National Suicide Prevention & Trauma Recovery Project

With special guest: 

• Gerry Georgatos
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

We are honoured today to have as our special guest a social warrior, Gerry Georgatos. Gerry is the founder of the National Suicide Prevention & Trauma Recovery Project (the Project) set up in 2019. His colleague Megan Krakouer appeared on The Drum to talk about the work Gerry and she are doing with young Aboriginal offenders in Western Australian prisons. Footage emerged of young children being hog-tied by prison guards and Megan spoke of the need for help. 

Gerry Georgatos has remained constant as a social justice and human rights campaigner. His social justice and human rights campaigns began at an early age, from 11 years of age. From that young age he would represent workers of migrant Greek backgrounds, victims of asbestosis – mesothelioma – who struggled with the English language. 

Gerry’s human rights and social justice work was inspired by his parents’ tireless contributions to the Greek community and in positively responding to the racial and cultural divides that were the profound experiences of his parents and his own.  

During the last decade, he has dedicated himself to suicide prevention. Gerry Georgatos has been responsible for pushing onto the national landscape the extensiveness of the suicide crises among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Gerry has been to many, many families suffering from suicide of a member when every single one is a tragedy. The youngest suicide victim was only 9 years old. 

Because of his research, public campaigns and face to face lobbying of Federal Ministers, Gerry was able to craft and launch national responses, including the Project. 

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Profiles in Hope

With special guest: 

• John Brogden AM
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

Even talking about suicide would have been frowned upon a few years ago. Mental illness is still not attractive but we need to do it. 

How can we ignore a situation where 63,000 people attempt suicide every year in Australia? In 2022 there were 1200 road deaths in Australia. The rare shark deaths lead the news cycle for days and yet 3300 people die by suicide every year in Australia. On average 9 Australians die every day and three out of four of these people dying are male. The highest proportion of these males are between forty and fifty years old. The suicide rate went down a little during the Covid pandemic but the numbers have gone back up and are very stubborn. 

We talk today with John Brogden about possible solutions. One thing we should be agitating for is a massive public campaign about the causes of suicide. This approach has been extraordinarily successful in the area of cancer treatment particularly breast cancer in women.

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Fathers and Daughters – Father’s Day Special

With special guest: 

• Madonna King
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

The word “daughter” with its silent letters points to something going on beneath the surface. To find out exactly what is going on between daughters and their Dads calls for a type of explorer who is prepared to investigate widely and give a voice to their thoughts and feelings. 

Our guest today is Madonna King one of Australia’s most accomplished journalists. In her book Fathers and Daughters: Helping girls and their dads build unbreakable bonds Madonna with her typical thoroughness has interviewed no fewer than 1300 girls and 400 Dads along with a host of school principals, psychologists, researchers and even neuroscientists to give us some answers. 

Sometimes the natural instinct of Dads to “fix things” is not what is required. Being a good listener is what his daughter is looking for. Sometimes a practical approach rather than an emotional response is the way to go. Sometimes Dad does not need to do anything, his daughter can learn a lot by modelling and by watching how he relates to others. Dad may show his care by actions rather than words but if that is the case Dad needs to remember just how important he is in his daughter’s life. 

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Vale Glenn A Baker (1952–2026) Woodstock 50 Years On – A Tribute Broadcast

With special guest: 

• Glenn A Baker
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

Glenn A Baker was a father of six children and a grandfather of 12. For those of us whose memories extend a little he was the music guru, so he was a very special Dad to be on our program. 

Glenn told us about an adventure he had lined up for those with a special interest in a particular seminal event and rock music generally. Yet to our surprise it was more than 50 years since that massive and unplanned gathering of over 500,000 people in upstate New York listened to the cream of the world’s musicians playing in a concert, some concert. 

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Reckless: The Saga of Australian Crawl

With special guest: 

• Jeff Apter
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

 It seems that everyone remembers the rock band Australian Crawl. Maybe not all the individual members of the band but certainly their front man James Reyne. They will remember the TV series featuring James called East of Eden. 

But it all comes back to the music, and Australian Crawl was part of an Australian assault on rock music. The music came out of a vibrant pub scene which produced world shaking bands such as Midnight Oil and Cold Chisel. When playing live, there was a driving powerful grittiness and it came through in their records. 

When Australian Crawl first appeared on Countdown in August 1979 performing ‘Beautiful People’, no one knew what to make of them. Certainly not the TV crew, who thought the song was called ‘Beautiful Beach Ball’ and they put up a set to match. 

