Bonafide with Luke Bona

Luke Bona
  • 5.0 (1)
  • News
  • Updated Weekly

Bonafide with Luke Bona is the unfiltered voice of everyday Australia. After decades in national radio, Luke brings his legendary no-BS approach to the podcast world. We tackle the real issues the mainstream media ignores: Australian politics, the cost of living, motoring, technology, culture, and the transport industry. From the realities of the road on Truckie Tuesday to wild true crime in the Man Cave, get the raw, unhinged truth you’ve been looking for. No censors. No apologies. Subscribe to join the conversation.

  1. 20h ago

    Truckie Tuesday: Live From The Casino Truck Show, Meet Trucking With CJ

    (Replay) Truckie Tuesday goes on the road for the first time at this scale, broadcasting live from the Casino Truck Show, one of the biggest truck shows in the Southern Hemisphere. Luke sits down with Richmond Valley Council's Vaughan Macdonald on what it takes to grow a truck show from 150 trucks to a capped 550, then talks with Casuarina "CJ" Smith, the truck driver and creator behind Trucking with CJ, about her path from insurance broker to fuel tankers to road trains, why fewer than 2% of Australian truckies are women, and a live crowd vote on who's actually the better driver. Plus: a new Heavy Vehicle National Law lands the very next day and Rod Hannifey isn't impressed, 14-year-old Fergie tells Luke why he's chasing a truckie apprenticeship, a trucker's mental health project that started with a sign on the back of a trailer, and a look at how the show's judges pick a winner out of 550 trucks. Guests: Vaughan Macdonald (General Manager, Richmond Valley Council) · Casuarina "CJ" Smith (Trucking with CJ) · Rod Hannifey (Truckie Tuesday co-host, National Road Freighters Association) (00:00) GME Sponsor Open & Intro (00:31) Live From The Casino Truck Show (02:29) Vaughan Macdonald On Running The Show (05:38) Why Casino Runs One Of The Biggest Truck Shows In The Country (08:01) Meet Fergie, 14 (Teaser) (09:02) The New Heavy Vehicle Law: Rod's Verdict (11:51) A Trucker's Mental Health Project (14:35) Trucking With CJ: Insurance Broker To Big Rigs (16:04) Why Are Only 2% Of Truck Drivers Women? (16:30) The Crowd Weighs In: Who's The Better Driver? (21:29) CJ On The New Law: "No Carrot, Only Stick" (22:08) The Demerit-Points Debate (29:49) Steering The Future: Getting Kids Into Trucking (32:38) Back To Vaughan Macdonald: Casino House Prices (33:43) Fergie, 14, On Chasing His Truckie Dream (39:22) An O'Brien Co Heavy Driver On Life Behind The Wheel (47:26) A Listener's Email On Truckie Etiquette (48:46) How The Judges Pick The Winner From 550 Trucks ❤️ Cheers to GME for making Truckie Tuesday possible! Outfit your rig with the very best, Australian-made communication technology here: https://www.gme.net.au/au/ 🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS: 🎙️ Get Involved Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: community@bonafidepod.com

    Truckie Tuesday: Live From The Casino Truck Show, Meet Trucking With CJ

  2. 1d ago

    Should AI Glasses Be Banned? Plus, Matt Canavan & ACFS Collapses

    Kmart's $89 "Anko" AI glasses have sold out amid a growing privacy backlash, and this week Bonafide digs into it from two angles. Greens Senator David Shoebridge tells Luke why the glasses could be referred to the Attorney-General, then makes an unexpectedly passionate case for properly resourcing Australia's under-pressure air traffic controllers. Tech commentator Trevor Long joins wearing his own Meta Ray-Bans on air and cuts through the panic with one blunt question: are we banning cameras, or are we banning photography itself? Plus: Matt Canavan, Leader of the National Party, on the ABC's apology to Gina Rinehart, whether the Coalition could ever work with Pauline Hanson's One Nation, the case for defunding the ABC, and a first-home-buyer loophole nobody saw coming. Then it's Truckie Tuesday 132 — Rod Hannifey on braking distance and the U-turns that kill, and Belinda Hughes with this week's Legal Win. Guests: Matt Canavan (Leader, National Party of Australia) · David Shoebridge (Greens Senator for NSW) · Trevor Long (technology commentator) · Rod Hannifey (Truckie Tuesday co-host) · Belinda Hughes (Principal, Hughes Law) (00:00) Cold open & welcome (04:39) The Albanese "melon" fallout (06:12) John Hopoate's driving charge & NRL history (10:04) The WNBA transgender-inclusion debate (19:31) Listener mail (26:12) Matt Canavan: One Nation, Pauline Hanson & the Coalition (31:08) The ABC apologises to Gina Rinehart (34:46) A comedian twerks to the Last Post (42:08) David Shoebridge: smart glasses, privacy & air traffic control (65:05) Trevor Long on the Kmart "Anko" glasses backlash (84:14) Truckie Tuesday 132: braking distance & U-turn safety (119:36) Belinda Hughes: Legal Win of the Week (125:21) Rod's own licence dispute No censors. No apologies. This is Bonafide with Luke Bona. 🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS: 🎙️ Get Involved Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: community@bonafidepod.com ❤️ Cheers to GME for making Truckie Tuesday possible! Outfit your rig with the very best, Australian-made communication technology here: https://www.gme.net.au/au/ Support: Griefline 1300 845 745 (Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat–Sun 12pm–6pm AEST/AEDT) · Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7)

