Carol Probets lives on Darug and Gundungurra land in the Blue Mountains World Heritage area. She is a bird observer and former bird guide. On Rights, Rorts and Rants Carol shares with Nick Franklin some of her extensive knowledge about the behaviour of some of the birds we may come across in the Blue Mountains.
Carol and Nick spoke during the annual Aussie Bird Count and explained how to get involved and why bird counting is important in bird conservation.
The photo illustrating the podcast was taken by Deb Smith and is a yellow robin.
The radio show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 24 October 25 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (BMUC) and presented by Nick Franklin & Peter Lammiman.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Authorised by D Smith, Secretary, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
On 24th October 25 on Rights, Rorts and Rants Peter Lammiman had a brief interview with Colin Galvin, Co-founder of the Australian Fairness Advocacy Network.
A Blue Mountains resident Colin described how he is at the stage in the campaign of building awareness among Blue Mountains community groups that may lead to the development of an ethical procurement policy presented to Councillors and political representatives for their support around ways that unethical companies and investment can be avoided.
Meanwhile individuals can also play their part in individual boycotts.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 24 October 25 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Authorised by D Smith, Management Committee, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
On 24th October 25 Nick Franklin interviewed three community members who have strong ties with Clairvaux, a site in Katoomba which has housed the treasured Wildplant Rescue for 30 years and has deep Indigenous significance.
The programmes guests were Aunty Carol Cooper, elder and past resident of Clairvaux, Genevieve Murray from Blue Mountains Community Land Trust and Verity Harris from Wildplant Rescue. The interview explores the possible use of Clairvaux to continue as a home for Wildplant Rescue alongside affordable housing in perpetuity managed by the BM Community Land trust.
The interview was ahead of a public meeting that was to be held the next day in Katoomba to discuss the proposal with the general community.
This programme was recorded live on Rights, Rorts and Rants broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 24th October 2025. RRR is brought to listeners by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (BMUC).
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Authorised by D Smith, Secretary, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
What do we want from our criminal justice system?
The obvious answer is “justice” but what does that look like?
We know jailing is not a deterrent or reformative because theimprisonment rate has doubled under governments of both persuasions over the last thirty years and 61% of prisoners have been there before. This is despite a national cost of $6.3 billion per year.
Robert Tickner of the Justice Reform Initiative discusses how we can better use our resources to prevent crime and improve the criminal justice system with Deb Smith.
Robert and Uncle Lex Dadd, Cultural Educator of the Ganya Shed in Wentworth Falls, will speak about this topic at a Politics in the Pub on Saturday, 22nd November from 3pm at the Family Hotel, 15 Parke St, Katoomba. This will be followed by a Q&A and is a free event.
This interview was originally broadcast on 3rd October 2025 on Rights, Rorts and Rants Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM. The show was presented by Deb Smith.
BMUC acknowledges the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples whose unceded land we broadcast from and over.
In this podcast RRR presenter Nick Franklin talks about ants with Sean Moore, a bush regenerator who is currently studying ants in the NSW Blue Mountains.
We learn from Sean about the remarkable abilities of ants, their importance in bush regeneration and how much we are yet to find out about the thousands of ant species.
If you'd like to find out more Sean has recommended the app called iNaturalist and a website AntWiki Australia.
This interview was originally broadcast on 19th September 2025 on Rights, Rorts and Rants Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM. The show was presented by Nick Franklin and Pater Lammiman with the audioconsole operated by Suzanne Rix and the podcast made by Ann-Maree McEwan & Deb Smith.
BMUC acknowledges the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples
whose land we broadcast from and over.
Rights, Rorts and Rants' Nick Franklin interviewed Tania De Bortoli from Blue Mountains Conservation Society on 19th September, 2025.
Tanya concisely describes reasons for ConSoc's grave concerns about a 4-storey, high density housing development proposed for Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba NSW and the approval process that does not include local environment and control requirements.
Information is sketchy on the project so ConSoc has done the hard work for this interview. With the approval process for this proposed development under the jurisdiction of the NSW Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) public opportunity to view environmental assessment reports and make submissions will only occur for a limited 14 or 28 days in March 2026.
