The Wheeler Centre

An exclusive Wheeler Centre live-recorded podcast featuring best-selling American author Eric Puchner, as he lifts the curtain on his latest novel 'Dream State', in conversation with host Ronnie Scott. Selected by Oprah for her book club in 2025 and an instant New York Times bestseller, 'Dream State' tells the story of Charlie, a gifted anaesthesiologist; his best friend Garrett, a brooding, introverted nerd; and medical school drop-out Cece, whose engagement to Charlie seems certain – until she meets Garrett.  A love triangle plays out across generations in this panoramic and deeply human tale of family, loss and the fragile dreams that shape our lives. Hear from Puchner as he discusses this work of exceptional literary depth in this exclusive podcast recording. This podcast was originally recorded on Monday 6 October 2025 by The Wheeler Centre. Featured music is ‘Diffuser’ by Shiruky.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get your fix of honest and original media analysis from two insiders who’ve broken plenty of news and been broken by it, too. In this special live recording of We Used to be Journos, hosts Antoinette Lattouf and Jan Fran sit down to reveal the way the media works, from questionable editorial decisions that shape the weekly news to the stories that masquerade as unbiased reporting. They unpack some recent headlines and reveal how the media sausage gets made – so you know what you’re being fed. In this fearless assessment of the Australian media landscape they have a low tolerance for spin and absolutely no time for BS. You’ll never look at the news in the same way again. Originally presented on Saturday 20 September 2025 by The Wheeler Centre, in partnership with Ette Media.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the age of algorithms, music is under constant pressure to respond to mood, brand and data.Hear from music journalist and cultural critic Liz Pelly with host Lauren Taylor in this sharp and insightful exploration into how streaming platforms have transformed our relationship with music. Pelly unpacks the shift from art to algorithm-driven content, where music is reduced to a commodified experience and listeners to mere data points.Drawing from years of investigative reporting culminating in her bold exposé 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist', Pelly uncovers how the economics of streaming are reshaping the music industry and what this seismic change means for artists, listeners and cultural production at large.The conversation explores ways to reclaim that human connection in music and fight for a more meaningful future in the age of corporate playlists and mood marketing. This event was recorded on Thursday 28 August 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Now or Never. The official bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop.Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beloved author David Nicholls takes to the stage with host Beverley Wang, to discuss his latest novel 'You Are Here'.This talk was originally presented on Tuesday 20 May 2025 by The Wheeler Centre.In 'You Are Here', David Nicholls weaves the stories of these two seemingly disconnected characters, bringing them together in a powerful, emotionally rich narrative brimming with his trademark blend of warmth, wit and insight into the human condition.Hear from one of today’s most cherished writers as he shares the inspiration behind his latest literary triumph and discusses the universal themes that will make it a story for our times.The official bookseller was the Sun Bookshop.Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each year at the Melbourne International Film Festival, a panel of guests gather to dissect the highs and lows of the zeitgeist. Host Michael Sun, essayist and regular writer for the Guardian, is joined by actor and writer Maria Angelico, Chicago–based New York Magazine Vulture culture critic Angelica Jade Bastién and visiting Los Angeles Times film critic Amy Nicholson to discuss the most overrated, underrated and personal favourite moments in movies, TV, podcasts and books of the past 12 months. Hear hot takes, heated discussions and great recommendations to enjoy post-festival.  Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can ageing teach us? For broadcast and writer Jacinta Parsons, the answer is – perhaps everything.  Inspired by many conversations with women across the country, A Wisdom of Age captures the brewing tone of revolution that sits in the hearts of women who are ready to tell a new kind of story about the experience of growing older.  Set against the backdrop of an intimate two-course dinner at Montalto, Parsons reflects on her own experience of ageing, alongside the powerful stories of the remarkable women she’s encountered – each offering unique tales of resilience, wisdom and grace – and the lessons they’ve imparted.  She joins host Hilary Harper for an honest, thought-provoking and energising conversation about ageing with love and the spirit of rebellion. This event was recorded on Friday June 6th 2025. It was presented in partnership with Montalto.The official bookseller was Farrells.Featured music is 'Lucy’s Trail (Don’t Give Up)' by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join New York Times bestselling author Lauren Roberts in her exclusive Melbourne appearance to celebrate Fearless, the highly anticipated third and final book in the Powerless series.   