    Should AI Glasses Be Banned? Plus, Matt Canavan & ACFS Collapses

  3. 4d ago

    David Elliott: Affair Rumours, ICAC, & The Alan Jones Trial

    Former NSW Minister for Police, Counter-Terrorism and Veterans Affairs David Elliott joins Luke Bona for a wide-ranging bonus sit-down. David finally addresses the rumour that he was having an affair — private investigator, dirt file and all — and explains why he thinks it was timed to rattle him during the NSW Liberal Party's ICAC inquiry. From there the conversation ranges across the Idaho In-N-Out shooting and what it means for Australia's gun laws, the Bondi terror attack ahead of the Royal Commission's findings, David's view on the ongoing Alan Jones trial, Gina Rinehart's legal action against the ABC, and — lighter territory — why a trip to Bunnings might just save your marriage, and the secret to 30 years with his wife Nicole. Guests: David Elliott ⚠ This episode references a real terrorist attack and discusses an active criminal trial. Listener discretion advised. Note: claims regarding individuals connected to an active ICAC inquiry, and opinions expressed about an ongoing criminal trial, are personal opinions and allegations — not established fact. No charges have been laid against Mr Elliott, and no verdict has been delivered in the matters discussed. 00:00 Intro & David Elliott's Telegraph Column 01:09 The NSW Liberal Party's ICAC Allegations, Explained 04:14 "Did You Have An Affair?" — The Rumour, The PI & The Fallout 07:36 Media Bias? David Elliott On Bevan Shields & The SMH 09:11 The Idaho In-N-Out Shooting & Australia's Gun Laws 10:53 The Bondi Terror Attack & The Royal Commission 13:17 The Alan Jones Trial: Elliott's Take 20:44 The Streisand Effect: Gina Rinehart vs The ABC 25:17 Why A Trip To Bunnings Could Save Your Marriage 27:46 30 Years Married: Elliott's Secret To A Long Marriage 29:34 Australia's Biggest Issue & A Monty Python Sign-Off 🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS: Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: community@bonafidepod.com

    David Elliott: Affair Rumours, ICAC, & The Alan Jones Trial

  4. 5d ago

    A Bizarre Melbourne Murder, the Housing Slump & a Big Man Cave Close

    Luke sits down with Shane Oliver, Chief Economist at AMP, to unpack the housing market slump, what negative equity actually means, and what the 5% deposit scheme has done for first home buyers. Then Australia's own true-crime authority Adam Shand joins for the incredible, twist-filled story of the murder of Herman Rockefeller — a Melbourne multi-millionaire who led a secret double life under a fake name — plus the still-unsolved William Tyrrell mystery and a Chopper Read confession that's never been proved. Then it's over to the Man Cave, where Adam McDonald joins from his flash new studio, Granny Sue's back on the line, and the BOM, Optus and the Commonwealth Games all cop a serve. ⚠ This episode discusses a real historical homicide in detail, including an unresolved missing-child case. Listener discretion advised. Guests: Shane Oliver, Adam Shand, Adam McDonald 00:00:00 Welcome to episode 131 00:02:47 Coming up this episode 00:05:40 Headlines: Coles' new checkout food relief appeal 00:09:07 Are we raising kids with no resilience? 00:13:01 Should schools ditch keyboards for pen and paper? 00:19:41 Listener mail & a very Australian trivia detour 00:31:49 Shane Oliver on the housing slump & negative equity 00:59:59 Real Crime with Adam Shand: the murder of Herman Rockefeller 01:20:02 Chopper Read's casino confession — true or bull? 01:30:59 The William Tyrrell mystery 01:51:19 Man Cave: Adam McDonald's new studio + Granny Sue's back 02:39:46 Wrap-up & thought of the day 🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS: 🎙️ Get Involved Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: community@bonafidepod.com Support: Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7)

