Great Australian Lives With Laura Turner

Join Laura Turner and her guest this week Madonna King

Join Laura Turner and guest Sandi Logan. Sandi is an award winning senior communications and issues management executive who started out as a journalist in the mid 70s and early 80s before transitioning into public affairs diplomacy in the foreign service – a role which saw him posted to Papua New Guinea, Germany and Washington DC. From there he threw himself into the cut and thrust of Australian politics in Canberra as a spokesperson for various departments, agencies and ministers before turning his hand to consulting as a communications strategist. He’s now added author to his resume and has just published a fascinating true crime tale - Betrayed: The incredible untold inside story of the two most unlikely drug-running grannies in Australian history. For more information about Sandi's book and his work you can visit his website www.sandiloganauthor.com HERE. Great Australian LIves is proudly presented by Tobin Brothers Funerals Celebrating Lives. This show is produced, engineered and edited by Jane Nie

Join Laura Turner and her guest Sally Warriner. Sally has just released a new memoir, ‘Not Just the Wife of the General Manager - Life in the Outback’; a fascinating memoir of her life on outback cattle stations that pays homage to countless unsung heroes - just like herself. Her story begins after hitchhiking to Australia’s far north in the 1980’s while she was in her early twenties, where Sally stayed instead of returning home to Canberra where Sally married a cattle manager. Her life was filled with farm work consisting of 14 hour days, working 7 days a week alongside her husband until she was 50; before something inside her snapped and she came to the realisation that there is more that she wants to accomplish in her life, deciding to leave that life behind for something greater. As well as being ‘just’ a wife of a station manager during her stay up in Northern Australia, she was also a nurse (and working alongside with The Royal Flying Doctors), she was a dedicated mother to several children (not all

Join Laura Turner and her guest Professor Elaine Fox. Elaine is considered a pioneer in her field – she’s a world leading experimental psychologist, an expert in the science of optimism and emotions and a performance coach who draws on the wisdom gained in 25 years of scientific research to help top athletes, military leaders and business professionals harness their potential. She’s currently a Professor of Psychology and head of the school of psychology at the University of Adelaide. Somehow she find the time to write as well and has just released her latest book Switchcraft in which she explores the potential for all of us to master a set of skills we need to navigate a complex and uncertain world and restore our fulfilment, curiosity and zest for life. You can conect with Professor Elaine Fox on Instagram HERE. Great Australian Lives is proudly supported by Tobin Brothers Funerals. This program is produced, engineered and edited by Jane Nield for Sport Entertainment Network

Laura Turner's guest this week is Fergus Watts. Fergus is a businessman, former AFL Player and current CEO of The Reach Foundation, Fergus Watts. Originally from England, Watts was educated at Wesley College before being selected as a first round draft pick for the Adelaide Crows in the 2003 AFL Draft, before an injury marred his career by 2007, forcing him to retire from footballing competitions. After football, and at just 23 years old, Fergus then started his own entertainment, sports and marketing agency which became Bastion Collective. Bastion Collective evolved over the years to accommodate more than 100 employees, with offices around the world and evolved to have various subsidiaries to ensure that the markets that they were in were being effectively catered for, and today is valued as a $20 billion company and is continuing to grow each day. Fergus has has just been named the CEO of The Reach Foundation, an organisation that is looking to tackle the mental health crisis head on. Fergus considers hi

Laura’s guest this week is Sandy Thorne. Sandy is a former jillaroo, brumby runner, horse breaker and bull catcher turned best-selling author, bush poet and performer with a knack for capturing the essence of life on the land. Her work has taken her all over the country and the world – and she’s appeared and performed on countless television and radio shows including David Letterman, Larry King, US Today, Good Morning America and the Michael Parkinson show – earning her the reputation as Australia’s foremost promoter of rural Aussie culture. Her latest book My Mate Gidgee: An Outback Story of Hard Yakka and Humour has been described as heart-warming, sometimes shocking, full of tragedy and treachery - extreme hardship and heartbreak. To connect with Sandy or for more information about her books and performances head to her website www.sandythorne.com.au HERE. Great Australian Lives is proudly presented by Tobin Brothers Funerals - celebrating lives. This program is produced, engineered and edited by Jane

Laura Turner's guest this week is Jacinta Clayton. Jacinta shares a very personal story that is sadly all too familiar for many women. In mid 2021 she was one of the 55 people to be diagnosed with Breast Cancer each day in Australia, and in the midst of a global pandemic her breast cancer journey began. Nearly a year later Jacinta is still undergoing treatment but that’s not going to stop her pulling on her sneakers and getting into the active wear to be part of the 25th Mother’s Day Classic- Australia’s largest charity fun run and walk – raising much needed funds for Breast Cancer Research. To get involved in the 2022 Mother's Day Classic head to www.mothersdayclassic.com.au Great Australian Lives is proudly supported by Tobin Brothers Funerals - celebrating lives.

