Better Than Yesterday with Osher Günsberg

What would you do if the lights suddenly went out and stayed out not for an hour, but for days? Your phone is down to 5% because you've been on TikTok and who knows where the torch is?
Watching what's been happening in Tibet these last few days has been truly harrowing, and got me reflecting on one of the most powerful conversations I've ever had on this podcast - a conversation with disaster planner Lucy Easthope.
Lucy has spent more than 20 years preparing governments and communities for some of the worst events imaginable — from floods and fires to bombings, plane crashes and major infrastructure failures. Her message is surprisingly simple: we need to prepare for “when”, not “if” disaster happens.
In this conversation, Lucy explains why being prepared doesn't mean living in fear, and how a little planning can actually make us feel more calm and resilient. She shares what families can learn from disaster planning, why Australian communities have developed a stronger culture of preparedness, and why we should be having more honest conversations with our children about risk.
Lucy also challenges one of our most instinctive responses to disaster: sending 'stuff'. After a crisis, our desire to help is powerful, but donated goods can sometimes become more of a hindrance than a help. Lucy explains why cash is often the most useful donation and how organised charities can put resources where they're needed most.
And then there's panic - despite what movies often show, research suggests people caught in disasters frequently behave responsibly and look after one another. Lucy explains what actually causes panic — and why good information and sensible planning can make such a difference.
Be sure to check out my full conversation with Lucy - the link is below.
LINKS
Listen to the full episode with Lucy here
Follow Lucy (@whenthedustsettleslucy) on Instagram
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Watch full stories recorded live at  Story Club on YouTube
Get tickets for our next Story Club show
Get Osher's latest book "So What? Now What?" here
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What happens when the version of yourself you created to succeed starts getting in the way of actually being yourself?
In this episode, broadcaster and author Christian O’Connell opens up to Osher Gunsberg about the darker side of the career he built around conversation and connection. Christian reflects on the radio persona he developed early in his career, his obsession with having the funniest show on air, and the moment that carefully constructed identity began to fall apart. In his 40s, he started having severe panic attacks in the one place he had always felt the most comfortable: the radio studio. Eventually, he sought therapy for the first time and discovered that confronting what was happening beneath the surface could change everything. He also packed up and moved his family halfway around the world from England to Australia, sparking initial backlash from radio listeners.
This conversation explores vulnerability, self-discovery and authentic human connection, including Christian's unconventional experience of physically releasing emotions during a therapy session. Christian also shares his 'WAVES' framework for better conversations, and explains why becoming less defensive, more curious and more present can transform the way we communicate with partners, children, colleagues and ourselves. There are practical tools too, including Christian's experience with breathwork and a simple breathing technique that he uses when he feels anxiety beginning to rise.
In one of the episode's most moving moments, Christian recalls how a listener named Pete sharing his bowel cancer experience on air led to a 600% rise in the return of bowel screening kits. And Christian reveals that Pete's final message became a guiding principle: “Keep up the humour, don't forget the human.”
As social media and AI increasingly changing the way we communicate, this conversation is a reminder that the things that make us human — curiosity, vulnerability, humour, presence and genuine connection — may be more important than ever.
LINKS
Christian's book 'Unscript: The Radical Act of Being Yourself' is available now
Follow (@mrchristianoconnell) on Instagram
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Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube
Watch full stories recorded live at Story Club on YouTube
Get tickets for our next Story Club show
Get Osher's latest books here
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LIKE THIS EPISODE? CHECK THESE OUT...
How Radio Star Robin Bailey Kept Going Through Unimaginable Grief - Twice
Jackie O Reveals How She and Kyle Sandilands Built Australia's Most Successful Radio Show
Purpose, Parenting, Posca - and how you can do everything you want, with Merrick Watts
What it's like to be Hamish Blake
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What makes a child want to read? And what happens when we stop trying to make childhood perfect?
In this episode, Osher Gunsberg looks back on his chat with one of Australia’s most successful children’s authors, Andy Griffiths, the award-winning creative force behind The Day My Bum Went Psycho and the much-loved Treehouse series.
Andy reflects on his early years as a high school English teacher and the lesson that shaped much of his work: children will engage with reading when we give them something they actually want to read. He explains why books offer children more than literacy — they can open up their imagination, expand their understanding of the world and provide a private escape from the rules and expectations of everyday life.
Andy also reveals how watching children choose books helped inspire the unconventional visual style of his Treehouse series of books, and how his creative partnership with illustrator Terry Denton grew from a willingness to embrace silliness, experimentation and ideas that might otherwise have been considered too strange.