    A Bizarre Melbourne Murder, the Housing Slump & a Big Man Cave Close

  5. Aug 5

    Truckie Tuesday: The New "Fit To Drive" Duty & A $170k Fine Fight

    (replay) A new "fit to drive" duty lands on 1 August, and this Truckie Tuesday tackles the question every driver actually wants answered: if you ring your boss and say you're unfit, are you now on the hook for a medical certificate? Luke Bona and Rod Hannifey work through a listener's voicemail on it, then Hughes Law's Belinda Hughes — now a Truckie Tuesday partner — gives the legal verdict, plus her Win of the Week: how a trucking company facing $170,000 in penalties over a trailer that was 6.5cm over length walked away with a $5,000 fine. Plus: a listener's email on life hauling animal by-products (and how to live with the smell), fuel excise relief set to end on August 3, more overseas drivers getting a faster path to an Australian licence, a driver's eerie run-in with a van that wouldn't stop tailing a B-double on the Pacific Highway, who actually owns a roundabout, and what to expect at this weekend's Casino Truck Show. No censors. No apologies. This is Bonafide with Luke Bona. 00:00 GME Sponsor Open & Truckie Tuesday 128 Intro 00:53 Checking In With Rod Hannifey From Dubbo 02:10 Voicemail: Robbo's Fit-To-Drive Question 04:34 Listener Mail: James The Bony Collector's Truck-Stop Tip 07:52 News: The Fuel Tax Relief Deadline On August 3 09:37 News: More Overseas Licences Recognised (Light Vehicles Only) 11:39 News: The Sham Contracting And Primary-Producer-Rego Loophole 14:41 News: The Push To Drop The Road User Charge To Zero 16:22 Listener Mail: Swampy's Breakdown And Our Hero Of The Highway 17:22 Rod's Story: A Mystery Van Tails A B-Double On The Pacific Highway 19:18 Who Actually Owns The Roundabout? 20:52 UHF Etiquette And Overseas Drivers Running Without Lights 22:40 GME Sponsor Break 23:32 What To Expect At The Casino Truck Show 25:38 The "Chopper" Read Casino Murder Legend 30:23 The New Heavy Vehicle Law Explained, Starting August 1 33:24 Hughes Law Win Of The Week Begins 34:30 Belinda Hughes Answers Robbo's Fit-To-Drive Question 38:21 Win Of The Week: Fighting A $170,000 Threat Over 6.5cm 44:35 Sign-Off & See You At The Casino Truck Show 46:19 GME Sponsor Close #TruckieTuesday #TruckingAustralia #RoadSafety #HeavyVehicleLaw ❤️ Cheers to GME for making Truckie Tuesday possible! Outfit your rig with the very best, Australian-made communication technology here: https://www.gme.net.au/au/ 👩‍💼 For expert defence or advisory services, contact Hughe's Lawyers on ⁠⁠⁠0422 388 370⁠⁠⁠ : ⁠⁠⁠https://hugheslaw.com.au/⁠ 🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS: 🎙️ Get Involved Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: community@bonafidepod.com

    Truckie Tuesday: The New "Fit To Drive" Duty & A $170k Fine Fight

  6. Aug 3

    Confronted At The Bondi Massacre Site, & What Working With Alan Jones Was REALLY Like — Plus a Live Truckie Tuesday from the Casino Truck Show"

    The Royal Commission into antisemitism is underway, and this week Alex Ryvchin, Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, takes Luke through what it's uncovering, the history behind October 7 and the Second Intifada, and a confrontation he faced visiting the Bondi Beach massacre site with Sydney Swans players. Plus: David Littleproud is back from Japan with a first-hand family story from Hiroshima and Nagasaki and a hard look at Japan's nuclear energy grid, Rob McKnight's entertainment wrap, and we take the show on the road to the Casino Truck Show for a huge live Truckie Tuesday with special guest Trucking with CJ.⚠ This episode discusses terrorism, antisemitism and historical mass violence in detail, including firsthand accounts of a real terror attack. Listener discretion advised. Guests: David Littleproud, Alex Ryvchin, Rob McKnight, Rod Hannifey, Vaughn McDonald, Trucking with CJ 00:00:00 Welcome + community reminders 00:20:19 Listener mail 00:26:39 David Littleproud: Japan, Hiroshima & Nagasaki 00:44:00 Domestic politics: Coalition, One Nation & the ABC row 01:14:49 Rob McKnight: entertainment & media wrap 01:19:46 Alex Ryvchin: antisemitism, October 7 & the Second Intifada 01:50:14 The Bondi Beach massacre site — a confrontation02:13:35 Truckie Tuesday: LIVE from the Casino Truck Show 02:44:39 A word from our sponsor GME 03:00:32 Find a hero: your best trucking stories 03:11:06 The TWU & NHVR — what truckies really think 03:13:32 Wrap-up & thought of the day #alanjones #auspol #ausnews 🫶 Join The Bonafide FamilyGet Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS: 🎙️ Get InvolvedLeave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: community@bonafidepod.com ❤️ Cheers to GME for making Truckie Tuesday possible!Outfit your rig with the very best, Australian-made communication technology here: https://www.gme.net.au/au/ 👩‍💼 For expert defence or advisory services, contact Hughe's Lawyers on ⁠⁠0422 388 370⁠⁠ : ⁠⁠https://hugheslaw.com.au/ Support: Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7)