The band was quirky, charismatic and unmistakably different. But they quickly proved they were no novelty act. Over the next seven years, this band of high school mates produced two of Australia’s bestselling albums, The Boys Light Up and Sirocco, and a string of major hits including ‘Downhearted’, ‘Errol’ and the timeless ‘Reckless’. In all, they sold 1.5 million albums and had 15 charting singles. They performed live all over the country. Their success would launch the screen and solo career of heart-throb lead singer James Reyne. 

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The Natural

With special guests: 

• Brendan Morris & Stephan Wellink
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

The Thornetts, a band of brothers as Shakespeare might have called them. 

Today we explore what makes a champion when we hear about a sporting giant from 1960’s Australia, namely Richard, or as he was more commonly known, Dick Thornett. 

Dick was the youngest in a family of champions. Dick’s oldest brother was John who became the Captain of the Australian Rugby team, the Wallabies. Under John, the Wallabies had a legendary tour of South Africa. The next brother Ken also played Rugby at a representative level but is best known for his Rugby League abilities. Starting his Rugby League career in England he became known as the Mayor of Leeds before he came back to Australia representing Parramatta and Australia in the Kangaroos. 

Dick is called “the Natural” because he was so good at any sport he turned his hand to. After representing Australia in water polo at the 1960 Olympics in Rome he went on to represent Australia in two very different sports namely Rugby and Rugby League. 

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The Little Book of Cosmic Catastrophes

With special guest:

• Dr Sara Webb
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

The title of this program may look as though it will make us doom struck or at least a little gloomy but strangely it does not. This might have something to do with our guest who is so bright and cheery talking about these biggest of the biggest of issues. 

Dr Sara Webb has written The Little Book of Cosmic Catastrophes (That Could End the World) for a general audience who will be able to get a better understanding of where we have come from and where our Earth and humanity itself will go. 

Today we talk about what has happened in the distant past, in fact when time began. An amazing number of things had to go just right for the universe as we know it to exist. This goes back to the laws of physics as explored in the recent past by Albert Einstein. Who knew that if the forces between the atomic particles were different, the matter of which we are made simply would not have formed? 

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The Soul

With special guest: 

• Paul Ham
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

Our topics do not come much bigger or more interesting than The Soul: A History of the Human Mind written by our guest today Paul Ham. Certain ideas come to mind when we mention the word “Soul”. Are we talking about soul music or the definition in the catechism or maybe the soul of America which was said to be lost during the Vietnam war? 

Paul tells us that the soul can mean all of these things and more. Paul has tackled a topic which is huge in breadth and also extended over the millennia to the beginnings of civilisation. His discovery is that what humans first called the soul was originally thought to be a part of all of us. The soul survived the death of the body and then ventured to an underworld which might be Heaven or Hell. Some Christians believed at one stage that there was also a halfway house called Purgatory but that has disappeared in more recent beliefs. In fact the soul itself disappeared mysteriously during the period called the enlightenment until we arrive where we are today and scientists tell us that the mind is a creation of the brain. 

In this book Paul Ham restores the idea of a soul to the human story but not as something that can be located as a separate organ or entity. Instead Paul shows us how belief in, and beliefs arising from the soul or mind, have animated and driven the history of our kind. 

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Dead Centre

With special guest: 

• Robin Bowles
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

In the Northern Territory of Australia there have always been strange, spooky happenings. The disappearance of British backpacker Peter Falconio can be added to the list with so many fascinating elements and weird explanations offered. 

This real life story has even resulted in a horror movie being produced with some clear references to what happened on that lonely road right in the centre of the Australian mainland in the middle of the night in July 2001. 

What we do know is that after driving off at night with his girlfriend Joanne Lees in completely unknown and wild country Peter Falconio went missing and the only explanation we have is from that girlfriend whose behaviour was to say the least unusual. 

After becoming interested in the case after a telephone call from a friend, Robin Bowles entered the scene and did her usual thorough research. This included more than 50 hours with the accused and interviewing many of the main players. We get a glimpse into a world of criminals, forensic experts, seedy drug underworlds, worldwide media networks and the realities of high profile, high stakes legal process. 

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A User’s Guide to the Mind

With special guest: 

• Prof Ian Hickie AO
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

We often hear about the rise in the rate of depression and anxiety in our community. The stigma of poor mental health has been reduced significantly so that sports stars such as Greg Inglis can now go on television and discuss their personal battles with depression without fear of any repercussions. 

But even when so many people are opening up about their mental health battles there are questions we are left with. These might include what can be done to improve mental health without lining up for perhaps a year to see a Psychiatrist? What are the signs to be wary about? 