Romance, fantasy and intrigue collide in this runaway BookTok success known for its fierce heroine, witty banter and deliciously fraught enemies-to-lovers plot. After the shocking cliff-hanger ending of Reckless, Fearless sees Paedyn Gray and Kai Azer return to the Kingdom of Ilya where Paedyn has a life-altering choice to make. Whatever she decides will determine her fate – and the fate of those around her – forever. In the ultimate battle of love and loyalty, who wins?   Joined by Amie Kaufman, Roberts discusses writing slow-burn romance, gripping plot twists and bringing her smash hit, dagger-to-the-throat romantasy trilogy to its thrilling conclusion. This event was recorded on Wednesday 25 June 2025 at Melbourne Town Hall. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2020, Cheng Lei was working as a business reporter for China's state-run English language television station when she was arrested on charges of sharing state secrets. She was detained in China for over three years under harsh conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement and restricted access to her family, before finally being released.  Now, back in Australia and free to write and speak her mind, Lei recounts her story in A Memoir of Freedom, an extraordinary memoir of her arrest, trial, imprisonment – and most importantly, her survival. Written with vivid immediacy, this new book is a powerful meditation on hope, freedom and the power of the human spirit. In conversation with James Scullin, Lei offers a complex, deeply personal account of her experience in confinement, resisting black-and-white thinking in favour of a more nuanced view.This event was recorded on Wednesday 18 June 2025. It was presented in partnership with Asia Society Australia. The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore. Featured music is ‘Travelling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American Jewish journalist Peter Beinart reflects on the world around him – and his place within it – amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.  Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza offers a timely reflection, seeking to reimagine what it means to be Jewish in the wake of the horrors unfolding in the Middle East.  Drawing on Jewish tradition and history, and global efforts at moral reconstruction, Peter Beinart calls for a new story to take hold – one in which Palestinian and Jewish safety are interconnected, and where the veneration of nation states cannot be at the expense of human life.  He joins host Sarah Schwartz for an examination of one of the most pressing issues of our time and offers his vision for a future of peace and equality. This event was recorded on Tuesday 27th May 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with The Jewish Council of Australia.The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop.Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1985, Jeanette Winterson published her debut novel – the groundbreaking and subversive Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit. Genre-bending and narratively bold, it garnered then-rare mainstream success for a story that was fiercely feminist and challenged traditional gender roles.   Four decades on, Winterson remains one of our most distinguished writers, renowned for her singular voice and restless curiosity. Her work spans a vast landscape of ideas, from artificial intelligence to religion, from myth to memory.   In this episode, hear from one of literature’s most provocative and original minds, as Winterson joins the Wheeler Centre for an exclusive Melbourne appearance at The Capitol, reflecting on her remarkable career and the themes that continue to shape her writing.  This event was recorded on Saturday 24th May 2025 at The Capitol. It was presented in partnership with RMIT University. The official bookseller was Hares and Hyenas. Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah the Illstrumenalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry, hosts of the Guardian’s political podcast Back to Back Barries, for a clear-eyed analysis of the 2025 Australian federal election. After five weeks of relentless campaigning, Australians have cast their votes – and political commentators and former major party insiders Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry are here to offer a discerning examination of how, and why, we arrived at the results on 3 May 2025. In this special post-election live recording of the Guardian’s Back to Back Barries podcast, they look at the key moments that shaped the campaigns, unpack the role that Independents and minor parties had on the balance of power and discuss what has been revealed about the political, cultural and social issues shaping Australia.This event was presented in partnership with The Guardian. It was recorded on Thursday 15 May 2025 at The Edge, Federation Square.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over an intimate two-course dinner at Montalto, broadcaster and social policy expert Jamila Rizvi and comedian and podcaster Rosie Waterland come together with host Tracee Hutchison for a candid discussion about their deeply personal new book, Broken Brains.   