The Good Life: Andrew Leigh in Conversation

Jessy Wu is a Sydney-based writer, entrepreneur and author of the debut novel 'Good Intentions'. A former management consultant and venture capital investor, she is also the founder of Broad Church, a creative communal space in Chippendale. Jessy discusses how 'Good Intentions' brings together young love, university journalism, finance and biotechnology. They explore ambition, moral compromise and the tension between changing institutions from within and challenging them from the outside. The conversation also examines how class, migrant experience and financial security shape ethical choices, why good intentions can excuse harmful behaviour, and whether workplaces gradually change the values of the people inside them.

Ed Coper is an expert in digital politics who helped build one of Australia’s first major online political movements and has advised advocacy campaigns around the world. His previous book, Facts and Other Lies, explored the disinformation age: how fake news spreads, why it is so difficult to stop, and what citizens can do to defend the truth. His latest book, Angertainment: How Social Media Outrage Ruined Everything, takes that story a step further. It asks why our social feeds increasingly feel less like public squares and more like pokie machines for grievance, endlessly rewarding outrage with attention. In this conversation, Ed discusses rage-bait algorithms, political demagogues, corporate platforms, and the business model that turns fury into clicks, influence and power. We explore how online toxicity is engineered and amplified, what the outrage economy is doing to democracy, and whether it is still possible to build a healthier digital life.

Wendy Harmer has spent decades shaping Australian comedy, journalism and media, from the newsroom floor to the stand-up stage, from comedy to breakfast radio and the ABC. In this episode, Wendy talks about growing up in country Victoria, building resilience through childhood adversity, becoming one of the first female reporters at the Geelong Advertiser. Wendy reflects on the golden age of Australian live comedy, the discipline of breakfast radio, and why words, writing and curiosity remain central to her happiness. Along the way, she shares sharp stories about newsrooms, hecklers, feminism, fish, fatherhood, and how hard beginning turn into a generous life.

As part of the ANU Meet the Author series, I interviewed Anna Goldsworthy on stage about her new Quarterly Essay, “The God We Made. The Threat and Promise of Artificial Intelligence”.

Martin McKenzie-Murray is The Saturday Paper's associate editor, staff writer for The Monthly, a two-time Walkley finalist and winner of the Melbourne Press Club's Quill Award for commentary. He has worked as a teacher, speechwriter, columnist for The Age and adviser to the chief commissioner of Victoria Police. His first book, A Murder Without Motive, was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Awards for crime writing. His second, The Speechwriter, won the Russell Prize for Humour Writing. In this episode, I chat with Martin about his latest book, Sirens: Inside the Shadow World of First Responders.

Grace Adams is the CEO of Effective Altruism Australia. To find out more or make a donation, go to https://effectivealtruism.org.au/eofy/ You can find Grace's podcast 'More Than Good by Effective Altruism Australia' here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ea_aus  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2TffN3nE1zniT1Mm3VjTdo 

Ant Williams knows what it means to perform under pressure. A world-record freediver, he has held his breath for more than eight minutes, dived 100 metres on a single breath, and swum 182 metres beneath solid Arctic ice.  In this episode of The Good Life, Ant talks about learning from discomfort, building mental toughness, training for pain, facing risk, and why he believes courage can be practised. From freediving and ice diving to fatherhood and psychology, this is a conversation about what happens when we stop running from failure and start treating it as information.

Mark Fabian is associate professor of public policy at the University of Warwick, UK. He is also an affiliate researcher at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at Cambridge University, and an associate at the Institute for Social Change at the University of Tasmania. In his latest book he challenges our ideas of happiness. From the hedonic treadmill to self-actualisation, he explains why frustration can be part of a meaningful life, why integrity matters more than productivity, and how to align who you are with who you want to be. A thoughtful guide to living with pleasure, fulfillment, and purpose.

On 11 June 2025, I joined UNSW Professor Toby Walsh on stage in Canberra at an ANU-Canberra Times Meet the Author event, to discuss Toby’s new book “The Shortest History of AI”.

