five years, American writer Daniel M Lavery provided guidance as the titular Prudence, helping thousands of readers navigate tricky social situations and modern etiquette dilemmas. After developing a loyal readership with his books Texts From Jane Eyre, The Merry Spinster and Something That May Shock and Discredit You, Lavery’s latest work recounts his time at ‘Dear Prudence’, collecting some of the most illuminating and provocative questions and their answers during his tenure. In this episode recorded as part of the Wheeler Centre’s World of Words, Lavery brings his much-loved, and often much-needed, advice down under for a conversation with writer and broadcaster Jess McGuire. He speaks about his era as ‘Prudie’, revisiting and revising guidance over time, and some of the life lessons he has learnt in the process. He also doles out advice to members of the audience who were given the chance to ask about their own sticky questions. This event was supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership.It was recorded on Tuesday 23 May at the Wheeler Centre as part of World of Words. Featured music is Golden Hour by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dear Prudence: Life Lessons with Daniel M Lavery

“For me it’s just like, I know who I am off stage, I know how we’re perceived within our communities - and I’m proud and I want to make fun of that and talk about the things that I find funny. And that won’t always make people comfortable, but that’s not my job” – Alexandra Hudson.In a special collaboration with Melbourne International Comedy Festival, exciting contemporary comedians Alexandra Hudson, Oliver Hunter and Lara Ricote (Mexico) joined host Adam Hills for an insightful panel exploring the realities of working in comedy as people with disability. Together they share their personal and professional experiences, delve into the barriers that exist in the comedy industry, and discuss how laughter can be used as a tool for empowerment and education. Presented in partnership with Melbourne International Comedy Festival. This event was recorded on Wednesday 5 April 2023 at the Wheeler Centre. Featured music is El Patrón by Don Bacilón.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disruptive Comedy: Breaking Barriers with Laughter

“And he says, yes, the real Uluru Statement. So he pulls it out of this giant cylinder and lays it on my loungeroom floor. And everyone stands up and the most extraordinary thing happened. We felt it’s heart beating. And understood intuitively as Aboriginal people as we looked at that document that our ancestors were in the room with us while we looked at that” - Catherine Liddle.Australia is set to vote on a referendum to enshrine a First Nations voice in the constitution by mid-2024, a commitment made by the Albanese government during the 2022 federal election campaign The Voice to Parliament is seen by many as Australia’s opportunity to right longstanding wrongs, give First Nations people a seat at the table and recognise that we are a nation with more than 60,000 years of continuous culture. As a key campaigner for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, Thomas Mayo has been at the forefront of the movement towards constitutional recognition. In 2017 he travelled around Australia with the Uluru Statement, speaking to many different people and communities and ultimately writing a book, Finding The Heart of The Nation, about his journey. This episode features highlights of Thomas Mayo in-conversation with Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC, the national non-governmental peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Together, they discuss Australia’s journey towards constitutional recognition for First Nations people in this special event recorded as part of the 2023 Castlemaine State Festival. Presented in partnership with Castlemaine State Festival. This event was recorded at Castlemaine Goods Shed on Saturday April 1st 2023. Featured music is Taargus by Jobii.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finding the Heart of the Nation: Thomas Mayo in-conversation with Catherine Liddle

“And what we’re really talking about is vesting the sovereignty of Australia in the people. But actually, the most extraordinary and beautiful thing is we are going to vest in 65,230 years of history. That’s an amazing step to take and again, I think it’s only going to change us in positive ways” – Craig Foster.With the coronation of King Charles III in 2023, Australia’s relationship with the Crown will be a defining topic in the year. To kick off the Fifth Estate for 2023, Sally Warhaft sat down with Craig Foster, who has had a respected career as a Socceroos player and coach, sports broadcaster, and human rights activist, and was recently appointed as the new chair of the Australian Republic Movement. Together, they discuss the future of the Australian Republic Movement and Australia’s place in the Commonwealth.This event was recorded at the Wheeler Centre on Tuesday 28 March 2023. Featured music is Living in a Fantasy by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craig Foster: The Republic Question

“I feel like the trick to writing about yourself is to not write about yourself. You are the sort of prism, or you know, the observational tank through which something is passing” – Sloane Crosley.From her much-loved essay collections, I Was Told There Would Be Cake, How Did You Get This Number and Look Alive Out There, to her bestselling novel, The Clasp, Sloane Crosley’s acerbic humour and observational wit has garnered her critical and popular acclaim. Now, in her second novel Cult Classic, Crosley takes readers on a surreal journey through New York City as a woman runs into a former boyfriend, then another ex, and then another … until it seems all of Manhattan is filled with the ghosts of romance past. In this episode, Sloane Crosley joins host Jaclyn Crupi to discuss Cult Classic, modern romance, and whether happy endings are possible in an age when the past is ever at your fingertips. Sloane Crosley appeared in partnership with Adelaide Writers’ Week and Sydney Opera House’s All About Women festival. The event was supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership. This event was recorded on Thursday 9 March 2023 at the Wheeler Centre. The bookseller for this event was Hill of Content Bookshop. Featured music is Diffuser by Shiruky.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sloane Crosley: Cult Classic