Drawing from their own experiences, Rizvi and Waterland reflect on their journeys with illness – Rizvi's rare brain tumour diagnosis and Waterland’s ongoing mental trauma from childhood abuse – and explore the unexpected ways these struggles intersect. Through a rare blend of humour and honesty, they offer solidarity and invaluable insights for anyone who has faced illness or cared for someone who has.   Hear from two women who have navigated their own battles and now wish to share the hope, healing and perspective they’ve gained along the way.   This event was recorded on Friday 9 May 2025. It was presented in partnership with Montalto. The official bookseller was Farrells. Featured music is 'I See You Out There' by Tellsonic. Please note this recording includes references to suicide. For support in Australia contact:  Lifeline: 13 11 14Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Headspace: 1800 650 890  Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary tech journalist and podcaster Kara Swisher opens up about a lifetime of reporting on Silicon Valley with host Sophie Black.   In a world where tech billionaires operate beyond the reach of government regulation and press scrutiny, Kara Swisher has devoted her career to holding them to account.   Her new memoir Burn Book offers an insider’s history of some of Silicon Valley’s most influential companies, laying bare the utopian ideals and troubling compromises of the people who created them. Here, she discusses her wide-ranging experiences of reporting on the tech industry from boom and bust to global domination and offers a clear-eyed view on how big tech has shaped our lives.   Hear this witty, scathing and frank account from a journalist who has seen the dark inner workings of the industry – and yet remains optimistic about tech's potential to deliver a better and fairer world. Originally presented on Thursday 6 March 2025 by The Wheeler Centre in partnership with RMIT Culture. The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trailblazing journalist and proud Gamilaroi woman Brooke Boney opens up like never before in All of It, her powerful debut essay collection. Like many millennial women, Brooke Boney is navigating a society that expects her to chase it all – career, success and personal fulfillment – while doing so under an unforgiving public gaze. In her highly anticipated essay collection, All of It, she reflects on the pressures of life in the spotlight as the first Indigenous host of Australian commercial breakfast television and now as an ambitious scholar striving to inspire others. With honesty and insight, she explores the competing expectations placed on young women today. In conversation with Jacinta Parsons, the charismatic and thought-provoking Boney delves into what drives her sense of purpose and meaning while grappling with the generational impacts of colonisation, love, friendship, fertility and ambition. This event was recorded on Friday 4 April 2025 at The Wheeler Centre.The official bookseller was Readings. Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past 20 years, Pankaj Mishra has written incisive studies of a world marked by inequalities and the effects of globalisation. He has traced global histories of fascism, the impacts of rising nationalism and applied an astute lens to the fragility of our democratic institutions.    Now, he sets his expert mind to the war in Gaza.   Garnering praise from the likes of Rashid Khalidi, Naomi Klein and Hisham Matar, Mishra’s latest work, The World After Gaza, reckons with the latest devastating conflict in the Middle East and how the world’s balance of power is shifting. He joins host Antony Loewenstein as they explore the moral and geopolitical ramifications at stake during this polarising historical moment. This event was recorded on Wednesday 26 February 2025 at The Wheeler Centre.The official bookseller was Paperback Bookshop. Featured music is ‘Living in a Fantasy’ by Pulsed.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this panel discussion journalist Emma Do, A Plus Market founder Sam van Zweden and writer and podcast host Maggie Zhou examine the barriers within the industry and discuss the evolving vision of an inclusive fashion future. Moderated by cultural commentator Sabina McKenna, these fashion experts and enthusiasts explore the most pressing issues in fashion, from size inclusivity and high price points to ethical production and sustainable consumption.  Unboxing the realities of mainstream fashion, they look at who is excluded from the influential industry and why. They challenge norms and seek to reimagine how the industry can better serve everyone. Whether you’re an influencer, trendsetter, social change advocate, or simply a fashion lover, this conversation will be your opportunity to join the dialogue on the future of fashion.  This event was recorded on Saturday 1 March 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was  presented as part of the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s Independent Programme.Featured music is ‘No One There’ by Ava Low.   