Patrick Bonello takes us to the 1970s and 80s, to the working-class suburb of Coburg, where his young self was destined to start his life’s journey as an identical twin. We venture through the ups and downs of childhood and into his passion for radio and all things gadgets. All the while, Patrick is learning that he must keep the secret that he is gay, to keep himself safe.

Come with us on this heady romp as we look at the politics of sexuality, the AIDS crisis and the prevalent homophobic views of the 80s, through the eyes of a young man who is trying to understand himself and find connection.

New podcast out now featuring Christine Nixon. Join us as we have a chuckle talking about childhood northern beaches summers, fierce independence, love of swimming and Brownies, before we get into Christine’s most impressive, change-making career. Imagine the burly world of policing in NSW in 1972 when there were only 130 women in the police force, and 8,000 men. Now imagine being asked at a job interview if you planned to get married and have kids. What would a young, educated, feminist do with a workplace that wasn’t moving with the times? Come along as Christine shares the wild ride of her incredible leadership career with humour, humility and an uncommon openness. I have deep respect for this beautiful human!

Thanks to Leadership Victoria for connecting Christine and I, so we could share this delightful conversation with you.

Dan shares the stories of his childhood, growing up in Melbourne’s northern suburb of Bundoora in the 1970s and 80s. Cricket and football in the street, boundless bike rides, the freedom he was given to roam and explore.

At fourteen Dan loses his sight. His parents fight to keep him in mainstream education and with the help of a few great teachers and aides, he learns new ways of learning. He continued his mission through his late teens and twenties to ensure that he could experience as much of the world as his sighted peers, which led him to overseas travel, skiing, scuba diving, surfing and bushwalking.

Dan talks openly of his journey, the challenges and supporters he has had through his long career in advocacy. Today Dan is the first Public Advocate in Victoria with an open disability, using all of his knowledge and life experience to support some of our most vulnerable people with disability.

This is a Memory Lane Life Stories production with host Nina Fromhold.

Recorded at the Narrm Ngarrgu library in Melbourne, Australia.

Music licensed through PremiumBeat.

Design by Pass the Salt Studio.

Learn more about the podcast or recording your own life story: www.memorylanestories.com