“What I discovered eventually was to use all your resources to get as much support as you can, it makes a huge difference to everybody. And give up on asking people for help that don’t want to help you” - Esther Freud. Motherhood is an intense period of introspection and change. For some, these may be ideal conditions for creative inspiration to strike, but it comes with immense demands on time, money and energy. For the Wheeler Centre’s M/OTHER series, writer and musician Edwina Preston, British novelist Esther Freud and musician and mother Thndo explored the ideas and complications behind balancing art-making and motherhood. Together with host, Radio National presenter Hilary Harper, they delved into pertinent and honest questions about the roles of mother and artist, the barriers to creativity placed upon them by caregiving, and what structures can be put in place to better support mothers pursuing creative careers. This event was recorded on Saturday 4 March 2023 at the Wheeler Centre as part of M/OTHER: a weekend of fearless conversation about the ways ‘motherhood’ is experienced, portrayed and labelled by those who mother, have been mothered, wish they were mothers, do not identify as mothers, cannot or do not want to mother, and by society at-large. The official bookseller for M/OTHER was Neighbourhood Books. Featured music is ‘Travelling Again’ – Sarah the Illstrumentalist Conversations from M/OTHER may include references to topics such as mental health, reproductive rights, and childbirth. If you need assistance with any of these issues, you can learn more and seek advice via the Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE), Perintal Anxiety &amp; Depression Australia (PANDA) and Beyond Blue.  Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Role Mothers: Art, Creativity and Motherhood

“It felt like energy, like the words, the story, it just felt like something that had to come out of my body. And if I wasn’t going to write it, I was going to scream it or I was gonna dig it, or something. I mean seriously, that’s where I was when I was writing this” - Rachel Yoder.An ode to the all-consuming and sometimes feral experience of motherhood, Rachel Yoder’s debut novel Nightbitch tells the story of a new mother who begins turning into a dog at night. Chronicling the joy, mundanity and instability of modern motherhood, Nightbitch drew international acclaim, cementing Yoder as one of America’s most exciting contemporary novelists and luring the attention of Hollywood, with a film adaption starring Amy Adams currently in production. For her first ever conversation event in Australia, Yoder joined Australian author Kate Mildenhall (The Mother Fault) to discuss the strangeness of motherhood, the challenges new parents often confront to retain a sense of self, and the many complexities involved in depicting the fullness of the mothering experience in fiction.This event was recorded on Friday, 3 March 2023 at the Wheeler Centre as part of M/OTHER: a weekend of fearless conversation about the ways ‘motherhood’ is experienced, portrayed and labelled by those who mother, have been mothered, wish they were mothers, do not identify as mothers, cannot or do not want to mother, and by society at-large. The official bookseller for M/OTHER was Neighbourhood Books. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole. Conversations from M/OTHER may include references to topics such as mental health, reproductive rights, and childbirth. If you need assistance with any of these issues, you can learn more and seek advice via the Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE), Perintal Anxiety &amp; Depression Australia (PANDA) and Beyond Blue.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel Yoder: Nightbitch

"Women who often have the least amount of resources, that have the least safety net, that have the least visibility, that have the least voices or representation in parliament - are usually the ones who launch the fiercest protests. The most dangerous protests." - Fatima Bhutto. On International Women’s Day 2023, three powerhouse women came together for a galvanising conversation exploring politics and power through a global feminist lens. Bestselling Pakistani author Fatima Bhutto has spoken around the world about women in leadership, the role of violence in politics and the challenges of democracy, sharing her personal experiences growing up in a political family shadowed by violence. Author, journalist and artist Shokoofeh Azar sought political asylum in Australia after being jailed three times in Iran while covering stories about Iranian social and human rights issues. Her novel The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree was shortlisted for the Stella Prize and the International Booker Prize. With journalist and filmmaker Santilla Chingaipe, they shared their personal and professional experiences as creative women in public life. Together, they interrogated the importance of freedom of speech and agency for women around the world, reflecting on the most pressing global issues affecting women and how feminist innovation can create a better, equal future.Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. This event was supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership. This event was recorded on Wednesday 8 March 2023 at The Capitol. The official bookseller for this event was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is AVA LOW - No One There.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International Women's Day: Power and Politics

In 2022, Jonathan Van Ness – Emmy nominated television personality, comedian, best-selling author, podcaster and hairstylist – joined Australian writer and transgender rights activist Nevo Zisin for a digital conversation about JVN's essay collection Love That Story, the contemporary queer experience, and the importance of sharing and celebrating everything that makes our stories unique. This digital event was recorded and released in May 2022 as part of the Wheeler Centre's Postcards From Abroad series. The online bookseller for this event was Hill of Content Bookshop. Featured music is City Phases by John Abbott.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan Van Ness: Love That Story

