Big Ideas
Feed your mind. Be provoked. One big idea at a time. Your brain will love you for it. Grab your front row seat to the best live forums and festivals with Natasha Mitchell.
Wed, April 30, 2025
Has the world lost the plot? John Lyons, Greg Sheridan, Emma Shortis, Josh Taylor with Natasha Mitchell
Are we living through a key turning point in world history? How do we make sense of this present moment, and what's on the horizon?Trump's trade wars, long-held alliances dismantled, the deadly conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the rise and rise of AI, the tech oligarch takeover, China's military build-up, NATO's demise, and much more. It's a confusing time. Four seasoned analysts and journalists with their finger on the pulse join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell to share their prognoses. This event was hosted and organised by the 2025 Sorrento Writers Festival curated by festival director Corrie Perkins. Speakers John Lyons Walkley award winning foreign correspondentABC Editor, AmericasABC Washington bureau chief Greg Sheridan Foreign editor, The AustralianJournalist and author, Christians, the urgent case for Jesus in our world (2021) Emma Shortis Director, The Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs program. Author, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia's Fatal Alliance with the United States (2021), After America: Australia and the New World Order (2025) Josh Taylor Award-winning journalist specialising in technology and politicsThe Guardian
Tue, April 29, 2025
The painting that changed Australia — the story of Blue Poles
It's been called a coming-of-age story for a nation. The Whitlam Government's purchase of Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles in 1973 helped to bring down the government. So how did this abstract expressionist masterpiece become the most famous, most controversial artwork in Australia? Then: how does political portraiture affect how we feel about politicians — and how we vote? Jacqueline Maley looks at The Art in the Optics — and explains why political portraiture is more important than ever today. These events were recorded at the National Library of Australia on 3 March 2025 and the National Portrait Gallery on 20 March 2025 . Speakers Tom McIlroy Author, Blue Poles: Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the painting that changed the nationPolitical correspondent, Australian Financial Review Niki Savva Political commentator and columnist, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Jacqueline Maley Columnist, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
Mon, April 28, 2025
Are Donald Trump and US politics bringing global health to its knees?
Until recently, the USA provided about 30% of global health funding. It was dominant in supplying HIV/AIDS medication and funded a major part of medical research. Much of this has now stopped with Donald Trump restricting gender affirming care, withdrawing from the WHO and holding funds from USAID - and the list goes on. What are the impacts on pandemic preparedness, future global health priorities and resource mobilisation? This conversation has been presented by the The Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) and the Australian Global Health Alliance . Speakers Dr Nina Schwalbe CEO and founder of Spark Street Advisors Professor Brendan Crabb Director and CEO Burnet Institute Professor Sharon Lewin Director Doherty Institute Dr Selina Namchee Lo (host)Executive Director, Australian Global Health Alliance
Thu, April 24, 2025
Sir Simon Schama — On antisemitism
Acclaimed British historian Sir Simon Schama reflects on the history of antisemitism, the Holocaust and contemporary culture. He says that for millennia Jewish people have been "the other of convenience. We are the dark mirror in which the wish fulfilment of other societies takes it out on people who are said to represent its opposite." Presented at the Adelaide Writers Festival in partnership with the University of Sydney . Speaker Sir Simon Schama British historian and television presenterProfessor of Art History and History, Columbia University
Wed, April 23, 2025
How do we make cancer treatment worth it, work better, and less harmful?
Cancer is common and chemo and radiotherapies can save or extend our lives. But sometimes they don't, or they stop working, or they come with disabling long-term side effects. In a state of desperation, some of us seek out unproven alternatives which might even put us at greater risk of cancer. Join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell and guests to find out how scientists are attacking the problem of cancer treatment. This event was organised by the Australasian Society of Stem Cell Research , University of Adelaide, and National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia. Speakers Professor Mark Dawson Haematologist and clinician-scientistAssociate Director of ResearchPeter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne. Associate Professor David Elliot Stem cell researcher and leader of the Heart Disease group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute Principal investigator, Novo Nordisk Foundation for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW). Professor Megan Munsie Immediate Past President, Australasian Society of Stem Cell Research (ASSCR)Professor of Emerging Technologies (Stem Cells) Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the University of Melbourne Thank also to Tanya Ha from Science in Public and Dr Luke Isbel from the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute. Further listening How surfing writer Tim Baker and doctor Peter Goldsworthy learnt to live well and laugh with cancer (Big Ideas, 2025)
Tue, April 22, 2025
Pankaj Mishra — the world after Gaza
For the past 18 months, Israel's war in Gaza has polarised the world. The Indian author and essayist Pankaj Mishra reckons with the conflict through the lens of colonialism, morality and history. This event was recorded at the University of NSW Centre for Ideas on 27 February 2025. Speakers Pankaj Mishra Author, The World After Gaza , From the Ruins of Empire and Age of Anger: A History of the PresentEssayist, New York Review of Books, London Review of Books, The New Yorker and more Simon Longstaff Director, The Ethics Centre Co-founder, Festival of Dangerous Ideas Adjunct Professor, Australian Graduate School of Management at University of NSW Further information: The Shoah after Gaza by Pankaj Mishra - London Review of Books, 24 March 2024
Mon, April 21, 2025
Uncovering Pompeii — 300 years of archaeology
Two thousand years ago, life in Pompeii stood still when Mount Vesuvius erupted, preserving the town in volcanic ash for centuries. Today, this ancient Roman city captures the imagination like few others. This event was recorded at the National Museum of Australia on 14 December 2024. Speakers Dr Sophie Hay Roman archaeologist, press and communications officer, Paco archeological de Pompeii Professor Steven Ellis Professor of Classics and Roman Archaeology at the University of Cincinnati Dr Lily Withycombe Curator at the National Museum of Australia Virginia Trioli (host)Journalist, broadcaster and author, A Bit on the Side Host, ABC TV's Creative Types Further information: The exhibition Pompeii is on at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra until 4 May 2025.
Thu, April 17, 2025
When women resist authoritarianism — what's happening in Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar right now?
Authoritarian regimes are threatened by women who fight for their freedom — and are pushing back in even more extreme and deadly ways. The world watched wide-eyed as Iranians took to the streets and social media for the #WomenLifeFreedom movement. We watched Afghan women and children run towards American planes taking off from Kabul as the Taliban returned to power. In Myanmar, women have taken up arms against the military junta. What do women at these front-lines need you to know right now? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests. This event was hosted by Monash University's Maureen Brunt Women and Democratic Change program and the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against Women Speakers Dr Farkondeh Akbari Research FellowAustralian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against WomenMonash University Dr Rana Dadpour Research Fellow in Social and Economic RiskThe Cairns InstituteJames Cook University Dr Isabella (Bella) Aung Research Fellow Myanmar Policy & Community Knowledge Hub , University of Toronto Myanmar Initiative Fellow , University of British ColombiaHead of Comparative Politics Diploma Program, Spring University Myanmar (SUM) Professor Jacqui True Political scientist and Professor of International Relations Director, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against Women (CEVAW) Monash UniversityGlobal Fellow, Peace Research Institute , OsloAuthor, Violence against Women: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2021) Special thanks to Daniela Philipson Garcia, Program Manager for the Women and Democratic Change Initiative and PhD candidate.
Thu, April 17, 2025
A season of death — with Raimond Gaita and Michelle Lesh
The only certainty in life is that we will all some day die. Most of us don't know when that day will come. But others must face their mortality front on. Mark Rafael Baker was no stranger to death, losing three loved ones in seven years — and then he was confronted with his own. This event was recorded at Readings Bookshop Melbourne in October 2024. Speakers Michelle Lesh Lecturer at Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne Raimond Gaita Emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy, King's College LondonHonorary Professorial Fellow, Melbourne Law School, University of MelbourneAuthor, Romulus, My Father, Justice and Hope, and more Paul Barclay (host)Journalist, broadcaster and moderatorFormer host, Big Ideas
Wed, April 16, 2025
Where is the soul in science? Natasha Mitchell and guests on a humanity defining battle (Archive)
Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to grapple with some gritty paradoxes about science and religion, and in this era of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and existential angst — are they serving the needs they used to? Science drives much of modern life, and yet fewer people are drawn to studying it at school putting scientific literacy at risk. There's been a rise in anti-science sentiment and a questioning the authority of scientific expertise. Many societies are becoming more secular with fewer people claiming to follow a formal religion, yet religious fundamentalists and populists are being elected to power throughout the world. This episode was first published on 29 May 2024 Speakers Peter Harrison Head, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of QueenslandAuthor, Some New World: Myths of Supernatural Belief in a Secular Age Anik Waldow Professor of Philosophy, University of SydneyAuthor, Experience Embodied: Early Modern Accounts of the Human Place in Nature Charles Wolfe Professor of Philosophy, University of Toulouse-2 Jean-JauresAuthor, The Philosophy of Biology Before Biology: A History of Vitalism This event was hosted by the University of Sydney's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Department of Philosophy at a conference in honour of the eminent scholar of history of philosophy of science, the late Stephen Gaukroger .
Tue, April 15, 2025
When the Tech Bros come to town — with Kara Swisher and Marc Fennell
We know them as Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos, Gates, Jobs. But to Kara Swisher, they're Mark, Elon, Jeff, Bill, and Steve. She was once a Silicon Valley insider, but now she's one of big tech's most vocal critics. This event was recorded at Adelaide Writers Week on Monday 3 March 2025. Speakers Kara SwisherAuthor, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story , aol.com: How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads and Made Millions in the War for the Web and There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere: The AOL Time Warner Debacle and the Quest for a Digital FutureHost of podcast On with Kara Swisher , and co-host of podcast, Pivot (with NYU Professor Scott Galloway)Former tech journalist with Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, contributing opinion editor New York Times Marc Fennell (host)Host of new podcast, Noone saw it coming ABC Radio NationalCreator and host Stuff the British Stole ABC Radio National and ABC TVFormer host, Download this Show ABC Radio National
Mon, April 14, 2025
The biggest threat to the planet is a story — an eye-opening insider account of Australian environmentalism
Jobs vs the environment. Profits vs environmental protection. One pitted against the other. That dominant story has defined environmental regulation in Australia, drowning out the stories scientists or environmental campaigners want to tell. Scientist, environmentalist, and government insider, Peter Cosier, has worn all the hats and he wants to change how we think and talk about Nature. An eye opening account of Australian environmentalism and its politics. Presented at the Lyrebird Festival Speakers Peter Cosier Chair of Accounting for NatureFounding Member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, Former Policy Adviser to the Australian Environment Minister Robert Hill Gregg Borschmann Oral Historian for the National Library of Australia, Writer & Radio Producer
Thu, April 10, 2025
BBC Reith lecture 4 — Can you change a violent mind?
Is prison time for violent offenders mostly about appeasing a sense of revenge? And if so, are there better ways to rehabilitate perpetrators? Dr Gwen Adshead assesses the effectiveness and impact of therapeutic interventions and restorative justice - and she's looking at how Norway does it. The 2024 BBC Reith lecture series Speakers Dr Gwen Adshead Award-winning forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, author of The Devil You Know. Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry Anita Anand (host)BBC Radio presenter and journalist Further information Transcript of this Reith lecture
Wed, April 09, 2025
BBC Reith lecture 3 – Does trauma cause violence?
The long term impact of childhood trauma on your body and mind is profound and devastating. Many perpetrators of violent crimes have suffered abuse themselves. But is it as easy as to say that trauma causes violence? There are many more people who have lived through trauma and don’t start hurting others. The 2024 BBC Reith lecture Speakers Dr Gwen Adshead Award-winning forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, author of The Devil You Know. Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry Olivia PhelpsGovernor, HMP Grendon Richard ShukerHead of Clinical Services, HMP Grendon Anita Anand (host)BBC Radio presenter and journalist Further information Transcript of this Reith lecture
Tue, April 08, 2025
BBC Reith lecture 2 — Goodness as the antidote to evil
You all have the capacity for evil behaviour in you — given the right mix of circumstances. Rigidity of thinking about others, egocentricity, setting your moral rule book and dehumanising victims are contributing factors. But just as innate to you is the antidote to evil: goodness. Find out how to maintain this fine balance on Big Ideas. This is the second 2024 BBC Reith lecture Speakers Dr Gwen Adshead Award-winning forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, author of The Devil You Know. Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry Anita Anand (host)BBC Radio presenter and journalist Further information Transcript of this Reith lecture
Mon, April 07, 2025
BBC Reith lecture 1 − Is violence normal?
What then are the tipping points that drive some to kill? Is violence unnatural? Or is it normal because, deep down, we are all capable of cruelty and can experience, even briefly, the urge to hurt others? The daily news, as well as our cultural landscape, is filled with stories of acts of violence. The impact of violence on the individual, families and communities can be devastating. This is the first 2024 BBC Reith lecture in the series: Four questions about violence Speakers Dr Gwen Adshead Award-winning forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, author of The Devil You Know. Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry Anita Anand (host)BBC Radio presenter and journalist Further information Transcript of this Reith lecture
Thu, April 03, 2025
Supporting teenagers to thrive online
Teenagers 'live' online and on social media. How can they reap the many benefits that social media can offer? There are plenty of them: an endless pool of knowledge and curiosity. But parents need to help them navigate the risk and threats online — of which there're also plenty. On Big Ideas, we have a panel of experts with a plethora of valuable information, advice and resources. Presented by the Raising Children Network and hosted at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Check out the ABC TV series ' Role of a Lifetime ' on iview with more details about parenting in the social media era. Speakers Derek McCormack Director of Raising Children Network Dr. Julie Inman Grant Australia's eSafety Commissioner Dr. Sarthak Gandhi Headspace Board Youth Advisor and Researcher at Murdoch Children's Research Institute Professor Marie Yap Research Professor at Monash University and Psychologist with expertise in Parenting & Youth Mental Health Beverley Wang (host)ABC's National Culture Correspondent Further information Raising Children Network eSafety Commissioner Headspace Kit s Helpline Reach Out Parent line Youth Safe
Wed, April 02, 2025
Can storytellers change the world? Tim Winton and Rachel Perkins join Natasha Mitchell
Two of Australia’s most influential and legendary storytellers, author Tim Winton and filmmaker Rachel Perkins, join Natasha Mitchell at WOMADelaide’s Planet Talks to discuss the power of stories and the role of artists to create change in the world. SpeakersRachel PerkinsMulti-award-winning filmmaker, and founder of Blackfella films Director, presenter, co-writer, co-producer The Australian Wars series (available on SBS On Demand)Co-director, co-writer, co-producer First Australians Tim WintonMulti-award-winning author of Juice, Dirt Music, Cloudstreet and more.Patron of the Australian Marine Conservation Society Host and writer, Ningaloo Nyinggulu series (available on ABC Iview)Activist, Protect Ningaloo and Exmouth Gulf campaign This event was recorded live at the annual 2025 WOMADelaide festival produced and presented as part of its Planet Talks program, held on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people. Thanks to Planet Talks producer Rob Law.