Campaign information will be available in a ConSoc pamphlet, the Blue Mountains Gazette and the Blue Mountains Conservation Society's website. Look under Campaigns at blue mountains.org.au
The radio show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 19 September 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (BMUC) and presented by Nick Franklin & Peter Lammiman.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Authorised by D Smith, Secretary, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
Veterans of the Peace Movement, groups like ICAN, Rotary and Quakers, and young activists gathered for a Peace Symposium in Katoomba in the 80th year since the US obliterated the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima with nuclear weapons.The event included internationally renowned speakers Robert Tickner AO, the Ambassador for ICAN, and Dr Siswo Pramono, Indonesian Ambassador, as well as Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman and the Mayor of the Blue Mountains, Mark Greenhill.
As the event drew to a close, MC Nick Franklin asked these speakers what they would like to see people take away from the event and what they can do as individuals.
Also mentioned by Robert Tickner AO, was the Justice Reform Initiative.
This episode was recorded at the Planetary Health Initiative Katoomba on Saturday 2nd August 2025.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
This interview with the late John Ellison was recorded at nolan on lovel gallery on June 20th 2025 by Merran Maclaren and played the same day on the Rights, Rorts and Rants radio show.
The interview was recorded during 'Flexing', an exhibition of John's watercolour paintings. The paintings in the exhibition are discussed first then Merran asks John about the history of The Winter Magic Festival which John founded in 1994 and which ran for 25 years in its original format.
John's concept behind The Winter Magic Festival was in John's words "to celebrate your own brand of magic."
As John sadly passed away after this interview was recorded this podcast is a tribute to John Ellison from BMUC and Rights, Rorts and Rants.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 20 June 2025 and will be replayed on 5th September 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community and presented by Merran Maclaren. The podcast produced by Ann-Maree McEwan
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Authorised by D Smith, Management Committee, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Global trade could be all about solidarity and meeting human needs. Instead it's a game of bullies, billionaires, bullets, and embargoes. How do we stand up - as nations, as people - for something better?
Latin America has decades of experience of US interference in their economies and governments that the rest of the world can learn from.
Dr Rodrigo Acuña - journalist, filmmaker, teacher, Latin America expert - spoke about the Latin American experience on Cuban National Rebellion Day.
This episode was recorded at the Family Hotel, Katoomba during "Politics in the Pub" on 26th July 2025.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
Image credit: 'Trump' by Isaszas CCO 1.0
"Paul Robeson was once the most famous African American in the world."Historian and author Ann Curthoys has written a book "The Last Tour" about the 1960 tour of Australia by singer Paul Robeson and his wife Eslande.
Many Australians know about Robeson's performance of "Ol' Man River" on the construction site of the Sydney Opera House but his other activities during that tour are worthy of being remembered, although they may be less well known.
In this episode of Rights, Rorts and Rants, Ann Curthoys talks to Nick Franklin and Deb Smith about Robeson's Australian tour.
CONTENT WARNING - Discussion of attempted suicide. You can talk to Lifeline 131114 or TEXT 0477 131114 for help.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 8th August 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
Think about your list of the 10 best things about Katoomba. It's not hard to fill the list with World Heritage Listing, Scenic World, Echo Point, Garguree (The Gully) and the Cultural Centre at the top of the list. But the problem of derelict buildings and empty shopfronts brought into focus by the state of the Paragon Cafe cannot be ignored.
In this interview on Rights, Rorts and Rants presenters Nick Franklin and Peter Lammiman talk with Jim Angel a former mayor who worked on a revitalisation of Katoomba including building the Cultural Centre about looking for solutions for Katoomba.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 23 May 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community and presented by Nick Franklin and Peter Lammiman.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Authorised by D Smith, Management Committee, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
Merran Mclaren and Emmanuela (Manu) Prigoni co-founder and coordinator of Farm It Forward speak at Farm It Forward's central Katoomba, NSW organic vegetable plot.
Manu speaks about the origin and evolution behind the social enterprise begun in 2019, recently with a youth focus including Katoomba High School in recent years.
The Katoomba High School programme needs funding assistance and listeners can donate (tax deductible) through Farm It Forward's social media or online at farmitforward.com.au
Farm It Forward sell weekly organic vegetable boxes.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 20 June 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (BMUC) and presented by Merran Mclaren.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Authorised by D Smith, Secretary, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
Member for Blue Mountains Trish Doyle updates listeners on a range of issues of interest to Blue Mountains residents. From PFAS to the Paragon Cafe - to DV and moving towards a new hospital in the Mountains and heritage protection,
This interview provides a comprehensive update on all State issues. It's all here.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 20 June 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community and presented by Merran Maclaren, Nick Franklin and Peter Lammiman.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Authorised by D Smith, Management Committee, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Peter Lammiman and Nick Franklin spoke to Greens candidate Terry Morgan about his perspectives on the Greens 2025 Federal Election campaign and post the election the Greens political priorities under the new ALP Government.
