Malcolm Turnbull: Former Prime Minister of Australia

Malcolm Turnbull, Australia's 29th Prime Minister (2015–2018), has a diverse background in law, business, media, and politics. He first gained prominence in 1986 as the lawyer who successfully defended former MI5 agent Peter Wright in the "Spycatcher" case against the British government.

In the business realm, Turnbull co-founded OzEmail, one of Australia's early tech successes, and served as a director of Goldman Sachs Australia. His political career began in 2004 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Wentworth. As Prime Minister, he oversaw the legalization of same-sex marriage and launched the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project.

After leaving politics, Turnbull returned to the private sector, focusing on investments in technology and renewable energy, thereby contributing to the growth of Australia's tech and venture capital ecosystem.

This is a rare in-depth public interview with the former PM.

He chats to our host Vidit Agarwal (Founder/CEO @ Curiosity Center).

It’s now time to explore your curiosity.

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For our milestone episode 200, the guest is Malcolm Turnbull — former Prime Minister of Australia, former lawyer, investor, and one of the most fascinating public figures of our time.

Our host, Vidit, was nervous going into this one — but as you'll soon hear, the former Prime Minister was relaxed, candid, and genuinely fun to chat with.

Malcolm reflects on growing up in a small Sydney flat, raised by his father after his mother left, and wonders whether life would’ve been different had she stayed.

He opens up about being bullied in high school and the fire that sparked his desire to conquer the world.

Malcolm achieved more in his 20s than most people do in a lifetime — from becoming a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, to interviewing Rupert Murdoch in New York during Murdoch’s early days, to being appointed Kerry Packer’s main lawyer just as Malcolm’s father passed away.

In the lead-up to this milestone episode, Vidit spent a lot of time uncovering areas Malcolm hasn’t been asked about before — and Malcolm delivered, going into great detail on topics like: what he learnt (and had to unlearn) from Kerry Packer, whether he ever wanted to be ruthless, how he set goals throughout his career, his most influential mentors, mistakes made in the Spycatcher case against the British government, what Australia does well, where it can improve, and much more.

And when Vidit asked him how to make this his favourite interview?

Malcolm simply said: “Be charming and funny.”

At the end, Vidit asked how he did — tune in to hear Malcolm's verdict on his interviewing skills.

It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy this special milestone conversation with Malcolm Turnbull.

The High Flyers Podcast is a "meticulously researched audio biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies—redefining what it means to be a high flyer. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. A flagship product of the Curiosity Center, it has been featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW, offering raw, relatable insights from childhood to career, helping listeners become 1% better every day.

200+ guests have joined Vidit Agarwal on the show from 15+ countries, including The CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies like Bunnings, Australia Post, Woolworths; Board Members at Macquarie Bank, ANZ, Reserve Bank; Former Prime Minister of Australia; Globally renowned tech leaders from Google, Microsoft, Xero; Successful Venture Capital and Family Office Investors; CIO's at the world's biggest superannuation funds; Leading Entertainers; Olympic Gold Medal Winning Athletes and interesting minds you wouldn't have heard of that are changing the world.

Our parent company, Curiosity Centre is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to achieve your potential, everyday. Join 200,000+ Investors, Founders, Functional Leaders, CEOs and Emerging Leaders. Learn with the world's best and be 1% better everyday at https://curiositycentre.com