The conversation also covers parenting, where Andy challenges the pressure to create the “perfect childhood”. Drawing on his own experience raising two daughters, he argues that allowing children to experience some adversity can help them develop resilience, and that 'good enough parenting' really can be good enough.
It's a funny, thoughtful and surprisingly profound conversation about books, childhood, imagination, parenting and the importance of giving kids permission to explore the world on their own terms.
LINKS
Listen to the full episode with Andy here
More about Andy and his work here
Sign up to the Better Than Yesterday newsletter
Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube
Watch full stories recorded live at  Story Club on YouTube
Get tickets for our next Story Club show
Get Osher's latest book "So What? Now What?" here
Send a pic of what you're looking at to sendosheremail@gmail.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate change can feel so enormous that it’s difficult to know where to start or how to stay engaged without becoming overwhelmed.
In this episode of Better Than Yesterday, Osher Gunsberg speaks with climate campaigner and Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie about the realities of climate change, the progress Australia has already made, and how we can continue fighting for a better future without burning ourselves out.
Amanda has spent more than 20 years working on climate change, and she reflects on what it’s like to dedicate your life to an issue that can feel almost impossibly large. She opens up about the loss of her friend and climate scientist Professor Will Steffen, and the emotional toll of witnessing environmental change while raising young children.
The conversation also explores Amanda’s idea of “stubborn optimism” - a deliberate choice to acknowledge the seriousness of the climate crisis while still believing that people can work together to create meaningful change.
Amanda and Osher also discuss Australia’s rapid growth in renewable energy, why the economics of clean energy are changing the conversation, the potential for Australia to become a global leader in green industries, and why progress can sometimes be difficult to see while you’re living through it.
Amanda also shares practical ways to protect yourself from doom-scrolling and climate burnout. And if you’re wondering what you can actually do about climate change, Amanda’s advice is simple: start small - because you don’t have to save the world on your own. You just have to find your part of the puzzle.
LINKS
More on the Climate Council here
Follow (@theclimatecouncil) on Instagram
Sign up to the Better Than Yesterday newsletter
Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube
Watch full stories recorded live at Story Club on YouTube
Get tickets for our next Story Club show
Get Osher's latest books here
Send a pic of what you're looking at to sendosheremail@gmail.com
LIKE THIS EPISODE? CHECK THESE OUT...
Listen to Amanda's first appearance on Better Than Yesterday
The Psychology of Climate Anxiety, Climate Denial and Talking to your Kids about it with Psychologist Dr Susie Burke
The Economic Cost of Climate Inaction with the brilliant economist Nikki Hutley

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What are we actually teaching young people about consent?
In this episode, Osher looks back on his powerful conversation with Chanel Contos, where they explored how children and teenagers learn about sex, relationships, boundaries and consent — often from sources far beyond the classroom.
Chanel, whose campaign for better consent education began after thousands of young people shared their experiences of sexual assault, argues that education needs to go much further than simply teaching “no means no”. Young people need to understand empathy, recognise boundaries and learn what healthy, mutually desired relationships actually look like.
The conversation examines the influence of pornography, movies and popular culture, and how romantic storylines can normalise jealousy, coercion, obsession and controlling behaviour. Chanel also discusses the different ways boys and girls are socialised — including the pressure on girls to be accommodating and the importance of helping boys develop empathy beyond their immediate social circles.
They also explore what consent can look and sound like in real life, including the importance of paying attention to body language and creating space for someone to change their mind. As Chanel explains, consent isn't simply about hearing an explicit “no”; it is about actively checking that another person is comfortable and genuinely wants to participate.
Despite the difficult subject matter, Chanel remains hopeful. She believes sexual violence is preventable, but that doing so requires adults to have uncomfortable conversations, challenge their own assumptions and make these lessons part of everyday life.
Because teaching consent isn't a one-off conversation. It's something we teach through the small, ordinary moments in which young people learn what love, respect, boundaries and healthy relationships look like.
SUPPORT
For domestic or sexual abuse support: 1800 737 732 (1800 RESPECT)
For immediate support in a crisis, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14
More resources are available from Beyond Blue
LINKS
Listen to the full episode with Chanel here
Follow Chanel (@chanelc) on Instagram
More from Chanel's Teach Us Consent initiative
Sign up to the Better Than Yesterday newsletter
Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube
Watch full stories recorded live at Story Club on YouTube
Get tickets for our next Story Club show
Get Osher's latest book "So What? Now What?" here
Send a pic of what you're looking at to sendosheremail@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.