Tue, April 01, 2025
Populist rage in America — history, causes and impacts
Populism is part of American political history. It has been and still is the dominant vocabulary of dissent. But the current resurrection of authoritarian politics in the US is different. While the two parties could absorb populist movements in the past, this time populism has absorbed the party. Presented at the American Academy in Berlin Speaker Jefferson Cowie James G. Stahlman Professor in American History at Vanderbilt UniversityAmerican Academy in Berlin, Axel Springer Fellow — Class of Spring 2025
Mon, March 31, 2025
Good conversations — with writer and poet Ian WIlliams (CBC Massey Lecture 5)
What makes a good conversation? And do good conversations have anything in common? Ian Williams studies his daily conversations and explores how our age has left many people in what he calls a "drought of loving voices." In searching for conversations that feel transcendent, not transactional, he argues that in great conversations, the content is less important than the interaction: the sincerity and openness of the engagement. Good conversation is an art, and you don't know how it will change you by the time it ends. The CBC Massey Lecture series "What I mean to say — remaking conversation in our time" was recorded live across Canada in November 2024. The fifth lecture Good conversations took place in Toronto, Ontario. Speakers Ian Williams Poet and author, Reproduction (Scotiabank Giller Award winner), Disorientation. Being Black in the World, Word problems (Raymond Souster Award 2021), and moreProfessor of English and director of the Creative Writing program at the University of Toronto Adrian Harewood Associate Professor of Journalism, Carelton UniversityFormer CBC radio host Nahlah Ayad CBC Ideas host Further information: Since 1961, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has produced the Massey Lectures featuring leading Canadian thinkers asking questions that make us better human beings. The lectures are a partnership between CBC, House of Anansi Press, and Massey College in the University of Toronto.
Thu, March 27, 2025
Who can speak for whom to whom about what? — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 4)
We're in an era where many people feel an ownership over certain words, and how a community expresses itself. The term "appropriation" has come to create guardrails around what can be said and by whom. Award-winning Canadian writer Ian Williams considers the role of speech and silence in reallocating power, and what it means to truly listen. The CBC Massey Lecture series What I mean to say — remaking conversation in our time was recorded live across Canada in November 2024. This fourth lecture Who can speak for whom to whom about what? was recorded in Victoria, British Columbia. Speakers Ian Williams Poet and author, Reproduction (Scotiabank Giller Award winner), Disorientation. Being Black in the World, Word problems (Raymond Souster Award 2021), and moreProfessor of English and director of the Creative Writing program at the University of Toronto Kathryn Marlow Local radio host, CBC Victoria Nahlah Ayad CBC Ideas host Further information: Since 1961, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has produced the Massey Lectures featuring leading Canadian thinkers asking questions that make us better human beings. The lectures are a partnership between CBC, House of Anansi Press, and Massey College in the University of Toronto.
Wed, March 26, 2025
Personal conversations — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 3)
Bookstores are full of titles that are supposed to help us deal with difficult conversations — about emotions, misunderstandings and hurt feelings. The problem is that difficult conversations are almost always about something other than what they seem to be about. And what we're actually looking for in a conversation isn't always answers — it's communion. The CBC Massey Lecture series What I mean to say — remaking conversation in our time was recorded live across Canada in November 2024. This third lecture was recorded in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Speakers Ian Williams Poet and author, Reproduction (Scotiabank Giller Award winner), Disorientation. Being Black in the World, Word problems (Raymond Souster Award 2021), and moreProfessor of English and director of the Creative Writing program at the University of Toronto Leisha Grebinski Local radio host, CBC Saskatoon Pratyush Dayal Journalist, CBC News Further information: Since 1961, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has produced the Massey Lectures featuring leading Canadian thinkers asking questions that make us better human beings. The lectures are a partnership between CBC, House of Anansi Press, and Massey College in the University of Toronto.
Tue, March 25, 2025
Public conversations — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 2)
Public space is important for democracy. This is where we articulate our values, and perhaps change our minds. So how do we open ourselves up to connection with strangers while safeguarding our personal sovereignty and resisting efforts to convert us? And what can we learn from our conversations with strangers and loved ones alike about how to navigate the murky waters of national conversations? The CBC Massey Lecture series What I mean to say — remaking conversation in our time was recorded live across Canada in November 2024. This second lecture Public Conversations was recorded in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Speakers Ian Williams Poet and author, Reproduction (Scotiabank Giller Award winner), Disorientation. Being Black in the World, Word problems (Raymond Souster Award 2021), and moreProfessor of English and director of the Creative Writing program at the University of Toronto Jamesie Fournier Writer Simeone Kisa-Knickelbein Actor Further information: Since 1961, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has produced the Massey Lectures featuring leading Canadian thinkers asking questions that make us better human beings. The lectures are a partnership between CBC, House of Anansi Press, and Massey College in the University of Toronto.
Mon, March 24, 2025
Why we need to have a conversation about conversations — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 1)
Ever felt that no one is really listening? At a time when we're more connected than ever, why does it seem like we can barely talk to each other? Civic and civil discourse have deteriorated, and the air is raw with anger and misunderstanding on all sides. Award-winning Canadian author and poet Ian Williams is reviving the lost art of conversation in his CBC Massey Lecture series What I mean to say — remaking conversation in our time . These lectures were recorded live across Canada in November 2024. The first lecture Why we need to have a conversation about conversations took place in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Speakers Ian Williams Poet and author, Reproduction (Scotiabank Giller Award winner), Disorientation. Being Black in the World, Word problems (Raymond Souster Award 2021), and moreProfessor of English and director of the Creative Writing program at the University of Toronto Steve Sutherland CBC local radio host, Sydney, Nova Scotia Wendy Bergfeldt CBC local radio host, Sydney, Nova Scotia Further information: Since 1961, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has produced the Massey Lectures featuring leading Canadian thinkers asking questions that make us better human beings. The lectures are a partnership between CBC, House of Anansi Press, and Massey College in the University of Toronto.
Thu, March 20, 2025
Australians – the ‘aristocrats’ of Asia? The Lucky Country 60 years on
In his influential 1964 book The Lucky Country, Donald Horne wrote that Australians played an aristocratic role in Asia: "rich, self-centred, frivolous, blind". A lot has changed in 60 years, but does Australia still think it's better than its neighbours? Recorded at the Australian Academy of the Humanities annual symposium , The Ideas and Ideals of Australia — The Lucky Country turns 60, on 13 — 15 November 2024 at the Australian National University. Speakers Louise Edwards Emeritus Scientia Professor of Chinese History, University of New South Wales Nick HorneEditor, Donald Horne: Selected Writings (2017)
Wed, March 19, 2025
Choices created Australia's housing mess, what choices will fix it? Natasha Mitchell and guests
Australia's housing crisis hasn't always been with us. So what choices created it, and what choices are now needed to fix it? Buying a house is now out of reach if you're on an average wage, and rental options are expensive and precarious. If we don't address the issues urgently, generations to come will face homelessness or profound poverty paying rents on a pension. There are solutions. Are politicians courageous enough to try them? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week . Speakers Maiy AzizeDeputy Director of Anglicare Australia National spokesperson, Everybody's Home campaign Alan Kohler Finance journalist and presenter with ABC NewsAuthor, Quarterly Essay: The Great Divide: Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix it (2023) Amy Remeikis aka @PyjamaPolitics Chief Political Analyst, The Australia Institute Jordan van den Lamb aka @PurplePingers Rental activist and advocate2025 Senate candidate, Victorian Socialists Thank you to Adelaide Writers Week and to Anna Chang from the Australia Institute.
Wed, March 19, 2025
Choices created Australia's housing mess, what choices will fix it? Natasha Mitchell and guests
Australia's housing crisis hasn't always been with us. So what choices created it, and what choices are now needed to fix it? Buying a house is now out of reach if you're on an average wage, and rental options are expensive and precarious. If we don't address the issues urgently, generations to come will face homelessness or profound poverty paying rents on a pension. There are solutions. Are politicians courageous enough to try them? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week . Speakers Maiy AzizeDeputy Director of Anglicare Australia National spokesperson, Everybody's Home campaign Alan Kohler Finance journalist and presenter with ABC NewsAuthor, Quarterly Essay: The Great Divide: Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix it (2023) Amy Remeikis aka @PyjamaPolitics Chief Political Analyst, The Australia Institute Jordan van den Lamb aka @PurplePingers Rental activist and advocate2025 Senate candidate, Victorian Socialists Thank you to Adelaide Writers Week and to Anna Chang from the Australia Institute.
Tue, March 18, 2025
Free your attention — meditation and mindfulness in the digital age
How many times have you checked your phone today? How many tabs are open in your web browser? Do you feel in control of your attention? In the digital age, attention is now a commodity. Can practices like meditation and mindfulness help us feel more free to focus on what really matters? This event was hosted at the Brunswick Ballroom by the Sophia Club in partnership with the University of Melbourne's Contemplative Studies Centre . Speakers Jess Huon Meditation trainer, authorised Dharma teacher, writer (The Dark Wet) Nicholas Van Dam Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of MelbourneAssociate professor, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne Brigid Hains (host)Editorial director, Aeon Media Matthias Schack-Arnott Musician
Mon, March 17, 2025
Today YOU can choose your family
The structures of our families have become more bespoke, complex, sometimes messier. Some find comfort in a 'chosen family', choosing friends over blood-relatives as kin. Patchwork families are increasingly common. You can a birth mother, a genetic mother and a social mother. How is the family changing and with what impacts? Meet three writers here to help you re-imagine the ties that bind. Presented at the Byron Writers Festival , supported by the Byron Shire Council. Speakers Kon Karapanagiotidis CEO and Founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre; author of A Seat at My Table: Philoxenia Marina Kamenev Former deputy arts editor of the Moscow Times, author of Kin Molly Schmidt Writer and journalist, author of Salt River Road Rosemarie Milsom Founding director of Newcastle Writers Festival, journalist and broadcaster Also listen to Future Tense: The greatest demographic shift in a century is being ignored: single living
Thu, March 13, 2025
Riverhood — oral histories in the Murray Darling Basin
The Murray Darling Basin is the most important river system in Australia, and the most contested. What does it mean to live by those rivers, through the droughts, the floods, and the water politics that shape these communities. A beautiful and evocative history of the Murray Darling Basin, as told by people who live there. This speech was recorded at the History Council of Victoria's annual lecture at the State Library of Victoria on 14 November 2024. Speakers Katie Holmes Professor in History and Director of the Study of the Inland at La Trobe UniversityAuthor, Mallee Country: land, people, history, Reading the Garden: the Settlement of Australia and more
Wed, March 12, 2025
Vested interests vs public interest? How the fossil fuel industry captures Australian governments
How has the fossil fuel industry wielded influence over Australian governments and their policies? What does it take to make ambitious change in the public interest, without vested interests getting in way? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week. Speakers Dr Richard Denniss Economist and Executive Director of The Australia Institute Author of BIG: The Role of the State in the Modern Economy (2022) Ross Garnaut EconomistProfessor Emeritus in business and economics, University of MelbourneBoard director of renewable energy company ZEN ENERGYAuthor of Let's Tax Carbon: And other ideas for a better Australia (2024), Superpower: Australia's Low Carbon Opportunity (2019) Sarah Hanson-Young Senator for South AustraliaGreens spokesperson for arts and communications, and environment and water Royce Kurmelovs Freelance journalistAuthor of Slick: Australia's Toxic Relationship with Big Oil (2024)
Tue, March 11, 2025
France — a paradoxical country
The citizens of France have a notoriously conflicted relationship with the state. Their suspicion, if not resentfulness, of state power has played out in myriad revolts over the centuries and continues with repeated protests and riots to this day. It shapes the country's political and social fabric … from the set-up of their local sports clubs to their global foreign politics ambitions. The picture that emerges is one of a nation struggling to reconcile its core political values with the realities of a diverse society. Presented at FASStival , the University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Festival Speaker Emile Chabal Professor of Contemporary European History at the University of Edinburgh, Author of France
Mon, March 10, 2025
Can the International Criminal Court deliver justice?
The International Criminal Court has issued high-profile arrests warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over their conduct in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. But although the court's role is to end impunity for war crimes, many are now questioning whether it has the power to perform that vital duty. This event was recorded at the University of Tasmania on 11 February 2025. Speakers Alex Whiting Professor of Practice, Harvard Law SchoolFormer Acting Specialist Prosecutor for the Kosovo Tribunal in The HagueFormer Investigation Coordinator and then Prosecution Coordinator in the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The HagueTrial Attorney and then a Senior Trial Attorney with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, 2002-2007 Regina Weiss (host)Barrister, Tasmanian BarFormer war crimes prosecutor, International Criminal CourtCounsel to the ICC on victims, defense, sexual and gender-based violenceChair of the Australian Red Cross — Tasmania International Humanitarian Law Committee Tim McCormack (host)Professor of International Law, University of TasmaniaFormer Special Adviser on War Crimes to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague (2010-2024)
Thu, March 06, 2025
Helen Garner on footy, boys, and growing old
A "Homeric struggle", a desperate night-ballet, an ethical training ground for boys and men. Aussie Rules is a multimillion-dollar industry, but at its heart, to thousands of people, it's much more than that. Including to Australian literary great, Helen Garner. This event was recorded at the National Library of Australia on 20 February 2025. Speakers Helen GarnerAuthor, The Season, Monkey Grip, The Children's Bach, The First Stone, Joe Cinque's Consolation, The Spare Room, This House of Grief and more Beejay Silcox (host)Critic, writer, outgoing Artistic Director, Canberra Writers Festival
Wed, March 05, 2025
Is America on the cusp of collapse under Trump? Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week
Donald Trump's return to The White House is up-ending the way America works — at home and on the global stage. Does it herald the potential social, political, and constitutional collapse of United States? The world has watched nations sleepwalk into ultranationalist fascism before, is this that moment? Or is American democracy more resilient than any one demagogue? Are we on the cusp of new world order, and how will Australia play its cards if the USA no longer has our back? This event was presented by Adelaide Writers Week and the Australia Institute . Speakers Dr Emma Shortis Author, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia's Fatal Alliance with the USDirector of The Australia Institute's International & Security Affairs program Dr Nick Bryant Journalist, historianAuthor, The Forever War: America's Unending Conflict with ItselfFormer BBC correspondentPresenter of Saturday Extra on ABC Radio National Allan Behm Author, The Odd Couple: The Australia-America Relationship (2024)Special Advisor, International Political Affairs, The Australia Institute Dr Prudence Flowers Author, The Reagan Revolution (2025)President, Australian and New Zealand American Studies Association Senior lecturer in US history at Flinders University
Tue, March 04, 2025
What does the internet know about you?
