Good Weekend Talks

In this week's episode, our last for 2024, we speak with two of the magazine's most beloved writers about the craft of long-form journalism. In conversation with Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland, they discuss their most popular stories of the year, what it was like to cover the Paris Olympics and Olympians, where they get their ideas from and the most difficult and rewarding aspects of the job.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode, the eight-time world champion talks about the amazing places she's toured in her year out from competitive surfing. Speaking with Good Weekend senior writer (and keen surfer) Tim Elliott, she also discusses the rising popularity of women's sport, whether female competitors are any nicer to each other than their male counterparts - and the mind game she plays to psyche herself up for battle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode we speak with Perth pole vaulter Nina Kennedy, who won the trifecta of the three big global events in her sport this year. Kennedy speaks with Good Weekend senior writer Amanda Hooton about the big cry she had before the Paris final, how important it is to give her body time to recover, her onward march towards the LA Olympics - and whether Brisbane 2032 is within the realms of possibility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode we speak with Shanghai-born, Melbourne-based artist Badiucao, who explains what it's like to remain under suspicion and surveillance for his political artwork. Badiucao, a Walkley-award winning artist with The Age, speaks with opinion editor Patrick O'Neil about his early life in China, the kind of things that still happen to him here in Australia - and that strange time someone pretended to be him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode, actor, author and advocate Hannah Diviney speaks about what it was like to call out Lizzo and Beyonce for ableist language, how she doesn't always love her disability, and the freedom to be found in not always needing to be awesome. Speaking with The Sydney Morning Herald culture writer Thomas Mitchell, Diviney also talks about her the new Australian film, Audrey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode we speak with author Gina Chick, winner of the inaugural Alone Australia and author of the memoir We Are The Stars. Chick speaks with journalist David Leser about feeding birds from her own mouth as a kid, how she learned to embrace her weirdness as a young adult, and the wonder of discovering the identity of her famous literary grandmother.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we speak to Academy Award winner Kate Winslet about her new film "Lee" - a biopic about the life of pioneering World War II correspondent Lee Miller, and her sensitive and stunning front-line photography. Hosted by Konrad Marshall, the discussion covers everything from the ups and downs for women in film, to life behind the lens.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode we speak with former Australian Financial Review Rear Window columnist Joe Aston about the national airline and how its reputation has fallen among so many flyers. Aston, who penned the upcoming book, The Chairman's Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out, speaks with senior Good Weekend writer Jane Cadzow about how he went from working for Qantas and writing a travel column, to being highly critical of the airline and its former CEO Alan Joyce, to why he wanted to capture that trajectory in a book (with a young baby in tow).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon Ronson, a Welsh journalist and author known for "The Psychopath Test," discusses the intriguing correlation between psychopathy and success. He argues that many traits associated with psychopaths enable them to thrive, especially in leadership roles. Ronson also sheds light on how social media favors those lacking empathy and critiques the rise of public shaming. Humor in writing is another focal point, as he emphasizes its significance in storytelling while maintaining honesty. Prepare for a thought-provoking exploration of power dynamics and societal norms.

Nobody's desk at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald has been as overflowing with books as that of Jason Steger, who recently left his job as books editor at the mastheads. On today's episode he talks with culture writer Kerrie O'Brien about his favourite interviews and books, whether he cops much abuse from writers after a bad review - and that time he drank too much with Richard Flanagan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.