Radical Australia

Jay Coonan works for the Antipoverty Centre and hails from Perth. He used to pull beers and once worked as a journalist in Myanmar. It was fun hearing about Jay's life journey thus far! Keep up the great work, Jay, and thanks so much for joining us this week.antipovertycentre.org I @antipovertycent

We were honoured to welcome Yorta Yorta elder Aunty Daphne Milward into the 3CR studios late last month to hear some stories about her full life of 26 jobs, 3 careers and bagging the 2022 Victorian Senior of the Year. Congratulations, Daphne! Aunty Daphne was born in 1940 around Mooroopna and spent her days on the Cummeragunja Reserve. Her great uncle was William Cooper and she also had an uncle in Pastor Doug Nicholls who she helped establish the Aboriginal Advancement League through donations and grants. The league established the first indigenous legal service and child care agency in Victoria. Daphne continues to keep productive with her art and with Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place, among other activities, and believes the key to a long, healthy life is to keep active in your community, such as through volunteering. We thank Daphne so much for joining us for this episode and for her daughter Karen for joining us as well.Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place - mmigp.org.au

Jacques Boulet is the co-presenter of 3CR's Think Again, produced by BORDERLANDS co-operative. Jacques was born and raised in Tongeren, the oldest town in Belgium, and received a classical education. He understands 12 languages. Jacques has spent his life in social work, community development and academia in Europe, the USA and Australia. He says the secret to a long, healthy life is to keep busy and to keep relating to all of life. We thank Jacques very much for being our guest this week.Think Again, Fridays 10am - 10:30amborderlands.org.auLocal Lives, Global Matters conference, Castlemaine 2015

This week's guest on Radical Australia is none other than Mr. Paulie Stewart, he of Melbourne band Painters & Dockers fame and recent producer of the memoir, All the Rage, a life recounted whilst waiting to either live or die in the Austin Hospital for a new liver. Paulie has done many things in his life, from being a music journalist for 30 years, to fronting bands The Dili Allstars and The Transplants, to committed activism for East Timor independence. In this conversation Pauile talks about the legacy wrought by his brother's murder at Balibo and shares his wonder at all the amazing people he has had the pleasure to meet and work with in his life. He is a very generous guy. We hope you enjoy this conversation and we thank Paulie very much for joining us this week. Dock on!paintersanddockers.com.au // @paintersanddockers 

This week's Sumer guest is none other than Melbourne icon, Rowland Thomson, who started Melbourne queer bookshop and institution, Hares and Hyenas, back in 1991. The shop, now housed at the Victorian Pride Centre, has just celebrated its 31st birthday. Rowland grew up in country Victoria before moving to the big smoke and at some stage starting the Dizzy Spinners record shop, which went on to become the legendary Polyester Records. Rowland was also in the Little Band punk scene with the Beaumaris Tennis Club Quartet back in the day at the Seaview Ballroom and he can also lay claim to running up the Rialto. We thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Rowland and we hope you do as well. Thank-you, Rowland.hares-hyenas.com.au

We're really honoured to welcome this week's guest to Radical Australia, David Legge. David is a founding member of the People's Health Movement and was there during the introduction of community health centres during the Whitlam era. He grew up in the fields of Greensborough and went to uni amongst agitation against capital punishment. David read at the ANU for 5 years and somewhere along the way presented a health program on 3CR. He is involved in the Rubicon Forest Protection Group and believes activism really does call for thinking globally, and creatively, whilst acting locally. Thank-you for your lifetime's work, David, and for joining us this week.People's Health Movement: phmovement.org Rubicon Forest Protection Group: rubiconforest.org Twitter: @DavidGLegge

This week's guest was very entertaining and a delight to have in the studio: Charlie Hill-Smith - filmmaker, thespian, failed comedian, cartoonist and the list goes on. Charlie hails from Tanunda, South Australia, and his life changed forever when he went on exchange to Indonesia as a school-leaver, forging enduring links and opening his eyes to the people and politics of the region, eventually heading to West Papua and a hiking trip led by Dani guides where he got to meet the oldest farmers in the world. Charlie has led a colourful life, from starting Adelaide's longest-running comedy club, The Rhino Room, to spoofing as a food critic. He is currently launching Crime Scene Australia, a revisionist, gonzo comic book, in collaboration with 3CRs own Robert Thorpe. You will enjoy hearing some of Charlie's story and we thank him very much for being our guest this week.Crime Scene Australia - Edition One launches at Wolfhound Cafe, 386 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 6pm, Thursday December 1st 2022Charlies Youtube channel

