We married young, but after my wife developed cancer, we thought, why wait?

Journalist David Speers is best known for hosting the weekly political panel show Insiders on the ABC. Here, the 51-year-old talks about the value of having a spouse from outside the Canberra “bubble”, and how she once nearly saved his life.

My paternal grandmother, Marie, is 104. She was from the wave of women who went into the workforce when men went to war, did all sorts of jobs, and raised a family. She’s in a nursing home in Orange [NSW] now. Still sharp and mobile, she has a sweet tooth and loves a laugh. Nan remembers camping outside Canberra when the Old Parliament House was opened by the Duke of York.

Nan’s first husband went off to war. They later divorced and she was married to Lex for several decades until he died. Lex was the love of her life.

My maternal grandmother, Pauline, died when I was 13. She was a primary school principal and a powerful force in the family. She and my granddad lived just up the road from us in Tamworth. Nan could be quite strict, but was full of love and very caring.

My mum, Robyn, and dad, Peter, met quite young through a church fellowship. They’re still together, so that’s been a wonderful influence.

I am super close with Mum. She had a fascinating career, starting as a kindergarten teacher, then in education administration. She flew small planes across remote parts of NSW, helping disadvantaged schools. When we moved to Sydney in 1986, she went up the ranks until she was effectively running the Higher School Certificate as director of exams for the Board of Studies [now the NSW Education Standards Authority].

I inherited a lot from Mum. She instilled in me the importance of hard work. She was also a feminist role model in the commitment she made to balancing work and family life. She taught me the value of public service.

My big sister, Bec, is three years older than me. We’ve always been very close and loved hanging out as kids, and as adults. We moved a bit: Tamworth to Sydney, then Canada for a year, and always changing schools. Becky works as a lawyer and sings in choirs.

Mum got me into drama as a young kid and signed me up for elocution lessons – I loved getting up in front of the microphone. I was also a very keen trumpet player, listening to Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. That made me a little bit weird, but I loved it.

My celebrity crush was Sigrid Thornton in The Man from Snowy River. Having grown up in the country, I always dreamed of riding over that mountain like in the movie.

My first kiss happened at a blue light disco at 15. I had a few crushes and girlfriends through early high school, but I met my wife, Liz, at the end of year 9 and that changed everything.

Liz and I got together in year 12. We both played in the school band – she was playing saxophone – and we did a trip to China to play. It’s where our first kiss happened. I was lucky at that age to find someone I absolutely wanted to spend my life with.

Liz is not involved in politics or the media. She’s a creative spirit and has a different way of seeing the world to me. We married young, just 23. Liz got cancer before we married and after that we thought, “What’s the point of waiting around?” She also saved my life at the beach when I got stuck in a rip.

We have two children, born in 2010 and 2014. There was a long period when we didn’t think we’d have kids. It was a wonderful surprise and we can’t imagine life without them.

Liz just gets me. She understands the pressures I face at work and is always able to bring the sanity I need.

There are many women in politics who can be tough to interview. Julia Gillard and Penny Wong, at the top of their game, don’t slip up. You know they don’t want to answer a question, but they’re very polished. It can be a challenge to crack through. Some of the toughest interviews I’ve done have been with female politicians.

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