3AW Mornings with Tom Elliott

Georgie Purcell and Joe McCracken are no ordinary politicians. Joe is a Liberal MP who came out as gay in his maiden speech to parliament. Animal Justice MP Georgie is a lawyer, a former stripper and covered head to toe in tattoos. They're both in their early 30s, opinionated and passionate.  In this episode, Georgie Purcell and Joe McCracken tell Neil Why:  The writing is on the wall for the Melbourne Cup Shame is shaping public debate  They don't agree on 'that' Jacinta Allan cartoon  Politician's work "bloody hard" They both suffer from anxiety People don't care about politicians  Also in this episode, Georgie and Joe switch places and ask Neil a couple of questions of their own...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What you're about to hear sounds like science fiction. Professor Nicholas Opie is leading the world in developing a brain chip, capable of mind control. Through the company he co-founded, Synchron, Nick Opie is close to helping millions of people living with paralysis do things they never dreamed of doing. Synchron may have been created in Melbourne, but it’s a big deal in Silicon Valley and it’s backed by some of the world's richest and most powerful men - Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.  But Nick Opie is not your average professor. He’s something of a genius. An inventor with an altruistic vision.  In this episode, Professor Nicholas Opie tells Neil Mitchell Why...  The possibilities of BCI (Brain Computer Interface) are infinite and exciting  Breaking rules is part of the creative process  The brain is far more complex than you could imagine  He’s not in it for the money See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Abbott was Australia's 28th Prime Minister, but he was only in office for two years before the revolving door hit him on the way out. He was a divisive figure as a politician, and now as a conservative commentator and business person.  In this episode, Tony Abbott tells Neil Mitchell Why: The world is in a dangerous position  He thinks the Voice, is a "really bad idea" The media is on the nose He lost the top job, and whose fault it was He's a cultural warrior from another age Australia needs to re-think its direction See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Coulthart is a distinguished investigative journalist with a sparkling career. But, he's made an extraordinary pivot into the realm of UFOs and the extraterrestrial. Coulthart has become the face of a growing, global fascination into the world of aliens. In this episode, he tells Neil Mitchell Why he's convinced we are not alone.           See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Associate Professor Monique Watts is a cardiologist and one of Australia's leading heart failure specialists. She's speaking up with an urgent message for women.  In this episode, Dr Monique Watts tells Neil Mitchell Why: Women need to think about their hearts Country people are the best people  She has imposter syndrome Bullying and harassment is still rife in the medical world  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Betty Klimenko was abandoned by her drug addicted mother, then adopted by a billionaire. She is now one of the wealthiest women in Australia. Her story is not widely known, but should be the stuff of Australian folklore.  In this episode, Betty Klimenko tells Neil Mitchell Why: She won't attend funerals Getting kicked out of the family was the best thing that ever happened to her She hates eclectic cars Money isn't everything She came out of retirement to start a motorsport team  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a rare thing to interview a Prime Minister, uninterrupted, for an hour. In this episode, Anthony Albanese sits down with Neil Mitchell and reveals WHY:  The Voice referendum is Australia's chance to get it right  He doesn't like Scott Morrison  There's still hope for young people Melbourne produces the best rock 'n' roll bands  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Avi Yemini is a self described attention seeker. He's a loud mouth, opinionated and largely shunned by the media, but, he might surprise you.  In this episode, Avi Yemini tells Neil Why... The army saved his life He hates liars and politicians There is a softer side the public don't see He wants Neil's job      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shane Patton is Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, but beneath the bureaucracy, he's a frontline officer through and through. Over his 40 year career, Shane Patton has seen things that will stay with him for life. He's chosen now to reveal some of those stories.  In this episode of Neil Mitchel asks Why, Shane Patton reveals... The terrifying house call that still haunts him to this day. The truth behind lockdown restrictions in Victoria. The hardest, most thankless job every police officer has to faced.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Woodland is what you’d call an 'industry disruptor'.  A self-made entrepreneur, millionaire and former soldier. He’s a young rich lister, with no business training to speak of.  In this episode, Mark Woodland reveals WHY:  He thinks national service is a good thing Going to the doctor terrifies him  Flashy cars are more trouble than they’re worth  He's learnt to be ruthlessSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brain McNamee is one of Australia's most successful business people, but chances are you've never heard of him. Back in the 90s, Brian took a broken down government lab and turned it into a multi-billion dollar biotech company, called CSL.  In this episode, Brian McNamee tells Neil WHY... Fear is key to a companies success He was an early pioneer of work-life balance  Some of Victoria's pandemic restrictions were outrageous He was happy to quit the job he loved     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 2011, Neil interviewed Australia's three living Victoria Cross recipients at that time: Keith Payne, Mark Donaldson and Ben Roberts-Smith. Now, following Ben Roberts-Smith's highly public fall from grace, Neil is revisiting what the VC recipients had to say.  In this episode, Neil Mitchell finds out Why...  They don't consider themselves brave You never forget a face from combat  Mortality does not frighten them Receiving a VC changes your lifeSee omny.fm/listener for privacy information.

Sophie Matterson is restless. It's what makes her adventurous, and led her to being a world record holder. She's the first woman to walk the width of Australia, with a herd of camels. But why did she do it? And what did she learn on her own in the outback?  In this episode of Neil Mitchell Asks Why, Sophie explains why: She encountered the best of humanity in the outback  She's a little bit weird Camels are the best travel companions  She thinks all women should find their own adventure  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kerry O'Brien is a veteran journalist with a reputation as a hard-nosed political interviewer. Since quitting his job with the public broadcaster, Kerry has softened his tough exterior, and is free to express his own opinion. In this episode of Neil Mitchell Asks Why, Kerry shares why: He got kicked out of school and never made it to university He's still passionate about Australian politics He almost joined the army Nelson Mandela was the greatest political leader of his time Truth in journalism matters There is still racism in AustraliaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matthew Guy has led the Victorian Liberal party to election defeat… twice. For thefirst time since his 2022 loss, Matthew has chosen to talk about the trouble plaguedcampaign... Why? In this episode of Neil Mitchell Asks Why, Matthew explains why: The Liberal Party is being undermined from the insideHe thinks democracy is under threat in VictoriaPolitics is brutal and unforgivingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.