Episode notes
I was delighted when former Socceroo, broadcaster, filmmaker, author and refugee advocate Craig Foster agreed to join my new Love, Laughter and Kindness podcast. Given his wide audience, his willingness to support a new podcast was a wonderful act of generosity.
Foster reflected on his journey from professional football to human rights advocacy. He believes the values learned in great teams—caring for teammates and respecting fair rules—naturally extend beyond sport. The instinct to protect the youngest and most vulnerable, he says, is the same instinct that should lead us to care for refugees and other marginalised people.
We discussed the recent FIFA World Cup controversy, where changes made to benefit powerful interests raised questions about fairness. Foster argued that when rules are applied unequally, the integrity of both sport and society is diminished. He drew a parallel with global politics, suggesting that while international law and human rights frameworks are sound, they are too often enforced against weaker nations while powerful countries escape accountability.
Our conversation then turned to refugees. Drawing on his documentary work in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar refugee camp, home to more than a million Rohingya refugees, Foster argued that refugee movements cannot be separated from war, political decisions and climate change. Nations involved in conflicts or failing to meet climate commitments also share responsibility for the humanitarian consequences.
I shared my vision for a national Kindness Summit to examine how Australia performs in government, education, business and sport. Foster welcomed the concept, suggesting that human rights provide kindness with a practical framework. Access to housing, education, food and freedom from discrimination are not simply policy goals—they are kindness put into practice.
One of the conversation's most memorable ideas was Foster's belief that proximity is the antidote to hatred. Drawing on his football career, he explained that prejudice fades when people genuinely know one another. He pointed to the Queensland town of Biloela, whose residents embraced a Sri Lankan refugee family, as a powerful example of compassion overcoming fear.
When asked to nominate an act of kindness in sport, Foster chose Australian sprinter Peter Norman. By wearing a human rights badge alongside Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, Norman demonstrated quiet courage and paid a personal price. Today, his stand is widely recognised as one of Australia's finest sporting moments.
Craig Foster's message is clear: kindness is more than compassion. It requires fairness, accountability and the courage to recognise our shared humanity.
This episode follows earlier conversations with Hugh Mackay, author of The Kindness Revolution, and Canadian futurist Guy Dauncey, whose forthcoming book is The Economy of Kindness.