A trip to Bunnings, a Medibank or Optus account, a new smart car or vacuum, every facet of our daily lives is now up for grabs. So should privacy continue to be our individual responsibility, or is it time for governments do more? This event was recorded at the State Library of Victoria on 19 November 2024. Speakers Hugh de Kretser President, Australian Human Rights Commission Lizzie O'Shea Founder and chair of Digital Rights Watch Principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn Ed Santow Co-Director of the Human Technology Institute at the University of Technology SydneyCo-author, Machines in Our Image: The Need for Human Rights in the Age of AI Daniel Nellor Philosopher, playwright and co-author, Machines in Our Image: The Need for Human Rights in the Age of AI Further information: First tranche of the Federal Government's privacy reforms Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024
Mon, March 03, 2025
Security in Europe hangs in the balance. Is NATO on the rocks?
Europe needs to rethink its strategies and policies to protect the continent in the future. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China's predatory mercantilism, and the rise of populist neoisolationism in the United States mean that depending on the status quo won't cut it anymore. But after decades of neglect, restoring Europe's military capacity, economic competitiveness, and strategic autonomy will be difficult. Can NATO evolve into a more balanced team, and may the time finally have come for a European pillar within it? Can increased trade and economic dynamism be squared with increased security and international competition? Presented by the American Academy in Berli n Speakers Gideon Rose Former editor and managing editor of Foreign Affairs; 2025 Axel Springer Fellow at the American Academy in BerlinAdjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations; adjunct professor of political science at Columbia University Daniel Benjamin President of the American Academy in Berlin
Mon, February 24, 2025
Animals — Us and them? How does loving animals go together with industrial farming?
Humans have a conflicted relationship with animals: We love our pets and admire our wildlife. But we continue the industrial production of dairy, meat and eggs, that often leaves animal suffering in dreadful conditions. We create a division between US and THEM, if it suits us. What does that say about how we value animals in our lives? Presented at the Byron Writers Festival Speakers Peter Singer Bioethicist and author of Animal Liberation, Practical Ethics, and The Buddhist and the EthicistFounder of the charity The Life You Can Save and co-hosts of the Lives Well Lived podcast James Bradley Award-winning author of Deep Water: The World in the Ocean Laura Jean McKay Award-winning author of The Animals in That Country and Gunflower Dr David Roland Clinical psychologist and honorary associate with the School of Medicine, University of Sydney
Mon, February 24, 2025
Animals — Us and them? Are you having a whale of a time?
Seeing a whale in the wild takes your breath away. But so much of what they do remains mysterious. Join Natasha Mitchell with two world leading whale researchers unearthing the secret world of cetaceans. You'll want to change jobs when you hear what they get up to! Thousands of humpback whales will soon leave their Summer feeding grounds in Antarctica with full bellies to begin the world's longest mammalian migration. How do they live, breed, behave, survive, thrive? Commercial whaling might have declined, but can we work out what these magnificent creatures make of what's happening in their home now — from offshore oil drilling and seismic testing to ship collisions and climate change? This event was hosted by the Island Whale Festival Phillip Island. Find out more about the festiva l held annually in July. Listen to the rest of our special series Animals — Us and Them? Speakers Dr Barry McGovern Cetacean scientist Australian Research Associate, Pacific Whale Foundation Dr Pete Gill Cetacean scientist Founder and CEO of The Blue Whale Study
Mon, February 24, 2025
Animals — Us and them? The cat catastrophe – pet or pest?
Cherished companions, or cunning predators? Cats kill five million native animals in Australia every day — so how can we better manage our feline friends? Listen to the rest of our special series Animals — Us and Them? Speakers Alex Patton Invasive species ecologist and PhD candidate, University of Tasmania Noel Hunt CEO, Ten Lives Cat Centre Dr Catherine "Cat" Young Biodiversity coordinator, NRM South Dr Tiana Pirtle (host)Conservation officer, Invasive Species Council Further information: Cats in Australia - Invasive Species Council Cat Management Actions for Eastern Quoll on Bruny Island - NRM South Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats - Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Mon, February 24, 2025
Animals — Us and them? What is the purpose of zoos in an extinction crisis?
Zoos are changing — they are no longer just places for us humans to gawk at animals in cages. In the midst of a global extinction crisis, they are now playing a vital role. So what is their future? This event was recorded at the International Society of Behavioural Ecology Congress in Melbourne on 2 October 2024, with thanks to organiser Professor Andy Bennett from the University of Melbourne. Listen to the rest of our special series Animals — Us and Them? Speakers Dr Sally Sherwin Director of Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria Professor John Woinarski Conservation biologist, Charles Darwin UniversityAuthor, A Bat's End: The Christmas Island Pipistrelle, Cats in Australia: companion and killer and moreDirector, Australian Wildlife ConservancyCo-chair, IUCN Australasian Marsupial and Monotreme Specialist GroupMember of the science advisory committees of Zoos Victoria and of Invertebrates Australia Associate Professor Lee Berger Melbourne Veterinary SchoolFellow of the Australian Academy of Science Professor Dan Blumstein Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Professor in the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles Dr Jen Martin (host)Associate Professor in Science Communication, and founder of the Science Communication Teaching Program, University of MelbourneHost, Triple R community radio Author, Why am I like this? The science behind your weirdest thoughts and habits
Thu, February 20, 2025
Animals — Us and them? The true and the ugly of wildlife documentaries
Satyajit Das presents a provocative examination of the use and abuse of images of wild animals, and how they shape our relationships with the natural world. These pictures can create an impression of abundance and untouched ecosystems, and lull us into a false sense of security, at a time when the natural world faces ecological calamity. The Attenborough Effect — Shaping Our Relationship With Wild Animals was presented by the Australian National Maritime Museum . Speaker Satyajit DasAuthor of Wild Quests. Journeys into Ecotourism and the Future for Animalsformer banker, recognised as one of the world's leading financial thinkers.
Wed, February 19, 2025
Jem Bendell, the fake green fairytale, and how to survive civilisational collapse
We’re past the brink of civilisational collapse. And many environmentalists are pushing a “fake green fairytale”. Jem Bendell’s arguments have inspired the Extinction Rebellion movement’s civil disobedience pushing for climate change action. But Jem doesn’t think protest is enough now. Find out why the self-confessed eco-libertarian and author of Breaking Together: A freedom-loving response to collapse thinks we should break together not apart. Jem joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell at the 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI) Speaker Jem Bendell Author, Breaking Together: A freedom-loving response to collapse (2023)Author, Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy (2018, 2020)Co-founder of Bekandze Farm - Regenerative Training Centre Founder, the Deep Adaptation Forum Band member, the Barefoot StarsEmeritus Professor of Sustainability Leadership, University of CumbriaSenior Distinguished Fellow, Schumacher Institute
Tue, February 18, 2025
A murder in Malta — how Daphne Caruana Galizia's fight for justice lives on in her son
For 30 years, Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia exposed corruption and wrong doing in her country. Her youngest son, Paul Caruana Galizia, details the impact of her life, her assassination in a car bomb explosion in 2017, and how her legacy lives on.
Tue, February 18, 2025
Empireworld — Sathnam Sanghera on how British imperialism shaped the globe
The British Empire was once the biggest in the world. But now, some countries are cutting ties, and some want reparations. So just what is the legacy of British imperialism? This event was recorded at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in October 2024. Speakers Sathnam Sanghera Author, Empireworld: how British Imperialism shaped the globe and Empireland: how Modern Britain is Shaped by its Imperial Past, and moreColumnist with the Sunday Times Gill Westaway Owner-operator at Villa Karingal, Lombok, IndonesiaFormer British Council employee
Mon, February 17, 2025
Living out your mental illness in public paves the way to lasting change
Being who we are in public (with our mental illness) is the only way to create lasting change. Amanda Tattersall, co-founder of the campaigning organisation Get-Up, speaks powerfully about her experience of living with bipolar disorder and its role in driving social change. Hear how storytelling, sharing lived experiences, and forging solidarity through difference can make all the difference. Her keynote address: Making Change and Mental Illness — reimagining how we make a difference from the inside out was presented at the 2024 TheMHS Conference Speaker Amanda Tattersall Associate Professor of Practice, Urban Geography, School of Geoscience University of SydneyCo-founder of GetUp, founder of the Sydney Alliance, host of the ChangeMakers podcast
Thu, February 13, 2025
Uncancelled culture — forgiveness and redemption in the digital age
Cancel culture has ruined careers and lives — but did they deserve it? What consequences should people face for what they say and do? And what does redemption look like in the digital age? This event was recorded at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney on 25 August 2024. Speakers Roxane Gay Editor, social commentator, contributing opinion writer for The New York TimesAuthor, Bad Feminist, Hunger: A Memoir of My Body , Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business and more Megan Phelps-Roper Former member, Westboro Baptist ChurchAuthor, Unfollow: A Journey from Hatred to Hope Presenter and co-producer, The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling Andy Mills Reporter and podcast producer, Reflector, The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling and formerly The Daily, Rabbit Hole and Caliphate David Baddiel Comedian, screenwriter and television presenter Social Media, Anger and Us (BBC)Author, Jews Don't Count , The God Desire and more Tim Dean (host)Senior Philosopher and Manos Chair in Ethics at The Ethics Centre
Wed, February 12, 2025
I can change the world! How these changemakers found their superpower
Sara Shams had both legs amputated at age six — it became her superpower. 15-year-old Taylor Ladd-Hudson turned a shark experience into something bigger. Amy Parry got subversive after she was told women's stories on screen were too niche. Jody Rallah wanted to make sense of the world and art led the way. And Anisa Nandaula turns it all into performance poetry. Meet these changemakers joining Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell at the Women of the World (WOW) Festival in Brisbane in October 2024. Speakers Taylor Ladd-Hudson 15 year old environmentalist, shark conservationist, social media influencer Amy Parry Film-maker, producer, screenwriter Jody Rallah Artist and yuggera-yugggerabul and biri-bindal woman Sara Shams Pharmacist, disability advocate, speaker, model Anisa Nandaula Slam poet, stand-up comedian, writerAuthor, Melanin Garden
Tue, February 11, 2025
Re-thinking the relationship between brain and machine
Imagine a world where your brain is enhanced through cutting-edge technologies and next-generation AI, blurring the lines between organic and digital realms … and unlocking unprecedented potential. We are already some steps on the way in such a future. What would this mean for intelligence, human agency and consciousness? Your Brain on AI From organoids to consciousness was presented by the Sydney Opera House . Speakers Paul Davies Theoretical physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist, Arizona State University and best-selling author Dr Inês Hipólito Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence, Macquarie University Dr Brett J. Kagan Chief Scientific Officer at Cortical Labs Dr Sandra Peter Director of Sydney Executive Plus, Associate Professor the University of Sydney Business School
Mon, February 10, 2025
Video games — a new frontier in the fight for global influence?
With more than 3 billion people playing video games worldwide, they have the potential to wield tremendous power and influence. So is it time to take video games more seriously? This event was recorded at the Melbourne International Games Week on 3 October 2024. Speakers George Osborn Founder, Half-Space Consulting Rad Yeo (host)Television and podcast presenter, video game critic, and technology journalist
Thu, February 06, 2025
Don’t be a D**khead — with musicians Kasey Chambers and Clare Bowditch
When Kasey Chambers was growing up, her dad had one simple, yet profound piece of advice. Just don't be a d***head. This event was recorded at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne, with thanks to Readings bookshop. Speakers Kasey Chambers Musician, 13th album BackboneAuthor, Just Don't Be A D**khead And Other Profound Things I've Learnt Youngest female inductee, ARIA Hall of Fame (2018)24-time Golden Guitar winner Clare Bowditch (host) MusicianAuthor, Your Own Kind of Girl
Wed, February 05, 2025
Should scientists stand up as things fall down? Advocacy, activism, impartiality and the risks
President Donald Trump’s administration is already muzzling government-funded scientists. Closer to home, Australian scientists have their own stories to tell about science censored, stymied or watered down when its findings aren’t convenient to industry or politicians. Should scientists stand up as things fall down? A Tasmanian panel argue why scientists should speak up, and consider the tensions between advocacy and impartiality when they do. Speakers Alexandra de Blas Science and environmental communicator, consultantMember, Tasmanian Independent Science Council Louise Cherrie Environmental management consultant Dr Lila Landowski Neuroscientist and science communicatorCollege of Health and Medicine, University of TasmaniaBoard director, Science & Technology Australia The Honourable Megan (Meg) Webb Independent Member for NelsonTasmanian Legislative Council Robyn Williams Host of The Science Show , ABC Radio National Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin Biologist, marine scientist, authorMember, Tasmanian Independent Science Council
Tue, February 04, 2025
Minority report — the new shape of Australian politics, with George Megalogenis and Tory Shepherd
From the inner cities to the outer suburbs, to rural and regional Australia, just what is going on in minds of voters as we embark on another federal election? This event was recorded at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at the University of South Australia. Speakers George Megalogenis Journalist, author, Quarterly Essay #96 Minority Report: The New Shape of Australian Politics Tory Shepherd (host) Senior reporter, Guardian Australia
Mon, February 03, 2025
Why Australian politicians welcomed fascists after the Second World War
Australia resettled fascists, even war criminals after World War II as part of a worldwide program led by the International Refugee Organisation. The background of these immigrants was known to all political parties, but they were regarded as cheap – and white – labour. Historian Jayne Persian explores the impact of these characters on the trajectory of postwar politics — a phenomenon well documented in other parts of the world but with which Australia has barely begun to reckon. Presented by the Brisbane Writers Festival Jayne Persian Associate Professor in History, University of Southern QueenslandAuthor of Fascists in Exile: Post-War Displaced Persons in Australia and Beautiful Balts: From Displaced Persons to New Australians Anthony CooperAuthor of best-selling Darwin Spitfires and Dispatch from Berlin, 1943
Thu, January 30, 2025
What’s the secret to governments making wise decisions?
