Conversations

When Sue-Ellen Kusher was growing up in Brisbane suburbia, behind closed doors her Dad was an ASIO spy, training his three children as foot soldiers in the Cold War (R)

Gurindji man and ABC presenter Charlie knew a little about his mum's life story as he grew up. But after she died, he began to reckon with what she had lived through as a child (CW: contains mention of ATSI people who have died; mentions of sexual violence) (R)

A cat, a hawk, a monkey, a crow and a lop-eared rabbit: animals who walked into the lives of five people leaving the humans to wonder, 'What am I to this creature?' (R)

William returns to reminisce about the Christmases of his childhood and his brief but brilliant stint as a department store Santa (R)William returns with stories and reminiscences of the Christmases of his childhood.Under the tree would be K-Tel gadgets and pop albums, bottles of cheap aftershave and perfume, and a Christmas stocking stuffed with small toys, an orange and a jar of pickled onions.William also recounts his brief but brilliant career as a department store Santa, and a stint as the world's tallest elf.Further informationOriginally broadcast December 2020Christmas Tales is published by HachetteThe following songs have been edited for the podcast: It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy Williams  I’ll be Home for Christmas – Bing CrosbySanta Baby – Eartha KittSkating -  A Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi TrioI saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus – Bing CrosbyThe Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire) - Nat King ColeHow to Make Gravy – Paul KellyTo binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

American novelist Ann Patchett reflects on the men who made her, going a year without shopping and her power to make herself invisible

As a child, Jamie Teh wanted a computer of his own so badly, he used to pretend, using his dad's business calculator. As an adult, he used this obsession to give online access to more than 100,000 blind computer users around the world, for free

Michael Curran met his friend Jamie at a music camp for blind children. Within a few years they had invented a free software to give more than 100,000 blind people around the world the power to use the internetMichael Curran lives on a property north of Brisbane with his wife and their two kids and their menagerie of animals.A few years ago he set up a ground-breaking software company with his childhood friend Jamie.Michael and Jamie are both blind, and the software they developed helps blind people use computers for free.NVDA is a screen reader which puts into spoken words or braille what is on the computer screen.The company now has partnerships with big tech companies like Mozilla, Microsoft and Google.But right from the start Michael and Jamie were committed to keeping their life changing software in the hands of the people who need it most, for free.Further informationDownload the NVDA softwareTo binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

The Australian actor and writer measures the major events of his life against big moments in Australian cricket, including the nadir of his performing life when he was cast as an angry chicken

At 100cm tall, Rima is one of the smallest people in the world. But throughout her life, she's demanded to be heard (R)

Dennis Altman is an avowed Australian republican, but he can see the use of constitutional monarchies in times of transition. The question is: do they have the ability to withstand pressure from autocrats?