Conversations

For writer Richard Flanagan, the political belief that white Australians do not belong in this land is wrong and it's damaging any progress we might hope to make as a collective people.
Richard has spent the last 30 years writing award-winning pieces of fiction and non-fiction, tackling the climate crisis, the meaning of art, free speech and the stubborn necessity of hope.
Threaded through all of Richard's writing is a contempt for power and its acolytes, and a great tenderness for human struggle and goodness.
Richard says that while writing novels is an introspective process, and journalistic writing is very much outward-looking, they share the same fundamental purpose - telling the truth.
His latest book is a collection of speeches and opinion pieces that assembled in order to contextualise and define the rest of his oeuvre as fiercely Australian.
Because Richard says the story Australia tells itself as a nation must change, to include all of us as profoundly belonging to its land and history.
For Richard, the political belief that white Australians do not belong in this land is wrong and it's damaging any progress we might hope to make as a collective people.
Heresies is published by Penguin.
This episode of Conversations was recorded live at the Byron Writers Festival in August 2026. It was produced by Jennifer Leake. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.
It explores white history, black history, Australian history, Indigenous, non-Indigenous, Aboriginal Australia, writing, books, politics, climate crisis, black arm band view of history, colonialism, settlers, invasion, national identity, bushfires, natural disasters, early onset dementia, incorrect medical diagnosis, monoculture, multiculturalism, One Nation, fedpols, federal politics, Pauline Hanson, First Nations identity, the Voice Referendum.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Micaela Sahhar grew up hearing stories of her Palestinian family's life in Jerusalem before 1948, and what happened when they had to leave.
There was her grandfather’s tourism business, her grandmother’s wedding necklace, and the dramatic circumstances of her father’s birth.
Most of all there was the house, built by her grandfather for his extended family, at 8 Asa Street Jerusalem.
This was the house her family had fled in 1948.
And one midnight, many decades later, Micaela found herself standing outside its front gate.
Further Information Find Me at the Jaffa Gate, an encyclopedia of a Palestinian family is published by NewSouth books.
This episode was recorded at the 2026 Byron Bay Writer's Festival.
The producer was Jen Leake and Nicola Harrison is the Executive Producer.
It explores family, memoir, Palestinians, Israel, 1948, bombings, violence, mass displacement, Christianity, religion, Arabic, Melbourne, grandparents, Palestinian diaspora, family stories, memories, trauma, history, family home, keys, memory, Nakba, church, Jerusalem, Jordan, maternity hospital, tourism.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Micaela Sahhar grew up hearing stories of her Palestinian family's life in Jerusalem before 1948, and what happened when they had to leave.
There was her grandfather’s tourism business, her grandmother’s wedding necklace, and the dramatic circumstances of her father’s birth.
Most of all there was the house, built by her grandfather for his extended family, at 8 Asa Street Jerusalem.
This was the house her family had fled in 1948.
And one midnight, many decades later, Micaela found herself standing outside its front gate.
Further Information Find Me at the Jaffa Gate, an encyclopedia of a Palestinian family is published by NewSouth books.
This episode was recorded at the 2026 Byron Bay Writer's Festival.
The producer was Jen Leake and Nicola Harrison is the Executive Producer.
It explores family, memoir, Palestinians, Israel, 1948, bombings, violence, mass displacement, Christianity, religion, Arabic, Melbourne, grandparents, Palestinian diaspora, family stories, memories, trauma, history, family home, keys, memory, Nakba, church, Jerusalem, Jordan, maternity hospital, tourism.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Raising girls in an age of smartphones and early sexualisation is tough and in this complex arena, parenting educator Maggie Dent says we can't leave these lessons to chance.Growing up Maggie was a tomboy and noticed when she was treated differently from little boys, who were allowed to be their exuberant selves when she was not.
She can clearly recall her indignation at being made to wear a dress as a little girl.
The process of raising girls has changed since Maggie was a child, but there are new challenges today like smartphone usage and unwanted sexualisation of young girls, among others.
She says there are core lessons we can learn to face these challenges and raise confident and well-adjusted girls.
Further information
This episode of Conversations was first broadcast in 2022.
Girlhood: raising our little girls to be healthy, happy and heard is published by Pan Macmillan
This episode explores parenting, daughters, young girls, raising girls, smartphones, early sexualisation, psychology, emotions,  mothers, fathers, aunties, friends, teachers, attention, focus, listening, guidance, self-esteem, anxiety, bullying, teenagers, support.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Political journalist, George Megalogenis has mapped key areas in our population, workforce and geopolitical standing in recent decades, and looks at how these shifts are impacting our collective political future.
For the first time since Federation, Australia’s population is mostly made up of migrants and their children. 
Professional women have now replaced men doing blue collar jobs as the largest segment of the workforce.
And on the world scale, Australia can no longer rely on our traditional allies or trading partners.
These three elements have already changed the political landscape in our country, and this will only continue as time goes on.
Further information
Three Shocks: Who we are becoming in the 21st Century is published by Penguin Random House.
This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan and the Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.
It covers auspol, populism, John Howard, Paul Keating, Harold Holt, Pauline Hanson, One Nation, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Western Australia, parliament, teals, Higgins, Bennelong, Chinese-Australians, Peter Costello, First Nations, Federation, convicts, migration, White Australia policy, one parent born overseas, census, data, graphs, data journalism and Prime Ministers.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.