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< Back Country and Who We Are Sessions that explore how place, history, culture and inheritance shape identity, belonging and the stories Australians tell about themselves. Sessions in this Pathway Country and the Stories We Tell William J. Byrne, John Morrissey View Session Lloyd Rees and the City He Taught Us to See Ross Wilson View Session Land, Identity and Who Gets to Belong Tyree Barnette, Joshua Gilbert View Session Inheritance, Survival and Belonging Antoun Issa, Daniel Nour View Session Previous Next

< Back Power, Truth and Accountability Sessions that examine how power operates, how truth is contested or concealed, and what accountability looks like when institutions, systems and leaders are tested. Sessions in this Pathway Thomas Keneally Oration Thomas Keneally AO View Session Speaking the Unspoken: Writing Identity and Modern Australia Michael Mohammed Ahmad View Session After 'Liberation' and 'Discovery': Power, Aftermath and Human Agency Mark Thomas, Nadia Wheatley View Session Roundtable: Who Pays the Price? Gender and Institutional Power Ainslie Harvey, Tracey Holmes, Ee Ling Quah, Diana Thorp View Session Power, Paranoia and Pleasure Nick Place View Session Festival Conversation and Book Launch: 'Betrayal' J.S. Ayliffe View Session The Australian Wars: Truth, Violence and the Making of a Nation Stephen Gapps View Session Previous Next

d9280409-da29-4cb2-90bc-415d72ed5d14 Angela Priestley ABOUT < VIEW ALL HOSTS Angela Priestley Angela Priestley is the co-founder of the independent daily news publication, Women's Agenda. She’s a board member of the Women's And Girls' Emergency Centre, supporting 200 women and children in emergency accommodation every night, and sits on the board of the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom, promoting media freedom. Angela is also a mother of three boys. < PREVIOUS HOST NEXT HOST > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

aedf91af-fad4-4f93-888e-9c7c356db2da Lee Kofman ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Lee Kofman Dr Lee Kofman is the author of six books, including The Writer Laid Bare, Imperfect – which was shortlisted for the Nib Literary Award 2019 – and The Dangerous Bride. She is the editor of Split, which was longlisted for the ABIA Awards 2020, and co-editor of Rebellious Daughters and Ruptured. Her short works have been published worldwide. Lee regularly speaks at literary events, judges literary awards, and is an experienced writing mentor and teacher of writing. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

0ecc632d-0487-4d87-a746-354c69b12d38 Sarah Anna James ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Sarah Anna James Sarah Anna James has been a nurse, midwife, craniosacral therapist, and mother – but writing has always been the thread that ties her life together. Her first book, Midwife Wisdom, Mother Love, grew from her deep experience supporting women through birth and motherhood. Her debut YA novel, LUKA, explores grief, masculinity, and emotional silence – themes that mirror her own journey through loss and creative renewal. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Program The Diplomat: Inside Australia’s Foreign Service BUY TICKETS DATE: Saturday 21 March, 2026 TIME: 2.30-3.30pm COST: $25.00 Manly Youth Centre PATHWAY: Australia In the World HOST : Geraldine Doogue < VIEW ALL SESSIONS Bob Bowker Ian Kemish AM Lachlan Strahan What does diplomacy really look like behind closed doors? Three former diplomats lift the veil on the pressures, responsibilities and moral complexities of representing Australia abroad. From crisis management to regional relationships and the shifting expectations placed on the foreign service, this session offers a candid insider’s view of the work, challenges and changing culture of diplomacy.

6d91908e-c3c4-4973-b7ff-c4410bdc8f82 Lee Kofman ABOUT < VIEW ALL HOSTS Lee Kofman Dr Lee Kofman is the author of six books, including The Writer Laid Bare, Imperfect – which was shortlisted for the Nib Literary Award 2019 – and The Dangerous Bride. She is the editor of Split, which was longlisted for the ABIA Awards 2020, and co-editor of Rebellious Daughters and Ruptured. Her short works have been published worldwide. Lee regularly speaks at literary events, judges literary awards, and is an experienced writing mentor and teacher of writing. < PREVIOUS HOST NEXT HOST > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Partner with the Manly Writer's Festival 2025 to promote storytelling and community engagement in Manly, Sydney. Enjoy exclusive opportunities to showcase your brand and support a vibrant cultural event. JOIN US IN CELEBRATING CREATIVITY BECOME A PARTNER The Manly Writers Festival welcomes support from partner organisations to deliver our engaging and enjoyable festival that celebrates writing and ideas. We invite you to be part of the conversations and help us bring writers and thinkers from around Australia and the world, to explore big ideas and great storytelling. Our program includes one-on-one conversations, panel discussions, Q&A sessions on books published in the previous 12+ months, sessions for school students, and social events. For additional information about partner packages, or to discuss tailoring a partnership to meet your needs, please contact us via email: hello@manlywritersfestival.org.au or call us directly at: +61 (0)2 7229 4889. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

f9035083-a3aa-403e-a8ca-df203ad8d90b Tracey Holmes ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Tracey Holmes Tracey Holmes is one of Australia’s most recognised sports journalists, having spent almost four decades reporting on the world’s biggest sports stories. Her work is focused on the intersection of sport with politics, business, culture, and news. Her weekly podcast, The Sports Ambassador, explores in detail the stories behind the headlines. Published in August 2025, The Eye of the Dragonfly is her latest book, offering a 360-degree view of the world through the prism of sport. As Deputy Chair of the Oceania Australia Foundation, a Council Member of Indigenous Football Australia, a member of the IOC Press Committee, and a Mentor for the IOC Young Reporters program, Tracey is actively involved in promoting sport as a tool for social change and empowerment. Tracey has a Master’s Degree in Communications, is currently studying a Master’s in Sports Diplomacy at the Hungary University of Sports Science, and (when time permits) will finish her Master’s in Sports Law at Melbourne University. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Have questions about the Manly Writer's Festival? Contact our team for information on tickets, volunteering, sponsorship, and more. We're here to help you! CONTACT US GET IN TOUCH First name Last name Email Phone Subject Message Submit

454e38e8-bddc-4168-96f1-3e3e4bb54af9 Holly Cardamone ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Holly Cardamone Holly Cardamone’s debut novel, Summer, in Between, won the 2024 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize and was published in September 2025. She won second place in the Romance Writers of Australia 2025 Opal Award, was a finalist in their 2024 Sweet Treats anthology, and has been long- and short-listed in national short story awards. Holly has a Master of Communications and a Master of Writing and Literature and weaves words with an Australian shepherd at her feet. She spends her time between Melbourne and the Bass Coast. Her work is inspired by the shenanigans of real life in all its glorious entanglements and emotional constellations, often involving stealthy observations of her teenage cherubs during her unpaid and under-appreciated role as their personal chauffeur. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

722c4401-8d7d-401e-9e01-68135360c75e Saul Eslake ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Saul Eslake Saul Eslake is one of Australia’s leading independent economists and has been Principal of Corunna Advisory since 2015. He has been following, analysing and offering commentary and advice on the Australian and other economies for more than 40 years, cutting his teeth with The Treasury in Canberra. He has had Chief Economist roles at ANZ Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and National Mutual Funds Management, and he has also worked at the Grattan Institute as Director of Productivity Growth. He is currently on the Board of the Council on the Ageing (COTA) and Jamieson Coote Bonds. Saul is the co-author of Australia's Productivity Challenge < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.