"It was important to me to try and use the book to explore this shift and this gap between what I see in the media, what I see in fiction and on television and what I'd observed in life." - Natasha Brown Bold and provocative, Natasha Brown’s debut novel Assembly cuts to the heart of race relations in modern Britain. A clear-eyed and harrowing exposé of privilege, ambition and the legacies of colonisation, Assembly was shortlisted for the Folio Prize, the Goldsmiths Prize, the Orwell Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Brown joined host Jamila Rizvi for the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling series for a wide-ranging discussion about race, class and identity. Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture and supported by Future Women. With thanks to UNSW Centre for Ideas. This event was recorded on Thursday 10 November 2022 at The Capitol Featured music is Diffuser by ShirukySupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natasha Brown: Assembly

"Exercise is like a vacuum cleaner for aging tissue and renews your tissue. You can look at the biopsy of muscle and your muscle is frail and old. After you've done weight training, your muscle is indistinguishable from a young person's." Norman Swan With a career spanning over thirty years as a radio and television presenter, health journalist Norman Swan is a stalwart of the Australian media landscape. Over lunch at Montalto Winery, Swan discussed his career as a medical professional in the public eye and his latest book So You Want To Live Younger Longer? Combining wellbeing and health tips with scientific insights, the book provides a practical and factual perspective, sans sensationalism, about how to live a healthy and positive life – at any age. Join one of Australia’s most trusted medical voices for a conversation about lifelong health and communicating in a crisis. Hosted by Sally Warhaft. Presented in partnership with Montalto. This event was recorded on Thursday 29 September 2022 at Montalto. Featured music is Flyin - New LocationSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norman Swan at Montalto

"Mark Twain said, fiction must be plausible, truth needn't be, or words to that effect. And truth is, it's so much more unlikely. And so everything in this book that seems unlikely, those are the true things." – Geraldine Brooks. Geraldine Brooks is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist behind works such as March, Year of Wonders and Foreign Correspondence. Her latest release, Horse, is a sweeping narrative that weaves together three encounters with Lexington, the greatest racehorse in US history, to explore the legacy of racism and slavery in America. Over a warming wintry lunch at Montalto, with produce straight from the kitchen garden, Brooks joined Santilla Chingaipe for a discussion about Horse, what drew her to the story of Lexington, as well as her own illustrious career. Presented in partnership with Montalto. This event was recorded on Friday 22 July 2022 at MontaltoSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geraldine Brooks at Montalto

"We do, we sing gospel, we sing country, we sing rock, reggae, we sing ballads. If we could, we'd do opera. You know, we just like all sorts of music. Our sound has been our harmony. That's our thing. You know, we just enjoy harmonising together." - Vika Bull Whether at church in suburban Melbourne; with The Black Sorrows; alongside artists including Paul Kelly, Kasey Chambers and John Farnham; or on one of their seven studio albums, singer-songwriters Vika &amp; Linda have been performing together since childhood. Their new collaborative memoir No Bull sees the sisters recount the highs and lows of their three-decade long career with honesty and humour. As part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas, Vika &amp; Linda joined us for an afternoon of music and conversation. The duo spoke with journalist and broadcaster Namila Benson about their lifelong connection to music, their experience of releasing three albums in the last three years, and the significance of their Tongan heritage within their creative practice. This event was recorded at The Capitol as part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling in September 2022. Featured music is Tellsonic - I See You Out ThereSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vika & Linda: No Bull

'I don't start a novel thinking I have things to show you or tell you. I always start a novel because there are things I want to discover." - Kamila Shamsie. The author of seven novels, Kamila Shamsie has built an acclaimed career crafting explorations of the personal impacts of political, cultural and historical shadows. Now, the multi-award-winning writer turns her attention to the everchanging nature of female friendship, and the forces that bring people together, or tear them apart. Following the story of two best friends from Karachi to London, Best of Friends is Shamsie’s first novel since Home Fire, for which she won the Women’s Prize for Fiction, was shortlisted for the Costa Best Novel Award and longlisted for the Booker Prize. In this episode, Kamila Shamsie speaks with Love and Virtue author Diana Reid about her latest work and explores our shifting perspectives on friendships, from fickle flings to the fiercely faithful. With thanks to UNSW Centre for Ideas Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture This event was recorded on Wednesday 9 November 2022 at The Capitol as part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling program. Featured music is Johannes Bornlöf - Friend of Mine.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamila Shamsie: Best of Friends

Content warning: The Wheeler Centre wishes to advise this recording includes discussion about human bodies in collections, which were taken from their cultural places against the wishes of First Nations communities. Repatriation is an issue at the heart of many cultural institutions, as museums and galleries reckon with the violent colonial histories that underpin significant portions of their collections. Once sought and traded as aesthetic trophies and scientific evidence, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander objects and ancestral remains, housed and hidden in institutions across the world are thought to number in the many thousands. Malthouse Theatre’s production of The Return which premiered as part of RISING in 2022, engaged with the importance of returning these items and remains back to Country. This epic theatre experience spanned 250 years and explored the untold perspectives of these macabre true histories and the false justifications behind them. In this episode, hear from The Return’s writer John Harvey and co-director Jason Tamiru, along with senior curator Kimberley Moulton. With host Daniel James, the panel consider the play’s themes, alongside Moulton’s insights into alternative models of collection and display that prioritise community access and situate these cultural belongings within a continuous flow of history. At the intersection of creative exploration and institutional knowledge, they discuss how the repatriation of Ancestors can bring us closer to truth-telling and First Peoples agency in museums. Presented in partnership with RISING and Malthouse Theatre. This event was recorded on Tuesday 31 May 2022 at the Wheeler Centre. Featured music is DEX 1200 - The Chakra MovementSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Return to Country: Repatriation and Resilience

