Conversations

Male midwife, Christian Wright tells stories of emergency evacuations and surfing with crocodiles while working in remote Indigenous communities, helping Yolŋu women birth their babies. Growing up South of Sydney as one of six boys, midwifery wasn't the occupation Christian Wright expected for himself. At the age of nine he experienced a vision that gave him a sense of his future in a life of service. In the tiny town of Nhulunbuy, right on the tip of the Northern Territory, Christian worked with Yolŋu women of remote Arnhem Land to help them birth their babies. Further information First broadcast March 2021. 2025 update: Several years ago, Christian married his beloved, Caroline in Gove. On the first day of their honeymoon as they were driving up the track, their troop carrier rolled.  Christian’s spine was broken, and he was airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where the doctors feared that he may not walk again. Christian went back to work within six months of the accident and has since worked in the NT and Papua New Guinea. He and Caroline now have a baby boy. Learn more about Christian's research [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christian-Wright-7] into pregnancy and birth. Discover the Djakamirr [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etfvPLRhjS8&t=188s] program, training doulas to help Yolŋu women give birth on their own country. Christian also recommends the book [https://www.whywarriors.com.au/product/why-warriors-lie-down-and-die/] Why Warriors Lie Down and Die by Richard Trudgen as a valuable resource on Indigenous Australia. You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784 [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784#Richard Fidler reflects on 20 years of Conversations] This episode of Conversations explores birth, midwifery, Yolŋu country, First Nations birthing, the fourth trimester, active labour and a male midwife.

The co-creator of Absolutely Fabulous says her remarkable career as one of the world's funniest women is all down to a series of happy accidents.  When she and her great pal Dawn French were making their first series, French & Saunders, they were given complete freedom by the BBC, including the freedom to fail. Despite a few mishaps along the way and a battle with breast cancer, Jennifer now says that early freedom, risk-taking and random opportunities were the best things that could possibly have happened to them. Further information First broadcast in April, 2014. You can hear Sarah's full conversation with Timothy Spall on the ABC Listen App [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/timothy-spall/11752648 ], or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] This episode of Conversations explores memoir, books, writing, TV comedy, Ab Fab, celebrity memoir, battling cancer, survival stories, breast cancer, British humour, dark humour, Black Books, the Comic Strip, Friends, Roseanne, Adrian Edmondson,  Edina Monsoon, Joanna Lumley, Patsy Stone, Muppets, Spice Girls, Top Gear.

When Judy Sharp was told by doctors that her son would never communicate or learn to love, she refused to believe it and set about to secure a brilliant life for her neurodivergent son, Tim. Judy's eldest son, Tim, was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. When Judy was told Tim would never communicate or be able to love she refused to accept those limitations. As a mother, Judy took many risks to secure a good life for both of her sons, including escaping an abusive marriage. Her risks paid off. As a grown man, Tim became a renowned artist and his popularity continues to grow. Laser Beak Man, Tim's cheeky cartoon super-hero, has taken Tim and Judy as far as Broadway, where he was the central figure of a musical. Further information First broadcast in February, 2016. 2025 update: Tim and his artwork have been included in the book celebrating 50 years of the Sydney Opera House, about 50 famous Australian artists. Judy is now a sought-after speaker and spends much of her time speaking at conferences.  A film based on Judy's memoir is in development, hopefully starting production in 2026.  You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] This episode of Conversations explores parenting children with autism, ADHD, neurodivergence, communication, Asperger's, mothers of sons, spousal abuse, brothers, ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Austin.

Sharonne Zaks is not your average dentist. After treating a patient named Anna, Sharonne saw the power relationship with her patients differently. She developed a new branch of dentistry to help care for survivors of sexual assault. Sharonne grew up in a family of dentists, and when she too became a dentist, she developed an empathetic relationship with her patients, never judging them even if they'd avoided the dentist for years. A patient named Anna profoundly changed Sharonne's understanding of a patient's experience in the dentist's chair. Sharonne realised that for those who have been through a sexual assault or trauma, the extreme powerlessness of being treated at the dentist can be highly triggering. Sharonne undertook study into the area, and began a new regime to treat survivors in her own practice. She then began explaining what she'd found about the power dynamic between dentist and patient, to her own colleagues. Further information 2025 update: Sharonne regularly presents on trauma-informed care to groups across the dental profession and beyond, including lawyers, nurses, doctors and carers. Trauma-informed dental knowledge and skills have recently been made core competencies for all newly qualified dentists by the Australian Dental Council. You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] This episode of Conversations explores dentistry, Maxillofacial surgery, fear of the dentist, overcoming fear of the dentist, sexual trauma, power dynamics, tooth pain, tooth ache, root canal, medical industry, helping patients, fear of medicine, oral hygiene, avoiding the dentist, dental appointment, finding a dentist who cares, empathetic dentist, pain free dentist.

In the swinging '60s, Anthony 'Ace' Bourke and John Rendall bought a lion cub from a luxury department store. They eventually released him to his natural habitat in Africa. Footage of their emotional reunion in the wilds of Africa nearly broke the internet, decades later. In 1969, Anthony 'Ace' Bourke and John Rendall bought a lion cub for just under £300 from Harrods Department Store. They named the cub Christian, and lived with him as a pet in their Chelsea flat, above a furniture shop. Eventually, Ace and John met the renowned conservationist George Adamson, who agreed to introduce Christian to his natural habitat in Africa as he was quickly outgrowing their inner city pad. Several years later John and Ace went to visit Christian in the wilds of Kenya. The fully grown lion remarkably remembered the men, and was filmed leaping up to embrace them. Some 40 years after that event, footage of their reunion was uploaded to YouTube, and brought the story to a whole new audience. Further information First broadcast April, 2009. John Rendall continued to actively support the The George Adamson & Tony Fitzjohn Wildlife Trust [https://koraproject.org/] until his death in 2022. Ace Bourke has been a committee member of Australian-based charity, Working for Animals [https://www.workingforanimals.org.au/] for many years and is writing a memoir.  You can hear Richard's full conversation with Ken Wyatt on the ABC Listen App [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/ken-wyatt-life-roelands-mission-teacher-family-making-history/103957732] or wherever you get your podcasts.  You can also read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website. [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784] This episode of Conversations explores viral videos, conservation, charismatic animals, safari, wildlife trade, 1960s, Kora National Park, Kenya, East Africa, travel, animal welfare, epic story, unbelievable story, memoir, books, writing.