An interview I did with the host of Sydney's ABC 702 Drive program on a piece I wrote for The Drum re the 'Real Australia'. Hopefully it clarifies some of the things that irked people who felt I was constructing an army of straw men.

Interview with ABC702 Sydney

Jon Faine received a call on ABC774 this morning. The listener had enjoyed a particularly...servile...encounter with Tony Abbott. Genuine mistake or does Abbott really think women are best placed fetching him wine? YOU DECIDE!

Tony Abbott and the 'waitress'

Conversations With Men invites five men to read a letter to their childhood selves, speaking to the boys they used to be about the men they learned to become. It is a space in which men can be vulnerable and open. Episode 1 features performers Fred Leone, John Maloney, Tarang Chawla, Teddy Dunn and Keats "Bobby" Mulligan. It was recorded live at the Melba Spiegeltent in November 2019, on the unceded sovereign lands of the Wurundjeri and Boonwarung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. A portion of the proceeds from this event were directed to the Justice for Kumanjayi Walker campaign. 

***Please note, this podcast recording contains references to Aboriginal people who have died.***

Conversations With Men - Episode 1

Trigger Warning: Sexual abuse, victim blaming, assault, childhood abuse, rape

In this audio, Australian radio 'legend' John Laws responds to a victim of sexual abuse by asking her if the abuse she suffered at the age of 6 onwards was 'in any way her fault'. Laws also probes how many others were involved in the abuse and asks how often the abuse occurred. As the call wraps up, Laws offers the helpful advice that 'Carol' should just put it out of her mind and stop thinking about it.

ACMA needs to listen to this stat.

2SM refused to take complaints over this matter, referring listeners instead to their email submission option. When I called for comment, the poor beleaguered receptionist was forced to field all the calls rather than passing complaints on to station management. 

clementine ford

Popular tracks