Harry Millward is our lovely guest this week on Radical Australia. Harry turns up week in, week out, on the steps of Victoria's parliament house advocating for public housing. During the pandemic he organised with others in the retail and fast food industry to get better health protections for workers and a campaign was begun with RAFFWU (Retail and Fast Food Workers Union). Harry hails from country South Australia and is a warm, genial person with excellent poltics. Thanks so much for being our guest this week, Harry.raffwu.org.au I @raffwu I aus.social/@harrym

From doodling caricatures of his primary school teachers to his call centre customers, this week's guest, Sam Wallman, is our much-loved socialist, political cartoonist here in Naarm, creating many wicked images over the years that tell our story of class struggle and the wonk of capitalism in glorious, poetic detail and striking imagery. Sam is a member of the Worker's Art Collective, creating visual art for the class struggle when he is not employed as a disability support worker. Sam is well-known to the 3CR community for creating a few of our magnificent Radiothon posters over the years and he does a lot of cartooning for unions. We were so pleased to welcome Sam on the show this week. We had some great laughs. Thanks so much for joining us, Sam, and for both the strength and  giggles you give us through your work. Our Members Be Unlimited (2022)3CR Radiothon 20213CR 40th birthday (2016)facebook.com/wallmansam I @ourmembersbeunlimited (instagram) I @wallmansam (twitter) I patreon.com/samwallman

Kate Shaw was a runaway kid in Sandringham before becoming a bohemain type in post-punk St Kilda where she lived a good life on the Esplanade at the Mandalay apartments and at The Esplanade Hotel. Kate and friends witnessed firsthand the creep of global finance and property development in their seaside community, home and playground and started Save St Kilda. These days Kate is an academic who researches the commodification of culture. In this conversation with the fasinating Kate, we talk about the amalgamation of Melbourne's councils and voluntary-assisted dying, among other things. Kate has a lot of important things to share about her life and her work and so we have invited her back in the new year for a second-parter. We hope you enjoy this episode. Kate, Ian Rilen, Tony Biggs, Fred Farlowe and Fred Negro, c. 1989. Promo for an Espy benefit

This week's guest is Jacob Andrewartha, passionate activist and a Socialist Alliance national co-convenor. Jacob was turned on to activism through the Kevin Rudd 'PNG Solution' and hasn't looked back. His centre-left political orientation formed in a gaming world through contact with other gamers before he started joining others on campaigns. Jacob co-hosts Green Left Weekly on 3CR and when he isn't doing that and studying for his degree in English and History he is an early childhood educator. Jacob is the oldest of 11 children and was home schooled. These days he lives life according to his own values as an independent person. We thank Jacob very much for being our guest this week.Green Left Weekly I Fridays 7:00am - 8:30am I 3CR 855AM I 3CR DIGITAL I 3cr.org.augreenleft.org.ausocialist-alliance.org

David McLean was the Head of English somewhere in time and has been a teacher all his working life. David did a great job of explaining how right-wing governments have, over time,  instilled a program of How To Screw-up Education 101 in Australia's education system, with the introduction of business speak and running teachers down to the ground. David is a writer and enthusiastic amateur actor, starring in Neighbours and writing a book titled Finding Coby about his neice's battle with teen depression. He really is a nice guy. David is currently introducing writing as relective practise to Epworth medical students which has illuminated the doubt felt, but formerly hidden, among medical students. Great work. David also co-hosts 3CR's book show, Published or Not, on Thursdays 11:30am. Thanks so much for being our guest this week, David, and keep up the great work.Published or Not: Thursdays 11:30am - 12pm | 3cr.org.au/publishedornotIn-verse reflection: structured creative writing exercises to promote reflective

We are delighted to welcome this week's guest to Radical Australia, Sally Gibson. Sally is a powerhouse writer and all-round accomplished person currently running for political office in the seat of Brighton, an area close to her heart and in which she was raised. What hasn't Sally done? We were delighted to learn she wrote the synopsis for the television series The Dismissal (1983) and The Cowra Breakout (1984) and has held many different public service positions in her life, giving her a great wealth of knowledge and experience. Sally wrote her politics honours thesis on community radio and 3CR and it was wonderful to welcome her back after many years. Sally is keen to tackle corruption in the political system and to hear from ordinary people about their concerns. We wish Sally well in her campaign and thank her very much for being our guest this week.sallygibson.com.au I 0409 197 717 I team@sallygibson.com.au 

