The Wheeler Centre

A host of Melbourne International Comedy Festival comics gather to explore how comedy survives, thrives and occasionally lands a punch on authoritarianism.  The powerful often say they have a sense of humour. This turns out to be true – provided the joke is about someone else. From public denunciations to legal action and intimidation, comedians across the world are increasingly required to work within narrowing spaces, where the right punchline at the expense of the wrong politician carries the risk of personal and professional consequences. When laughter is policed this closely, what does it reveal about the strength – and fragility – of power? Join host Tom Ballard alongside leading comic voices Bahaa Dabbagh, Leon Filewood and Sam Jay for a timely conversation on the role and power of comedy in an age of rising authoritarianism.  This event was recorded on Saturday 28 March 2026 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Melbourne International Comedy Festival  Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist. Content warning: This episode contains strong course language.

Literary icon Nell Zink joins host Jaclyn Crupi to discuss her seventh much acclaimed novel, Sister Europe.  In this dazzling satire of modern life, an eclectic cast of characters gathers at a tedious literary award ceremony in Berlin. Over the course of the evening, their assumptions, foibles and irrepressible humanity are slowly brought to light. A Guggenheim Fellowship recipient and the celebrated author of Avalon, Doxology and Nicotine, among others, Nell Zink is widely hailed as a singular voice in literary fiction. In a Melbourne first, she takes the stage at The Wheeler Centre to discuss her sharp and tightly wrought new novel, Sister Europe, and its animating themes: loneliness and the possibility of transcending it, the tension between old and new worldviews and the challenge of defining one’s identity in an increasingly complex world. This event was recorded on Tuesday 3rd March 2026 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was Hill of Content Bookshop. Featured music is Lucy’s Trail (Don’t Give Up) by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

Longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction, Laila Lalami’s The Dream Hotel is a chilling dissection of surveillance culture, technological overreach and the quiet, everyday ways people become complicit in their own monitoring. Set in a near-future America shaped by predictive surveillance, Lalami tells the story of a woman swept into a surreal dystopia where dreams are weaponised by the state. Accused of a crime she hasn’t committed – yet – and detained indefinitely in a retention centre in the Californian desert, she must navigate a world in which corporations trade in the contents of our subconscious and algorithms claim the authority to determine guilt, innocence and destiny. Lalami joins host Sonia Nair to explore the seductive pull of technology, the commodification of the private self and the unnervingly plausible future where a single line of code could seal a person’s fate.  This event was recorded on Wednesday March 4th 2026 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was The Chestnut Tree Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.

At 13, Kate Reid already knew exactly where she was headed: a career in Formula 1 and a life lived at full throttle. But after earning a degree in aerospace engineering and taking up a coveted position at one of the top F1 teams in the UK, she discovered that the reality didn’t match what she’d dreamed. So, she made a swerve no one expected: to forge a career in pastry.  With her Melbourne-born bakery Lune Croissanterie now famous worldwide, Reid sits down to reflect on her unique path, from initially pursuing aerospace engineering at RMIT University, to following her lifelong passion for F1 racing, to finding fame as the mastermind behind ‘the best croissant in the world’ (The New York Times).  Join Reid as she discusses perfection, obsession and making her own kind of success story, with host Alice Zaslavsky.    

Hear Omar El Akkad discuss his searing work, 'One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This' with host Tasneem Chopra. Sparked by his viral tweet during the bombardment of Gaza – viewed over 10 million times – Omar El Akkad’s 'One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This' lays bare the fractures he has seen in the West’s empty promises of freedom and justice.  In this timely session, the Egyptian-Canadian novelist and journalist reflects on how events like the Black Lives Matter protests, the escalating climate crisis and the violence in the Middle East have reshaped his understanding of migration, power and inequality and forced him to confront what it means to live in a West that has betrayed its fundamental values.   Praised by Richard Flanagan as ‘a howl from the heart of our age’, El Akkad’s book explores exactly how the West has failed and offers hope for a way forward. Originally presented on Wednesday 22 October 2025 by The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is 'City Phases' by John Abbot.

Hear from Atlantic culture critic and Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer Sophie Gilbert as she discusses her new book 'Girl on Girl' with host Kate Jinx. They dive into the pop cultural forces of the late 1990s and Y2K era that shaped and warped women's relationships with themselves and other women. Casting her eye across pop culture of the past 30 years, she tackles everything from Madonna, the Spice Girls and the Kardashians, to MySpace, the #GirlBoss movement and The Simple Life. In this new book, Gilbert reveals the cultural forces that shaped a generation and laid the groundwork for the misogyny of today. In this conversation, Gilbert discusses how millennial pop culture twisted feminism into objectification, the insidious power of media narratives and the pervasive influence of porn, and her own experience of growing up during these defining decades. Originally recorded on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was The Sun Bookshop. Featured music is 'No One There' by Ava Low.

