Life Matters - Full program podcast

The dollar figure of detaining young people has shot up dramatically in the last five years, despite the actual number of people in the system declining. So if getting to these kids too late is costing us both financially and in community safety, just how early do we need to be intervening? Report author Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow and Emeritus Professor Ross Homel who led a decades-long early intervention and early prevention program in Queensland discuss. Right now, there's a fierce debate about what universities are for. Are they just factories for job-ready graduates? Or should they also be breeding grounds for big ideas, for curiosity, for critical thinking? Historian and academic Frank Bongiorno discusses what role universities play in modern Australia. ABC Radio National has launched its Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. We're asking some notable readers to tell me about the book that changed their life, starting with comedian Lizzy Hoo. Former AFL player Mitch Brown has publicly identified as bisexual becoming the first player in the code's history to do so. The official response from the AFL has been mixed, so Dr Victoria Rawlings is asking what would it take to create a world where people no longer need to come out? 

Are there conversations in your life that you try to avoid? And how might that be holding you back from getting what you actually want? Clinical psychologist Elisabeth Shaw says that, with the right tools, we can learn to communicate our needs and actually feel heard. Also, what do you do when your ex-mother-in-law gets in touch with some not-so-helpful life advice?

There's a small town on the west coast of Tasmania locked in a David and Goliath battle to save their last bank. Janet Lay has lived in Queenstown on Tasmania's west coast and has started a petition to keep their local bank in town. Since 2017, 36 per cent of brick and mortar bank branches have closed around regional Australia. Simon Lyons from the Regional Banking Investment Alliance asks how can we stop the flow of banks bailing on the regions? Since strict gun control measures were introduced following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, the number of firearms in Australia has increased by 25 per cent according to figures from The Australia Institute. In light of this week's fatal shooting of two Victorian police officers, we asked violence prevention specialist Dr Samara McPhedran what's behind the rise in gun ownership - and whether Australia's gun laws are still keeping people safe.Australia's newest Miss Universe has just been crowned, so we ask sociologist Dan Woodman if beauty pageants are still relevant in a body positive world?Australia is building more data centres to keep pace with our increasing participation in the digital world, but what do these resource-hungry facilities mean for communities nearby? Councillor Naim Kurt is the Deputy Mayor of a region soon to be home to these centres and Bronwyn Cumbo discusses the rise in these centres in Australian communities. EDITOR'S NOTE: August 28, 2025: An earlier version of this segment stated Bendigo Bank would charge fees to business customers using Bank@Post services. Bendigo Bank has since clarified its retail and business customers will be able to use Bank@Post services fee-free for the next 12 months. Statement from Bendigo Bank spokesperson:Following a review of evolving customer preferences, a reduction in business activity and an increase in costs, the Bank has made the difficult decision to close the Queenstown branch located at 33 Orr St, Queenstown. The Bank apologises for any inconvenience.Bendigo Bank is proud of its regional heritage and operates Australia’s second largest regional branch network. To preserve our ability to continue delivering for our customers and communities, we must ensure our branches are adequately supported and resourced. From Tuesday, 1 July 2025,  operating hours will reduce to Tuesday and Thursday from 10.00am to 1.00pm and 1:30pm to 4:00pm before our Queenstown branch and ATM close permanently from Friday, 26 September 2025. The Bank is in the process of communicating these changes to customers. For more information, click here. A range of banking options are available to customers impacted by this change. There is no action for customers to take as there will be no impact to how their accounts operate.   Customers can continue to transact as normal at any Bendigo Bank branch, ATM or at any time via internet banking, our mobile app or by phone on 1300 236 344. Customers can also choose to bank in-person using Bank@Post at any of the 3,500 Australia Post outlets across Australia. The nearest Australia Post LPO where customers can transact fee free for at least the next 12 months is located next door to the branch at 32 Orr Street, Queenstown.  Bendigo Bank maintains more branches per customer than any other Australian Bank. The Bank is committed to its branch network and the personalised interactions that occur in branch every day. For more branch closure information, click here. 

