Alex James

Alex was born in Nottingham, England in 1947. He completed a degree in Geography and Economics at Kings College and London School of Economics followed by a Graduate Diploma in Education at Sheffield College. After teaching in Sheffield for two years, he traveled through Africa and Asia, arriving in Perth, Western Australia in 1974.  He retired in 2010 after teaching Geography and Social Science in Geraldton, Hedland and Perth.  He has an Australian wife, Viv, two children and three grandchildren; two in Australia and one in Japan.  He continues to treat life as one big adventure.

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Antonia Grasso Radcliffe

Antonia was born in Fremantle of Sicilian parents. She graduated from the

University of Western Australia as a lawyer and practiced law for over 20

years. Antonia was the National Youth Vice President of the Federation of

the Ethnic Communities Council of Australia and enjoys public speaking.

One of her main interests has always been to assist people who may be

disadvantaged in any way. She has recently started a mediation business

called Albany Mediation Services to assist people to resolve their

disputes without the need to go to Court. Her other interests include

writing (Antonia has published books of poetry), reading, theatre and

dancing. Antonia has her own dancing studio where she teaches Latin

American, Ballroom and fun dances.

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Tony & Bev Noakes

Tony Noakes was born in London in 1935, and as a child lived through the Blitz in WW2. He became an architect specializing in hospital design, and also worked and studied in USA, where he met his first wife.  After her death, he came to WA in 1998, where he met and married Bev. All his adult life he has sung in choirs and composed music, mainly songs. Two of his songs in the broadcast are among his many settings of Australian poems.

Bev Noakes was born in Jamaica in 1937, and won a scholarship to study modern languages at Cambridge and in France.  She lectured at the University of the West Indies for eight years, and then came to Perth in 1970 to join the staff of the Department of French Studies at UWA, where she taught French literature and also the literature of the French-speaking Caribbean and Africa.  After retiring in 2002 she became a volunteer worker with refugees.

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Zambia

The program on Zambia was presented by:

Constance Dewan, originally from Zambia in the southern part of Africa, came to Perth, Australia fifteen years ago. She has been involved in volunteer work in the African community in Perth, serving as Secretary for the Organisation of Zambians Living in Western Australia (OZALIWA), Secretary for the African Professionals of Australia (APA) and the current Vice President of the Organisation of African Communities of WA (OAC). She also works in collaboration with the other migrant communities. She is an environmental professional and a mother of three sons. Due to her interest in serving the wider Australian community, she ran for Council in the City of Stirling in 2015.

Akanangisa Noyoo aka Aki. She was born in Mongu, the capital of Western Province in Zambia. After completing her high school education at St Mary's Secondary School in 1980 she studied for a Bachelors Degree in Public Administration from the University of Zambia. At the University of Zambia she worked as Assistant Register in the School of Education. In 1996 arrived in Perth to study a Master of Business Administration postgraduate degree. After graduating she migrated on a spouse visa and stayed on in Australia. She currently works in Community Services in Homelessness. Aki was also a founding member and first appointed Chairperson of Organisation of Zambians Living in Western Australia (OZALIWA) which she led from 2005 to 2008. Aki is quite involved with local community affairs as well as the Church. She has two lovely daughters.

Slim Katongo.

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Tristan Cockman - Keeping an Eye Open

The interview with Tristan Cockman covered his experience in the federal elections for the seat of Cowan.. He stood for elections in 2013 and maintained a good standing for the Labour Party. In the 2016 elections he was refused pre-selection. He has written a book about his concerns that the political system is corrupt and controlled by factions outside the government system.

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Graham Jamieson - Picton Press

Born in Glasgow and moved to Aberdeen in Scotland when only young. Got into print as an apprentice in the late 70s and has gained skills in production, estimating, sales and operations. Was the first individual to be a director of two different print companies in Aberdeen. Had a brief stint in Melbourne in the mid-nineties and moved to Perth in 2004. General Manager of Picton press and also a board member and director of the Print industries of Australia association.

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Shearing in Western Australia

Valerie Hobson:

I was born in Corrigin in 1936. My parents were farming at Babakin - wheat and sheep. I was the middle daughter of three. Primary school was at Babakin - a one teacher school. We got there by the school bus. For secondary school I was sent to board at PLC for five years. I went to Edith Cowan University and by 1999 I had my Master of Arts Local History. In 2002 I published a book on the history of shearing in WA. In 2014 I was awarded the Order of Australia for preserving the history of WA shearing. Now I am in the just released Who's Who of Australian Women.

Kevin Plunkett:

Born in Bunbury in 1931. Is one of the youngest of six brothers and one sister. During the depression years learnt to live frugally. Dad used to ride hurdles in Victoria when he was young. Now I help my niece with and her husband when they take there horses to Broome for the race round so I am back where I started! Father and uncles were all shearers. I took up shearing in 1953 and did that for many years and worked on the weighbridge for the CBH (Commonwealth Bulk Handling) between shearing seasons. Now I am back where I started helping in stables.

Barry Mainwearing:

I was born in Mt Hawthorn on 6 August 1936. I worked with father in building industry when I left school but when I turned 15 went to the Bridgetown area. The next year I went to Broomehill and worked again as a farmhand on a wheat and sheep farm and I had a quick introduction to shearing. From then on I was interested in shearing as a good way to earn money. I eventually took up a CP (Conditional Purchase) block at Morawa and was able to go shearing whenever I needed money. I have good memories of my shearing years and I go the Shearers Reunions twice a year.

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