After arriving in Australia as a refugee, Jelena Dokic shot to fame when she made the semi-finals of Wimbledon at just 17 years of age. But off the court, there were even greater challenges: from her struggles with mental health to surviving the abuse of her tennis coach father.    In this special live recording of Australian Story, Dokic opens up to Leigh Sales about the details of her extraordinary life, from escaping war-torn Yugoslavia to becoming a Grand Slam finalist. She reflects on her past, from overcoming child abuse and domestic violence and explores the impact it had on her mental health. Despite the obstacles she faced, Jelena found a way to not only survive, but thrive – transforming her pain into power and purpose. She discovered her voice, built a successful career after tennis and ultimately found happiness.  Hear Dokic speak with grace and honesty about her hard-won wisdom and the strength it takes to rise above hardship. This event recorded on Thursday 18 September 2025 at The Edge, Federation Square. It was presented in partnership with the ABC. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.

An exclusive Wheeler Centre live-recorded podcast featuring best-selling American author Eric Puchner, as he lifts the curtain on his latest novel 'Dream State', in conversation with host Ronnie Scott. Selected by Oprah for her book club in 2025 and an instant New York Times bestseller, 'Dream State' tells the story of Charlie, a gifted anaesthesiologist; his best friend Garrett, a brooding, introverted nerd; and medical school drop-out Cece, whose engagement to Charlie seems certain – until she meets Garrett.  A love triangle plays out across generations in this panoramic and deeply human tale of family, loss and the fragile dreams that shape our lives. Hear from Puchner as he discusses this work of exceptional literary depth in this exclusive podcast recording. This podcast was originally recorded on Monday 6 October 2025 by The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Diffuser’ by Shiruky.

Get your fix of honest and original media analysis from two insiders who’ve broken plenty of news and been broken by it, too. In this special live recording of We Used to be Journos, hosts Antoinette Lattouf and Jan Fran sit down to reveal the way the media works, from questionable editorial decisions that shape the weekly news to the stories that masquerade as unbiased reporting. They unpack some recent headlines and reveal how the media sausage gets made – so you know what you’re being fed.  In this fearless assessment of the Australian media landscape they have a low tolerance for spin and absolutely no time for BS. You’ll never look at the news in the same way again. Originally presented on Saturday 20 September 2025 by The Wheeler Centre, in partnership with Ette Media.

In the age of algorithms, music is under constant pressure to respond to mood, brand and data. Hear from music journalist and cultural critic Liz Pelly with host Lauren Taylor in this sharp and insightful exploration into how streaming platforms have transformed our relationship with music. Pelly unpacks the shift from art to algorithm-driven content, where music is reduced to a commodified experience and listeners to mere data points. Drawing from years of investigative reporting culminating in her bold exposé 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist', Pelly uncovers how the economics of streaming are reshaping the music industry and what this seismic change means for artists, listeners and cultural production at large. The conversation explores ways to reclaim that human connection in music and fight for a more meaningful future in the age of corporate playlists and mood marketing. This event was recorded on Thursday 28 August 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Now or Never. The official bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop. Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

Beloved author David Nicholls takes to the stage with host Beverley Wang, to discuss his latest novel 'You Are Here'. This talk was originally presented on Tuesday 20 May 2025 by The Wheeler Centre. In 'You Are Here', David Nicholls weaves the stories of these two seemingly disconnected characters, bringing them together in a powerful, emotionally rich narrative brimming with his trademark blend of warmth, wit and insight into the human condition. Hear from one of today’s most cherished writers as he shares the inspiration behind his latest literary triumph and discusses the universal themes that will make it a story for our times. The official bookseller was the Sun Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

Each year at the Melbourne International Film Festival, a panel of guests gather to dissect the highs and lows of the zeitgeist. Host Michael Sun, essayist and regular writer for the Guardian, is joined by actor and writer Maria Angelico, Chicago–based New York Magazine Vulture culture critic Angelica Jade Bastién and visiting Los Angeles Times film critic Amy Nicholson to discuss the most overrated, underrated and personal favourite moments in movies, TV, podcasts and books of the past 12 months. Hear hot takes, heated discussions and great recommendations to enjoy post-festival.  Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

What can ageing teach us? For broadcast and writer Jacinta Parsons, the answer is – perhaps everything.   Inspired by many conversations with women across the country, A Wisdom of Age captures the brewing tone of revolution that sits in the hearts of women who are ready to tell a new kind of story about the experience of growing older.  Set against the backdrop of an intimate two-course dinner at Montalto, Parsons reflects on her own experience of ageing, alongside the powerful stories of the remarkable women she’s encountered – each offering unique tales of resilience, wisdom and grace – and the lessons they’ve imparted.   She joins host Hilary Harper for an honest, thought-provoking and energising conversation about ageing with love and the spirit of rebellion. This event was recorded on Friday June 6th 2025. It was presented in partnership with Montalto. The official bookseller was Farrells. Featured music is 'Lucy’s Trail (Don’t Give Up)' by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

Join New York Times bestselling author Lauren Roberts in her exclusive Melbourne appearance to celebrate Fearless, the highly anticipated third and final book in the Powerless series.   Romance, fantasy and intrigue collide in this runaway BookTok success known for its fierce heroine, witty banter and deliciously fraught enemies-to-lovers plot. After the shocking cliff-hanger ending of Reckless, Fearless sees Paedyn Gray and Kai Azer return to the Kingdom of Ilya where Paedyn has a life-altering choice to make. Whatever she decides will determine her fate – and the fate of those around her – forever. In the ultimate battle of love and loyalty, who wins?   Joined by Amie Kaufman, Roberts discusses writing slow-burn romance, gripping plot twists and bringing her smash hit, dagger-to-the-throat romantasy trilogy to its thrilling conclusion. This event was recorded on Wednesday 25 June 2025 at Melbourne Town Hall. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