There's no shortage of advice for the early years of parenting, but what about the other end of the journey, when your kids leave home? For some, like senior writer at Good Weekend Tim Elliott, it brings a deep sense of loss. For others, like Kate Christie, author and empty nester, it's a time to celebrate new freedoms. Where do you stand on the empty nest spectrum?The term sovereign citizen is in the news again following the fatal shooting of two police officers in Victoria this week. But what does it actually mean, and is this ideology becoming a more serious threat to public safety and the rule of law? Legal researcher Dr Harry Hobbs explains. Running a marathon, a half-marathon, even a 5K, is no small thing, but for blind and vision-impaired runners, it's a whole different level of difficult. A Sydney running club is making it possible by pairing vision-impaired runners like Nicole Tillotson  with specially trained guides Caroline Wong.

Since online gambling became widely accessible it's never been easier to spend big - and lose even bigger. It's opened up a new frontier for gambling advertising with companies offering huge sums to creators like Konrad Benjamin of Punters Politics to promote online casinos to their social media followers. Konrad and online gambling researcher Dr Mark Johnson dive into what can be done to control this nascent issue.Early findings from the Class Inclusion at Work report reveal that only 44% of class-marginalised workers were offered career development opportunities in the past year, compared with 76% of their more privileged peers. You'll hear about the impact this has from Catherine Hunter the CEO of Diversity Council Australia and Dr Angelo Capuano, law lecturer at Central Queensland University who faced social class barriers early in his career.Are you a Swiftie? Maybe a part of the Bey-hive? If you're a serious fan of any artist, you understand the hype when they announce a new album or tour. When Taylor Swift announced her new album last week, it sent fans into overdrive, many of whom have already had an almost a religious experience at her shows. You'll hear from consumer behaviour expert Paul Harrison about why a select few celebrities inspire such fanaticism.Jordan Fyfe is a disabled artist, researcher and advocate who is currently finishing her PhD, and an ABC Top 5 Arts Resident for 2025. Her research focuses on the many barriers that face people with disabilities to attend or work in the arts - and what needs to change to improve access. 

The downsides to downsizing from the family home might include leaving your friends, your GP and the neighbourhood you love. So we asked someone who has made the move, a buyers agent and the CEO of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute whether making it easier for Australians to downsize would really move the needle on the housing crisis.What would have helped you come to terms with your own mental health challenges earlier? Osher Günsberg is one of the best-known names in Australian entertainment and mental health advocacy. His latest book tackles what to do when it feels like you've tried everything to feel better, and are asking the question "now what?" - and it's something he wished he had earlier in his journey. If you met your life partner online, you might want to keep scrolling past this one. A cross-cultural study compared relationship satisfaction, intimacy, passion, and commitment and on all four measures, people who met online scored lower than people who met in real life. Love researcher Adam Bode and Simone Springer who runs a singles meet up group discuss the merits of how you meet your lover. 

Rates of perfectionism are skyrocketing, but one of the world's leading experts says you can shift the perfectionistic mindset. And, the aunties weigh in on how to respond to an out-of-the-blue package from an ex best friend.

The struggles of those stuck trying to get their loved ones into rehab, what changes to autism patients on the NDIS scheme mean for families, the ethics of lying in a memoir, and why legal language is so hard to navigate.

Wild tales from the emergency room, the legacy of Olympic housing, and why one woman ran the City2Surf topless. 

The human side of making our nation more productive, behind the pocket money gender pay gap, why our world leaders can't agree on the best way to tackle plastic pollution, and the dark side of your wellness obsession.  

The argument for electric vehicle users paying a road use charge, the ethics behind disclosing adoptees' status, and what your nightmares reveal about your health - plus, why Virgin Australia's new pets on planes policy has sparked backlash.  