Sophie Cunningham is one of Australian literature’s most influential figures. She is the author of seven books, a former editor of Meanjin, co-founder of the Stella Prize, and is currently an adjunct professor at RMIT University’s non/fiction Lab. Her novel This Devastating Fever, her first work of fiction in fourteen years, was the Melbourne City Reads pick for September 2022. Weaving together the life of Leonard Woolf, the turn of the millennium and environmental collapse, Cunningham examines questions about colonial history, the return of fascism, living through disaster and what it means to cultivate a full, loving and creative life. Join Cunningham and host Emily Bitto for an intimate conversation as they discuss this exhilarating new novel. This event was recorded on Tuesday 22 September 2022 at the Wheeler Centre. The Melbourne City Reads series is generously supported by George and Rosa Morstyn. The bookseller for this event was The Paperback Bookshop. Featured music is Golden Hour by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sophie Cunningham: This Devastating Fever

For American novelist Andrew Sean Greer, the search for joy is a continued source of creative inspiration – as evidenced in his international bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less, and now again in its humorously honest new sequel, Less is Lost. Warm, witty and profound, Less is Lost sees the lovable Arthur Less return for an unforgettable road trip across America as he confronts his personal demons and attempts to decipher the riddle of love. As part of the Wheeler Centre’s 2022 Spring Fling program, Andrew Sean Greer made his own journey to Australia to join writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law in-conversation. Together they waded through ageing, grief and unavoidable change to find creativity, friendship and love. This event was recorded on Wednesday 9 November 2022 at The Capitol as part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas program. Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. Andrew Sean Greer’s appearance was made possible with the generous support of Hachette Australia. Featured music is Tape Machines, Le June, Nbhd Nick - Br1ghter (Instrumental Version)Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Sean Greer: Less Is Lost

What better way to celebrate Stephanie Alexander’s latest cookbook, Home, than with an intimate conversation at award-winning restaurant and winery Montalto. Hear Alexander reflect on her unparalleled five-decade career as a cook, writer and restaurateur, and the legacy she has built for generations of professionals and amateurs in kitchens around the country. This event was recorded on Thursday 21 April 2022. Presented in partnership with Montalto. The bookseller for this event was Antipodes Bookshop and Gallery Featured music is Living in a Fantasy by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephanie Alexander at Montalto

If we are what we eat, then who are we in the twenty-first century? Whether in our home kitchens, at the hottest new restaurant, in a bestselling cookbook, or on a fast-paced reality TV show, the ways we consume food and the narratives surrounding cuisine are inextricably linked to our cultural histories and personal identities. Over a seasonal shared lunch prepared with Indigenous Australian ingredients, a panel of culinary superstars met at Big Esso to discuss their approaches to cooking and sharing food, and the intersections and impact of multiculturalism, immigration and First Nations cuisine on Australian food culture. Inspired by Griffith Review 78: A Matter of Taste, the event featured Mabu Mabu owner and head chef Nornie Bero and award-winning author and broadcaster Alice Zaslavsky with host Jaclyn Crupi. This event was recorded on Friday 4 Nov 2022 as part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas program. Presented in partnership with Griffith Review and Blak &amp; Bright. Featured music is In a Little While by Lofive.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On The Table: A Matter of Taste

Shaun Micallef has been a near constant in Australian comedy and television for almost three decades. His new memoir Tripping Over Myself: A Memoir of a Life in Comedy charts his journey from suburban Adelaide to national TV stardom, offering insight into a career of curiosity, reinvention and humour. As part of the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling program, Micallef joined presenter and RocKwiz host Julia Zemiro at The Capitol for a funny and fascinating conversation about life, satire, politics and television, from Full Frontal to Mad As Hell – and beyond. This conversation was recorded on Saturday 5 November 2022 as part of the Wheeler Centre's Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas. Featured music is Midnight Set by Dusty Decks.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shaun Micallef: Tripping Over Myself

In this panel event, voices from different generations and First Nations backgrounds came together to explore First Nations community and family networks, and how they relate to conceptions of motherhood, parenting and the transmission of First Nations knowledge systems. Ali Cobby Eckermann is the Windham Campbell Prize-winning author of memoir, poetry and verse novels, including Inside My Mother, and a survivor of the Stolen Generations. Dr Jackie Huggins’ decades of work as an author, historian and academic have focused on First Nations identity, activism and the question of feminism’s relevance for Indigenous women. An education academic and frequent media commentator, Dr Amy Thunig’s forthcoming memoir Tell Me Again explores the shaping of identity amidst intergenerational trauma and poverty – and deep familial love. For this wide-ranging conversation in partnership with Blak and Bright, they joined host Bridget Caldwell-Bright for an insightful conversation about the women they have known, loved and learned from, and the women they are. The event opened with a Yarn Bomb from emerging Kamilaroi artist Emily Wells. Presented in partnership with Blak and Bright. Featured music is City Phases by John Abbot.   This event was recorded on Monday 7 November 2022 as part of the Wheeler Centre's Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas program. Spring Fling was supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiddas, Mothers, Aunties: First Nations Matriarchies