This week Laura Turner's guest is award-winning screen director, author and activist, Damon Gameau. Damon is best known for his smash documentary hit ‘That Sugar Film’ to coincide with his accompanying best-selling book ‘That Sugar Book’. His latest short film ‘Regenerating Australia’ is one which transports viewers into the future world of 2029, as the tumultuous 2020’s draw to a close. The film then asked the questions ‘What would Australia look like by 2030 if we simply listened to the needs of its people’? Damon has had sporadic roles as an actor in some highly acclaimed shows, and has won various AACTA and AFI awards, among his large collection of great works.

Join Laura Turner and her guest Gavin Wood. Gavin has one of the most well know and ‘tuned into’ voices in country. From hosting a number one breakfast radio show on EON FM, to being the Voice Over guy on shows like The Price is Right, he is perhaps most well known for his role as the voice of pop music show Countdown which in its hey day was watched by 3 million viewers every Sunday night. After a stint in Hollywood Gavin has now returned to Melbourne and is one of the Say It Now month ambassadors for Tobin Brothers Funerals.

Join Laura Turner and her guest this week Professor Bob Kearney. A self-declared addict of recreational fishing for most of his life and keeper of the legends and lore of the Australian angler, Bob has cultivated and culminated his scientific knowledge and all-round passion into his new book: Fishing in the Good Old Days. In his book, Bob takes a look at the history of Australian fish and fisherman as well as a deeper insight into fisheries and Australian Marine ecosystems, spanning over six decades. Alongside some key powerful environmental and coastal activities, he perfectly blends his technical prowess alongside colourful personalities, unforgettable adventures in the pursuit of the lingering question – was it really better in the good old days? Great Australian Lives is proudly presented by Tobin Brothers Funerals. April is Say It Now month at Tobin Brothers Funerals. You can watch the welcome video HERE. SayItNow returns in 2022 as Victorian’s join the conversation to celebrate the important peo

Join Laura Turner and her guest Robbie Frawley. Robbie could have been described as just an average young man from country Victoria but in fact his story is rather remarkable. Like many young blokes of his age he was an avid sportsperson turning his hand to a whole host of different codes from footy and basketball to hockey, water skiing, surfing and even a little boxing. He had a vibrant social life and by his early twenties his career as a civil engineer was thriving. All that changed though when he sustained what at first seemed to be a couple of mild concussions, adding to those he’d suffered growing up. Suddenly his whole life was turned upside down as post-concussion syndrome set in, making even the most basic things like reading a book or going for a run almost impossible. During 7 years of recovery he sought out the best medical advice and explored the latest scientific research on neuroplasticity - and realising he wasn’t alone in his quest for information – decided to share his journey and that

Laura Turner chats with investigative journalist, motoring enthusiast and long-time TV producer, Julian Cress. Julian is a 5 time Logie winner for his role as Executive Producer on “The Block” and he shares a few insights into what viewers can expect in 2022 - The Block Treechange. Julian is a huge motoring enthusiast and will be talking about the event which he founded and is the co-creator of, ‘The Motorists Concours d’Elegance at Pt. Leo Estate’. This event will be the world’s first exhibition to present the finest automobiles in history. Pairing with these sublime automobiles will be a collection of some of the world’s most esteemed contemporary art, and this event is sure to rival some of the most celebrated international automobile shows held around the world each year. For more info about the event - head to www.themotoristsconcours.com.au HERE. Julian started his career in investigative journalism as a senior producer at ’60 minutes’, working there for a decade before moving into reality televi

Laura Turner's guest is Emergency Physician Dr Stephen Parnis. To connect with Stephen you can follow him on Twitter @SParnis. Great Australian Lives is proudly supported by Tobin Brothers Funerals - celebrating lives. Produced, engineering and edited by Jane Nield for Sports Entertainment Network.

Join Laura Turner and her guest this week Steve Bastoni. Steve has been a familiar face on Australian TV and in film since the mid 80s, appearing in some of our most loved TV shows including as Angel in Police Rescue and Steve Parker on Neighbours. He's currently working on a film called Poker Face with Russell Crowe and in between all of that he's the Festival Founder and Director of the Peninsula Film Festival. The Peninsula Film Festival runs between March 11-13th at the Dromana Drive In - for more details head to www.peninsulafilmfestival.com.au. Great Australian Lives is proudly presented by Tobin Brothers Funerals.