In 2020, Cheng Lei was working as a business reporter for China's state-run English language television station when she was arrested on charges of sharing state secrets. She was detained in China for over three years under harsh conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement and restricted access to her family, before finally being released.  Now, back in Australia and free to write and speak her mind, Lei recounts her story in A Memoir of Freedom, an extraordinary memoir of her arrest, trial, imprisonment – and most importantly, her survival. Written with vivid immediacy, this new book is a powerful meditation on hope, freedom and the power of the human spirit. In conversation with James Scullin, Lei offers a complex, deeply personal account of her experience in confinement, resisting black-and-white thinking in favour of a more nuanced view. This event was recorded on Wednesday 18 June 2025. It was presented in partnership with Asia Society Australia. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is ‘Travelling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

American Jewish journalist Peter Beinart reflects on the world around him – and his place within it – amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.  Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza offers a timely reflection, seeking to reimagine what it means to be Jewish in the wake of the horrors unfolding in the Middle East.  Drawing on Jewish tradition and history, and global efforts at moral reconstruction, Peter Beinart calls for a new story to take hold – one in which Palestinian and Jewish safety are interconnected, and where the veneration of nation states cannot be at the expense of human life.  He joins host Sarah Schwartz for an examination of one of the most pressing issues of our time and offers his vision for a future of peace and equality. This event was recorded on Tuesday 27th May 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with The Jewish Council of Australia. The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.

In 1985, Jeanette Winterson published her debut novel – the groundbreaking and subversive Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit. Genre-bending and narratively bold, it garnered then-rare mainstream success for a story that was fiercely feminist and challenged traditional gender roles.   Four decades on, Winterson remains one of our most distinguished writers, renowned for her singular voice and restless curiosity. Her work spans a vast landscape of ideas, from artificial intelligence to religion, from myth to memory.   In this episode, hear from one of literature’s most provocative and original minds, as Winterson joins the Wheeler Centre for an exclusive Melbourne appearance at The Capitol, reflecting on her remarkable career and the themes that continue to shape her writing.  This event was recorded on Saturday 24th May 2025 at The Capitol. It was presented in partnership with RMIT University. The official bookseller was Hares and Hyenas. Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah the Illstrumenalist.

Join Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry, hosts of the Guardian’s political podcast Back to Back Barries, for a clear-eyed analysis of the 2025 Australian federal election. After five weeks of relentless campaigning, Australians have cast their votes – and political commentators and former major party insiders Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry are here to offer a discerning examination of how, and why, we arrived at the results on 3 May 2025. In this special post-election live recording of the Guardian’s Back to Back Barries podcast, they look at the key moments that shaped the campaigns, unpack the role that Independents and minor parties had on the balance of power and discuss what has been revealed about the political, cultural and social issues shaping Australia. This event was presented in partnership with The Guardian. It was recorded on Thursday 15 May 2025 at The Edge, Federation Square.

Over an intimate two-course dinner at Montalto, broadcaster and social policy expert Jamila Rizvi and comedian and podcaster Rosie Waterland come together with host Tracee Hutchison for a candid discussion about their deeply personal new book, Broken Brains.   Drawing from their own experiences, Rizvi and Waterland reflect on their journeys with illness – Rizvi's rare brain tumour diagnosis and Waterland’s ongoing mental trauma from childhood abuse – and explore the unexpected ways these struggles intersect. Through a rare blend of humour and honesty, they offer solidarity and invaluable insights for anyone who has faced illness or cared for someone who has.   Hear from two women who have navigated their own battles and now wish to share the hope, healing and perspective they’ve gained along the way.   This event was recorded on Friday 9 May 2025. It was presented in partnership with Montalto. The official bookseller was Farrells. Featured music is 'I See You Out There' by Tellsonic. Please note this recording includes references to suicide. For support in Australia contact:  Lifeline: 13 11 14 Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36 Headspace: 1800 650 890  

Legendary tech journalist and podcaster Kara Swisher opens up about a lifetime of reporting on Silicon Valley with host Sophie Black.   In a world where tech billionaires operate beyond the reach of government regulation and press scrutiny, Kara Swisher has devoted her career to holding them to account.   Her new memoir Burn Book offers an insider’s history of some of Silicon Valley’s most influential companies, laying bare the utopian ideals and troubling compromises of the people who created them. Here, she discusses her wide-ranging experiences of reporting on the tech industry from boom and bust to global domination and offers a clear-eyed view on how big tech has shaped our lives.   Hear this witty, scathing and frank account from a journalist who has seen the dark inner workings of the industry – and yet remains optimistic about tech's potential to deliver a better and fairer world. Originally presented on Thursday 6 March 2025 by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT Culture. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.