From the lead singer of Midnight Oil, one of Australia’s most successful and politically engaged bands, to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage &amp; the Arts in the Rudd/Gillard Labor governments, Peter Garrett has been a long-time campaigner on a range of local and global issues. Through all his work, Garrett has exemplified the power of arts and activism in fighting for positive environmental change; whether performing in protest and benefit shows globally or steering the Australian Conservation Foundation as its youngest ever president. During Spring Fling, the Wheeler Centre went to Macedon for a thought-provoking conversation between Garrett and award-winning author and journalist Anna Krien presented in partnership with the inaugural Mountain Writers Festival. Together they reflect on Garrett’s incredible life of environmental activism, and the role art, politics and campaigning can play in creating positive, lasting change. Presented in partnership with Mountain Writers Festival. This audio recording of this event was produced by motion media students from Alice Miller School in Macedon. Featured music is Golden Hour by Sarah, The Illstrumentalist This event was part of the Wheeler Centre's Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas program – supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Garrett: A Live of Environmental Activism

With a CV including Spicks and Specks, the Eurovision Song Contest, Triple J, ABC Radio, Playschool and the animated global hit Bluey, Myf Warhurst has been a staple of Australian radio and TV for over twenty years. For the Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling series, Warhurst took to the stage with her Bang On co-host Zan Rowe for a captivating conversation about music, memory and her new memoir, Time of My Life. Join Myf Warhurst as she shares funny, fabulous and sometimes fraught tales of her journey from a music lover growing up in regional Victoria, to a much-loved presence on airwaves across the country. This Melbourne City Reads event was generously supported by George and Rosa Morstyn. This event was part of the Wheeler Centre's Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas program – supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund, a Victorian Government and City of Melbourne partnership. Featured music is Electric Eyes by Sarah, The Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Myf Warhurst: Time of My Life

'I remember the first emails that I would send I was really caught up in, oh gosh, this is Trigger Warning for everything, and that's important. But by the end of the collaborations I felt like I could write whatever I wanted and I wouldn't shock or completely gross out the other person. It was all going to be okay, like, things could get weird and that's fine. And they did get weird.' – Sarah Stivens  Curated by award-winning poet Andy Jackson, this showcase event features an assembly of writers with disability sharing their visions for what the future of health can and should be, through performance, poetry, essay and memoir.  Featuring writers including Alex Creece, Gemma Mahadeo, Anna Jacobson, Beau Windon and Sarah Stivens, immerse yourself in creative explorations of ableism, love, shame, solidarity, ingenuity and more, while imagining a better and more inclusive future of health.  This conversation was recorded on Monday 3 October 2022 and presented in partnership with RMIT Culture and UNSW as part of The Big Anxiety festival, the largest mental health and arts festival in the world.  Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writing The Future Of Health

An inability to focus can feel like a personal failing – a flaw in each one of us. In his acclaimed latest book, Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention and How to Think Deeply Again, award-winning writer and journalist Johann Hari posits that our failure to focus is not personal, but a social phenomenon caused by powerful external forces. Our focus has been stolen. In this special digital lecture recorded at the Wheeler Centre for the Big Anxiety Festival, Hari shares his discoveries following a three-year journey interviewing leading experts on attention and uncovering the reasons behind our shortening attention spans. Don’t miss this podcast about how – as individuals, and as a society – we can get our focus back, if we are determined to fight for it. Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture and UNSW as part of The Big AnxietySupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johann Hari: Why You Can’t Pay Attention

‘Remember what Bertrand Russell said, most people would rather die than think, and most people do. And that's the world's tragedy. So to get people to think is the very, very first step in motivating the people of the planet to rise up and do something about the difficulties that we face, because there is no alternative.’  Is global agreement on global challenges possible? World-renowned philosopher A.C. Grayling believes an answer to this question is urgently needed. In his latest book, For the Good of the World, Grayling proposes that the three biggest challenges facing the world today are climate change, the rapid development of high-impact technology and a global deficit in social and economic justice. At this special keynote lecture, Technology, Climate, Justice and Rights: Can We Get the Whole World to Agree on Any of Them?, Grayling expands his thinking on these ideas, before answering burning questions from the audience. Can we agree on a set of values that will allow us to confront the threats facing our planet? Or will these issues progress at a rate that continues to outstrip our ability to deal with them? Don't miss this thought-provoking address recorded on Thursday 15 September 2022 and hosted by Bhakthi Puvanenthiran. This conversation was presented with support from Dumbo Feather. Featured music is Formations by Van Sandano.  Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A.C. Grayling: For the Good of the World

