The feminist and the bra fitter: Inside the world of Hannah Ferguson and her mum

Author and new media company chief executive Hannah Ferguson finds a sense of grounding returning to her hometown of Orange in central west New South Wales, a stark contrast to her usual schedule of interviewing prime ministers and addressing national forums.

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I always love coming to Orange, especially when it starts to get cold.

Ferguson's upbringing was shaped by two distinct environments: the diverse, low socio-economic suburb of Ingleburn in Sydney, and later the conservative, regional environment of Orange. She believes this duality has given her a unique edge. "I'm actually so glad that I grew up [in Orange] and that I had those different experiences," she said.

Her mother, Phillipa Mitchell, a professional bra fitter, shares Ferguson's commitment to empowering women, though they sometimes differ on their perspectives. Ferguson views her mother's work in schools and with breast care nurses as inherently political in the current climate, while Mitchell sees it as community service.

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Moving from a low socio-economic area of Sydney at a public school where there was so much diversity and so much conversation around me that was different to what I was experiencing at home. To be taken then to a regional area meant that suddenly my whole worldview was like a white regional one with a conservative Catholic skew.

Returning home provides Ferguson with a crucial reality check. "It is such a good temperature check," she explained. She values the open dialogue with her parents, even when they disagree. "My parents are two people that I disagree with strongly, but [we] really foster that disagreement."

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I'm actually so glad that I grew up [in Orange] and that I had those different experiences.

Ferguson recalled a childhood where no topic was off-limits, and her parents treated her contributions to conversations as equal to an adult's. Her early interest in politics was evident even in primary school, with a year four excursion to the Electoral Commission being a highlight. By age 21, she had co-founded Cheek Media, an independent platform aiming to challenge power structures through a progressive feminist lens.

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Her work to go into schools … to go and work with breast care nurses. That's all political in the current climate.