Good Weekend Talks SMH & The Age

In this episode we meet lawyer and author Shankari Chandran, who won the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award for her novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens. Chandran’s writing explores the Sri Lankan diaspora in Australia, and weaves sharp commentary on racism, injustice and ignorance through richly told stories of family and community.

Her new novel, Safe Haven, published by Ultimo Press in early May, explores issues of immigration and detention.

Hosting this episode, which also covers how Chandran finds the time to write between her work as a lawyer and raising four kids, is Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland.
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In this episode, we meet economist Sean Turnell, who was imprisoned in Myanmar in 2022, following a military coup. Turnell spent 650 days behind bars, including two months in a metal room within a room that he calls "the box". He talks to us today about everything from his anxiety over the continued imprisonment of his colleagues from Myanmar, to forming a movement with other Australians who've been wrongfully imprisoned abroad, like Kylie Moore-Gilbert and Cheng Lei.

Hosting this episode, which touches on the smuggled books and fruitcake that made Turnell’s stint in prison bearable, is former South-East Asia correspondent and now senior reporter, Chris Barrett.
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In this episode, we speak with Peter Winneke, who has spent more than two decades in the philanthropic sector, working for the Myer Foundation and serving on the boards of Philanthropy Australia, the Sidney Myer Fund, the Reichstein Foundation and the Catherine Freeman Foundation.

Winneke is on a mission to convince Australia's high-net-worth families to give more of their wealth away, and has written a book to that end, Give While You Live: A Practical Guide to More and Better Giving in Australia.

Hosting this conversation about what Australia should take from America's philanthropic culture, what percentage of their wealth families should give away - and why donating to good causes is better than buying (another) Lamborghini, is Good Weekend editor, Katrina Strickland.
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In this episode, we speak with Sydney chef Neil Perry, and we're asking a specific question - can one restaurateur single-handedly lift a suburb from the doldrums? Perry now has three Double Bay eateries, Margaret, Next Door, and the Melbourne import Baker Bleu, with two more scheduled to open in August.Hosting this episode about the Perry family business, his experience in the food scene over many decades and what it takes to renew an entire suburb is Sydney editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, Michael Koziol.
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In this episode we discuss the wave of anti-gay murders that struck Sydney from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s and beyond, and why so many have still not been solved. The police have long been accused of inaction over these murders but thanks to a special inquiry into anti-gay hate crimes held last year, it's become clear that much more the simple police indifference is responsible.

Criminal lawyer Nicholas Stewart joins Good Weekend deputy editor Greg Callaghan to discuss the murders, answer the question, "what makes it a gay hate crime?" and analyse more recent gay hate crimes across Australia.
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This week we speak with Tom Elliott, host of Melbourne's top rating Mornings program, about what makes morning radio tick - and what doesn't, growing up with his infamous father John, and how (and why) he swapped a career in finance for the power of the microphone.
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