A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard

In the first ever Book Club episode of A Podcast of One’s Own, Julia and co-host Sarah Holland-Batt delve into Australian author Anna Funder’s new work Wifedom.

Wifedom tells the untold story of Eileen O'Shaughnessy and her marriage to George Orwell, one of the most famed English writers of all time.

Funder recreates the Orwell’s’ marriage, taking readers through the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War in London.

Eileen’s story has been largely ignored by the history books, and as Funder shows, sometimes even rewritten by biographers of Orwell.

Julia and Sarah discuss Funder’s unique style of writing, how women get written out of history, how Eileen’s experience resonates with women today, and how fans of Orwell’s work can reconcile that with his personal behaviour.

Show notes:

In this episode, Julia sits down with activist, sexual consent champion and a voice for her generation, Chanel Contos. Chanel was a catalyst for transforming how consent education works in Australia. In 2021, aged just 22, she sparked a national media storm when she exposed the alarming level of sexual assault in Sydney private schools. From here, the “Teach Us Consent” Campaign was born –  an online petition asking for sexual consent education in Australian schools, which quickly gained more than 44,000 signatures supported by over 6,500 testimonies of sexual assault. And less just a year later in 2022, this ground-breaking campaign resulted in fundamental changes to the Australian curriculum when holistic and age-appropriate consent education was introduced in every school, across every age group.

Chanel takes us through this whirlwind journey – from that first day back in 2021, up until today, and reflects on everything she’s been up to along the way. From publishing her first book, Consent Laid Bare, to her work with young changemakers as the Chair of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership's Youth Committee. She and Julia talk activist burnout, how to engage everyone (especially young men and boys) in the conversation around consent, their optimism for the future and why it’s so important to be ruthless with systems and kind with people if we want to achieve lasting cultural change.

CW: This episode covers themes of consent and sexual violence, and parts of this conversation may be distressing for some listeners. If this brings up anything for you, help is available by contacting the 24-hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

In the final episode of 2023, Julia takes a look back at the incredible conversations of Season 5.

Sam Mostyn has had a formidable career in executive positions, working across business, sport, climate change, the arts, policy and not for profit.

She recently led the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, and was the first woman AFL Commissioner, where she spearheaded the creation of a women’s league. 

Now Sam is taking over from Julia as Chair of Beyond Blue, Australia’s leading mental health support service.

In this episode, Julia and Sam discuss mental health, gender equality and how women can succeed in what is often still very much a man’s world.

Show notes

Elly Desmarchelier is a proud disabled woman who uses her voice to advocate for the 1 in 5 Australians living with disability. 

Elly was the public face of a national campaign to maintain and defend the integrity of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme, taking the fight all the way to Parliament House in Canberra.

Elly and Julia discuss the barriers and discrimination Elly has faced and overcome throughout her life, and her determination to pave a smoother path for the next generation.