‘But, you know, the thing about putting together a diary is, that when you read through the old books, you can see these points where you're about to walk off a cliff. And you see yourself walk off a cliff like one hundred times and you think, wake up, but it's too late because you're already off the cliff.’  Helen Garner is one of Australia’s most respected writers. Her novels, short stories, essays, journalism, and more recently her diaries – including her latest instalment, How to End a Story: Diaries: 1995–1998 – have influenced generations of Australian writers and are a fixture of Melbourne’s collective consciousness.  Over a long lunch at Montalto, she joined Sean O’Beirne, author of the recent monograph On Helen Garner, to discuss her immense contribution to Australian literature, and the unmistakable currents of candor and independence that have run through her writing life.  This event was recorded on Friday 20 May 2022.  Presented in partnership with Montalto  Featured music is Traveling Again by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helen Garner: How to End a Story

‘7 ½ felt a little bit like being a young writer again. Physically I can't call myself that (laughs), but in writing 7 ½ I felt that. Like, let's just go by instinct, in a way...  7 ½ was a way of me trying to think of what it was about being a writer that I enjoyed, what was it that I wanted to do.’  The acclaimed author of novels such as The Slap, Damascus and Barracuda, Christos Tsiolkas is known as one of Australia’s most beloved – and provocative – writers. In his latest novel, 7½, a novelist arrives in a secluded coastal town to escape the self-congratulatory moralism of the modern world and immerse himself in the beauty of nature. Here, he begins to write a book about an ageing ex-pornstar offered one last impossible-to-refuse job, and so begins a meditation on the choice between beauty and righteousness.    In this event at Montalto, Tsiolkas joined Angela Savage for a conversation about the power and transformative mysteries of art, creativity and transgression, as well as the moral crises affecting contemporary fiction. Enjoy a delicious lunch and thought-provoking conversation with a writer whose warmth and insight flows through even his most challenging work.   This event was recorded on 31 March 2022. Presented in partnership with Montalto  Featured music is ‘Greasy’ by Timothy InfiniteSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christos Tsiolkas: 7 ½

‘Who are you feeding? Who is your audience? Is it the one percent of the one percent and that is what’s so beautiful and amazing and artistic or do you want to feed a community?’  Jess Ho is one of the most influential voices in Australia’s bar and restaurant scene, well known for their searingly honest opinions on the hospitality industry.  Growing up confronting racism in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, Ho’s family’s traditional Cantonese cooking was both a comfort and a source of shame. As the Australian restaurant scene boomed, they embarked on a career in food writing at a time when the once ‘embarrassing’ foods of immigrant childhoods were quickly becoming commodified trends.  In their new memoir, Raised by Wolves, Ho weaves a coming-of-age story into an exploration of the industry they love, revealing the truths – both ugly and inspiring – behind Australia’s fine-dining obsession.  For this episode, Jess Ho spoke with host Clem Bastow about the role of food in their upbringing and offer a peek behind the kitchen door with their fierce, funny and razor-sharp lens.  This podcast was recorded on Thursday 28 July 2022 as part of Melbourne City Reads, a series generously supported by George and Rosa Morstyn.   Featured music is ‘Believe Me When I Say It’ by Matt Large. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jess Ho: Raised By Wolves

“You know, for me, I loved reading, but I didn’t exist on those pages and when a child of any age doesn’t exist in our mainstream, in our books, in our stories, they start believing they’re not important.”  – Melina Marchetta  Looking for Alibrandi broke new ground with its honest and empowered portrait of an Italian-Australian teen coming of age in 1990s inner Sydney, speaking authentically about systemic racism in Australia from a migrant perspective.   For generations of teens, the beloved novel (and later cult movie) is a foundational story. Its exploration of family, womanhood, first love, identity and othering still resonates with readers today, 30 years after its release.  Now, Melina Marchetta’s novel has been adapted for the stage. In this special collaboration between the Wheeler Centre and Malthouse Theatre, Marchetta joined playwright Vidya Rajan, director Stephen Nicolazzo, and the film’s star Pia Miranda to discuss Looking for Alibrandi’s journey from page to screen to stage, the art of adaptation, and the enduring impact of this Australian classic.   This conversation was hosted by Brodie Lancaster and recorded at the Malthouse Theatre on 18 July 2022.  The bookseller was Hill of Content Bookshop.  Music: Pastel Colours by Sarah, The Illstrumentalist Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adapting Alibrandi

Adolescence is all about transformation, risk, passion – but what happens when young people are pushed to their limits?  Author Holden Sheppard has been widely acclaimed for his YA novels, which explore these limits with nuance and compassion.   In his new book, The Brink, a group of schoolies confront a life-changing tragedy on a trip they’ll never forget. In Sheppard’s award-winning debut novel (and its forthcoming television adaptation) Invisible Boys, three teenage boys come to terms with their homosexuality in a town where queerness is invisible.  On this episode, hear Sheppard discuss the jagged edges of adolescence in conversation with C.S. Pacat.  The bookseller for this event was Readings.  This podcast was recorded on 4 August 2022 at the Wheeler Centre.  The Wheeler Centre’s programming for young audiences is generously supported by The Hon. Justice Michelle Gordon AC and The Hon. Kenneth Hayne AC QC.  Music: Pastel Colours by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist   Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holden Sheppard: Pushed to the Limits

