Good Weekend Talks

Nothing exposes the flaws of a justice system more than the wrongful conviction of an innocent person for murder. Adelaide man Henry Keogh languished in prison for two decades after being wrongfully convicted of his fiancée’s drowning, while Andrew Mallard – a vulnerable, troubled outsider – had his life irrevocably shattered when he was wrongly convicted of the 1994 murder of Pamela Lawrence in Perth. Neil Mercer, one of Australia’s most respected print and TV journalists, has written a new book, 'Falsely Convicted: True Stories of Injustice in Australia', in which he exposes just how easily professional hubris, police tunnel vision and flawed forensic practices can put innocent people behind bars. Today's episode is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Greg Callaghan.
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Arj Barker has been a fixture on the local comedy scene for decades, headlining our comedy festivals and turning up on shows including Thank God You’re Here and Spicks and Specks. But the San Francisco-born stand-up began telling jokes at open mic nights in 1989, before appearances on American late night TV for Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, and David Letterman - not to mention a memorable turn on the hit sitcom Flight of the Conchords. Barker joins us to talk about consciousness, comedy, and the furore that erupted two years ago after he asked a breastfeeding mother and baby to leave his show. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend deputy editor Konrad Marshall.
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Starting a business is one thing, running it successfully is another – but doing it with your spouse and four kids is a different kettle of fish. Janine Allis has done all of the above, after founding Boost Juice as a single store in the 2000s and growing it into a global empire. She’s since become one of the most sought-after entrepreneurs in the country and a regular on small screens, both as a judge on Shark Tank and as a competitor on Australian Survivor - twice. She also owns one of Australia’s fastest-growing dessert chains, Yochi. Allis joins Good Weekend Talks to chat about the challenges and delights of building a family business, how she finds time to surf, and what she learned about leadership as a stewardess on David Bowie’s boat. Today’s episode is hosted by business reporter Jessica Yun.
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Peter Singer, often called the world's most influential philosopher, is turning 80, and he's returned home to Melbourne too, after almost 25 years as a professor of bioethics at Princeton University.Singer's practical ethics has had a huge impact and caused controversy across issues as diverse as the rights of animals, voluntary euthanasia and abortion, freedom of speech, and our moral obligation to help those living in extreme poverty.Given all that's happened in Singer's world and in the wider world, it seemed like a good time to ask him to reflect on his life and work, and about the issues of today, from Trump to anti-Semitism and the limits of free speech.Today's conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn.
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Rob de Castella, otherwise known as “Deeks” - or, to his opponents, “Tree”, due to his sturdy limbs and unshiftable calm - is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner and Australian running royalty. He joins Good Weekend Talks to chat about his Indigenous Marathon Project, in which he takes a group of Indigenous people from around the country every year and signs them up for a rigorous training and education program before each of them runs the famed New York City Marathon. De Castella likes to say that the finishing line in Central Park has be their starting line - encouraging them to go home after the race and use the lessons and strength built throughout the program to be a ripple of change. A new documentary celebrating the project - The Long Run - follows a group of graduates as they’re mentored by former AFL superstar Buddy Franklin and NRL legend Johnathan Thurston. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend deputy editor - and avid runner - Konrad Marshall.
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