Trailblazing journalist and proud Gamilaroi woman Brooke Boney opens up like never before in All of It, her powerful debut essay collection. Like many millennial women, Brooke Boney is navigating a society that expects her to chase it all – career, success and personal fulfillment – while doing so under an unforgiving public gaze. In her highly anticipated essay collection, All of It, she reflects on the pressures of life in the spotlight as the first Indigenous host of Australian commercial breakfast television and now as an ambitious scholar striving to inspire others. With honesty and insight, she explores the competing expectations placed on young women today. In conversation with Jacinta Parsons, the charismatic and thought-provoking Boney delves into what drives her sense of purpose and meaning while grappling with the generational impacts of colonisation, love, friendship, fertility and ambition. This event was recorded on Friday 4 April 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

For the past 20 years, Pankaj Mishra has written incisive studies of a world marked by inequalities and the effects of globalisation. He has traced global histories of fascism, the impacts of rising nationalism and applied an astute lens to the fragility of our democratic institutions.    Now, he sets his expert mind to the war in Gaza.   Garnering praise from the likes of Rashid Khalidi, Naomi Klein and Hisham Matar, Mishra’s latest work, The World After Gaza, reckons with the latest devastating conflict in the Middle East and how the world’s balance of power is shifting. He joins host Antony Loewenstein as they explore the moral and geopolitical ramifications at stake during this polarising historical moment. This event was recorded on Wednesday 26 February 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was Paperback Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Living in a Fantasy’ by Pulsed.

In this panel discussion journalist Emma Do, A Plus Market founder Sam van Zweden and writer and podcast host Maggie Zhou examine the barriers within the industry and discuss the evolving vision of an inclusive fashion future. Moderated by cultural commentator Sabina McKenna, these fashion experts and enthusiasts explore the most pressing issues in fashion, from size inclusivity and high price points to ethical production and sustainable consumption.  Unboxing the realities of mainstream fashion, they look at who is excluded from the influential industry and why. They challenge norms and seek to reimagine how the industry can better serve everyone. Whether you’re an influencer, trendsetter, social change advocate, or simply a fashion lover, this conversation will be your opportunity to join the dialogue on the future of fashion.  This event was recorded on Saturday 1 March 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was  presented as part of the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s Independent Programme. Featured music is ‘No One There’ by Ava Low.   About The Wheeler Centre: The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne. Subscribe to our platforms or explore our library of talks, podcasts and live events at wheelercentre.com Follow The Wheeler Centre for More: Instagram: /wheelercentre Facebook: /wheelercentre LinkedIn: /the-wheeler-centre Bluesky: /wheelercentre.bsky.social

After spending their early years together in conflict zones as foreign correspondents, Geraldine Brooks and partner Tony Horwitz relocated from Australia to the idyllic Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, USA, to raise their children.  The life they built there was one of meaningful work, good humour and tenderness. But all this ended abruptly when, during the spring of 2019, Brooks received a phone call with the news that Horwitz – just 60 years old and, to her knowledge, vigorous and healthy – had collapsed and died on a street in Washington, DC. In the aftermath of this devastating loss, Brooks composed the spare and heartfelt Memorial Days – a portrait of a timeless love between souls that captures the joy, agony and mystery of life. Hear this Pulitzer Prize-winning author in conversation with Jason Steger in the first edition of our Books and Ideas at Montalto series for 2025.  Content warning: This conversation contains themes of grief and loss.  This event was presented in partnership with Montalto. It was recorded on Friday 28 February 2025 at Montalto Winery. The official bookseller was Antipodes. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.

Rachel Kushner’s new novel Creation Lake tells the story of Sadie Smith, an American spy-for-hire working in the secretive world of privately contracted surveillance. Tasked with infiltrating a commune of anarchists in rural France, she becomes entranced by a mysterious cult-leader-like figure named Bruno Lacombe who believes that freedom from the pain of the modern condition can only be achieved through a return to the ancient past.  Creation Lake is both a canny homage to French noir and an incisive critique of spy-novel clichés – more than that, it is stylish, witty and audaciously cerebral. Here, the two-time National Book Award finalist and Booker Prize-shortlisted author sits down to discuss this dazzling work of double-crossing, dark humour and dangerous games, with moderator Rebecca Harkins-Cross. This event was recorded on Tuesday March 4th 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was supported by RMIT Culture. The official bookseller was Hill of Content. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

Ben Shewry knows obsession well. It’s what has propelled his innovative Melbourne restaurant, Attica, to national and global acclaim. His new memoir-meets-manifesto, Uses for Obsession: A (Chef’s) Memoir, is a reflection on leadership, hospitality and humanity, and an unforgettable look inside the sometimes-brutal world of cheffing.  Shewry joins host Marieke Hardy for this special live episode of Hardy’s podcast, Marieke Hardy is Going to Die. They plan Shewry’s dream funeral and reflect on navigating life’s ebbs and flows: from creative freedom and culinary sustainability to the cult of the chef and cooking as muse. Hear from a restaurateur and a raconteur as they contemplate one of the only certainties in life – that we’re all going to die. Someday. This episode was recorded on Tuesday 15 October 2024 at The Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling. The official bookseller was Readings. Produced by Darren Scarce with music by Lord Fascinator. Marieke Hardy Is Going To Die is a podcast made by Marieke Hardy (IG @marieke_hardy). You can follow at IG @GoingToDiePod Whilst acknowledging the privilege that comes with having the space to discuss death and mortality, we want to also recognise that discussing these topics can raise some  wounds. Should you wish to seek extra support, please consider the following resources: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/online-grief-support-groups https://www.grief.org.au/ga/ga/Support/Support_Groups.aspx https://www.headspace.com/meditation/grief https://www.mindful.org/a-10-minute-guided-meditation-for-working-with-grief/ https://griefline.org.au/get-help/  