About The Wheeler Centre: The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne. Subscribe to our platforms or explore our library of talks, podcasts and live events at wheelercentre.com Follow The Wheeler Centre for More: Instagram: /wheelercentre Facebook: /wheelercentre LinkedIn: /the-wheeler-centre Bluesky: /wheelercentre.bsky.socialSupport the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After spending their early years together in conflict zones as foreign correspondents, Geraldine Brooks and partner Tony Horwitz relocated from Australia to the idyllic Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, USA, to raise their children.  The life they built there was one of meaningful work, good humour and tenderness. But all this ended abruptly when, during the spring of 2019, Brooks received a phone call with the news that Horwitz – just 60 years old and, to her knowledge, vigorous and healthy – had collapsed and died on a street in Washington, DC. In the aftermath of this devastating loss, Brooks composed the spare and heartfelt Memorial Days – a portrait of a timeless love between souls that captures the joy, agony and mystery of life. Hear this Pulitzer Prize-winning author in conversation with Jason Steger in the first edition of our Books and Ideas at Montalto series for 2025. Content warning: This conversation contains themes of grief and loss.  This event was presented in partnership with Montalto.It was recorded on Friday 28 February 2025 at Montalto Winery. The official bookseller was Antipodes. Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel Kushner’s new novel Creation Lake tells the story of Sadie Smith, an American spy-for-hire working in the secretive world of privately contracted surveillance. Tasked with infiltrating a commune of anarchists in rural France, she becomes entranced by a mysterious cult-leader-like figure named Bruno Lacombe who believes that freedom from the pain of the modern condition can only be achieved through a return to the ancient past.  Creation Lake is both a canny homage to French noir and an incisive critique of spy-novel clichés – more than that, it is stylish, witty and audaciously cerebral. Here, the two-time National Book Award finalist and Booker Prize-shortlisted author sits down to discuss this dazzling work of double-crossing, dark humour and dangerous games, with moderator Rebecca Harkins-Cross. This event was recorded on Tuesday March 4th 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was supported by RMIT Culture. The official bookseller was Hill of Content. Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Shewry knows obsession well. It’s what has propelled his innovative Melbourne restaurant, Attica, to national and global acclaim. His new memoir-meets-manifesto, Uses for Obsession: A (Chef’s) Memoir, is a reflection on leadership, hospitality and humanity, and an unforgettable look inside the sometimes-brutal world of cheffing.  Shewry joins host Marieke Hardy for this special live episode of Hardy’s podcast, Marieke Hardy is Going to Die. They plan Shewry’s dream funeral and reflect on navigating life’s ebbs and flows: from creative freedom and culinary sustainability to the cult of the chef and cooking as muse. Hear from a restaurateur and a raconteur as they contemplate one of the only certainties in life – that we’re all going to die. Someday.This episode was recorded on Tuesday 15 October 2024 at The Wheeler Centre as part of Spring Fling. The official bookseller was Readings. Produced by Darren Scarce with music by Lord Fascinator. Marieke Hardy Is Going To Die is a podcast made by Marieke Hardy (IG @marieke_hardy). You can follow at IG @GoingToDiePod Whilst acknowledging the privilege that comes with having the space to discuss death and mortality, we want to also recognise that discussing these topics can raise some  wounds. Should you wish to seek extra support, please consider the following resources: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/online-grief-support-groups https://www.grief.org.au/ga/ga/Support/Support_Groups.aspx https://www.headspace.com/meditation/grief https://www.mindful.org/a-10-minute-guided-meditation-for-working-with-grief/ https://griefline.org.au/get-help/  Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content warning: This episode includes occasional course language. From her childhood in the Australian outback to the heights of her chart-topping international success as a singer-songwriter, country music icon Kasey Chambers has trusted her gut, stuck to her values and learned some hard truths, always while trying to live by the best advice she’s ever received: just don’t be a d**khead.  At this special event at Geelong Library & Heritage Centre, Chambers discusses her new book Just Don’t Be A D**khead (and other profound things I’ve learnt). In this conversation, she shares heartfelt, honest tales, musical experiences and the behind-the-scenes insights she has learned along the way. Kasey also treats the audience to a few live songs during the session. Hosted by Triple R broadcaster Denise Hylands. The event was recorded on Wednesday 9 October 2024 at Geelong Library & Heritage Centre as part of The Wheeler Centre’s Spring Fling series. It was presented in partnership with Geelong Regional Libraries.  The official bookseller was Cook & Young.Featured music:“Backbone”, “Not Pretty Enough” and “Ain’t No Little Girl” All tracks by performed by Kasey Chambers and Brandon Dodd, recorded live at Geelong Library & Heritage Centre.Opening track ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.  Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.