'It’s ok to be uncomfortable, and it’s a sign of strength if you’re feeling really weird about it - cause that’s a normal, human, good thing.' At this special salon event held in partnership with State Library Victoria, we took a leaf out of Otis Redding’s book and tried a little tenderness. Sarah Krasnostein’s March Quarterly Essay, Not Waving, Drowning: Mental Illness and Vulnerability in Australia examines a society that often punishes vulnerability, but that does have the resources to mend this broken system. Rick Morton’s memoir My Year of Living Vulnerably charts his journey towards embracing the healing and transformative power of love. Together, these remarkable writers discussed the push and pull that take place across the broad spectrum of social policy, care and human vulnerability, with host Mahmood Fazal. This podcast was recorded at State Library Victoria on 27 May 2022. The bookseller for this event was Readings.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love and Vulnerability

'Mob are doing the work... and theorising race on the run because of the urgency in this place when it comes to racial violence.' All over Australia, First Nations people are advocating for change in their fields, whether that be journalism and media, culture and the arts, health and legal services, or family members working to end deaths in custody. At this event recorded live on Wurundjeri Country at the Wheeler Centre for NAIDOC Week 2022, we heard about the power and impact of First Nations campaigning, advocacy and protest. Host and Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service CEO Nerita Waight was joined by academic and author of Another Day in the Colony Chelsea Watego; hip hop musician and youth mentor Johnathan Binge aka Caution; and Apryl Day, daughter of Aunty Tanya Day and founder of the Dhadjowa Foundation, to share and discuss their experiences of creating change through advocacy and protest. The bookseller for this event was Readings. Presented in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. Featured music is ‘Living In A Fantasy’ by Purple RhombusSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Showing Up: First Nations Advocacy and Protest

“Hope is not a solution. Never confuse faith with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts. Failure isn’t fatal, failing to change is.” Satyajit Das is a globally respected former banker and consultant with over forty years’ experience in financial markets and the international bestselling author of Traders, Guns &amp; Money: Knowns and Unknowns in the Dazzling World of Derivatives, Extreme Money: The Masters of the Universe and the Cult of Risk, and A Banquet of Consequences.   Join Das as he delivers the inaugural E. W. Cole Lecture at the Wheeler Centre, offering a memorable and surprisingly playful examination of the greatest crises facing our world today, as well as unconventional ideas for how we might go about solving them. Following his 40-minute lecture, Das is joined by Sally Warhaft to further analyse and interrogate his ideas. This podcast was recorded on Thursday 31 March 2022 and presented in partnership with the E.W. Cole Foundation. Featured music is ‘Living In A Fantasy’ by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Our Crises

"There are people that care about books, and if you’re someone who can write them, you’re doing your community a favour. It’s not service in the sense that I’m feeding the homeless or coming up with a solution to climate change, but it nonetheless feels purposeful." The author of six acclaimed novels including The Corrections, Freedom and Purity, Jonathan Franzen’s latest release Crossroads proves him, once again, to be a master of the modern family saga.   Selected as the Guardian UK Best Fiction Book of 2021 and an Independent Book of the Year, Crossroads navigates the political, intellectual, and social crosscurrents of the past 50 years through the lens of a dysfunctional American family.  Franzen joined Astrid Edwards, host of The Garret: Writers on Writing podcast, for a conversation about Crossroads, his writing life and the state of the modern novel.  The bookseller for this event was Hill of Content Bookshop.  This podcast was recorded at The Capitol, Melbourne on 14 June 2022 and presented in partnership with RMIT Culture.  Featured music is ‘Traveling Again' by Sarah, the IllstrumentalistSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan Franzen: Crossroads

“I love it once a story takes hold of me. That’s what I’m always looking for. That pleasure of losing your sense of self.” Liane Moriarty is the author of nine internationally bestselling novels include Truly Madly Guilty, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers – the latter two of which have produced critically celebrated television adaptations starring Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Reese Witherspoon.  In this illuminating conversation with host Sarah L’Estrange recorded at the Castlemaine Town Hall,  Liane discusses her latest work Apples Never Fall and its themes of unfulfilled promise and delves into her ongoing global success.  The bookseller for this event was Northern Books.  This podcast was recorded on 4 May 2022 and presented in partnership with Castlemaine State Festival – A Dialogues Special Event. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again' by Sarah, the IllstrumentalistSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liane Moriarty in Castlemaine

