Advertise on podcast: Dads on the Air

With special guest: Tom Docking … in conversation with Glen Poole Most Dads can remember vividly the time they were told that they were going to be a father for the first time. There may be a sense of starting on a journey, that life as it has been up until that point has changed forever or even that this is a type of eternity because part of you goes on long after your passing. Our guest today, Tom Docking from Dad’s Group Inc, was overwhelmed by a different feeling. He felt he could not cope with this new responsibility and had to spend some time alone. When he realised that he needed some support there was an unpleasant discovery, no help was available. So after coming to terms with his own crisis Tom took matters into his own hands and started a support group for new Dads. As well as being a successful Dad himself Tom has since then helped many other Dads adjust to their new status. Tom formed a not-for-profit organisation that works with local Councils and health providers to offer assistance and feedback. Dad’s Group Inc is looking to spread nationwide so that all Australian Dads can benefit. Podcast (mp3)

With special guest: John O’Halloran … in conversation with Bill Kable John O’Halloran was an unlikely war hero. With the assistance of Ric Teague John tells his story for the first time in The Platoon Commander: The extraordinary story of the man who led Australia’s most decorated platoon of the Vietnam War. Coming from Tamworth in country NSW John was called up in the first conscription ballot. But before doing his compulsory medical he was involved in a street accident which badly damaged his foot which should have ruled him out as medically unfit. However with a bit of help from a local medico he got over that first hurdle and soon distinguished himself in training. John was made Platoon Commander and at the age of 21 he was sent to Vietnam. In that war-torn country he now had enemy soldiers shooting at him, trying their best to kill him. And the men under his command were dependent for their lives on his decisions under fire. Podcast (mp3)

With special guest: Pamela Roche … in conversation with Ken Thompson & Bill Kable The attitude of politicians towards International Parental Child Abduction seems to be “It ain’t broke and I ain’t gonna fix it.” Our guest today is Pamela Roche who tells us how the system is broken and we need to get the word out to politicians, judges, lawyers and professional therapists. When the father of her children breached English Family Court orders and refused to return them after a visit to the USA Pamela expected that she could rely on the legal system and the various institutions to restore order. She discovered that the USA is a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Parental Child Abduction. This is a multilateral treaty developed by the Hague Conference on Private International Law that provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another. Pamela naively believed that with the USA being a first world country and part of the Hague Convention this should have been straightforward once she established the facts and got local advice. Podcast (mp3)

With special guest:  Bram Connolly … in conversation with Bill Kable  When Bram Connolly started writing his book The Commando Way: a Special Forces commander’s lessons for life, leadership and success he was thinking that he was an average type of man. The working title of the book was The Risk of Being Average.  However Bram soon realised that he is not your average man in the street in 21st Century Australia, just as anyone who hears his story will also very quickly realise. Bram is talking about jumping out of planes into enemy territory, being surrounded by people with weapons who wanted to kill him and at the same time inspiring a group of soldiers to put their life on the line to do their job. Clearly we are talking about a leader of men.  That is where we come in. Bram has a way of connecting with his audience by telling his stories in an everyday way which somehow allows you to insert yourself in the scene he describes.  Podcast (mp3)

With special guest:  Madonna King … in conversation with Bill Kable  The word “daughter” with its silent letters points to something going on beneath the surface. To find out exactly what is going on between daughters and their Dads calls for a type of explorer who is prepared to investigate widely and give a voice to their thoughts and feelings.  Our guest today is Madonna King one of Australia’s most accomplished journalists. In her book Fathers and Daughters: Helping girls and their dads build unbreakable bonds Madonna with her typical thoroughness has interviewed no fewer than 1300 girls and 400 Dads along with a host of school principals, psychologists, researchers and even neuroscientists to give us some answers.  Sometimes the natural instinct of Dads to “fix things” is not what is required. Being a good listener is what his daughter is looking for. Sometimes a practical approach rather than an emotional response is the way to go. Sometimes Dad does not need to do anything, his daughter can learn a lot by modelling and by watching how he relates to others. Dad may show his care by actions rather than words but if that is the case Dad needs to remember just how important he is in his daughter’s life.  Podcast (mp3)

With special guest:  Jeff Apter … in conversation with Bill Kable  It seems that everyone remembers the rock band Australian Crawl. Maybe not all the individual members of the band but certainly their front man James Reyne. They will remember the TV series featuring James called East of Eden.  But it all comes back to the music, and Australian Crawl was part of an Australian assault on rock music. The music came out of a vibrant pub scene which produced world shaking bands such as Midnight Oil and Cold Chisel. When playing live, there was a driving powerful grittiness and it came through in their records.  When Australian Crawl first appeared on Countdown in August 1979 performing ‘Beautiful People’, no one knew what to make of them. Certainly not the TV crew, who thought the song was called ‘Beautiful Beach Ball’ and they put up a set to match.  The band was quirky, charismatic and unmistakably different. But they quickly proved they were no novelty act. Over the next seven years, this band of high school mates produced two of Australia’s bestselling albums, The Boys Light Up and Sirocco, and a string of major hits including ‘Downhearted’, ‘Errol’ and the timeless ‘Reckless’. In all, they sold 1.5 million albums and had 15 charting singles. They performed live all over the country. Their success would launch the screen and solo career of heart-throb lead singer James Reyne.  Podcast (mp3)