In a long-term relationship, when does someone start thinking, "This isn't working anymore?" What goes on between that initial thought and the final decision that its definitely over? Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan shares insights from her book Torn: Four Women’s Stories of Why They Left – or Why They Stayed. Psychologist and psychotherapist Stephen Andrew discusses his thoughts as an expert who specialises in treating individuals couples, thrupples and polycules.In Ask Aunty, a letter-writer asks: How can I survive my in-laws' very different holiday expectations? Aunties Maeve Marsden, writer, theatre-maker and Nate Byrne, meteorologist on ABC News Breakfast, did into this thorny issue.

As the role of pharmacists expands, there's a push to place them inside GP clinics to provide on-the-spot medication advice. Associate Professor Jean Spinks, Centre for Business and Economics of Health, University of Queensland, GP pharmacist Brooke Shelly, and Dr Michael Wright, President, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners discuss whether it could provide more efficient and effective care?Outside school hours care is a lifesaver for parents who can't clock off in time for school pick up every day, but access to this kind of service is a postcode lottery. Guests Dr Kate Harrison Brennan, Director of the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney, and single mother Carla, discuss how to make this care an option for all working families across the country.From recording frog calls to photographing fungi, everyday Australians are contributing biodiversity data like never before. So, how much impact has citizen science really had on research and conservation? Cam Slatyer, Atlas of Living Australia and Dr Jodie Rowley, amphibian biologist with the Australian Museum and founder of the FrogID app, talk about the role of citizen science.If you've been on social media the last couple of weeks, you may have seen a viral video trend dubbed the "Gen Z stare"... older people say they make a comment or a request to someone under 25 years old and they're just met with a blank look. Dan Woodman, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Melbourne unpacks the phenomenon.

Performer Todd McKenney's decades-long career on stage has reached a full circle moment. He joins the cast of the classic musical 'Cats' once again, a role he first embodied almost forty years ago where he made a pact with a friend that made him a father.What if a random interaction with a stranger ends with covert video uploaded to a social media platform? We hear from Tahnaya Smith, who was filmed without her consent and Professor Nicola Henry, from RMIT University's Social Equity Research Centre.According to the Australian Federal Police, children as young as 12 are being radicalised by extremist groups online. And now terrified families say there's nowhere to turn. So, what does early intervention look like? Social worker and anti-radicalisation expert Peta Lowe explains where to find help.

What's next for our health star rating system? And, attractive people often benefit from special treatment. So, what's the impact of "pretty privilege"? Plus, how sex ed has changed in the 50 years since the book Where Did I Come From? hit our shelves. Also, why Australia's latest star-studded international tourism campaign may not work.

Who owns the copyright... to your face? And, a new book delves into the history of Aussie fatherhood. Also, a glimpse into the life of a spy... with the former head of Australia's top espionage agency. Plus, how much does it cost you to get to work each day?

How are you connected to your family history? And in Ask Aunty, is it possible to maintain a relationship with friends who have a very different finances to you?

Everything's moving online! Where does that leave the less-tech-savvy among us? Especially... our seniors? And, caring for someone at the end of their life can be all-consuming and overwhelming. Now there's a tool to help people organise the support they need. Plus, a few years ago, we couldn't get enough of streaming... but the dial may now be swinging back towards physical media you actually own. Also, do we owe each other honesty, all the time?

In hospital, gauging parents' instincts is about to be part of standard care. From the end of next month, all NSW hospitals will require staff to ask this question: "Are you worried they are getting worse?" Plus, who's a member of the We Do Not Care Club? And, a deep dive into Australia's home-grown conspiracy theories.

Australia has a proud history of taking to the streets to protest a cause... but it's getting harder. Plus, it's National Missing Persons Week and the way we talk about missing people can make it even harder for those left behind.  Also, are group chats a poor substitute for hanging out in person? And, with our national dictionary poised to close ... who's going to keep track of 'Strine?