Terry kindly spoke to the Radio Blue Mountains studio in Katoomba by phone from Queensland accompanied by lovely bird sounds.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 23 May 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (BMUC) and presented by Nick Franklin and Peter Lammiman.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
Disclaimer: Rights, Rorts and Rants explores a range of issues from different perspectives. The views expressed on the show and podcast are not necessarily endorsed by Blue Mountains & Community.
Ahead of speaking at the Mountains for Palestine rally on 14 June 2025, Zuzia Buszewicz spoke with Peter Lammiman by phone on Rights, Rorts and Rants on 13 June.
Due to the stopping of internet in the Gaza Strip Zuzia told listeners that they may purchase eSIMS for the Middle East & Israel online and send them through gazaesims@gmail.com
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 13 June 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community and presented by Nick Franklin and Peter Lammiman.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
On Rights, Rorts and Rants 13 June 2025 show (on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM) Nick Franklin discussed with Mike Holland his investigation into the Government's planned tax on superannuation earnings above $3m.
Most of your questions will be answered.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 13 June 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community and presented by Nick Franklin.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Long term Blue Mountains City Councillor Don McGregor explains the complex creation of the valued Blue Mountains Cultural Centre through an intense charrette process during the late 1990s and early 2000s. With Ann-Maree McEwan. Sitting above Coles and the Village Shopping Centre in Katoomba how it came about is an interesting story.
This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 9 December 2022.
Disclaimer: We seek a range of perspectives but that means that views expressed in these podcasts are not necessarily endorsed by the Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc.
Apply to be a guest on our show. Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
On 11 April Presenter Merran Maclaren interviewed Kathie Herbert, chairperson and Ann-Maree McEwan, committee member, both from Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group known as BMRSG, about the work of the group ahead of the annual Sydney Palm Sunday Rally and March on 13 April.
Merran finishes the segment with a brief description of portrait Red Marie by Paul Standen which is a portrait of one of the founders of BMRSG, Marie Standen.
As mentioned in the interview listeners can find out more BMRSG by going to bmrsg.org.au
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 11 April 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community and presented by Merran Maclaren. The podcast was produced by Ann-Maree McEwan.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Authorised by D Smith, Management Committee, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.
Jon Atkins of the Blue Mountains Peace Collective and Deb Smith in a thought provoking interview discuss how we can protect ANZAC Day as a day of reflection and mourning and prevent it from being a political tool of manipulation or as a justification for future bloodbaths? The nation of Australia was not born in a military tragedy at Gallipoli but in the Federation of Australia in peacetime in 1901.
The Blue Mountains Peace Collective hosted an ANZAC Day of Reflection at 2pm on 25th April 2025 in the Peace Park opposite Blue Mountains City Council in Katoomba.
This episode was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM on 18th April 2025.
Disclaimer: We seek a range of perspectives but that means that views expressed in these podcasts are not necessarily endorsed by the Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc.
Apply to be a guest on our show. Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
On Rights, Rorts and Rants on 11 April 2025 Merran Maclaren interviewed representatives from Macquarie Alliance for Climate (MAC).
Shirley Lewis and Erst Carmichael spoke to Merran about what MAC is and some of the activities the organisation has organised to have conversations with the community about climate change and the cost of living.
For more information about events, to get house signs on climate change or to volunteer you can chat at one of the group's Saturday street stalls or find out more by going to Macquarie Alliance for Climate's website https://www.macquariealliance.org and social media platforms.
Blue Mountains Unions & Community pays its respect to and acknowledges, the Darug and Gundungurra First Peoples of the Blue Mountains area and acknowledges this is Aboriginal Land that was never ceded.
The show was first broadcast on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 FM on 11 April 2025 by Blue Mountains Unions & Community (BMUC) and presented by Merran Maclaren. The podcast was produced by Ann-Maree McEwan.
If you'd like to add to the discussion, you can leave an audio comment about our show, which may be added to one of our podcasts.
Apply to be a guest on our radio show, Rights, Rorts and Rants on Radio Blue Mountains 89.1FM, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm or livestreamed via rbm.org.au.
Join a union - 1300 486 466 or join online.
Join BMUC.
Authorised by D Smith, Management Committee, Blue Mountains Unions Council Inc, 52-52A Great Western Hwy, Mount Victoria, NSW.