Take folly, friction, pain and empathy … mix well, and you get wise governmental decisions. If only it was that simple. Zachary Shore looks at the personal qualities, group dynamics, and historical conditions that have made wise decisions more or less likely to arise. The world’s current troubles would be more manageable, he contends, if we understood more clearly what produces wisdom and how to apply it. So what can we learn from history? A Wiser World: The Global Quest for Good Judgement was presented by the American Academy in Berlin Zachary Shore Professor in the department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, National Security Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution Daniel Benjamin President of the American Academy in Berlin
Wed, January 29, 2025
Merlin Sheldrake's Entangled Life — how fungi do things differently, and inspire us to as well
Have you noticed mushrooms are having a moment? Merlin Sheldrake's New York Times bestselling bookEntangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures has captivated readers worldwide. Be enchanted by a world unseen – one without which you wouldn't exist - and which might inspire you to re-imagine how you think about yourself and your relationships. Merlin and guests join Natasha Mitchell at the Now or Never Festival of Art, Ideas, Sound, Technology and the Melbourne Museum . Dr Merlin Sheldrake Biologist, writer, speaker, brewer, fermenter, musicianAuthor, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures Dr Tom May Mycologist and Senior Research Scientist Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria Author, Wild Mushrooming in Australia. Amanda Morgan CEO and head of R&D Fungi Solutions Thanks to Melbourne Museum event producer Alice Gibbons and to the museum's sound engineering team.
Tue, January 28, 2025
Nicky Winmar and Rhoda Roberts − showing racism in sport the red card
Nicky Winmar's iconic stand against racism was a wakeup call more than 30 years ago. But how much has really changed? Racism on and off the field continues to be an issue across Australia, when we should be celebrating Indigenous sport icons. Presented by the Byron Writers Festival, supported by First Nations Australia Writers Network FNAWN . Listen to Big Ideas - Australia's sporting myths Speakers Rhoda RobertsProducer, artistic director, journalist and broadcaster and author of My Cousin FrankWoman of the Bundjalung Nation Nicky Winmar Noongar man, AFL player and author of Nicky Winmar: My Story Naomi Moran (host)CEO of Koori Mail, First Nations newspaperNyangbal and Arakwal woman from the Bundjalung nation
Mon, January 27, 2025
Chopsticks or fork? — Jennifer Wong and Lin Jie Kong with Annabel Crabb
Almost every country town across Australia has a Chinese restaurant. Why is that? And what role do they play in the story of immigration and multiculturalism, as well as the life and tastebuds of regional communities? This event was recorded at Sydney's Gleebooks. Speakers Jennifer Wong Comedian, writer, tv presenter, columnist, curator, host and co-author of Chopsticks or Fork? Lin Jie Kong Producer, director, editor, co-author Chopsticks or Fork? Annabel Crabb (host) Writer and presenter, ABC Further information Watch Chopsticks or Fork on ABC iView
Thu, January 23, 2025
Writers who rock — on the art of music writing
You've got half an hour with Lou Reed/ Nick Cave/ Courtney Love: what do you ask them? Three of Australia's best music writers share their craft, and reveal what it's like to sit down with some of music's biggest names. This event was recorded on 2 November 2024 at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Speakers Stuart Coupe Author, journalist, radio broadcaster, music commentator, publicist at Stuart Coupe Publicity Jane Gazzo Music Journalist, TV Presenter, Author ( her new book is I Hear Motion ), MC, Public Speaker, founder and presenter Action Time Vision - ATV Michael Dwyer Music journalist, lecturer and member of David Bowie ukulele tribute band The Thin White Ukes Zan Rowe (host) ABC Music correspondent, Double J and Take 5 host Further information: The exhibition From Medieval to Metal: The art & evolution of the guitar is on at the Art Gallery of Ballarat until 2 February 2024
Wed, January 22, 2025
How surfing writer Tim Baker and doctor Peter Goldsworthy learnt to live well and laugh with cancer
Meet two men who will change the way you think about an experience most of us fear but will be touched by in some way. In Patting the Shark, surfing writer Tim Baker describes his wild ride to reclaim a sense of control and agency after a cancer diagnosis. Celebrated author and GP Peter Goldsworthy’s memoir The Cancer Finishing School started out as a journal but became so much more.They join Natasha Mitchell for intimate an intimate, revelatory, funny, and generous conversation about the Big C and how medicine needs to change. This event was hosted by the 2024 Queenscliffe Literary Festival Speakers Tim Baker Journalist, editor, patient advocate, PhD candidateAuthor, Patting the Shark: A surfer's journey — learning to live well with cancer (Ebury Australia/Penguin, 2022) Dr Peter Goldsworthy GP, author, librettist, poetAuthor, The Cancer Finishing School —lessons in laughter, love, resilience (Penguin, 2024)
Tue, January 21, 2025
The fight to protect abortion in the United States — with Dr Angel Foster
For 50 years, women in the United States had a constitutionally enshrined right to abortion. But in 2022, that right was overturned, and now one third of American women live in a state where abortion is banned. So what does Donald Trump's return to the White House mean for reproductive health in America? This event was recorded at Macquarie University in Sydney on Wednesday 13 November 2024. Speaker Dr Angel Foster Professor, University of OttawaCo-founder, Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project
Mon, January 20, 2025
The Knowledge Gene — the incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity
Prepare to have your mind blown with a sweeping saga that connects human evolution, brains, genes, art, music, creativity, knowledge, dyslexia, autism, Indigenous memory systems, and more. A big, beautiful and biological saga about how to learn like a human again. Joining Natasha Mitchell are Australian Senior Memory Champion, scientist and author Dr Lynne Kelly with artist Jane Rusden and musician and educator Hilary Blackshaw. This event was hosted by the 2024 Mountain Festival in Macedon, Victoria. Speakers Dr Lynne Kelly Science writerAuthor, The Knowledge Gene: the incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity (Allen and Unwin, 2024)Author, The Memory Code (Allen and Unwin, 2016) Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences , La Trobe UniversityHonorary Fellow, School of Physics , University of MelbourneHilary BlackshawMusician and musical educator Bendigo Musical Instrumental Program Jane Rusden Artist
Thu, January 16, 2025
Is there life on Mars?
It's a question that has focused the minds of astronauts, scientists, space entrepreneurs and enthusiasts alike — is there, could there be, life on Mars? The race is on to find out, with NASA hoping to land astronauts there by the late 2030s. Because of its similar conditions to Earth, they're hoping the red planet could hold clues to the enduring mysteries of how life began, and whether we are alone in the universe. This event was recorded at the World Science Festival Brisbane in partnership with the Queensland Museum and the Big Questions Institute on March 22, 2024. Original Big Ideas broadcast on 16 April 2024. Speakers Professor Tamara Davis Astrophysicist, University of Queensland Professor Kathleen Campbell Astrobiologist, University of Auckland Professor Martin Van Kranendonk Astrobiologist and geologist, Head of the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Dr Jorge Vago ExoMars Project Scientist, European Space Agency Dr Graham Phillips (host) Astrophysicist, science journalist, former host of Catalyst (ABC)
Wed, January 15, 2025
The delicate complexities of treating mental illness — Jonathan Rosen, Patrick McGorry with Natasha Mitchell
New York writer Jonathan Rosen’s memoir The Best Minds: a story of friendship, madness, and the tragedy of good intentions is a story of tenderness, heartache, and horror as he explores the vexed tensions between civil rights, medical power, and the complexities of recognising and treating severe psychotic illness. He joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell with psychiatrist Patrick McGorry for a powerful, moving conversation at the 2024 Adelaide Writers Week Original broadcast on May 1, 2024 Speakers: Jonathan RosenWriter and editorAuthor, The Best Minds: a story of friendship, madness, and the tragedy of good intentions Patrick McGorry PsychiatristExecutive Director, Orygen Professor of Youth Mental Health, University of MelbourneFounding Director, Headspace (National Youth Mental Health Foundation) Further information and support services: Lifeline Australia 24x7 Crisis Support line on 13 11 14 Beyond Blue MensLine Australia SANE Australia ReachOut Australia AFRAFMI - supporting friends and carers of people with mental illness One Door Mental Health (formerly the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW) Hearing Voices Network Mental Health First Aid Australia Australians for Mental Health - advocating for better mental health policy and services in Australia
Tue, January 14, 2025
Mary Beard and the Roman Empire
For decades, Mary Beard has forged her own path through the male dominated field of academia, from the ruins of Rome to the trenches of Twitter, to become "the world's most famous classicist". From the wise Augustus to the hypocritical Tiberius and the barking mad Caligula, Mary Beard uses these Roman rulers as a lens to examine life in their empire, and asks what lessons they can teach us about the world today. This event was recorded at Adelaide Writers' Week and originally broadcast on Big Ideas on 9 April 2024. Speakers Mary Beard Author Emperor of Rome, (also Pompeii, Confronting the Classics, SPQR, Women & Power, Twelve Caesars)Professor Emerita of Classics at Cambridge University Jonty Claypole Writer, documentary producer and arts administratorCEO, Red Room PoetryFormer Director of Arts, BBC
Mon, January 13, 2025
Looking to a healthy future with Helen Clark
We are living in an "age of crises," says former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark. With her leadership experience and expertise in governance, politics, and policy, Helen Clark and a panel of health and international relation experts explore the challenges facing the world today and what is needed to achieve a healthier and thriving future for all. proWhile it's easy to feel overwhelmed by complex problems, speaking up about inequality can make a difference. Helen Clark urged everyone to "raise the issues, never give up, and relentlessly campaign". Politics, policy, and a healthy human future was hosted by ANU College of Health and Medicine with the Australian Global Health Alliance Original broadcast on May 7, 2024 Speakers Helen Clark Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former UNDP Administrator Sharon Friel Professor of Health Equity and an ARC Laureate Fellow in Planetary Health Equity at the ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance Bina D'Costa Professor at the Department of International Relations, ANU Coral Bell School of Asia-Pacific Affairs Dr Arnagretta Hunter (host)Human Futures Fellow at ANU College of Health and Medicine, a cardiologist, a physician, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at ANU Medical School
Thu, January 09, 2025
How traumatic stress hurts us — with Bessel van der Kolk
Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, discusses his pioneering research into traumatic stress and its impact on our brains and bodies. Traumatised people experience incomprehensible anxiety, numbing and intolerable rage. Trauma affects their capacity to concentrate, to remember, to form trusting relationships, and even to feel at home in their own bodies. And he explains promising treatments, including neurofeedback, psychedelic therapy, psychodrama … and dance. This talk was presented by the Sydney Opera House Original broadcast on March 26, 2024 Speakers Dr Bessel van der Kolk Dutch psychiatrist, author, researcher and educatorAuthor of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking Press, 2014 Sarah Kanowski Presenter of Conversations on RN Helplines 1800 737 732 / 1800RESPECT or visit https://www.1800respect.org.au Blue Knot Helpline and Redress Support Service 1300 657 380 or visit https://blueknot.org.au/survivors/blue-knot-helpline-redress-support-service/
Wed, January 08, 2025
Are national deficits a myth? Stephanie Kelton explodes an economic holy cow
When governments say they can't afford to fix climate change or lift kids out of poverty are they speaking the truth? American economist Stephanie Kelton challenges economic orthodoxy in her book The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People's Economy. She joins Natasha Mitchell in conversation at this 2024 National Sustainability Festival event.
Tue, January 07, 2025
How to cut through political spin — Richard Denniss, Joelle Gergis, Yanis Varoufakis, Tom Keneally with Natasha Mitchell
Join host Natasha Mitchell and guests for some straight talk that cuts through spin and jargon. Has the way politicians speak ever made you shout at the television, feel bamboozled, helpless, or shut out of democratic debate over our shared future? Pollie-talk can make important issues opaque, the inequitable seem fair, and the fair seem inequitable. Hear from Richard Denniss (author of Econobabble: How to decode political spin and economic nonsense), Yanis Varoufakis (author of Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism), Joelle Gergis (author of Humanity's Moment: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope) and Thomas Keneally (Schindler's List). Original broadcast on April 24, 2024.
Mon, January 06, 2025
Islands rising — life on the front lines of the climate crisis
Residents of the Pacific and Torres Strait Islands face an existential threat from climate change, as rising sea levels threaten to swallow up their homes and livelihoods. But they are fighting back - calling for Australia and other countries to do more to end investment in fossil fuels and prevent a full blown climate catastrophe. This event was recorded on Kaurna country at WOMADelaide's Planet Talks on March 9, 2024. With thanks also to The Australia Institute. Original Big Ideas broadcast on 28 May 2024. Speakers Anote Tong President of the Republic of Kiribati 2003- 2016Chair, Pacific Elders Voice Yessie Mosby Zenadh Kes Masig traditional ownerPlaintiff, Torres Strait 8 Our Islands Our Home campaign Tishiko King Climate and first nations advocateMember, Australian Museum Climate Solutions Centre Advisory GroupBoard Director, Divers for Climate Tiahni Adamson (host) Lead Community Engagement Officer at CH4GlobalLecturer at the University of South Australia2024 Young Australian of the Year (South Australia)
Thu, January 02, 2025
Liberalism as the basis of life?