    Confronted At The Bondi Massacre Site, & What Working With Alan Jones Was REALLY Like — Plus a Live Truckie Tuesday from the Casino Truck Show"

  7. Jul 31

    Why No Beach Is Safe This Summer & The Question Albo Couldn't Answer, Answered

    Joel Nancarrow from Hunter Shark Jaw Restoration gives his two cents on whether we're really safe from sharks, Ben Downie gives us the latest on the disastrous wildfires spreading throughout France, and David Shoebridge gives us the inside scoop on the rorts politicians love to partake in, but deny when confronted. 🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS:  🎙️ Get Involved Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: lukebonaradioguy@gmail.com

    Why No Beach Is Safe This Summer & The Question Albo Couldn't Answer, Answered

  8. Jul 28

    Truckie Tuesday: Could A Sore Toe Really Get You Pulled Off The Road?

    This week on Truckie Tuesday, lawyer Belinda Hughes officially, sitting down with Luke Bona and Rod Hannifey to unpack a big regulatory shift landing on 1 August: the Heavy Vehicle National Law's new "unfit to drive" duty, what it actually covers, and why a sore toe at a roadside stop won't be enough to get anyone pulled off the road. They also bust a persistent myth about misspelled work diaries getting truckies fined, and Belinda kicks off her new weekly segment, Legal Win of the Week, with a story about the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator dragging a $411 ticket all the way to court — and losing. Plus: a dash cam catches a car deliberately brake-checking a truck, a listener asks why his demerit points weren't reinstated after he beat his ticket in court, a trucker-turned-nursing-student writes in with a hard letter about industry standards, and Rod and Belinda talk through a fatal crash on the Hume Highway near Goulburn and what a proper accident investigation could change. Guests: Rod Hannifey (Truckie Tuesday co-host, National Road Freighters Association) · Belinda Hughes (Principal, Hughes Law — Truckie Tuesday's new resident lawyer) ⚠ This episode discusses a fatal truck crash on the Hume Highway. Support: Griefline 1300 845 745 (Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat–Sun 12pm–6pm AEST/AEDT) · Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7) (00:00) GME Sponsor Open & Intro (00:50) Belinda Hughes Joins As A Permanent Co-Host (02:21) Truck Blind-Spot Awareness (06:42) Dash Cams, Brake-Checking And Insurance (10:46) A Listener's Demerit-Points Dispute (13:19) A Trucker's Letter On Industry Standards (19:40) The New "Unfit To Drive" Duty And Mental Health (24:51) The Fatal Hume Highway Crash Near Goulburn (28:26) Busting The Work-Diary Fine Myth (33:17) A Listener's Original Song (38:46) Belinda's Legal Win Of The Week (41:14) Rod's Own Day In Court (45:53) What Changes On August 1 ❤️ Cheers to GME for making Truckie Tuesday possible! Outfit your rig with the very best, Australian-made communication technology here: https://www.gme.net.au/au/ 👩‍💼 For expert defence or advisory services, contact Hughe's Lawyers on ⁠⁠0422 388 370⁠⁠ : ⁠⁠https://hugheslaw.com.au/⁠ 🫶 Join The Bonafide Family Get Your Bonafide Merch here: https://bonafidepod.com/en-aud Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LukeBonaThatRadioGuy/ Catch Up On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukey.bona/ Subscribe to us on YouTube to stay updated with LIVE SHOWS: 🎙️ Get Involved Leave us a digital voicemail here: https://www.speakpipe.com/Bonafide Call the Bonafide Hotline to leave a voicemail: (02) 9128 9311 Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Reach out at: community@bonafidepod.com

    Truckie Tuesday: Could A Sore Toe Really Get You Pulled Off The Road?
See All (192)

Hosts & Guests

About

Bonafide with Luke Bona is the unfiltered voice of everyday Australia. After decades in national radio, Luke brings his legendary no-BS approach to the podcast world. We tackle the real issues the mainstream media ignores: Australian politics, the cost of living, motoring, technology, culture, and the transport industry. From the realities of the road on Truckie Tuesday to wild true crime in the Man Cave, get the raw, unhinged truth you’ve been looking for. No censors. No apologies. Subscribe to join the conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Luke Bona
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    192
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Luke Bona
  • Show Website
    Bonafide with Luke Bona

You Might Also Like