Content warning: This episode includes occasional course language. From her childhood in the Australian outback to the heights of her chart-topping international success as a singer-songwriter, country music icon Kasey Chambers has trusted her gut, stuck to her values and learned some hard truths, always while trying to live by the best advice she’s ever received: just don’t be a d**khead.  At this special event at Geelong Library & Heritage Centre, Chambers discusses her new book Just Don’t Be A D**khead (and other profound things I’ve learnt). In this conversation, she shares heartfelt, honest tales, musical experiences and the behind-the-scenes insights she has learned along the way. Kasey also treats the audience to a few live songs during the session. Hosted by Triple R broadcaster Denise Hylands. The event was recorded on Wednesday 9 October 2024 at Geelong Library & Heritage Centre as part of The Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling series. It was presented in partnership with Geelong Regional Libraries.  The official bookseller was Cook & Young. Featured music: “Backbone”,“Not Pretty Enough” and “Ain’t No Little Girl” All tracks by performed by Kasey Chambers and Brandon Dodd, recorded live at Geelong Library & Heritage Centre. Opening track ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

Unapologetic, sometimes controversial, and always unflinchingly honest, Roxane Gay has built a remarkable career using her powerful voice to articulate the nuances of our most pervasive issues. Body image, civil rights, feminism, popular culture, social etiquette – you name it, Gay has written about it. The esteemed writer, professor and cultural commentator was joined by host Jan Fran at Melbourne Town Hall for one night only as they discussed her most strongly held views on the culture and politics of the past decade, celebrated in her latest book, Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People’s Business. In this conversation, Gay reflects on the fundamental importance of holding complicated views in our complicated times.   This event was recorded on Tuesday 27 August 2024 at Melbourne Town Hall. Roxane Gay was presented in Melbourne by The Wheeler Centre and Now or Never. She was presented in Sydney by the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. The official bookseller was Hill of Content. Featured music is ‘Diffuser’ by Shiruky.

National treasure Noni Hazlehurst details her life on stage and screen and takes us behind-the-scenes of a brilliant career.  Noni Hazlehurst’s versatility as a performer knows no bounds. A household name and a beloved actor, she's graced Australian screens and theatre stages for over forty years. From Playschool and Better Homes and Gardens, to Monkey Grip and her acclaimed theatrical career – Hazlehurst has earned her place as an Australian icon.  At this Melbourne-exclusive event, Hazlehurst joins host Elizabeth McCarthy to discuss her long-awaited memoir, Dropping the Mask, which celebrates a life and career that are both ordinary and extraordinary – and all class.  This event was recorded on Thursday 10 October 2024 at The Capitol as part of The Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling series. It was presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.

Critics Eda Gunaydin, Michael Sun and Cher Tan examine the present state and potential futures of literary criticism.  Literary criticism seems to be in an endless state of decline. In so-called Australia, a particular flavour of cultural cringe is yoked to cultural hegemony: a critic might find themselves locked within the ivory tower, or self-censoring for fear of offence, or deliberately pursuing contrarianism for clicks. How, then, do critics move beyond this deadlock? Who decides what is 'good' criticism? What, exactly, is the function of criticism at the present time? This panel discussion sees three critics examine the possibilities of literary criticism, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the critic. Together they pick apart these issues and attempt to propose a future for reviews that takes into account not only writers and editors, but readers and culture as a whole.  This conversation was recorded on 3 August 2024 as part of the inaugural Liminal Festival, presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre. Bringing together some of the continent’s most talented writers, the Liminal Festival contemplates the language of our shared histories and future. The Liminal Festival was supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is ‘Diffuser’ by Shiruky.

Content warning: This recording includes occasional course language. Evelyn Araluen, Hasib Hourani and Mykaela Saunders discuss the careful craft of shaping a language unsettled. Trace the contours of language, seek out its limits and push. Histories are cut up, struck through, misplaced, misremembered. Join Evelyn Araluen, Hasib Hourani and Mykaela Saunders as they discuss the careful craft of ripping the empire’s language to shreds. In their work, these brilliant writers shift form in myriad ways; they render nonlinear temporalities and introduce new vocabularies; they wield opacities and yet share the dearest of intimacies. Thinking through poetry and prose, language and craft, these three writers share the shape of a language unsettled. This conversation was recorded on 3 August 2024 as part of the inaugural Liminal Festival, presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre. Bringing together some of the continent’s most talented writers, the Liminal Festival contemplates the language of our shared histories and future. The Liminal Festival was supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is ‘A Seat at the Table’ by Auxjack.