This is where Professor Ian Hickie enters the picture as we speak with him today. This new book A User’s Guide to the Mind is written along similar lines as a good health guide for our physical health. It is written with all ages in mind and can be dipped into for particular topics. 

We often hear about good mental health. But what does that mean? From Ian’s answer we can readily see that this is not a set and forget condition. There are lots of helpful suggestions from the authors on how we can nurture and protect this precious asset. 

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Deadly Connections

With special guest: 

• Keenan Mundine
  … in conversation with Bill Kable 

Dreamer, nothing but a dreamer. That might be where it started for our guest today Keenan Mundine after a beginning in life that really didn’t give him a chance. 

But after Keenan had spent the first half of his life in the criminal justice system he came to a realisation. Keenan either had to change his ways or face up to spending his life behind bars. Fortunately for us and for Keenan he decided to make a worthwhile contribution to society. And so was born Deadly Connections where he is the co-founder along with his wife Carly. 

Keenan established Deadly Connections over a year ago and the charity is officially recognised with DGR status meaning that any donations of $2 or more will bring a tax deduction. 

So what is Deadly Connections? What does “deadly” mean anyway? You can be sure that in this context it does not mean life threatening. In Keenan’s community it means something very good. Keenan and Carly do their work by getting right into the community with several approved programs. They aim to get to the Koori kids at risk and turn them around before they become candidates for entering the criminal justice scene. 

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Lee Gordon Presents

With special guest:

• Jeff Apter
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

It is hard to discover who the real Lee Gordon was but Jeff Apter provides a whirlwind tour of this extraordinary life in his book Lee Gordon Presents. We know Lee Gordon arrived for the first time in Australia in September 1953. We know he left for the last time in 1963 before he died alone in a London hotel at the age (probably) of 40. Not much is certain about his real name, his date of birth and why this brash American decided on making Australia his home. But in the ten years he lived in Australia he revealed himself as a force of nature.

Lee Gordon must have been a charming personality. He prevailed upon a whole host of the most successful entertainers in America to make the long trip to Australia and perform in sometimes primitive venues such as the Sydney Stadium. Those entertainers who fell under his spell included Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and the list goes on.

At first Australian audiences were wary that the stars would not really be performing. They thought that when the time came they would be presented with a film or perhaps impersonators but when the stars kept coming Lee Gordon had some hugely successful tours.

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ALIVE

With special guest:

• Dr Gabriel Weston
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

In her absorbing new book called ALIVE Doctor Gabriel Weston looks in admiration at the incredible work 11 organs of our body do to keep us alive. Gabriel tells us that if the space permitted she would have liked to examine at least another 14 organs but we do get to investigate the most interesting.

Somehow Gabriel manages to talk about body parts without making even the most squeamish feel uncomfortable. This is clear when the book begins with a post mortem description that is very detailed. Gabriel is also able to deal with the genitals in a very matter of fact way that generates more light than heat.

What comes out most strongly in ALIVE is the sense of wonder that Gabriel feels when describing what the organs of the body do. Gabriel first felt this as a child when she was likely to go towards an accident or medical emergency. The feeling grew when she was invited to attend a surgical procedure but seemed thwarted when her maths and science abilities were not up to the standard required for entry into medical studies.

So Gabriel studied the subject she was good at namely English literature. Luckily for all of us she found a way into medicine and found her true calling.

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Testicular Cancer – Men’s Health Week special

With special guest:

• Dr Gideon Blecher
  in conversation  with Bill Kable

This is a topic that is not often raised in polite company or even on talkback radio.

Many men would be reluctant to discuss testicular cancer even with their doctor. This is despite about 700 men being diagnosed in Australia every year, and in men aged 18-39 it is the second most common form of cancer.

In this program we go to an expert at Healthy Male (formerly Andrology Australia), Dr Gideon Blecher, to find out what we should know. And there is some good news to pass on. Gideon refers to Lance Armstrong who developed this form of cancer before his later Tour de France exploits. We are told that Armstrong is a great example to show that even when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body modern treatment can lead to a full recovery.

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Ten things I wish you knew about your child’s mental health

With special guest:

• Dr Billy Garvey
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

Our guest today is Dr Billy Garvey who is an expert in a field where you do not get provided with a guide book. All parents know the feeling when following the birth of your child you are set free expecting to know how to raise this very complex small version of ourselves.

One of the first things Dr Billy tells us that it is quite normal not to immediately develop the bonding and attachment that we sometimes hear about. Using his own example with his two children we hear that it took some time for this to develop.