Liberalism isn't just a political philosophy but the basis of a truly meaningful life. That's the bold statement of philosopher Alexandre Lefebvre, author of the forthcoming book Liberalism As A Way of Life. Should individuals be free to pursue their own passions and interests in life? Does liberalism mean more than freedom of speech and small government? You might not identify as a liberal, but are we in fact all liberals at heart? The Philosophy You Already Have — a Live Philosophy event was presented in Melbourne at the Sophia Club , from the creators of Aeon and Psyche magazines. Find out more here about the series. Original broadcast on March 21, 2024 Speakers Alexandre Lefebvre Professor of politics and philosophy at the University of SydneyAuthor of Liberalism as a Way of Life , Princeton University Press, 2024 Brigid Hains (host)Editorial director of Aeon Media
Wed, January 01, 2025
Thriving not just surviving with Tibetan master Mingyur Rinpoche, a Sufi scholar and Indian philosopher of mind
Tibetan master Venerable Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche experienced terrifying panic attacks as a little boy. What did he learn about suffering, the Self, and the nature of our mind through coming to understand his own mind? He joins Natasha Mitchell along with an Indian philosopher of mind and a Sufi scholar to wrestle with the self and its dissolution. This event Beyond Self — A journey to connection and wellbeing was organised by Tergar Australia and the Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies . Original broadcast on May 22, 2024. Speakers Venerable Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche Tibetan meditation master and head of the Tergar Meditation CommunityAuthor, In Love with the World: What a monk can teach you about living from nearly dying (2019) Monima Chadha Professor of philosophy, Monash UniversityAuthor, Selfless Minds: A Contemporary Perspective on Vasubandhu's Metaphysics (Oxford University Press, 2023) Dr Aydogan Kars Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies, Monash UniversityAuthor, Unsaying God: Negative Theology in Medieval Islam (Oxford University Press, 2019)
Tue, December 31, 2024
AC Grayling — How to live well, according to philosophy
You wouldn't be human if you hadn't from time to time wondered what the meaning is of all of this. Who am I? Is there a purpose? Why am I here? And how can I live a good life? Well of course you're not alone – some of history's biggest thinkers have been coming up with answers to these questions for thousands of years. So what can we learn from their conclusions? This event was recorded at the Melbourne Writers Festival on 11 May, 2024. It was first broadcast on Big Ideas on 27 June 2024. Speaker AC Grayling Philosopher and author, Philosophy and Life, Exploring the Great Questions of How to Live, and many moreProfessor of Philosophy and Principal of Northeastern University London, Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford
Mon, December 30, 2024
Laurie Anderson on time and life
Pioneering electronic musician and performer Laurie Anderson invites you contemplate the wonders of time. Time is one of the most impermanent forms of measurement that humans have invented to help manage our lives. We couldn't function without it. Do you feel like you're running out of time? Which way is time going? Are you able to stop time? What is the role of time in ethics, or how you experience trauma? Laurie shares a creative conversation with twice-Booker-shortlisted author Tom McCarthy as they look to arts and literature for answers. Presented by the Rubin Museum of Ar t. New York City Original broadcast on March 6, 2024 Speakers Laurie Anderson Multimedia artist, musician, film director and author Tom McCarthyAuthor of The Making of Incarnation (2021), Satin Island (2015), Remainder (2005)
Thu, December 26, 2024
Hugh Mackay — Australian society in the 21st century
From loneliness, to our technology addiction, growing inequality and our shrinking middle class, our faith in God, to the complex legacy of the Baby Boomers, Hugh McKay paints a compelling portrait of modern Australia, and asks some pointy questions about its future. This event was recorded at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at the University of South Australia on May 16, 2024. First broadcast on Big Ideas on 4 July 2024. Speakers Hugh Mackay Social psychologist and researcherAuthor, The Way We Are. Lessons from a lifetime of listening and many more Julia Lester (host) Journalist, broadcaster, presenter
Wed, December 25, 2024
Holly Ringland helps you to get creative
Best-selling author Holly Ringland says that everyone can be creative – yes, even you! Be it painting, cooking, knitting a jumper or writing a song. It's often self-doubt and the fear of criticism and judgement that's holding you back. The voice in your head telling you that you're not good enough. It doesn't have to be like this. In The House That Joy Built, Holly Ringland explains how to 'get unstuck' and to give yourself permission to be creative. This conversation was presented at the Reading bookstore . Original broadcast on March 5, 2024 Speakers Holly Ringland Australian author and TV presenter The House That Joy Built (2023) The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (2018), winner of the 2019 General fiction book of the year award at the Australian Book Industry Awards. The book was adapted into a television miniseries in 2023. The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding (2022) Kate Mildenhall Australian author – Skylarking (2016), The Mother Fault (2020), The Humming Bird Effect (2023) Listen to Big Ideas - Diversity in arts, culture and the creative sector
Tue, December 24, 2024
Lifting the lid — the lost story of an extraordinary Egyptian coffin revealed
A wooden sarcophogas is sold in a Cairo market in the 1800s, transported to Australia, and held in a University of Sydney collection. It remains closed for over a century. And then scientists opened its lid. What happened next? Two leading Australian Egyptologists join Natasha Mitchell to consider the ethics, history, and science of a quest to understand life and death in Ancient Egypt and get a glimpse into one woman's world over 2500 years ago. But is it really Mer-Neith-It-Es? This event was presented by the Australian Museum as part of the Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaoh's exhibition . Thanks to Liz Young, Narelle Lewis, and the museum team. Original broadcast on April 10, 2024. Speakers Ronika Power Egyptologist and Professor of BioarchaeologyDirector, Centre for Ancient Cultural Heritage and Environment Macquarie University Dr Constance (Conni) Lord Egyptologist Chau Chak Wing Museum , University of Sydney Further information: The Australian Museum The Mummy Project, University of Sydney Uncovering the secrets of Ancient Egypt (University of Sydney) Human remains research project The Mummy Project at the Chau Chak Wing Museum (Sydney University Press eBooks, 2022)
Mon, December 23, 2024
Andrew O'Hagan — Literature and truth in the era of fake news, algorithms and artificial intelligence
The internet was supposed to make the world more open and connected, but things seem to have taken a dark turn. Scottish author Andrew O'Hagan makes an impassioned case for the role of readers and writing as "frontline workers" in the fight for reality. These events were recorded at the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival on 17 and 19 May 2024. Originally broadcast on Big Ideas on 18 July 2024. Speakers Andrew O'Hagan Author Caledonian Road, Mayflies, and moreEssayist and editor-at-large of the London Review of Books Gillian O'Shaughnessy Writer, moderator, journalist
Thu, December 19, 2024
Eric Bogle tells it all — his songs and his life
Folk legend Eric Bogle is opening up and talks about his life, his thoughts about death, friendship and love and why having a deeper message for writing songs is so much more important than money and fame. It's a rare opportunity to share a conversation with one of the best and most prolific songwriters of the last several decades. His songs have become Australian classics – like The Band Played Waltzing Matilda or No Man's Land. And as a very special treat – you'll hear the world premiere of his latest song … finished on the way to this event. A Heartland Conversation presented at the Blue Mountains Music Festival. March 17, 2024 Original broadcast on April 15, 2024 Speakers Eric BogleScottish-born Australian folk singer-songwriter Gregg Borschmann (host)Writer, radio producer and oral historian for the National Library of Australia
Wed, December 18, 2024
The debate over shark nets: killers or life savers? With Natasha Mitchell and guests
They use of shark nets to protect us from sharks is highly controversial. Do they work, what do they do to marine life, are there alternatives, and why are sharks so political? This is an issue that ignites passions. Join Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival for a robust interrogation of the harms and benefits. Original broadcast April 17, 2024. Speakers Lawrence Chlebeck Marine biologist and campaigner Humane Society International Dr Chris Pepin-Neff Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Sydney Author, Flaws: Shark Bites and Emotional Public Policymaking (2019) Steven Pearce Chief Executive Officer, Surf Life Saving NSW Hannah TaitCEO, Action for Dolphins Further information: Australian UAV Service NSW Shark meshing program NSW Shark Management Strategy and Shark Program Review (2022) Rebranding Sharks project Australian Shark Incident Database Yearly Worldwide “Shark Attack Summary” (Florida Museum) Shark nets information (Action for Dolphins)
Tue, December 17, 2024
Meet the mothers of Australia's women's refuge movement
At a time when family violence wasn't even recognised by the law, a group of women broke into two vacant houses in Sydney and claimed squatters' rights, changing lives and attitudes to family violence forever. This event was recorded at the Elsie Conference on 15 March 2024. Original Big Ideas broadcast on 6 May 2024. Speakers Professor Di Otto Halfway House Victoria Bobbie Townsend Former resident and worker, Elsie Women's Refuge Vivien Johnson Founding member of Marrickville Women's Refuge Collective Ludo McFerrin (host) Elsie Women's Refuge
Mon, December 16, 2024
Is Australia overrun by feral animals? With Gardening Australia's Costa Georgiadis
Australia's unique biodiversity, a product of almost 50 million years of glorious evolutionary isolation, is in freefall. The threats are not just the rabbits, the cane toads, the cats and foxes – the common culprits. Let's not forget the small but impactful smooth newt or the fierce red fire ants, and the many invasive weeds. Twenty new weeds will establish in the wild in Australia this year – and every year to come … unless things change. But is it possible to stop this ongoing invasion? How do we go about it? Heartlands Conversations was presented as part of the Blue Mountain Music Festival Original broadcast on May 16, 2024 Speakers Costa Georgiadis Host of ABC TVs Gardening Australia and landscape architect Andrew Cox CEO of the Invasive Species Council Gregg Borschmann (host)Writer, radio producer and oral historian for the National Library of Australia
Thu, December 12, 2024
Benjamin Law’s butt, and the power and politics of portraiture
From Vincent Namatjira's painting of Gina Rinehart, to Jonathan Yeo's take on King Charles, what do portraits say about those they represent, those who create them, and the broader context of the time? The Andrew Sayers Memorial Lecture was recorded at the National Portrait Gallery on 31 July 2024. The National Gallery of Australia's annual lecture with Lindy Lee was recorded on 24 October 2024. Speakers Benjamin Law Writer, broadcaster and cultural commentator Sarah Oakes (host) Director, External Relations, National Portrait Gallery Lindy Lee Artist Further information Watch LIndy Lee's full lecture "A Life of Spirit" here Catch Lindy Lee at the NGA for Ouroboros (permanent) and her retrospective until 1 June 2025. Read more about Jordan Richardson's Venus here
Wed, December 11, 2024
The surfer and circumnavigator — the gobsmacking feats of Pauline Menczer and Bonnie Hancock
A freckle-faced kid from Bondi, Pauline Menczer fought the entrenched sexism of the pro-surfing scene to became women's world surfing champion and pave the way...er, waves..for girl grommets today. But all the while she was also fighting another battle inside her own body’s cells. Ironwoman and surf lifesaving champion Bonnie Hancock became the fastest and youngest person, and the first Australian woman, to circumnavigate Australia on a small surf ski, solo. What possessed her to paddle 12,700 kilometres through crocodile and shark-populated waters, mega-waves, and worse? Pauline and Bonnie join Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell for a conversation that might inspire you to chase your dreams, big or small. This event was organised and hosted by the Queenscliffe Literary Festival . Speakers Pauline Menczer Women's world surfing champion Author, Surf Like a Woman (2024) Bonnie Hancock Athelete, professional Ironwoman, dieticianAuthor, The Girl Who Touched the Stars (2024)Ambassador, Gotcha4Life Foundation Further information Girls Can't Surf documentary Australian Surfing Awards Surfing Hall of Fame
Tue, December 10, 2024
President Petr Pavel – on why the war in Ukraine is a fight for geopolitical stability worldwide
Do you want to live in Putin’s vision of a world in which ‘the big boys’ dominate …. or in one in which smaller nations have a voice? If it’s the latter, so the President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, you need to support Ukraine. This war isn’t just about the borders in Ukraine or security in Europe, it affects the world and our principles of sovereignty, integrity, freedom, and the right of smaller nations to decide their own future. Hear from one of Europe’s foremost voices on global security on the implications of the war in Ukraine for the world. The 2024 Lowy Lecture was presented by the Lowy Institute . November 26, 2024 Speakers Petr Pavel President of the Czech Republic Dr Michael Fullilove Executive Director of the Lowy Institute Further information Transcript of the 2024 Lowy Lecture as delivered, might vary from the audio
Mon, December 09, 2024
Memory, refugees and the Vietnam War — with Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen
Born a refugee of the Vietnam War, and now a Pulitzer Prize winning American author, Viet Thanh Nguyen unpacks the refugee experience, and the politics and the personal weight of remembering, and forgetting. This event was recorded at the Melbourne Writers Festival on 11 May 2024 . Speakers Viet Thanh Nguyen Author, A man of two faces, The Sympathizer, Simone (children's book) and more Andre Dao (host) Author, Anam (winner of the 2024 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction )Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne Co-founder, Behind the Wire oral history project (and later the award-winning Messenger podcast)
Thu, December 05, 2024
Who gets to shape the story? Reporting on the conflict in the Middle East — with The Guardian’s Nour Haydar
There's been a move by Australian newsrooms to foster and champion the diversity of their staff. But when it comes to covering the conflict between Israelis & Palestinians, and the war in Gaza, does this push for diversity only run skin deep? Who gets to shape the story? The 2024 AN Smith Memorial Lecture was recorded at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Advancing Journalism on 26 November 2024. Speakers Nour Haydar Senior Audio producer and co-host, Full Story podcast, Guardian Australia Andrew Dodd (host) Director, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne Further information View the full video recording here About the AN Smith Lecture in Journalism - University of Melbourne
Wed, December 04, 2024
50 years after Cyclone Tracy — powerful memories of horror and hope
Don't miss these previously unheard and powerful stories of ordinary people surviving extraordinary circumstances. Cyclone Tracy destroyed 80 percent of Darwin and killed 66 people. It's impact was harrowing. Beyond the despair are also memories of small blessings and surprising impacts long after that fateful Christmas of 1974. Presented by the Northern Territory Writers Festival Speakers Richard Creswick Author and former ABC journalist Derek Pugh Historian and author Jared Archibald Curator of Territory History at the Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory Kylie Stevenson (host)Award-winning journalist and audio producer Further information Website with memories of Cyclone Tracy YouTube - When Will the Birds Return
Tue, December 03, 2024
Deaf defying: disability leadership as an act of resistance — with Dr Scott Avery
In outback New South Wales, on the dried up, ancient clay shores of Lake Mungo, is a story that has become emblematic for profoundly deaf Worimi man Dr Scott Avery: what can it teach us about disability inclusion, leadership, and excellence? The 2024 Disability Leadership Oration was recorded at the National Archives of Australia on 26 November 2024. Speakers Dr Scott Avery Professor of Indigenous Disability and Wellbeing at the University of Technology Sydney Christina Ryan (host) Founder and chief executive, Disability Leadership Institute Further information Disability Leadership Institute ABC News page on people with a disability Australians with disability tell their stories for International Day of People with Disability 2024 ABC Press release United Nations 2024 International Day Of Persons With Disabilities (IDPD)
