Straight Talk with Mark Bouris

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  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    #221: Greg Norman on LIV Golf, disruption, playing with US Presidents & Australia’s Best PM

    Greg Norman changed the game of professional golf forever, both on and off the course.

    Greg is Australia’s most iconic golfer, who has disrupted the game of golf with LIV. Greg was world No.1 for 331 weeks through the 80s and 90s, and used his nickname to create the Shark brand, which has gone on to become an extremely lucrative global business.

    We spoke about:
    • Disrupting golf forever with LIV
    • Why he started LIV
    • His early life, mindset & becoming a businessman
    • What he learnt from Bob Hawke and Kerry Packer
    • Becoming mates with Presidents and Prime Ministers
    • The 2032 Olympics and his business plays today
    • Untold stories from his wild experiences around the world
    • And much more

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    12 December 2025, 7:19 am
  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    #220 Wyatt Roy: Australia’s Youngest Ever MP on Saudi Arabia’s Vision & the Future of Innovation

    Wyatt Roy might not be a household name like our famous sportspeople, politicians or actors, but he is a young Australian playing a major role in one of the most innovative projects of our time.

    Wyatt is Australia’s youngest ever federal MP and was a key leader driving innovation inside Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, one of the most ambitious city building visions in modern history.

    In this episode, Wyatt breaks down what is really happening inside Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation, how Vision 2030 is reshaping the region, and why global talent and investment are flooding into Riyadh.

    From leadership to policy, cultural change to entrepreneurship, Wyatt offers a rare first hand look at a society pivoting at speed and what Australia can learn from it.

    A wide-ranging conversation on politics, innovation, media, culture, and the future of work.

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    10 December 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    #219 Larry Emdur: 40 Years in TV, Staying Relevant & a New Chapter in Business

    Larry Emdur has been a household name and TV icon in Australia for decades.

    In this conversation, Larry talks about growing up in Bondi, breaking into television, and the highs and lows that shaped his career. He opens up about what it takes to stay at the top of the media game, the importance of connecting with an audience, and why he still loves getting up early for the morning show.

    We also dive into his family, some great stories, his latest venture the Ben Buckler Whisky, the business lessons behind it, and how his upbringing continues to influence the decisions he makes today.

    Purchase Larry's Whiskey here: https://thebenbuckler.com/

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    3 December 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 24 minutes
    #218: Ricky Ponting on the Ashes, Pat Cummins, Indian cricket & stories you’ve never heard before

    Ricky Ponting is a 50-year-old Australian cricket legend, former national captain, coach, commentator, and one of the most accomplished batsmen in the history of the sport.

    It was awesome to get him in here just in time for the Ashes period. We spoke about his childhood, mindset, iconic career, leading one of the greatest ever cricket teams, managing big personalities like Shane Warne, his wine business, life after retirement, and much more.

    Check out Ponting wines here: https://www.pontingwines.com.au/ 

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    Claim $500 Bitcoin with OKX SMSF. SMSF trustees: Successfully sign-up your SMSF and get
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    27 November 2025, 7:51 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    #217 Nathan Stafford: Why This Lawn-Mowing Star Helps People Doing It Tough

    Hi guys! We were undergoing unexpected renovations in this podcast. So apologies for the audio for this one. Thanks everyone for listening.

    Nathan Stafford is a Sydney-based gardener and social media personality, best known as the face of Nathan’s Lawns and Gardens. He is best known for regularly restoring neglected gardens for free, especially for people doing it tough such as seniors and social housing residents. 

    We spoke about his early life, past struggles, turning his life around through gardening, going viral, why he looks after people doing it tough, his work today, the importance of setting goals, life as a parent and much more.

    Purchase Nathan's new book here: https://nathanslawnsandgardensau.com/products/the-adventures-of-nathans-lawns-and-gardens-the-haunted-jungle

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    19 November 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    #216 Ita Buttrose: The Unapologetic Woman Who Changed Australian Media

    Ita Buttrose is one of Australia’s most influential journalists, editors, and businesswomen. In this conversation, we trace her remarkable journey — from her early days at The Australian Women’s Weekly and Cleo to leading the ABC and becoming a national icon.