Ten things I wish you knew about your child’s mental health is there to help all of us who encounter difficulties with children of any age. This extends from having a baby that cries at night too much, right through to sullen teenagers. That includes most of us. Whatever the problem is it is most likely that it has been seen before in Dr Billy’s 20 years of practice and the advantage here is that you do not have to go into a long waiting line, sometimes years long, to get advice from the doctor.

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A Walk through the Battlefields

With special guest:

• Dr Will Davies
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

The battlefields of World War 1 are now mostly beautiful green fields with some still hiding bullets and ordinance from over 100 years ago. To fully appreciate the sacrifices made in the First World War by young Australians from “the Golden Generation” you have to know what you are looking at when you see these fields more than 100 years after the shots were fired. Our guest today Dr Will Davies can help visitors get the most out of a visit.

After hearing the stories from Will, names like Pozieres, Mouquet Farm, Fromelles and Ypres will never seem the same. There are extraordinary monuments representing the countries that participated in the war to end all wars. These include the English, the American, the Canadian, even one from Newfoundland. And there is the Australian monument at Villers-Bretonneux.

There is a daily ceremony at Menin Gate rain hail or shine that should not be missed. And Will has developed his own ceremony on his tours involving gum leaves from home.

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Men of Business Academy

With special guest:

• Marco Renai
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

What comes across very clearly when we speak with Marco Renai is that he is a ball of energy.

After Marco left school he had a path available to him in his family’s catering business. HIs first solo business venture was to set up a gym where members could improve their physical condition and wellness under Marco’s guidance. This was Marco’s first attempt at interacting with the community but alas Covid 19 struck. When the members stopped coming, the business folded.

This is where Marco’s strong family background and personal experience in the field of education shaped what happened next. While Marco had struggled with the discipline and uncompromising system of education he always had his loving and supportive family to fall back on. But when he was asked to volunteer some mentoring to local youth in the Gold Coast region of Queensland he realised that for many young men this safety net was not available. Sure enough, for many of the young men dropping out of the education system led on to big trouble with society and the law.

Having recognised the problem, Marco set about doing something about it. Marco rounded up some 100 local businessmen for an Italian lunch and over a pasta or two came up with a plan to raise $1million to help these young men. Being a force of nature this daunting sum did not pose a problem.

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Still Standing

With special guest:

• Chrissie Foster
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

This is the story of how Chrissie Foster responded and refused to back down when confronted by an all-powerful secretive protected institution. Chrissie Foster’s family tragedies and the tepid response by the Catholic Church changed her from living a life of domestic harmony and peace in a totally unexpected way.

No doubt when the choice of schools had to be made for their daughters there were discussions between Chrissie and her husband Anthony. Because of Chrissie’s background being raised and educated in the Church they chose a Catholic primary school. Years later they discovered what their daughters had endured.

Chrissie tells us how two of her young daughters were sexually abused by a priest in the Catholic Church. This went against generations of religious faith in her family. Fortunately Chrissie’s family were prepared to join her and give all the support they could when the Church failed to respond. Chrissie’s mother had been a lifelong attendee at weekly Mass but she chose to give that practice up as a result.

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Better than Happiness

With special guest:

• Dr Gregory Smith OAM
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

Now well and truly out of the forest he described in his first book, Gregory Smith has produced his next book called Better than Happiness in which he lets us know how he has progressed in the five years since we heard from him last time.

Gregory’s life story is extraordinary and uplifting. Gregory had a type of epiphany when sitting on a park bench in 1999 when a stranger showed him some kindness. From there it has been one step at a time.

After being told so many times while he was growing up that he was stupid, he slowly began to realise that this was wrong. He found that he could learn more things than just how to survive day to day. In fact he achieved recognition in an academic field. Senior people were coming to him for advice.

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An Unlikely Prisoner

With special guest:

• Sean Turnell
  … in conversation with Bill Kable

It is a special welcome to our guest today Sean Turnell. Sean survived for 650 days in Insein prison under the orders of the military Junta of Myanmar. In Sean’s book An Unlikely Prisoner we hear how this unarmed University Professor who weighs 50kg wringing wet became a dangerous prisoner to a foreign government needing armed escorts wherever he went.

We hear from Sean that he was summarily arrested in his hotel before being confined to a small cell he shared with an enormous rat. Nothing could prepare a person for this ordeal and Sean did not see it coming. Yet as you will hear in this interview Sean maintained his faith in humanity, his sense of humour and mostly his health.

Perhaps the worst aspect was the uncertainty. Sean first thought that he would not be a priority for the authorities, that he would be fairly swiftly deported. It seemed that detention for a month would be the likely horrible outcome. But as the months went by there seemed to be no progress. Was he ever going to be released?

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