Uncommon Sense – Triple R FM

Amy speaks with Tom Harley, great grandson of former Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, and Emeritus Professor of Politics Judith Brett. They talk about the Save Ballara campaign (https://saveballara.godaddysites.com/). Ballara is a historically significant home and property, which is under threat of auction and development. Tom is seeking to protect the 1.68 hectare bush garden and historic home of Au...

Amy speaks with Ray Stefani, Co-President of the Fish Creek Football Netball Club. They chat about the small and very special farming town of Fish Creek in South Gippsland and the footy club’s long and successful history. The Fish Creek Football Netball Club is the most successful country footy club in the state, with its Seniors team winning 37 premierships since its inception in 1903 (well 38, r...

James Curran, international editor of the Australian Financial Review and Professor of Modern History at the University of Sydney, speaks in-depth about his latest essay for Australian Foreign Affairs, 'Excess Baggage: Is China A Genuine Threat To Australia?' James writes that, "Australia’s fears of China... are profoundly shaped by what is being said and discussed in Washington." Are Australia's...

Sean Reynolds, cultural archaeologist and founder of Melbourne Ghost Signs on Instagram, speaks about his passion for ghost signs in Melbourne and Victoria more broadly, and tells us what they reveal about our local histories. He also tells us about a community fundraising campaign for the Chiltern Athenaeum Museum building to get a climate control system. This will enable the Victorian gold rush...

El Gibbs, writer and disability advocate, joins Amy to talk about the Disability Royal Commission's final report. The commissioner's handed down their their 222 recommendations in September after extensive hearings detailing the violence, abuse, and neglect of disabled people in Australia. El Gibbs analyses the Royal Commission's activities, its findings, and what should happen next. El also addre...

Melbourne-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Claire Deak talks about her debut solo album, Sotto Voce, and the two women composers of the Baroque whose music she recovered and reimagined – Francesca Caccini (1587-c. 1645) and Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677). Some of their compositions are intuitively sensed and worked into new neoclassical compositions by Claire using a range of Baroque and mode...

To mark the 70th anniversary of Britain's atomic weapons tests at Emu Field in South Australia – the first on terrestrial land in Australia – author and academic Dr Elizabeth Tynan speaks about her book, The Secret of Emu Field: Britain’s forgotten atomic tests in Australia. It was at Emu Field, SA on October 15, 1953 that a terrifying black mist spread across the land after an atomic bomb detonat...

Don Watson and Chris Wallace analyse the outcome of the Voice to Parliament referendum in-depth. They also examine Australia's response to the Israel-Palestine conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and Labor's unwavering support of AUKUS, as outlined in Don's recent essay in The Monthly (link below). Don Watson is an award-winning author and former speechwriter to Paul Keating. His books inclu...

Indigenous leader Thomas Mayo and award-winning journalist Kerry O'Brien sit down with Amy for a special in-depth conversation about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, which Australians will vote on in a referendum this Saturday 14th October 2023. Thomas and Kerry explain the history behind the Voice, why we should support it, and the consequences if we don't. They also...

Acclaimed writer and journalist David Marr speaks in-depth about his new book, Killing for Country: A Family Story, which details Marr's great-great grandfather Reg Uhr's involvement in Australia's frontier wars of the nineteenth century as an officer of the Queensland Native Police. Uhr also recruited his two sons into the Native Police. Marr explains how the dispossession of land and massacres o...

Triple R's very own Daniel James and The Monthly's Rachel Withers sit down with Amy to delve into the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, providing an in-depth analysis and answer to every question you might have about it before you vote at the upcoming referendum. Daniel James is a Yorta Yorta man, writer, broadcaster, and host of The Mission on Triple R FM. Rachel Withers is Contributing Editor of T...

Amy's first ever interview for Uncommon Sense was with Peter Wohlleben on his debut book, The Hidden Life of Trees. Now. the German forester, conservationist, and best-selling author returns to discuss his latest book, 'The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us If We Let Them.' Amy and Peter delve into a wide-range of themes from the book. Peter reveals how trees can create their own cli...

The NGV’s Cathy Leahy, Senior Curator of Prints & Drawings and Conservator of Paintings Caitlin Breare join Amy to discuss the exhibition, Rembrandt: True to Life, featuring the work of 17th century Dutch master, Rembrandt van Rijn. They give us insights into Rembrandt's fascinating life, his print-making, oil paintings, and drawing practice, as well as the pioneering materials and techniques he u...