“At the very least I wanted to make people focus on an actual more honest rendering of these canonical texts of Australian literature ... We were not visible in these stories because we were not meant to exist in these narratives.”  On Thursday 12 May, Evelyn Araluen joined host Jeanine Leane live on stage at the Wheeler Centre to discuss her debut poetry collection Dropbear and its landmark win.  For 10 years, the Stella Prize has celebrated books by Australian women and non-binary writers. The annual $50,000 prize is awarded to the work of fiction, non-fiction, YA, graphic novel or (eligible for the first time in 2022) poetry deemed most original, excellent and engaging. This year, Stella has awarded a further $10,000 to Araluen – bringing the total prize money for the winner of the 2022 Stella Prize to $60,000.  The Stella judges said ‘Dropbear is a breathtaking collection of poetry and short prose which arrests key icons of mainstream Australian culture and turns them inside out, with malice aforethought. Araluen’s brilliance sizzles when she goes on the attack against the kitsch and the cuddly: against Australia’s fantasy of its own racial and environmental innocence.’  This event was presented in partnership with Stella.  The bookseller for this event was Hill of Content. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evelyn Araluen: the 2022 Stella Prize Winner in Conversation

“I want us to really love our country and not see it as the problem. Stop talking about sharks and spiders and snakes. Start talking about the beauty of a grassland.”  Bruce Pascoe and Bill Gammage need no introduction. Both have authored books that changed the conversation about pre-settlement history in Australia and speak to the importance of listening to First Nations wisdom: Bruce with his groundbreaking Dark Emu, which argued that Indigenous people did not follow a hunter-gatherer lifestyle at the time of colonisation, and Bill with his 2011 book The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia, which explored how Aboriginal people have managed the land to their advantage for millennia.  Now, Bruce and Bill join forces to continue the conversation in Country: Future Fire, Future Farming, delving into the remarkable agricultural and land care practises of First Nations people. Country examines how, through complex seasonal burning programs, Aboriginal people managed the land to avoid the late season destructive bushfires we fear today.  Together they join writer Sophie Cunningham to discuss how employing Indigenous land management practises is critical to creating a more sustainable future for people and country.   The bookseller for this event was The Paperback Bookshop.  Featured music is ‘Red Orchard’ by Justnormal, frumhere. Courtesy of Epidemic Sound. This podcast was recorded on 20 April 2022. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Country: Future Fire, Future Farming

“I think a lot of the choice around having children or not is completely illusory. I don’t think we have as many choices as we think.”  The way we live is ever-changing, but societal expectations about women’s relationships to motherhood have remained stiflingly rigid. Too often, popular narratives around motherhood disregard the varied and often challenging experiences that inform a person’s decision and opportunity to parent (or not). In this podcast episode, Gina Rushton, Sian Prior, and Natalie Kon-yu, three remarkable writers and thinkers from different backgrounds, consider the complexities of contemporary motherhood. They draw on their respective recent books, which each explore the political and personal implications of the journey towards, around or away from motherhood. Hosted by Eleanor Jackson.  Content note: this episode includes discussion of topics that some listeners may find difficult or sensitive, such as fertility and medical procedures.  Featured music is ‘In A Little While’ by Lofive, courtesy of Epidemic Sound. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Maternal Question

“There really isn’t a line where one project ends and the next begins. It’s always many things happening at once.”  The First Time is the podcast brainchild of writers Katherine Collette and Kate Mildenhall. Like getting warm and reassuring advice from two friends, The First Time is all about what happens the first time you publish a book, offering a behind the scenes look at all the thoughts and feelings writers experience when their book enters the world.  In this special live podcast recorded at the Wheeler Centre in April 2022, they turn their attention to the often challenging experience of how to follow up a brilliant first book.  Having just released second novels themselves, Collette and Mildenhall were joined by second-time authors Yumna Kassab (Australiana) and Robert Lukins (Loveland) for a candid and generous discussion of all the joys and anxieties inherent in the writing and publishing process.   This event was presented as part of Mic Drops, a Wheeler Centre original series celebrating all things audible that brings together podcasting’s best and brightest to share their thoughts and insights on the art (and business) of listening.  The official bookseller for this event was Hill of Content Bookshop. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mic Drops: The Second Time

'I disagree with Einstein that the definition of insanity is doing things over and over again and expecting different results; to me that’s the definition of hope.’  On Thursday 17 March, designer, author and host of the award-winning podcast Design Matters Debbie Millman joined host Michaela Webb live on stage at the Wheeler Centre.   Design Matters is one of the world’s first breakthrough podcasts, and the first dedicated to design and the artistic mind. For fifteen years, Millman has interviewed the world’s most innovative creative thinkers. In her forthcoming book Why Design Matters, Millman collects 80 of her best interviews and pairs them with photographic portraits of the subjects – including Brené Brown, Malcolm Gladwell and Aminatou Sow. These intimate conversations with legends, truth tellers, trendsetters and visionaries offer insights into the craft of creativity, and what it can teach us about living well and loving openly.  Discussing Why Design Matters with Webb at this lunchtime event, Millman shared the lessons she’s learned from over 15 years interviewing the sharpest artistic minds in the world.     Debbie Millman: By Design was part of Melbourne Design Week 2022, an initiative of the Victorian Government in collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria. This conversation is supported by the Australian Graphic Design Association and the Design Institute of Australia. Featured music is ‘red orchard’ by JUSTNORMAL and FRUMHERE, courtesy of Epidemic Sound.   Photo by Tobias Titz. Photography courtesy of the NGV as part of Melbourne Design Week 2022.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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