Join Laura Turner and her guest Dr Sonia Fullerton. Sonia is a doctor who specialises in palliative medicine and advanced care plans and she’s going to share some of her insights that might just help us all consider and discuss some of the sensitive issues that are raised when someone is critically ill or nearing death. Great Australian Lives is proudly supported by Tobin Brothers Funerals - celebrating lives. Produced, engineering and edited by Jane Nield for Sports Entertainment Network.

Join Laura Turner and guest Lachy Hulme. Lachy is a celebrated actor and screenwriter with a true passion for cinema. He’s known as an acting shapeshifter of sorts able to transform himself for a role and his career has included playing some of the most complex characters in Australian TV, most notably Kerry Packer in Nine’s mini-series Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War. Fans of the Australian drama series Offspring will also remember him as the brilliant but eccentric Dr Martin Clegg. Lachy's one of the regular judges of the Peninsula Film Festival - running from the 11th - 13th of March. Full details HERE and via www.peninsulafilmfestival.com.au Great Australian Lives is proudly supported by Tobin Brothers Funerals - celebrating lives. Produced, engineering and edited by Jane Nield for Sports Entertainment Network.

Join Laura Turner and her guest this week Daisy Turnbull. Daisy in an author, teacher, Lifeline Crisis Support Councillor and mother of two, Daisy Turnbull. Daisy has just released a new book ’50 Questions to Ask Your Teens – A Guide to Fostering Communication and Confidence in Young Adults’ giving parents a guide into navigating the treacherous waters of adolescence and teenage years, after a series of previously successful novels. As well as an established author, Daisy taught at St. Catherine’s School in Sydney for 8 years and has taught across school systems working closely with children with various challenges. Daisy also is an accredited Lifeline Crisis Support Councillor, has a Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Commerce and a Master’s Degree in Art specialising in Theological Studies. Listen to her story and her insights into motherhood and teaching! Great Australian Lives is proudly supported by Tobin Brothers Funerals - celebrating lives. Produced, engineering and edited by Jane Nield for Sports Ente

This week Laura Turner chats with Professor Richard Bryant - Director of the Traumatic Stress Clinic and Professor of Psychology at the University of New South Wales, . There’s no doubt the current pandemic has significantly altered the way that we live and work and these changes can make us feel stressed and worried, particularly when there is a lot of uncertainty about the future involved. But how are we going to recover from the ravages of extended lockdowns and the pandemic? Richard Bryant might just have a few ideas. His team are currently conducting a research trial to help understand the most effective ways to manage COVID-19 related stress and mood changes. Hopefully he’s going to share a few insights that might prove helpful for anyone struggling in this remarkable moment in time. Richard has is a 20-year tenured researcher in the nature, course and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and works in creating some of the programs for treatment. His work has identified key psychologi

Laura Turner chats with esteemed author and Emeritus Professor of History and Victoria University, Melbourne – Phillip Deery. Phillip has an extensive catalogue of over one hundred publications in the fields of communication, espionage, the cold war and the labour movement. His latest work – ‘Spies and Sparrows: ASIO and the Cold War’ is his seventh published novel, with previous works including Red Apple: Communism and McCarthyism in Cold War new York and The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief history with Documents. He is a historian of various countries around the world, and is the review editor of Labour History, was a guest editor of American Communist History, and is a research associate with the London School of Economics and Political Science Ideas Cold War Studies Program. This program is proudly supported by Tobin Brothers Funerals - celebrating lives.

As our Best of 2021 series continues, join Laura Turner and her guest Dr Charlotte Tottman. Charlotte is a clinical psychologist who specialises in treating cancer distress, helping cancer patients, family members and carers who are battling with the psychological disruption that often goes hand in hand with a cancer diagnosis. A breast cancer diagnosis of her own three years ago – saw the doctor become the patient, adding a whole dimension to her understanding of the cancer experience. In conjunction with the Breast Cancer Network of Australia – Charlotte is sharing her journey in her new podcast ‘Upfront About Breast Cancer – What You Don’t Know Until You Do’. You can listen to Charlotte's podcast HERE or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. To find out more about the wonderful resources and work of the Breast Cancer Network of Australia head to their website www.bcna.org.au HERE. You can sign up to BCNA's My Journey HERE. Visit Dr Charlotte Tottman's website HERE. Great Australian Lives is