Indigenous leader and 'Voice' advocate Thomas Mayo and award-winning journalist Kerry O'Brien sit down with Amy for a special in-depth conversation about the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, which Australians will vote on in a referendum later this year. Thomas and Kerry explain the history behind the Voice and why we should support it. They also debunk some of t...

Ecologist, natural historian, and environmental photographer Dr Alison Pouliot returns to discuss her fascinating new book, Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi. Alison takes us into the fungi kingdom and shares her vast knowledge and global experiences of fungi with us. She talks about the conservation of fungi, indigenous uses of fungi, the role of women in fungal lore, and much more. Broad...

World renowned forest scientist Professor David Lindenmayer discusses the breaking news that the Andrews Labor state government has announced that Victoria will end native forest logging and native forest timber production by January 2024 – 6 years ahead of schedule. David talks about the decades long campaign to end native forest logging in Victoria and the economics and science that supports cea...

Solomon Islander journalist Dorothy Wickham speaks from Honiara about what life is really like for people in Solomon Islands. Dorothy expands on the themes of her essay, The View From Solomon Islands: Our Priority Is Running Water, Not Geopolitics. She explains the serious political realities and domestic concerns of Solomon Islanders as their country finds itself in the middle of a geopolitical t...

Former Leader of the Australian Greens, environmentalist, and giant of the conservation movement Bob Brown speaks in-depth with Amy Mullins. In a wide-ranging conversation, Bob reflects on his life of activism, protest, and deep personal connection with nature including the giant native trees of Tasmania, as depicted in an inspiring documentary, THE GIANTS (in cinemas April 20). THE GIANTS explore...

It's Piano Day across the world on Wednesday 29th March 2023. Composer and contemporary classical pianist Sophie Hutchings and FLOAT Founder and Piano Day organiser Sofia Ilyas delve into their love for the piano and contemporary piano music in its many forms. An annual worldwide celebration of the piano, Piano Day is held on the 88th day of the year in reference to the 88 keys on a standard piano...

Historian Dr Emma Shortis and veteran political journalist Brian Toohey delve into the multi-faceted problems with the AUKUS alliance, Australia's $368 billion nuclear submarines announcement, and former PM Paul Keating's significant intervention in the debate at the National Press Club. They draw out and explore the big picture strategic issues Keating raised. Brian has been writing extensively o...

Professor Michelle Arrow, Elizabeth Reid AO, and Sara Dowse discuss a new book of essays called, 'Women and Whitlam: Revisiting the Revolution.' In 1973, Elizabeth Reid was appointed Women's Advisor to the Prime Minister, a first for Australia and the world. From 1974-1977, Sara Dowse was the inaugural head of the Women's Affairs section of the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet, which was est...

Australian Alix Biggs speaks to Amy while sheltering from a major air raid conducted by Russia in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. Alix explains what life is like on the ground for everyday Ukrainians subject to regular air raid offensives with missiles and drones. She shares how Ukrainians perceive the war and the level of military and humanitarian support provided by Western countries, as well as the wa...

Why is philosophy so male-dominated? Did female philosophers exist in ancient times? (Yes.) Dr Dawn LaValle Norman talks about the presence and role of women in Ancient philosophical dialogues and how it relates to her project, The Diotima Prize. This playwriting competition seeks to address the lack of women featured in philosophical dialogues. Dawn explains who the priestess and philosopher Diot...

Dr Geoff Raby AO was Australia’s Ambassador to China between 2007 and 2011, and has donated 174 contemporary Chinese art works to La Trobe University. Raby arrived in Beijing in the 1980s where he first encountered the emerging contemporary art scene and soon became an avid collector. Dr Damian Smith, art historian, curator, and art critic, speaks about a new book he edited, The Geoff Raby Collect...

Tania Wolff, President of the Law Institute of Victoria and Lizzie O'Shea, Chair of Digital Rights Watch sit down with Amy to delve into the Victorian government's proposed digital health record with no opt-out provision – the Health Legislation Amendment (Information Sharing) Bill 2023, which passed the lower house last week. Additional concerns around cybersecurity, privacy, data misuse, and tha...