|PIC1|In an interview on ABC Radio, he said he was proud but modest: "I'm an Aussie, so you don't put yourself up on a pedestal."
He has been doing his well-known record-breaking national daily syndicated radio broadcast for over 40 years now with a daily audience of 2 million and he doesn't get a cent for it. He is able to say profound things in entertaining ways. He numbers as his close friends, the well known in the entertainment and communications business, along with educators, senior police officers and church leaders.
Most were originally drawn to him after coming into contact with his remarkable grasp of Australian culture, where it came from and where it's heading. Singer/songwriter John Williamson dedicated a double album to him. Gail Abbott of Cosmopolitan magazine says "he speaks with a galvanising authority". John Hanrahan, the media writer said "he's a remarkable man", and broadcaster Kel Richards said of him "Mal is able to be honest about things the rest of us aren't so good at handling".
As a young man he left a lucrative profession as a highly skilled craftsman of precious jewellery to work with and understand needy young Australians. In the 60's he established one of Sydney's earliest and longest running drop-in centres. That work became the nationally known youth and community organisation Fusion Australia which presently has 200 field workers. Mal was also the National Coordinator of the "Reclaiming Easter" programmes.
In the past five years, Mal has been invited to work on community development with many local people internationally and has seen over eight new Fusion Centres begun overseas.
He is the author of three books, "Us Aussies", "Breakthru" and "The Divine Art of Networking".
Mal Garvin is an author, therapist, human resource development consultant, a student of what makes Australia unique and a friend to anybody who is committed to the future of Australia and young Australians. Maybe that's why he's won so much respect from those who share the same concerns and work at the same coalface.