    Ita opens up about John Laws, her family influences, the women’s liberation movement, and the challenges of breaking through in a male-dominated industry. We talk about her time working with Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch, her leadership at the ABC, her new book, and her advocacy for brain health and dementia awareness.

    Purchase her new book Unapologetically Ita here: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Unapologetically-Ita/Ita-Buttrose/9781761428739

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    10 November 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 19 minutes
    #215 Tony Abbott: Australia Has Lost Its Courage & It’s Costing us

    Tony Abbott, Australia’s 28th Prime Minister, joins me to talk about leadership, courage, and conviction in an age where those qualities are under siege. 

    We unpack his views on what makes a great leader, how Australia has changed, and why he believes we’ve lost our national confidence. We also spoke about :

    • His Early life and education
    • Understanding Leadership and Courage
    • Challenges of Modern Political Leadership
    • Handling Illegal Boat Arrivals
    • Patriotism and National Sovereignty
    • The Role of History in Shaping Leadership
    • The Importance of Objective History
    • Reconciling Faith and History
    • The Role of Faith in Leadership
    • The Impact of his new Book

    Purchase Tony's new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Australia-Minister-foreword-Geoffrey-democracy-ebook/dp/B0F393W9TH

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    5 November 2025, 3:59 pm
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
    #214 Michelle Payne: The Melbourne Cup winner on making history, tragedy & the dark side of fame

    Michelle Payne is an Australian horse racing icon and the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015, riding Prince of Penzance to victory and breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport.

    Ten years on from that magical win, I speak to her about:

    • Growing up with ten siblings
    • Making history as the only female to win the Cup
    • The dark side of fame
    • Brain injuries from her career
    • Dealing with the loss of her sister
    • The role of faith
    • Her living and working relationship with her brother Stevie
    • Her new books & what she’s working on now

    Purchase Michelle’s new book here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Michelle-Payne-and-Angus-Fontaine-Ride-On-9781761473142


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    29 October 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 31 minutes
    #213: Mick Fanning Reveals the No.1 Reason Behind His Winning Mindset in Surfing, Business & Life

    You might know Mick Fanning as one of the greatest surfers of all time, but there’s a lot more to him than that. He’s a sharp businessman who helped build and sell Balter Breweries for a reported $200 million.

    Mick’s a three-time World Champion, one of the most respected figures in modern surfing, and someone who’s lived one hell of a life. I sat down with him at his latest venture, Palm Valley — a new wave pool on the Gold Coast.

    We spoke about:

    • What made him the best surfer in the world and how he beat Kelly Slater and Joel Parkinson

    • Behind the scenes of creating multi-million-dollar businesses and products — Balter and Reef Signature Sandals

    • Dealing with the loss of his three brothers

    • What really got him through his hard times

    • The Northern Rivers floods and community

    • His new chapter as a husband, parent, and businessman

    • And his alter egos, Eugene and Cyborg

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    22 October 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 13 minutes
    #212 Kate Reid: What Formula 1 Taught Me About Building a Bakery Empire

    Kate Reid built her career as an aerodynamicist at Williams Formula 1, before stepping out into the world of pastry making.

    In this episode, she opens about obsession, burnout, mental illness, and finding a new purpose, realising that her dream job wasn’t the dream life. She talks about rebuilding her life through baking and creating Lune Crossainterie, applying the same engineering mindset to mastering the croissant.

    Purchase Kate’s new book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Destination-Moon/Kate-Reid/9781761632464

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    15 October 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 46 minutes
    #211 Former Prime Minister John Howard on Australia’s Future, Political Rivals & Immigration Policies

    In this episode of Straight Talk, I sit down with former Prime Minister John Howard — Australia’s second-longest-serving PM — for an unfiltered conversation about leadership, politics, and the lessons that shaped his life.

    We start from the beginning: his early years in Earlwood, his education and early professional life, and how his interest in politics led him from a legal career into public office. John reflects on his early parliamentary years, his challenges as Treasurer, and the tax reforms that changed the nation.

    We discuss the introduction of the GST, his gun law reforms, and his relationships with world leaders, before turning to the media’s influence, recent election outcomes, and the state of leadership today.

    In classic Howard style, he opens up about stability in government, Australia’s immigration policy, and his personal passions — from sport to family life.


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    8 October 2025, 6:00 pm
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