What is the future of the great Australian novel? Novelists Jessica Au, Brian Castro and André Dao contemplate the novel, the nation and its literature with Lynda Ng.  Marking 30 years since Brian Castro considered the ‘new novel’, three of Australia’s most talented contemporary novelists discuss the future of the form. Is there such a thing as a ‘Great Australian Novel’, or have twentieth-century paradigms expired? What, exactly, does greatness have to do with fiction? How does the novel relate to the nation? Dr Lynda Ng, lecturer in Australian Literature at the University of Melbourne, is joined by Jessica Au, Brian Castro and André Dao as they consider the novel, the nation, and the boundaries that shape them.   This conversation was recorded on 3 August 2024 as part of the inaugural Liminal Festival, presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre. Bringing together some of the continent’s most talented writers, the Liminal Festival contemplates the language of our shared histories and future. The Liminal Festival was supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is ‘Kick Back’ by james.lfo.

International bestselling author Rebecca F. Kuang discusses her groundbreaking novel Yellowface and the future of storytelling at this exclusive Melbourne event.   Investigating diversity, racism and cultural appropriation with the thrilling pace of a Twitter meltdown, Rebecca F. Kuang’s 2023 novel Yellowface captivated readers across literary and BookTok communities alike. In her only Melbourne event, Kuang discusses her successful career, plagiarism, privilege, and the state of the publishing industry with host Beverley Wang.  A New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, Kuang’s previous works include the Poppy War trilogy and the dark academia novel Babel: An Arcane History, both of which garnered rave reviews. Yellowface is her fifth novel.  Hear from a literary trailblazer about why she won’t write in the same genre twice and the overdue conversations she’s ignited in the publishing world. This event was recorded on 12 March 2024 at Melbourne City Conference Centre. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is ‘frosty’ by dozeoff.

A runaway favourite of book clubs the world over, Bonnie Garmus’s debut novel Lessons in Chemistry transports readers to early 1960s California. Elizabeth Zott – single mother and brilliant chemist – unexpectedly finds herself hosting a television cooking show, and changes hearts and minds in the process. Inspired by Garmus’s mother’s generation of overlooked and under-acknowledged women, Lessons in Chemistry examines the gender pay gap, misogyny in the workplace and women’s rights. At her only Melbourne event on her first Australian tour, Garmus sits down with host Astrid Edwards to discuss her breakthrough novel. Together, they explore her funny and feisty heroine, the surprising fan phenomenon of Six-Thirty the dog, and how the novel’s historical setting sheds light on the truths of today.  This event was presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. It was recorded on May 21st 2024 at Melbourne Town Hall. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist. Disclaimer: If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, the transcript was automatically generated by Apple's AI and is not affiliated with The Wheeler Centre. AI transcripts may contain errors.

On the 5 November this year, the American people will go to the polls to make a choice, the impact of which will be felt around the globe.  Will Republican nominee and now convicted criminal, former President Donald Trump, topple Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris?? How did America reach this point, and how will either candidate’s victory impact Australia’s relationship with the US and the global political landscape?  Don Watson, celebrated Australian writer and former political advisor to Paul Keating, unpacks these questions and more at a special Fifth Estate event with host Sally Warhaft, live at The Wheeler Centre.  This event was recoded on Thursday 5 September 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Don Watson's Quarterly Essay is available from The Paperback Bookshop here. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole. The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture. Disclaimer: If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, the transcript was automatically generated by Apple's AI and is not affiliated with The Wheeler Centre. AI transcripts may contain errors.

Award-winning journalist Heather Ewart hits the Back Roads to Kyneton to journey through her great Australian road trips.   Over a career spanning four decades, Heather Ewart has been senior political reporter and a foreign correspondent posted to London, Washington and Brussels. Raised on a farm in country Victoria, her adventures have come full circle to see her hosting ABC TV’s popular program Back Roads. In Ewart’s new book, Back Roads: The Great Aussie Road Trip, the much-loved journalist shares hot tips from her travels around Australia. From ideas on where to go and when to go, what to pack and what to see – she covers it all.   Ewart joined Barrie Cassidy at Kyneton Town Hall to discuss the joyous moments of her road trips and share practical tips for discovering lesser-known parts of this beautiful country.   The event was presented in partnership with Macedon Ranges Shire Council. It was recorded on Monday 26th August 2024 at Kyneton Town Hall. The official bookseller was Aesop’s Attic. Featured music is ‘I See You Out There’ by Tellsonic.

Our annual panel of pop culture experts Brodie Lancaster, Alison Willmore, Hannah Diviney and Jared Richards gather for a dissection of the zeitgeist. Baby Reindeer, The Bear and hot rodent men: lt has been a ferocious (and sometimes feral) year for pop culture, and it seems that we’re not slowing down any time soon. On the occasion of the 2024 Melbourne International Film Festival, host Brodie Lancaster is joined by Vulture and New York magazine film critic Alison Willmore, disability advocate and star of the new Australian film Audrey Hannah Diviney, and ABC Entertainment Reporter Jared Richards to discuss the most influential and popular film, TV, podcasts and books of the past 12 months. Expect hot takes served with a dash of frenzy and a healthy dose of reality-check. The event was presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre and Melbourne International Film Festival as part of MIFF Talks, a program presented by the University of Melbourne. It was recorded on Saturday 17th August at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'The Golden Hour' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist. The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture.