Mon, December 02, 2024
Trees, seeds, and ecotourism — the hidden histories Nature reveals about us
Can a single seed tell the story of a civilisation? What do the scars on the skins of 200-year old whales tell about our ancestors? Can ancient trees reveal hidden histories of human frailty and fabulousness? Can Nature be a timekeeper? Joining Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell are Dave Witty (author of What the Trees See: A Wander through Millennia of Natural History), Fiona McMillan-Webster (author of The Age of Seeds: How Plants Hacked Time and Why Our Future Depends on It) and Satyajit Das (author of Wild Quests: Journeys into Ecotourism and the Future of Animals). This event was hosted by the Brisbane Writers Festival. Speakers Satyajit DasAuthor, former banker, consultant Dr Fiona McMillan-Webster Science writer and scientist Dave Witty Author
Thu, November 28, 2024
The right to discriminate? Religious schools and Australian human rights law
Human rights are meant to be universal, but what happens when those rights conflict with one another? For example, a religious school's right to practice its faith, versus the right of others to be free from discrimination? The 2024 Higinbotham Lecture was recorded at RMIT University on 21 October 2024. Speaker Justice Mordy Bromberg , President, Australian Law Reform Commission Further information Read the full report Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws from the Australian Law Reform Commission
Wed, November 27, 2024
Is it still possible for empathy to trump hate? Here's how. Rhonda Magee and Mariam Tokhi with Natasha Mitchell
Rhonda Magee grew up in segregated North Carolina in an abusive household. She knows firsthand the deep divides that define America right now. She draws on her life, and her work as a law professor and leading mindfulness meditation teacher in her book The inner work of racial justice: Healing ourselves and transforming our communities through mindfulness. Mariam Tokhi is a writer and GP in a refugee and asylum seeker health service in Melbourne. She has created a trailblazing narrative medicine course to help doctors use the power of storytelling to fully see the humanity of their patients and themselves. This event was organised by the Contemplative Studies Centre , School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne. Speakers: Rhonda Magee Author, The inner work of racial justice: Healing ourselves and transforming our communities through mindfulness (Tarcher, 2019)Professor Emerita of LawMindfulness meditation educatorFounding director, Center for Contemplative Law and Ethics University of San Francisco. Dr Mariam Tokhi GP and writer Utopia refugee and asylum seeker health service Narrative medicine lecturer , University of Melbourne Medical School
Tue, November 26, 2024
Busting the myths around menstruation and menopause, with Dr Jennifer Gunter
Is menstruation linked to the moon? Do women's periods sync up when they live together? Are girls getting their first period younger? Why don't we talk about menstruation and menopause more? Popular US-based physician and bestselling author Dr Jen Gunter is on a mission to change the conversation about women's health. This event was recorded as part of National Science Week at the University of NSW's Centre for Ideas on 15 August 2024. Speakers Dr Jen Gunter Obstetrician and gynaecologistAuthor, Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of MenstruationThe Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism and more Professor Caroline Ford Lead, Gynaecological Cancer Research Group, University of NSW
Mon, November 25, 2024
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 30 years on
Back in 1994, it was a pretty wild pitch for a movie: a troupe of drag queens road tripping across the Australian outback, in a lavender bus named Priscilla. But The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, put the Australian film industry on the global map, and these days it's become an icon of Australian cinema. This event was recorded on 11 September, 2024 , at the Capitol Theatre, RMIT University, as part of Social Sciences Week. Speakers Rebel Penfold-Russell Executive Producer, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Tim Chappel Costume designer, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Academy Award for best costume along with Lizzy Gardiner) Cerise Howard Program Director, Melbourne Queer Film Festival Kristy Kokegei History Trust of South Australia Stephen Gaunson (host) Senior lecturer in Cinema Studies at RMIT University Further information The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at 30: more important, enjoyable and vital than ever - by Stephen Gaunson, The Conversation, 5 September 2024 Donate to the Save the Queen campaign - History Trust of South Australia
Thu, November 21, 2024
Together, or together alone? Teens and adults debate social media's good, bad and ugly
The Australian federal government wants to restrict social media to those aged over 16. Would that work? Adult and teen experts mount their arguments for and against social media and its harms and benefits. The Great Debate was presented by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia as part of 2024 Social Sciences Week , recorded at the National Library of Australia on 10 September 2024. Speakers STUDENT DEBATEFeaturing Year 7 and 8 students at University of Canberra High School Kaleen Host Ivy Affirmative team Misha, Sienna and Jacob Negative teamUmar, Addy and Shreya ADULT DEBATE Lisa Given Professor of Information Sciences, RMIT University Anthony Elliott Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of South AustraliaAuthor, Algorithms of Anxiety: Fear in the Digital Age Ginger Gorman (host) Journalist and author of the book Troll Hunting: Inside the World of Online Hate and Its Human FalloutHost of the Seriously Social podcast
Wed, November 20, 2024
ADHD, autism, depression — is social media causing social contagion? Jean Twenge, Sonny Jane Wise, Alice Dawkins, Sandersan Onie with Natasha Mitchell
Is social media a contagious force harming young minds, a life saver helping people find their neurodiverse tribes and support, or, for better or worse, a bit of both? From the Festival of Dangerous Ideas , join Natasha Mitchell with renowned social psychologist Jean Twenge, neurodiversity advocate Sonny Jane Wise, technology policy campaigner Alice Dawkins, suicide prevention researcher Dr Sandersan Onie. Young people depressed, distressed, and anxious. ADHD and Autism diagnoses on the increase. All at record rates. Is it a renaissance in awareness, enabled by social media, or are people reaching for labels that risk losing meaning? Speakers: Jean Twenge Professor of psychologySan Diego State UniversityAuthor ofiGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood (2017)Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future (2023)Alice DawkinsExecutive Director, Reset.Tech. Au Dr Sanderson Onie Psychologist and suicide prevention researcherBlack Dog InstituteUniversity of NSW Sonny Jane Wise Neurodiversity advocateAuthor, We’re All Neurodiverse (2023) and The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills (2022) Thanks to Danielle Harvey, Director of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, and the festival team. Further information: Not Just Algorithms: Online Safety, Children and Young People, Data Security, Privacy and Data Protection report (24 March, 2024) Festival of Dangerous Ideas on-demand audio and video archive selected from over a decade of provocative events
Tue, November 19, 2024
Negotiating peace against the odds can be murky business
Mediation in armed conflicts means sitting down with brutal war lords, hiding your true values and in an open dialogue trying to really understand all sides of the parties involved. In the most pressurised environments, there are nearly always possible pathways to a win-win outcome — but finding the way requires a combination of imagination, goodwill, timing, and street smarts. Reflections on Diplomacy and Peace Mediation was presented at the TheMHS Conference 2024 Speaker Paul Dziatkowiec Director of Mediation and Peace Support, Geneva Centre for Security Policy Listen to Big Ideas - Is making war more humane in fact prolonging the fighting?
Mon, November 18, 2024
The 4-Day-Week − creating a better work life balance or just more stress?
Pressing a full-time workload into four days sounds like simply adding more stress to your job – even if you keep your pay. But many people who have tried this model say that one would need to pay them double their salary to make them go back to a standard work week. And businesses enjoy better staff retention and get a completive edge on the job market. Presented by UQ ChangeMakers Speakers Debbie Bailey Consultant Partner, 4 Day Week Global Shannan Quain Chief People Officer, Australian Digital Health Agency Associate Professor James Kirby Clinical Psychologist and the Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group, University of Queensland Professor Tyler Okimoto (host)Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, University of Queensland
Thu, November 14, 2024
From Mumbai to Studio 54 — how Asha Puthli became India's first disco star
She was Andy Warhol's muse, she's been sampled by Notorious BIG, and her music was once voted on the ten best songs to dry-hump to. This is the amazing true story of how Indian-born singer Asha Puthli became a music legend. This event was recorded at Rising Festival on 7 June 2024 . Speakers Asha Puthli Singer Adriana Lazaridis (host) DJ
Wed, November 13, 2024
Joanna Murray-Smith — You’re Right, I’m Wrong: The Artist's Role in a Shifting World
The leading playwright Joanna Murray-Smith makes a powerful case for the role of the arts in Australian public life, arguing that moral righteousness is stifling artistic expression. The last ever Stephen Murray-Smith Memorial Lecture was recorded at the State Library of Victoria on 8 October 2024. Speaker Joanna Murray-Smith Playwright, screenwriter and novelist
Mon, November 11, 2024
The future of remembering wars past — school students speak frankly with Natasha Mitchell at the Shrine
How should we reflect on wars, past and present? Do the rituals of Remembrance Day and Anzac Day hold meaning for young people? Natasha Mitchell is joined by a crowd of high school students and special guests with opinions on the future of commemoration. This event was hosted and organised by Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance to mark its 90th anniversary. Speakers: Che Weon (Michelle) LeeMasters of architecture student, University of Melbourne School of Design Granddaughter of Korean war veteran(Michelle's Shrine design is linked to below) William MuhlhauserYear 9 student, Haileybury College Member, ‘Winjeels’ student club, Moorabbin Air Museum Recipient of 2024 Spirit of Anzac Prize Zackary MelvaineYear 11 student, Mill Park Secondary College Australian army cadet Member of Australian Defense Force's National Drone Racing Team Youth Mayor of the City of Whittlesea Recipient of 2023 Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize Thanks to Sue Burgess and Laura Thomas at the Shrine of Remembrance. Further information: "First Songline" Che Weon (Michelle) Lee's design for the Shrine of Remembrance for her Masters degree in ArchitectureVictoria's Shrine of Remembrance 90th anniversary events Drone warfare, technology and the psyche: an insider speaks [this episode of Science Friction by Natasha Mitchell is mentioned in this program] What it's really like to live with drone warfare [illustrated feature] Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize Shrine of Remembrance Young Ambassador Leadership program
Thu, November 07, 2024
Ending homelessness is possible
It needs strong leadership and good coordination. But most of all, it needs public opinion to rise up and push policy makers to tackle this crisis. Canada can teach us a lesson in how to do that. Homelessness is a systemic housing problem – not caused by mental health issues or drug abuse. Presented at the Australian Homelessness Conference , Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Speakers Tim Richter Founder, President & CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) Carmel Haugh Systems and Community Lead for the Brisbane Zero collaboration, Micah Projects David Pearson CEO Australian Alliance to End Homelessness Dr Tom Alves Head of Development, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Further information Big Ideas – Housing as a human right? With Alan Kohler and Kevin Bell
Wed, November 06, 2024
What's wrong with death? Sophia Club live philosophy with Natasha Mitchell and guests
When you're alive, the idea of dying feels weird, remote, alien. Yet it's the one experience we will all have. Can philosophy help us make sense of that weirdness? What can talking about death and dying teach us about living? Natasha Mitchell is joined by a philosopher, funeral director, and a First Nations' songman for an uplifting, insightful conversation on death. This event is part of the Sophia Club live philosophy event series, presented by Aeon Media, publishers of Aeon and Psyche . Speakers: Kimba Griffith Co-founder and co-owner, The Last Hurrah Professor Klaus JahnPhilosopherSchool of Historical and Philosophical Studies and Graduate School of Humanities and Social SciencesUniversity of Melbourne Fred Leone Butchella songman, musician, and performerGarrwa-Mambaliya Clan Thanks to Sophia Club event creators and producers Brigid Hains (Editorial director, Aeon Media), Rosie Black, Jasmine Walter. Further information: LIsten and read a Days Like These feature and podcast about Fred Leone’s family story about a king, escape and connection to country.
Mon, November 04, 2024
From Gatsby to Huck Finn — American literature in an age of polarisation
From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are no shortage of options to include on those lists of "The Great American Novel". But which is the real plot in the story of America? This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne on 24 October 2024. Speaker Sarah Churchwell Professor of American Literature and Chair in Public Understanding of the Humanities, University of LondonAuthor, Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and The Invention of The Great Gatsby, The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Lies America Tells, and more
Thu, October 31, 2024
Old, new, best, true — the joy, power and heartache of friends
Friends are among the most important relationships we will have in our lives. So what makes someone a friend, how do we hold on to them, and how do they shape who we are?
Wed, October 30, 2024
Unconventional women — a hidden story of nuns with Natasha Mitchell and guests
Why did acclaimed actor Melissa Jaffer step away from the spotlight and the swinging 60s to enter a strict cloister of Australian nuns for 4 years? Sister Marian McClelland is the last of two surviving members of the same Australian order of contemplative nuns. They became nuns at a time of radical change for women worldwide and for the Catholic Church and have extraordinary stories to tell about how faith shaped their sense of identity and purpose. They join Natasha Mitchell with oral historian Dr Sarah Gilbert, author of Unconventional Women: The story of the last Blessed Sacrament Sisters in Australia. This event was organised by Melbourne University Press and hosted at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne. Speakers: Dr Sarah Gilbert Writer, researcher, producer, and oral historianAuthor, Unconventional Women: The story of the last Blessed Sacrament Sisters in Australia (Melbourne University Press, 2024) Sister Marian McClellandOrder of the Blessed Sacrament sisters in Australia Melissa Jaffer Australian actor of stage and screen Further information: Sisters in arms: Catholic nuns through two millennia Jo Ann Kay McNamaraHarvard University Press, 1998
Mon, October 28, 2024
Candice Fox, Matthew Conon, Benjamin Stevenson – on the ethics of crime writing
Literature on crime is huge. Many of you just love to read about a good murder. But do you prefer a soft touch around violent scenes? Or do you want to read it in the drastic, graphic language that shows crime the way it is? Writing crime stories can be a minefield: Do authors have to tell people, if they want to use them in their book? Particularly if they want to paint 'your character' the villain? Can you re-traumatise a victim when you turn their painful experience into a bestseller? A stellar panel of acclaimed crime authors tell how they found their own way to deal with the dilemma of the ethics of writing about murder and corruption. Presented at the Byron Writers Festival. Speakers Matthew Condon Award-winning journalist and author, host of two true crime podcasts – Ghost Gate Road and Dig: Sirens Are Coming Candice Fox Bestselling author, her latest book is 'Devil's kitchen' Benjamin Stevenson Award-winning stand-up comedian and USA Today best-selling author of the 'Ernest Cunningham Mysteries', including 'Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone' and 'Everyone on This Train is a Suspect' Rosemarie Milsom (host)Founding director of Newcastle Writers Festival, former award-winning print journalist with Fairfax Media and broadcaster with the ABC
Sun, October 27, 2024
SOS Democracy with Jon Faine — Can democracy survive social media?
