



Your own mind can be a prison | Arthur Sinodinos
In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Arthur Sinodinos, former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister John Howard, senior minister, senator, and Australia’s former Ambassador to the United States. Arthur reflects on his journey from a Greek migrant family in Newcastle to the c…

You have to be able to fail | Adam Liaw
In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Adam Liaw, cook, writer, broadcaster and one of Australia’s most respected voices on food and culture. Adam reflects on his unconventional journey from a high-achieving young lawyer to winning MasterChef Australia, and why that momen…

They thought I was a sleeper | Captain Mona Shindy
Captain Mona Shindy is one of the most remarkable modern day Australian leaders — an engineer, trailblazer, and one of the first Muslim women to serve on an Australian warship. Arriving in Australia as a young migrant, Mona’s journey is defined by resilience, from the loss of her father at 14, to…

Tim Fung on failure, conviction and the road to airtasker
In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Tim Fung, founder of Airtasker, to unpack the real story behind one of Australia’s most recognisable tech platforms. From growing up in Sydney and navigating a selective school environment, to landing at Macquarie Bank and ultimatel…

Bilal Hayek on opportunity, hard work and building community
From arriving in Australia unable to speak English to becoming one of the youngest mayors in the country, Bilal Hayek’s story is one of resilience, service and deep community connection. In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Bilal reflects on his migration journey from Lebanon, the challenges of ad…

Shaun Christie-David on changing the world one plate at a time
In this powerful episode of Uncommon Ground, Professor Talal Yassine sits down with Shaun Christie-David, a social enterprise leader, restaurateur, and the founder of Colombo Social, Kabul Social, Kyiv Social, and the Plate It Forward Foundation. From his humble beginnings in Western Sydney to lau…

Andrew Robb on dairy farms, trade deals and daily bipolar
In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Andrew Robb, former Trade and Investment Minister and one of the most influential political strategists of his generation for a rare and deeply personal conversation. Andrew reflects on his journey from a childhood on dairy farms as …

Ronni Kahn on OzHarvest, food waste and ending hunger
In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal sits down with OzHarvest Founder and social entrepreneur Ronni Kahn to explore the personal journey behind one of Australia’s most impactful purpose-led organisations. From growing up in apartheid-era South Africa to living on a kibbutz in Israel, Ronni re…

Yasser Zaki on hope, grit and disability advocacy
From homelessness to hope, from law school dropout to CEO of a purpose-driven disability services organisation, this is the extraordinary journey of Yasser Zaki, Global CEO of TLC Disability Services. In this powerful episode of Uncommon Ground, hosted by Professor Talal Yassine, Yasser opens up a…

Anthony Mundine on being original, outspoken and standing his ground
From Redfern ovals and Canterbury streets to world-title nights under bright lights, Anthony “Choc” Mundine has lived more than one lifetime in Australian sport. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Choc sits down with Talal to trace the full arc of his journey – from precocious footy kid and A…