As part of The Wheeler Centre's 2024 Spring Fling program and in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, listen to an exclusive podcast interview with celebrated writer Olivia Laing, interviewed by Sophie Cunningham.  Olivia discusses her new book, The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise, which moves between real and imagined gardens, exploring how new modes of living can and have been attempted amidst the flower beds. The result is a beautiful and exacting account of the abundant pleasures and possibilities of gardens: not as a place to hide from the world but as a site of encounter and discovery, bee-loud and pollen-laden. Listen as you take a walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens, and experience first-hand the joy of wandering in nature.  Presented in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.  This conversation was recorded on Monday 22 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'Spacemoons' by Justnormal. Disclaimer: If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, the transcript was automatically generated by Apple's AI and is not affiliated with The Wheeler Centre. AI transcripts may contain errors. 

From ‘manfluencer’ culture and the rising popularity of Andrew Tate, to lists ranking teenage girls on their appearance, there’s an urgent need to address the widespread sexism and misogyny in our schools and wider society. Left unchecked, these harmful attitudes and behaviours will see rates of male violence against women continue to rise. In this panel discussion, three experts consider where these attitudes begin, and the importance of positive male role modelling in addressing them. The problem is evident – now it’s time to identify the steps that will lead to systemic, meaningful change. Join award-winning journalist and consent educator Jane Gilmore, activist and co-founder of Not One More Niki, Tarang Chawla, and founder of The Equality Institute Emma Fulu, for a hopeful and practical conversation about how we can all take action to create positive generational change for young men. This episode is for parents, carers, educators and anyone interested in discussions about healthy modelling of masculinity for the current and future generations of boys and young men. Content Note: This conversation includes discussion of pornography, violence and abuse.  This event was recorded on Thursday 25 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers have been sharing stories on this continent for millennia. From best-selling and award-winning poetry, memoir and fiction to powerful works that defy categorisation, Blak writing depicts, challenges and honours culture, community and Country. Much-loved books by First Nations writers stand strong on shelves in homes, libraries, bookshops and classrooms – but there are always more books and writers to be discovered and rediscovered. In 2023, University of Queensland Press (UQP) introduced its First Nations Classics series to amplify Blak voices in the literary canon. This NAIDOC Week, we celebrated the second instalment of First Nations Classics with some of the remarkable authors and contributors involved in the series. Hear a special performance by proud Bundjalung and Lama Lama artist Tamala Shelton honouring the 2024 NAIDOC Week theme, ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’ and the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations cultures.    The event was recorded on Thursday 11 July 2024. It was presented in partnership with Blak & Bright. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is DRMNGNOW ‘Get Back To The Land’ edit (recorded live at The Wheeler Centre)

The Olympic Games have always been a site of soft diplomacy for participating nations. This has never been truer than in 2024, as athletes and countries prepare to compete from 26 July to 11 August at the Paris Olympic Games. Olympic champions Patrick Johnson and Kieren Perkins join award-winning sports reporter Tracey Holmes to discuss the future of the games and examine how Olympic competition is shaped by the tensions of geopolitical affairs. Together, they deep-dive into Australian representation at the Games and discuss international divisions and points of connection. They also look ahead to a major event in Australia’s calendar: the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. This event was recorded on Tuesday 9 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

Meredith Whittaker is not afraid to take on tech giants. In 2018, she led the famous mass staff walkout at Google over the company’s laissez faire attitude towards sexual harassment allegations and the moral and ethical implications of its business practices. Now, as President of Signal, the not-for-profit encrypted and secure messaging app, Whittaker is one of the world’s most respected experts on data surveillance and the future of big tech. She has advised the White House, the US Federal Trade Commission and many government and civil organisations on privacy, internet security and policy.  At this special Melbourne-exclusive event, Whittaker is joined by host Vanessa Toholka as they discuss data privacy, artificial intelligence, and technology’s impact on democracy in this contentious and pivotal US election year. Hear from a leading global expert on a subject that has far-reaching implications for all of our futures. This event was presented in partnership with Igniting Change. It was recorded on Wednesday 26 June 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘No One There’ by Ava Low.

In this Wheeler Centre podcast exclusive, hear former Next Chapter recipient Khin Myint in conversation with Anna Krien as they discuss Myint's Fragile Creatures. Khin Myint is an Australian-Burmese writer from Perth. His debut memoir, Fragile Creatures, is about how his family tackled his sister’s wish to die as she fought a non-terminal illness. Fragile Creatures, is a family story told with humour, wonderment and complete honesty. This is a book about what happens when realities clash – it’s about care, truth and the hardest choices. This conversation was recorded on Monday 17 June 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah the illstrumentalist. Crisis support can be found at Lifeline: (13 11 14 and lifeline.org.au), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467 and suicidecallbackservice.org.au) and Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636 and beyondblue.org.au)

In 1993, Ma Thida was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her support of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy and for ‘endangering public peace, having contact with illegal organisations, and distributing unlawful literature’. Released from prison in 1999, Thida’s advocacy for freedom of expression continues unabated as Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee and as a current fellow in the Writers-in-Exile Programme of PEN Germany. Earlier this month, Ma Thida appeared at The Wheeler Centre in conversation with writer, essayist and academic Michelle Aung Thin. Together, they discussed the current political situation in Myanmar, Thida’s activism and survival of the harsh conditions of Insein Prison, and her ongoing dedication to freedom of expression. The event was recorded on Thursday 6 June 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with PEN Melbourne and supported by RMIT Culture. Featured music is 'No One There' by Ava Low.