From mis and disinformation to election interference, parts of the internet have become dystopian, due to a lack of regulation. What is this doing to our democracies, and how are governments around the world trying to reign the tech giants in? The 8th annual Sir Zelman Cowan Centre Oration was recorded on 10 October 2024. Speaker Jon Faine Vice Chancellor's Fellow at the University of MelbourneFormer ABC Radio hostAuthor, Apollo and Thelma
Fri, October 25, 2024
SOS Democracy with Niall Ferguson and Barrie Cassidy — Is democracy doomed?
Ninety years ago, in the face of communism, fascism, and the Great Depression, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, asked the question 'Is democracy doomed?' Today, we're asking that same question – with some answers that might surprise you. The 2024 Robert Menzies Oration was presented by the Robert Menzies Institute , recorded on 23 October 2024. The 2024 Henry Parkes Oration was recorded at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House on 22 October 2024. Speakers Sir Niall Ferguson Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University Barrie Cassidy Chair, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
Fri, October 25, 2024
SOS Democracy with Scott Stephens — Saving democracy with decency
Democracy is in retreat, authoritarianism on the rise. But this has happened before. So how did big thinkers of the past respond to the threats to democracy, and what can we learn from them? The Humanities Research Centre 50th Anniversary Distinguished Lecture was recorded at the Australian National University on 31 July 2024. Speakers Scott Stephens Co-presenter (with Waleed Aly) The MinefieldDigital editor, ABC Religion and EthicsCo-author of Quarterly Essay 87, Uncivil Wars: How Contempt is Corroding Democracy (2022)Editor of Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other Writings by Raimond Gaita (2023) Dr Kim Huynh Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Deputy Director of the Humanities Research Centre
Thu, October 24, 2024
Spielberg, a tuba, and a shark named Bruce — the cultural impact of Jaws
When you're swimming in the ocean, do you ever startle at a piece of seaweed? Mistake a wave for a fin? Does the thought of sharks cross your mind at all? Nearly 50 years ago, a little movie by the name of Jaws, changed everything. This event was recorded at the National Film and Sound Archive, in partnership with the Australian National University, on 28 February 2024. Speakers Dr Hannah Calich Postdoctoral research fellow, Australian National University Professor Kenneth Lampl Convenor, Composition for Film and Video Games, School of Music, Australian National University Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens Senior Lecturer in Science Communication, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of ScienceHead of Popsicule, ANU's Science in Popular Culture and Entertainment Hub
Wed, October 23, 2024
Brain amoeba, weird worms and the wild parasites (inside you too!) with Natasha Mitchell and guests
Remember the 8cm living worm found inside a woman's brain last year? Where the hell did it come from? Parasites have bizarre and whacky stories to tell. Join Natasha Mitchell to meet three scientists listening to what they have to say. The science, medicine, and mayhem of parasites. You'll have a whole new respect for these clever survivors and their biology. Thank you to the event organisers, the 2024 World Science Festival Brisbane and Queensland Museum Speakers Professor Katherine Andrews Parasitologist, malaria researcher Founder of the That’s RAD! Science project Author of My mum is a parasite scientist. That’s RAD! Associate Professor Vincent Ho Gastroentorologist The Gut Doctor (GutDr) on Youtube Western Sydney University Dr Terry Miller Ecologist and parasitologist Head of Biodiversity and Geosciences at Queensland Museum
Tue, October 22, 2024
SOS Democracy with Fintan O’Toole — The US elections and the politics of self-pity
Irish Times columnist and author Fintan O'Toole draws on the Irish experience to explain the rise of populism and authoritarianism in the United States. This event was recorded at the Vice-Chancellor's Democracy Forum at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on 26 September 2024. Speakers Fintan O'Toole Columnist with the Irish TImesLiterary Editor with the New York Review of BooksAuthor of We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958, Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain, and Ship of Fools: How Stupidity and Corruption Sank the Celtic TigerProfessor of Irish letters at Princeton University Anna Funder (host) Author, Wifedom, Stasiland, All That I AmLuminary and Ambassador, UTS Roy Green (host) Emeritus Professor and Special Innovation Advisor, UTSFormer Dean, UTS Business School
Mon, October 21, 2024
From pointe shoes to jockstraps – David McAllister lifts the curtain on the secrets of ballet
David McAllister invites you backstage and reveals gloriously gossipy anecdotes about the stars he's met in his long dancing career. But it's not all tutus and tiaras: ballet is at the top of transforming sport science. Presented at the Brisbane Writers Festival . Speakers David McAllister Guest artistic director of the West Australian Ballet, former principal dancer, former artistic director of The Australian BalletAuthor of Ballet Confidential: A personal behind-the-scenes guide, Thames & Hudson Australia 2024 Leanne Benjamin Queensland Ballet's Artistic Director, former principal dancer
Thu, October 17, 2024
The dangerous rise in antisemitism – Sharon Nazarian
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has fought against antisemitism worldwide for over a century. It is now documenting a dangerous rise in antisemitism, and the connection between conspiracy theorists, white supremacy, pro-Palestine anti-war protests, and hate speech. ADL board member, prominent Iranian-American Jewish philanthropist and academic Dr. Sharon Nazarian presents the inaugural Gahl Hodges Burt Lecture in Policy at the American Academy in Berlin . Speaker Dr Sharon Nazarian Board member and former Senior Vice President for International Affairs, Anti-defamation League (ADL)Founder, Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, University of California Los Angeles
Wed, October 16, 2024
A plea for peace in the Middle East — Louise Adler and Nasser Mashni
Two Australians who are intimately connected to the conflict in the Middle East, one Jewish, one Palestinian, make their pleas for peace, and share their deeply personal stories of how it has affected them. The 13th annual UN International Day of Peace Brisbane lecture was recorded at St John's Anglican Cathedral on September 21, 2024. Speakers Peter Cat Dean, St John's Cathedral Brisbane Louise Adler Director, Adelaide Writers Week Nasser Mashni President, Australians for Palestine Further information Olive Kids
Tue, October 15, 2024
SOS Democracy with Niki Savva — Can politicians and journalists do better?
One of Australia's most seasoned political journalists Niki Savva has seen the fractures in our democracy up closer than most. Hear her timely advice for journalists, politicians and citizens. This 2024 Speaker's Lecture was recorded at Parliament House in Canberra on 9 September 2024. SOS DEMOCRACY airs on Tuesdays 8pm and Saturdays 10pm in October and November, and on the ABC Listen app. Speakers Niki Savva Columnist, Nine NewspapersAuthor, The Road to Ruin, Plots and Prayers and Bulldozed Milton Dick Speaker of the House of Representatives, Labor MP
Mon, October 14, 2024
What makes you a top athlete: science, training or talent?
Are you a gazelle or a grizzly bear when you run? The bounce in your step defines whether you're a stronger sprinter or long-distance runner — and choosing the right sport for your biomechanics determines whether you can get to the top of the podium. Find out more about the secret weapon of biomechanics, the theory of optimal speed control within racing endurance, and how performance psychology has an impact both on and off the track. The Science of Sport was presented at the York Festival of Ideas . The Festival is led by the University of York, UK. Speakers Professor Amandine Aftalion Mathematician and a senior scientist, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)Author of Be a Champion: 40 Facts You Didn't Know About Sports and Science Dr Brian Hanley Reader in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics, Leeds Beckett University Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes British athlete, double Olympic gold medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics Games for the 800m and 1500m Adam Nicholls Professor of Psychology within the School of Sport, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Hull Sharon Shortle (host)BBC Radio York
Thu, October 10, 2024
Cemeteries − the parks and public spaces of the future
Can you have a wedding between the graves? Why not! – as long as it's respectful. The future of cemetery design is multi-functional, as public spaces just like our gardens and parks. And also as a refuge for animals in the midst of our cities and suburbs. They can be places for the living as well as the dead. How can cemeteries play a broader role in our communities? Six Feed Under: Design and Death Symposium , Melbourne Design Week. Presented by Open House Melbourne. Speakers Hamish Coates Principal Designer, Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust Bec Lyons President, Natural Death Advocacy Network Bjorn Nansen Senior Lecturer, Media and Communications, and member of the DeathTech research team, University of Melbourne Tania Davidge (host)Executive Director, Open House Melbourne Listen to Big Ideas: Talking about death
Wed, October 09, 2024
The case for controversial ideas — philosopher Peter Singer with Natasha Mitchell
Renowned and controversial Australian philosopher and bioethicist Peter Singer is no stranger to contentious ideas — wrestling with the ethics of how we treat each other and other species — infanticide, altruism, veganism and more. He joins Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell to talk about why. This event was organised by The Wheeler Centre and Montalto Winery Speaker: Professor Peter SingerBioethicist and authorFounder of The Life You Can Save Further information: The Life You Can Save Oxford University's Centre for Effective Altruism GiveWell Giving What We Can
Tue, October 08, 2024
How Edna Walling changed gardening — with Gardening Australia's Millie Ross
Big Ideas celebrates the blooming daphne with a look at the life, work and legacy of a pioneer of Australian landscape gardening, Edna Walling. This event was recorded on April 16, 2024 at the State Library of Victoria . Speakers Trisha Dixon Writer, photographer, tour guide leaderCo-author (with Jennie Churchill) The Vision of Edna Walling: Garden Plans 1920-1951 (1998), and Gardens in Time: In the Footsteps of Edna Walling (1988) Sara Hardy Biographer, playwright, former actorAuthor, The Unusual Life of Edna Walling, and A Secretive Life Millie Ross (host) Presenter, Gardening Australia, professional horticulturist, garden designer, writer and broadcasterAuthor The Thrifty Gardener
Mon, October 07, 2024
From Gaza to Ukraine — is it harder to build peace, than to start war?
The United Nations was established after World War II in an attempt to maintain international peace, security, and cooperation. So why now, in the face once again of rising global conflicts, are the UN, and other world bodies, laws, and mechanisms, so unable to address these crises? This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne on 29 August 2024. Speakers Professor Alison Duxbury Deputy Dean, University of Melbourne Law School Dr Tania Miletic Co-Director, Initiative for Peacebuilding, University of Melbourne Dr Carrie McDougall Senior Lecturer, University of Melbourne Law SchoolFormer legal specialist and Assistant Director of the International Law Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and TradeFormer Legal Adviser at Australia's Mission to the United Nations in New York Jon Faine (host) Vice-Chancellor's Fellow, University of Melbourne Law SchoolFormer long-time presenter, Mornings, ABC Radio Melbourne
Thu, October 03, 2024
Superheroes, pop stars, and “good enough tv” — The life of a culture critic in 2024
We've lived through the age of peak TV, (and wasn't it glorious). Then cinema was BACK, thanks to the hype of Barbenheimer. So, in this post Hollywood writers' strike world, how do we define the era of culture we are now consuming? This event was recorded at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 17 August 2024. Speakers Jared Richards ABC Entertainment reporter Alison Willmore Film critic, Vulture and New York magazines Hannah Diviney Disability advocate, actress, screenwriter and author Brodie Lancaster (host) Author, essayist, and pop culture podcaster
Wed, October 02, 2024
Gold, Galahs and the Milky Way: unlocking the universe
Does the Milky Way have a sibling and how are stars formed? How can a telescope go back over 13 billion years ago to the Cosmic Dawn? The ASTRO 3D Centre of Excellence are unlocking some of the deepest mysteries of our universe and produced perhaps the clearest and most comprehensive picture of how matter, chemical elements, and energy evolved. Some of the astronomers and astrophysicists involved share their insights. Presented by ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) Listen to Big Ideas - Night Sky LIVE – a wondrous encounter with the dark sky Speakers Emma Ryan-Weber Director of ASTRO 3D, the Centre of Excellence in Astrophysics Dr Nichole Barry Scienta Lecturer at UNSW Amanda Karakas Associate Professor, School of Physics and Astronomy Monash University Jesse Van De Sande Astronomer, lecturer in Astrophysics UNSW Jonathan Webb (host)ABC's Science Editor
Tue, October 01, 2024
Why autistic people make terrific employees
Every autistic person is different, with their own strengths and challenges. We shouldn’t be asking what jobs are suitable for them. Rather: How can we make this specific job suitable for this autistic person? The result is a thriving employee with unique abilities. On Big Ideas, we’ll debunk myths like that autistic people don’t recognise emotion or don’t have social skills. You can see how wrong this perception is in the ABC TV series The Assembly. The Assembly on ABC iview Speakers Diana Tan Macquarie University Autism and Education Researcher Kate Halpin Neurodiversity Consultant and advocate with lived experience. Kate is the Director of Employ for Ability Bill Shorten Minister for the NDIS Mel MacLean Helium Pictures; Executive Producer of the ABC TV series The Assembly Leigh Sales (host)Walkley award-winning journalist and broadcaster
Mon, September 30, 2024
Is depression a form of jetlag? Understanding the circadian rhythm
Surveys constantly reveal that a huge number of us are not sleeping well. What is that doing to our mental and physical health? This event was recorded at the University of Sydney's Raising the Bar night, on 9 April 2024. Speaker Dr Jacob Crouse Research fellow, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney Further information ABC Sleeptember
Thu, September 26, 2024
Restoring the fine art of traditional trades
The art and ethics of artisanal trades, from stone masonry to roof plumbing to limestone mortar plastering. What can be done to revive many of these traditional trades and bring them sustainably into the 21st century? Recorded Melbourne Design Week — presented by the Heritage Council of Victoria and the National Trust of Victoria Speakers Glen Rundell Windsor Chair maker from the Central Highlands Co-Founder Lost Trades Fair, Kyneton Victoria Samantha Westbrooke Executive Manager, Advocacy & Conservation National Trust Victoria Rebecca RobertsStone Mason, Doctoral Candidate with the University of Melbourne Ruth Redden (host)Architect and heritage consultant Further Information Traditional Trades Exposition Conservation program at the National Trust in Victoria Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades
Wed, September 25, 2024
What rights for children in care?