Liza Dezfouli is one of those interesting people who have done a bit of everything in their life and who we love to speak to on Radical Australia. Liza is a Kiwi girl who made Melbourne her home at some stage of her life and has raised two boys in the security of a housing co-operative, originally through the Council of Single Mothers and their Children. Liza is an accomplished arts writer, poet and actress and treated us to one of her delightfully subversive poems, Dear Tom. Liza urges people to explore their creativity and find their joy. We thank Liza very much for joining us this week.Liza in UNHOWSED 2019, a play about older women and homelessness 

This week's guest, Timothy Neville, is on indefinite bail here in Naarm and once broke into the world's largest coal port as part of Blockade Australia. Timothy has seemingly been a life-long activist, beginning with a plan to ban plastic at his primary school at age 8. Timothy has always been aware of the world's geo-political, economic and environmental problems and has always tried to make the world a better place, joining with others in activist activities around climate change, whistle-blowing, indigenous sovereignty to Julian Assange. In this conversation with Timothy we learn some things about the draconian activist laws which have come into effect in some states of Australia and Timothy's personal jouney to find justice in the world. Thanks so much for being our guest this week, Timothy.

From Manly to Wagga-Wagga to around the world and back, this week's guest, Michael Bible, has always gotten stick for his surname. Maybe that's payback for the times he used to ride around Wagga on his ponies and torment the priests and nuns. Michael is a former sports kid and, later, anthropogist who quit on grounds of 'cultural theft' and these days provides his policy nous to the West Papua Office in Docklands. He joined us this week to talk about the West Papua Office Open Day this Sunday, September 11th, from 1pm, where you will find Sophie Chao premiering her book In the shadow of the palms to the Melbourne audience. This book documents communities' survival among the palm oil industry. Should be a good afternoon. Michael is a '67 kid and has had a full life which you can hear all about in this episode. Thank-you for joining us this week, Michael. It was a pleasure to have you on.   

We are really honoured to speak with anthropologist and author Sophie Chao on this week's Radical Australia. Sophie has recently had her award-winning book published, In the shadow of the palms. It takes readers on a jouney into the heart of the palm oil industry in West Papua, Australia's closest neighbour. Sophie will be joining us here in Naarm very soon at the West Papua Office in Docklands to launch her book to the Melbourne audience. An event not to be missed! As for Sophie's personal journey, she grew up in Hong Kong to a French mother and Chinese father before heading off to Oxford and getting into anthropology and the cause of Tibet. Then came interest in the indigenous rights movement which gradually led her to West Papua. We were really pleased to speak with Sophie and we thank her so much for sharing some of her life and passion with us this week. Thank-you, Sophie.West Papua Open Day Book Launch - Sunday 11th September 2pm - trybooking.com/events/landing/913101An arresting trailer for In the shad

This week's guest, Louise Cooper, is a prolific artist, involved in diverse and countless community arts projects across Victoria, from initiating the Dunolly Women's Historical Art Trail, to creating an Autistic Fashion Game to be screened at Melbourne Fringe Festival and authoring children's books such as Banjo Bilby's Small Schools Big Adventures. Louise is a sole parent to two boys, both with autism, and resonates herself with the Maori term Takiwatanga: in her own space and time. Louise is interested in social histories and exploring how where we live shapes who we are. She is a powerhouse. Thank-you for being our guest this week, Louise, and keep up the great work.socialhistory.com.au   

This week's guest on Radical Australia is none other than Ajak Kwai, a well-known singer in Melbourne and host of 3CR's Ubuntu Voices, a program whose name means 'i am here because you are here'. It airs on Wednesdays at 8:30pm. Ajak grew up in South Sudan, running naked and barefoot among the trees and the cattle. Beautiful memories for her. Speaking with Ajak we learn about the war that came when she was 20 years old and its impact. Tasmania was the first place Ajak landed when she relocated to Australia and when she first stepped out onto the street she wondered where all the people were after living in busy Cairo for eight years. Ajak moved to Melbourne for the music and treated us to an ode to Tamworth. It's rather beautiful. We are sure you will enjoy learning about Ajak's life and hearing her reflections on being a black woman in this country, among other things. We thank her very much for being our guest this week. Ubuntu Voices - Wednesdays 8:30pm - 3CR 855AM 

This week on Radical Australia we resume our conversation with Margaret Ryan, our second guest this year with an OAM. Margaret was there at the beginning of palliative care in Australia in the 1980s, a healthcare approach which puts the person first, disease second. She has worked with a lot of different communities throughout her long working life and knows something, too, about family tragedy. Margaret has a benevolence about life and says that if you want to do something in your life, you just have to get on with it and do it. She is such an inspiration. We hope you enjoy the second part to our conversation with her. Thanks once again, Margaret.