Conversations

Louise Philip had just scored her breakout role on Australian television, in Bellbird, when a horrific car crash threatened to derail the life she was forging for herself.
Louise was 15 years old when she convinced her parents to let her drop out of high school to become an actress.
She had just scored her breakout role on Australian television, but within a few months a terrible car crash threatened to derail the life that she was forging for herself. 
Louise broke her back and permanently lost the use of her legs, and she was told that the silver screen was no longer a place for her.
But Louise fought to get back to work, and thrived on Australian television sets for years until she did something else that people told her was impossible -- she became a mother.
Only after Louise became a mother did she have the perspective to deeply talk to her father, who was driving the car when it crashed all those years ago, about grief, guilt and forgiveness.
This episode of Conversations was first broadcast in 2024.
The producer was Nicola Harrison and the executive producer was Carmel Rooney.
It explores disability, tv acting, Australian television, disability access, discrimination, grief, guilt, motherhood, family, love, tragedy, resilience, forgiveness.

As a little girl growing up in Brisbane in the era of the White Australia policy, Lindy lived through the pain of always feeling different but then she began using it as fuel for her art.
It took her many years to find the power in what she calls the 'tearing' in her identity.
She began to make work based on her own family story, and her Zen practice.
Lindy is now one of Australia's leading contemporary artists.
This episode of Conversations was first broadcast in 2022

Growing up in Tokyo, Hiroko Yoda never thought of herself as religious, but after her mother died, she began exploring the spiritual traditions of Japan.
She was inspired by the Shinto idea that there are '8 million spiritual beings', animating everything we encounter.
In the different practices of Shintoism, Buddhism, and Shugendo, Hiroko found practical means of emotional support, and also ways of making her everyday life more beautiful.
Further informationHiroko's book is called Eight Million Ways to Happiness
She will be appearing at this year's  Sydney Writers' Festival

At 25, Peter Goers lost both of his parents after the commercial plane they were travelling in crashed into a suburb of New Orleans shortly after take off.Suddenly, he was required to drop everything to fly to America and identify their bodies, he also spent time the relatives of the other 143 passengers that died in the tragedy.
For many years Peter's reaction to losing his parents was expressed through a reckless regard for his own life, before finally learning how to live with himself and the defining tragedy of his life.
Peter Goers is a retired ABC broadcaster, he presented The Evening Show on 891 ABC Adelaide for over 20 years.This episode of Conversations was first broadcast in 2023.It was produced by Nicola Harrison and Eliza Kirch is the Executive Producer.
Further Information
Peter's memoir, In the Air of the Afternoon is published through Wakefield Press.

For 45 years, George Palmer harboured a secret. He spent every spare moment composing classical music, and then shoving his scores in his bottom drawer. Until one day, almost by pure chance, that music saw the light of day.
As a young man, George had dreams of becoming a renowned classical music composer, but when he walked into university, he didn't feel like he belonged in the music department.
George left after his first week, and followed a school friend into the law department.
At first, George was not inspired by the law, but he ended up falling in love with the human side of the justice system.
For the next 45 years, he climbed the ranks from barrister, to Queen's Counsel, and finally to judge in the NSW Supreme Court, where he had ultimate responsibility for all adoptions in the state.
But through all those years in public life, George had a secret "vice".
Every spare moment he had was spent at his piano, scribbling down choral works and orchestral scores that he never intended anyone to see or hear.
He never spoke about composing with his colleagues, friends or family, until one day George's talents were uncovered through chance and tragedy.
George's latest work The Drover's Wife - The Opera is playing at Brisbane's QPAC until 22 May, and then will be staged at Sydney's Opera House in August, 2026.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Eliza Kirsch.
It explores World War Two, family origin stories, spies, British intelligence, hearing loss, late in life career changes, second career, protective list, adoption, foster care, Supreme Court, legal system, justice system, judicial system, commercial law, Beethoven, Bach, Wagner, opera, contemporary classical music, contemporary Australian composers, Indigenous stories, Leah Purcell, stage adaptations, books, writing.