During the Black Summer bushfires, journalist and former co-host of ABC News Breakfast Michael Rowland spent time on the ground with communities directly impacted by one of Australia’s largest disasters. His experience shaped his perspective about the role of journalism in disasters, the evolving role of media during disaster response and the challenges with misinformation.
Andrew and Josh chat discuss Michael’s book Black Summer, which covers the perspectives of ABC journalists involved in the coverage of the 2019-20 bushfires. The ABC played a significant role in the bushfire crisis with journalists across Australia contributing to rolling news stories and updates – including when evacuation warnings were issued. Michael shares his insights about working for the ABC, the trauma journalists face alongside emergency service workers and volunteers, and the challenges journalists face with the emergence of new technologies including artificial intelligence.
Tune in as we chat with Michael Rowland about his story, on Me, Myself and Disaster.
Black Summer by Michael Rowland (https://amazon.com/search?q=Black+Summer+Michael+Rowland)
Michael Rowland on LinkedIn (https://linkedin.com/in/michael-rowland)
ABC News (https://abc.net.au/)
30 Mar 2026
Podcast: Sydney's Hidden Radiation
Ever wondered how we would detect a nuclear disaster in Sydney?
Most people don’t realise that the ground beneath our feet is full of invisible radiation. In this episode, Andrew and Josh speak with researchers at the University of Sydney to discuss how groundbreaking research has mapped natural gamma radiation across Sydney, to build a clear picture of the background environment. This map provides the basis for understanding future changes in the radiation levels – such as during a nuclear disaster.
Researchers Matilda Lawton and Tengiz Ibrayev explain the basics of radiation, how they undertook their study and what this means for disaster managers.
Sydney Morning Herald (https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/scientists-mapped-sydney-s-radiation-one-busy-suburb-stands-out-20260128-p5nxm8.html) – Scientists mapped Sydney’s radiation. One busy suburb stands out.
Radioverse Map (https://radioverse.com/) — Global citizen science radiation map for data upload
University of Sydney – Radiation Research (https://sydney.edu.au/) — Research group involved in the studies
ANSTO — Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (https://www.ansto.gov.au/) — Australia’s nuclear facility for research and safety
The spectrometer device mentioned in this episode is a Radiacode – radiacode.com. (http://www.radiacode.com)
Matilda Lawton – LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/matildalawton) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/matildalawton)
Tengiz Ibraev – LinkedIn (https://linkedin.com/in/tengizibraev) | Research Profile (https://sydney.edu.au/people/tengiz.ibraev)
23 Feb 2026
Christian Dimmer: Can we engineer ourselves out of disaster?
https://youtu.be/MOUV0bPDmA8
As a major city, Tokyo faces one of the highest disaster risks in the world with a 70% probability of being struck by a major earthquake in the next 30 years. In pre-modern Japan, disasters were accepted as a force outside of out control, and subsequently residents had a high level of awareness of disaster risk. Today, with emergency management agencies established and large engineering projects in place, catastrophes are seen as manageable by experts and authorities, leading to disengagement of citizens with their own resilience.
Associate Professor Christian Dimmer joins the show to discuss this challenge, in light of the 15 year anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Christian discusses the concept of a ‘quadruple disaster’, which includes demographic challenges alongside the immediate impacts of the earthquake and tsunami. Christian emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical context of disasters in Japan, the shift in disaster response culture, and the need for community engagement in disaster preparedness and recovery.
Christian is an Associate Professor for Urban Studies at Waseda University in Tokyo. He has a background in urban planning, disaster recovery and community resilience. He earned his PhD in Urban Engineering from The University of Tokyo and has served on the faculties of both the University of Tokyo and Waseda, teaching courses in transition design, sustainable urbanism and theories of public space. Christian is also a co-founder of the Tohoku Planning Forum and the Tokyo chapter of the design-led disaster response organisation Architecture for Humanity, where he has worked to connect civil society, professionals and communities in rebuilding after major disasters.
Links:
Journal article by Christian Dimmer: Tokyo’s Perpetual Resilience Project: Between Local Knowledges and Universal Modernist Concepts (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397775292_Tokyo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THGcGKKmvXg
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