This week New York Times-bestselling author Alex Hutchinson returns to the podcast to talk about his latest book ‘The Explorer's Gene’. 

On 12 March 2025, at an ANU-Canberra Times Meet the Author event, I interviewed Robert Dessaix about his new book ‘Chameleon’. This is a record fourth appearance for Robert on the Good Life podcast (his past fascinating chats are episodes 27, 136 and 172).

Matthew Halteman is a professor of philosophy at Calvin University in Michigan and a fellow in the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. We spoke about his new book “Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan”, which was published in November 2024 by Basic Books.

Shaun Micallef on Laughter, Stepping Up and Stepping Back

Dave Eccles and Tadgh Kennelly on Blokes Bonding on Beaches.   To find out more about WNOW visit https://www.wnow.com.au/ 

Nina Jankowicz and Van Badham on Online Misogyny Nina Jankowicz, American disinformation expert and author of How to Lose the Information War and How to Be a Woman Online, and Van Badham, activist, playwright, and author of QAnon and On discuss disinformation, online harms, and their effect on elections in 2024 and beyond.

Lucas Patchett on front loaders, friends & founding Orange Sky - To volunteer with Orange Sky, go to orangesky.org.au

185. Sean Turnell on Finding Hope in Myanmar's Most Notorious Jail

184. Tanya Plibersek on crime fiction

Pat Farmer on Running Across Continents 

Dana Suskind on building a parent nation

On 3 October 2023, I joined Chris Hammer on stage at an ANU / Canberra Times Meet the Author event to discuss crime fiction writing, with a particular focus on his latest book, “The Seven”.  

On 28 September 2023, I joined Catharine Lumby on stage at an ANU / Canberra Times Meet the Author event to discuss her new biography of Frank Moorhouse.

To make a donation to support Blue Dragon Children Foundation, go to www.bluedragon.org   Michael’s blog is at lifeisalongstory.com

Emma Johnston on seas, science and sailing 

Richard Reeves on boys and men

Tim Winton on landscape, words and activism

Tayla Harris on AFL, boxing and that kick (Rebroadcast).

174. Brigid Delaney on Stoicism.

I spoke to Bo Seo about his latest book 'Good Arguments', discussing how in a shouty world, it matters more than ever to be able to disagree without being disagreeable. Our conversation took place as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author Series, in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop.

Michael Traill on Willoughby Wildcats, lifelong learning and jumping ship (Rebroadcast).

Robert Dessaix is the quintessential public intellectual. Sparking off his new book ‘Abracadabra’, we talked about Robert’s personal language (‘K’), the inspiration he draws from Nikolai Gogol, and being raised by an adoptive father who was born in the 1880s. Our conversation took place as part of the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author Series, in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop.

171. Daniel Pink on the power of regret.

170. Ben Quilty on painting soldiers, asylum seekers and Santa.   Photo credit: Daniel Boud

169. Amani Haydar on Agony, Anger and Art.

168. Jennifer Nadel & Matt Hawkins on Compassion in Politics.

167. Ed Coper on fighting online lies.

Susan Carland on Islam and authenticity (Rebroadcast).

165. Ryan Holiday on Stoicism.   Photo credit: Dawson Carroll

164: Andrew Denton on Improvisation, Interviewing & Liquid Time.

163. Emma McKeon on Swimming, Stress & Success. 

Michelle de Kretser on Shimmering Stories & Scary Monsters.   Photo credit: Joy Lai

161. Nyadol Nyuon on seeking refuge & fighting racism.  

160. Madeleine Dore on avoiding guilt, busyness & indecision.   Photo credit: Prue Aja

159. Cathy Wilcox on cartoons, chance & change.

158. Robyn Archer on festivals, artistic risks & German cabaret.     Photo credit: Rohan Thomson

157. Paul Grabowsky on making music. 

Sheridan Harbridge on cabaret, comedy and creativity (Rebroadcast)

Violet Roumeliotis on welcoming refugees.