S Shakthidharan’s debut play Counting and Cracking began with a shoebox of his great-grandfather’s letters. Working with his family and the wider Sri Lankan diaspora, he excavated his family’s history, weaving threads of culture and connection into a multi-award-winning theatrical epic following four generations over five decade. To celebrate the Melbourne debut of this global hit, Shakthidharan is joined in conversation by Masterchef sensation Minoli De Silva, who infuses her culinary artistry with Sri Lankan flavours at Darwin’s Ella restaurant, and actor and comedian Suren Jayemanne, whose stand-up work draws on his experiences as an Australian with Sri Lankan heritage. Hosted by journalist Bhakthi Puvanenthiran, these acclaimed Sri Lankan creatives came together for an insightful and celebratory exploration of how personal narratives and cultural influences shape their craft, from family kitchens to international stages. This event was recorded on Sunday 2 June 2024 on the set of Counting and Cracking at the Union Theatre as part of RISING. It was presented in partnership with RISING and University of Melbourne Arts and Culture. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole. Counting and Cracking is now playing at the Union Theatre until 23 June 2024 as part of RISING. Tickets can be purchased via rising.melbourne

Sam Elkin’s Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga, recounts his bumpy journey from lesbian to transgender lawyer in the aftermath of the 2017 marriage equality postal survey. Set against the backdrop of a growing moral panic about the ‘trans agenda’, Elkin’s debut book is part-love letter and part-cautionary tale. Honest and unflinching, it’s sure to spark many prickly and productive conversations. Join Elkin as he launches Detachable Penis with host Yves Rees at an intimate and relaxed evening at The Wheeler Centre. This event was recorded on Monday 6 May 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. The official bookseller was Hares and Hyenas. Featured music is 'No One There' by Ava Low. Please note this episode contains coarse language.

Bestselling author Dervla McTiernan discusses her suspenseful new novel about two families at war with host J.P. Pomare at Geelong Library. Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and deeply in love. Until they leave for a weekend at his family’s cabin in Vermont, and only Simon comes home. Dervla McTiernan is the critically acclaimed author of five novels, including The Murder Rule, which was a New York Times thriller of the year. Dervla has won multiple prizes, including a Ned Kelly Award, Davitt Awards, a Barry Award, and an International Thriller Writers Award. She is also the author of four novellas, and her audio novella, The Sisters, was a four-week number one bestseller in the United States. This event was presented in partnership with Geelong Regional Libraries. It was supported by Sorrento Writers Festival. The official bookseller was Torquay Books. It was recorded on Wednesday 24 April 2024 at Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.

Steve Albini was a legendary audio engineer and musician. The frontman of Big Black and Shellac, Albini saw the machinations of the industry up close and from multiple vantage points, working with huge international acts including PJ Harvey, Nirvana and Pixies. Despite recording with some of the biggest names in the business Albini continued, throughout his career, to collaborate with countless experimental bands. He passed away last week, aged 61. On the eve of Meredith Music Festival in December 2015 – where he played with his band, Shellac – Albini joined host Woody McDonald at The Wheeler Centre to reflect on his storied career, his thoughts on the current state of music and predictions for the future. This event was recorded on Thursday 15 December 2015 at The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is 'Riding Bikes' by Shellac.

Paul Auster was a true giant of American literature. Acclaimed for his best-selling works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, including The New York Trilogy, Invisible, and The Brooklyn Follies, Auster wrote complex and daring tales of humans experiencing, anticipating or searching for something lost, something they are struggling to comprehend.  In his 2021 book, Burning Boy, he turned his eye to the 19th-century bad boy of American literature, Stephen Crane. Crane is known for popularising American naturalism, a literary movement that has influenced generations of writers (including Auster himself). But he was as daring off the page as he was on it.  Throughout his short life, Crane cavorted from one high-stakes situation to the next: from engaging in political journalism that disrupted the course of the 1892 presidential campaign, to entering a common-law marriage with the proprietress of Jacksonville’s most elegant bawdyhouse, to surviving a shipwreck that nearly drowned him, and eventually relocating to England, where Joseph Conrad became his closest friend and Henry James wept over his tragic, early death.  In November 2021, Auster joined host Corrie Perkin for a conversation about Burning Boy and the nature of creative legacy. What are the questions one master chooses to ask of another? And what is there to learn from a life lived so bright it burned? This conversation was originally released as a digital event as part of The Wheeler Centre’s 'Postcard’s From Abroad' series on Wednesday 3 November 2021. The official bookseller was Hill of Content bookshop. Featured music is 'Traveling again' by Sarah the illstrumentalist.

Fern Brady, one of the UK’s most exciting stand-ups, visited The Wheeler Centre to discuss her bestselling book Strong Female Character as part of the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Hosted by Australian stand-up comedian and writer Laura Davis, Brady discussed her writing process, Catholic upbringing and late diagnosis of autism. This event was recorded on Wednesday 3 April 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Lucy’s Trail’ by Sarah the illstumentalist.