Liana Buchanan is a guardian of the rights of our most precious asset - our children. In a keynote speech, the Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, Victoria, presents some brutal realities of the failures in some systems that are meant to protect children at risk in Victoria. But there is hope. Amelia Hunt, a young person who has experienced out of home care describes how young people are raising their voices and having direct input into reforms. Recorded at the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference , State Library of VictoriaSpeakers Liana Buchanan Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, Victoria Amelia Hunt Victorian Commission for Children and Young People, Student Law and Global Studies, ABC Hey Wire winner 2023 Further Information Commission for Children and Young people . Amelia Hunt - Kids in out-of-home care deserve better
Tue, September 24, 2024
Students win fight for climate justice before the world's highest court
Student activists from the Pacific Islands successfully got the International Court of Justice to define the responsibilities of nations to combat climate change, and the legal consequences of failing to do so. This is the story of their win. Seeing first-hand the dire impact of climate change in their countries, they want to ensure nations around the world understand their obligations to take positive climate action. The 2024 Talbot Oration presented by the Australia Museum Speakers Chynthia Houniuhi President of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change Craig Reucassel Writer, director and comedian, known for his work with The Chaser and for The War on Waste; currently the host of 702 ABC Sydney Breakfast Richie Merzian International Director at the Smart Energy Council, a peak renewable energy industry group Narelda Jacobs Whadjuk Noongar journalist and presenter of 10 News First: Midday, and 10 News First
Mon, September 23, 2024
Housing as a human right? With Alan Kohler and Kevin Bell
The median Australian house price is now about $800,000 – almost eight times the average income – and well beyond the reach of many people, without help. So how did we get here, and with a federal election looming, are the political parties game to seriously take this on? "Any solution to housing that is easy and popular won't work." — Alan Kohler Presented at the Sydney Writers Festival and Readings Bookshop . Speakers Alan Kohler Finance presenter, ABCAuthor of The Great Divide: Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix It (Quarterly Essay #92 and republished as a book available 1 October 2024) Richard Holden (host)Professor of Economics, University of NSW Kevin Bell Former Supreme Court Judge, Victoria; Former Director, Castan Centre for Human RightsAuthor of Housing: The Great Australian Right (In the National Interest essay series, Monash University Publishing)
Thu, September 19, 2024
Saving winter — the future of snow in Australia's Alpine region
Australia's high country is a spectacular and precious place. It's also a place that is changing, with shorter, less predictable snowfall. So, what does the future hold for the Alpine region, in a changing climate? This event was recorded on 13 June, 2024 at the Australian National University in partnership with Protect Our Winters Australia and the Australian Mountain Research Facility. Speakers Ruby Olsson Lead author, Our Changing Snowscapes: Climate change impacts on and recommendations for our Australian AlpsPhD student, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Professor Adrienne Nicotra Director, Australian Mountain Research Facility Richard Swain Honorary Associate Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University David Pocock Independent Senator, ACT Sam Beaver (host)Volunteer Policy Lead, Protect Our Winters Australia Research Officer, Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Further information Our Changing Snowscapes: Climate Change Impacts and Recommendations for the Australian Alps
Wed, September 18, 2024
Busting single motherhood myths
Frequently described as victims, as failures or even as women without morals, single mothers often get a bad rap. They are part of Australian statistics. Of the 1.1 million single parents, 83 percent are women, they are more likely to live in poverty and up to 65 percent have fled violent relationships. In this frank conversation, three women thrash and burn some of the assumptions about single mothers. Recorded at the All about Women Festival by the Sydney Opera House Speakers Barkaa Malyangapa, Barkindji woman, musician and rapper Karen Pickering feminist writer and organiser Edwina Throsby (host)producer, curator and former head of ABC Managing Editor of Arts. Further Information About Bloody Time by Karen Pickering & Jane Bennett Doing It: Women Tell the Truth about Great Sex . UQP Edited by Karen Pickering Baarka Music
Tue, September 17, 2024
How history shapes who we are — with Frank Bongiorno and Peter Stanley
History is the stories we choose to tell about ourselves and others. So how have those stories changed over time? And how has that shaped new understandings of our national identity? Presented by the Friends of the National Library of Australia . Speakers Peter Stanley Former Research Professor, Australian Centre for the Study of armed conflict, University of New South Wales (UNSW)Former Principal Historian, Australian War MemorialFormer inaugural head of research, National Museum of AustraliaAuthor of Bad Characters: Sex, Crime, Murder, Mutiny and the Australian Imperial Force (joint winner of the 2011 Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History), and many more Frank Bongiorno Professor of History, Australian National UniversityAuthor, The Sex Lives of Australians: A History, Dreamers and Schemers: a Political History of Australia, and many morePresident, Australian Historical Association Anne-Marie Schwirtlich (host)Former Director General, National Library of AustraliaFellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia
Mon, September 16, 2024
Why a scary tale is good for you − Angela Slatter, Kathleen Jennings, Naomi Novik and Shelley Parker-Chan
What is the allure of gothic fiction? How does it give shape to your most unsettling impulses? A panel of masters of the genre explore the creepy houses, dysfunctional families and the perfect degree of decay and rot that’s needed to create the ‘good scare’. From the classics of Jane Eyre to Harry Potter – we’re celebrating gothic tales. Presented at the Brisbane Writers Festiva l Speakers Angela "A.G." Slatter Author of six novels, including The Briar Book of the Dead, All the Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns and the Verity Fassbinder series Naomi Novik New York Times bestselling author of The Scholomance series, the award-winning novels Uprooted and Spinning Silver, and the nine-volume Temeraire series Kathleen Jennings British Fantasy Award-winning author of the short story collection Kindling, the novel Flyaway and poetry collection Travelogues: Vignettes from Trains in Motion; Fantasy Award-winning illustrator of fantasy and fairy tales Shelley Parker-Chan Author of She Who Became the Sun and its sequel, He Who Drowned the World, which form The Radiant Emperor Duology
Thu, September 12, 2024
Are we taking Orwell's name in vain?
What is the true meaning of Orwellian and what can George Orwell's writings teach us about navigating the 21st century? Since his book 1984 was published 75 years ago, there have always been comparisons drawn between the dystopian themes of the novel and contemporary injustices, inequality, censorship and corruption. Historian Laura Beers deconstructs many of the misconceptions around Orwell's writings to expose a complex, flawed man who had a commitment to liberty and economic justice. Provided by the York Festival of Ideas ; led by the University of York , UK Speakers Laura Beers Professor History of Modern Britain American University Washington Further Information Laura Beers - Orwell's Ghosts: Wisdoms and warnings for the 21st Century Anna Funder - Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life
Wed, September 11, 2024
How valid is the Australian Constitution today?
It's the living force of the nation, but how much do we understand our Constitution? Twenty five pages sets out our laws, roles of government and political structure. Enacted by a people's vote of white men over 120 years ago it does not include rights for all citizens, for Indigenous Peoples or environmental protections. So how does the Constitution work for a contemporary Australia? Recorded at the National Archives Constitution Day event Speakers Justine Bell-James Associate Professor & Director of Higher Degree Research & Director of HDR of T.C. Beirne School of Law, TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland Professor Megan Davis Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous at UNSW and a Professor of Law at UNSW, Co-Architect Voice Referendum an Acting Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court Harry Hobbs Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney Paul Barclay (host) Journalist, producer, former host of Big Ideas Further Information The Australian Constitution The best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world.
Tue, September 10, 2024
Gas, tax and the free market — with Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz
The idea of "freedom" is one that's often used in relation to the economy: we have "the free market" and "free trade agreements", freedom from regulation, from government intervention, and so on. But whose freedom are we talking about, and at whose expense? This event was recorded at the Perth Town Hall on 14 August 2024. Speakers Joseph Stiglitz Professor, Columbia University Business SchoolAuthor, The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society Ebony Bennett Deputy Director, The Australia Institute
Mon, September 09, 2024
A maze with no exits — Ma Thida on Myanmar’s struggle for democracy
Just over a decade ago democracy was within reach in Myanmar, but now the country is in danger of becoming a failed state. So what happened, and what keeps hope for the country alive? This event was recorded on 18 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre, in partnership with PEN Melbourne , and RMIT Culture . Speakers Ma Thida Writer, human rights activist and doctorAuthor, A-maze: Myanmar's struggle for democracy: 2011-2023 , Prisoner of Conscience: My Steps through Insein (2016) and many moreChair, Writers in Prison Committee, PEN InternationalFellow, Writers-in-Exile Programme, PEN Germany Dr Michelle Aung Thin Novelist, essayist and academicAuthor, The Monsoon Bride and Hasina: Through My Eyes Senior Lecturer in the School of Media and Communication, RMIT University
Thu, September 05, 2024
So you want to know what’s good for your kids?— with Norman Swan
It's a tough time to be a parent. From screens, to mental health, neurodiversity, gender, diet and schooling, this generation is in unchartered territory in many ways. So what does the evidence tell us that will give parents the best chance to raise happy healthy children, without killing themselves in the process? This event was recorded at Waverley Library in Sydney on 8 August 2024. Speakers Norman Swan Presenter, Health Report, ABC Radio National Author, So you want to know what's good for your kids? Cassie McCullagh Presenter, The Bookshelf, ABC Radio National
Wed, September 04, 2024
Milk — a misunderstood, maligned, miracle food?
From soy to oat to almond, plant mylks are all the rage. But is it possible that we've misunderstood and unfairly maligned old fashioned cow's milk? Speakers Matthew Evans Farmer, Fat Pig FarmsAuthor, Milk: the truth, the lies and the unbelievable story of the original superfood Host, Gourmet Farmer, SBS Nick Haddow Bruny Island Cheese CoAuthor, Milk Made: A book about cheese
Tue, September 03, 2024
From landmines to killer robots — inside the campaigns to ban weapons of war
It was the stuff of scifi blockbuster movie The Terminator in the early 1980s, but now lethal autonomous weapons systems are actually being used in conflict zones around the world. And the arms race is on to develop more effective, more deadly killing machines, that don't need human inputs to do their job. This event was recorded at Human Rights Watch in Sydney on 4 June 2024. Speakers Mary Wareham Deputy Director, Crisis, Conflict and Arms Division, Human Rights WatchCo-Laureate (with Jody Williams), Nobel Peace Prize, 1997, for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) Daniela Gavshon Australian Director, Human Rights Watch
Mon, September 02, 2024
Richard Flanagan, Michael Robotham on the hidden costs of cheap books
We all love a bargain, but what is the real cost of those books we buy online or in a supermarket for 12 dollars or less? Should Australia adopt a fixed book price common in Europe? How can we support and grow an industry that nourishes our minds and souls. A conversation on the challenges facing the Australian book industry. Presented at the Sydney Writers Festival . Speakers Ray Bonner Pulitzer Prize winning author, journalist, co-owner of Bookoccino, the Northern Beaches bookstore Richard Flanagan Award winning Australian author, latest book Question 7 , Penguin Olivia Lanchester Former CEO, Australian Society of authors Michael Robotham Author, latest book Storm Child , Hachette
Thu, August 29, 2024
Caribbean identity in Australia — with Maxine Beneba Clarke and Sienna Brown
The connections between the Caribbean and Australia go back to white settlement, with deep links to the slave trade and British colonialism. What does it mean to be a writer of Caribbean descent in modern Australia? And how can the act of writing and storytelling enable a new sense of belonging and home? This event was recorded at the Callaloo and Wattleseed Symposium at the University of Western Sydney on 3 May 2924. Speakers Maxine Beneba Clarke Author, The Hate Race, Foreign Soil, poetry books Carrying The World, How Decent Folk Behave, and children's books including When We Say Black Lives Matter, Wide Big World and more Inaugural Peter Steele Poet in Residence , University of Melbourne Sienna Brown Author, Master of My Fate Further information: Caribbean Convicts in Australia (podcast)The History Listen - ABC Radio National
Wed, August 28, 2024
Tim Flannery and the mystery of Big Meg — why did the world's largest predator disappear?
10 humans in length, weighing 50 small cars, and with a bite that could take out two of you in one bite. This beast was BIG. But if Megalodon was so mighty, why did it disappear? Tim Flannery and his daughter Emma have written a book about the mystery of the giant extinct shark, and he joins Natasha Mitchell with two other fossil aficionados, palaeontologists Erich Fitzgerald and Cheng-Hsui Tsai, to take you into a very different watery world of wilderbeasts. Speakers: Professor Tim Flannery Paleontologist, conversationist, climate change advocate Co-author, Big Meg: The Story of the Largest and Most Mysterious Predator that Ever Lived (Text Publishing, 2024) Dr Erich Fitzgerald Senior Curator in Vertebrate Paleontology, Museums Victoria Author, Triceratops: A Natural History (Museums Victoria, 2022) Associate Professor Cheng-Hsui Tsai Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology National Taiwan University
Tue, August 27, 2024
Intellectual influencers — the new generation of social media stars
A new generation of female and non-binary intellectuals are using social media to share their scholarship and reach younger audiences. It's a tricky balance — juggling their followers' expectations and reactions, both bouquets and brickbats, maintaining their rigour, and making a living from these algorithmically-gamed corporate platforms. Meet the new influencers. Presented by the Sydney Opera House Speakers Hannah Ferguson Founder & CEO of cheekmedia.co Sisonke Msimang Writer, activist and Guardian columnist Mary Mcgillivray Art historian and visual content maker Bri Lee (host)Author, journalist and activist
Mon, August 26, 2024
Is bush tucker the future of food security?
Could our continent's ancient past help solve future food security crises? Or even offer new treatments for skin cancer and inflammatory bowel disease? Tasty on your dinner plate, potentially transformative for your health — First Nations experts explore the rich potential of traditional bush foods and Indigenous plant knowledge. Presented at the World Science Festival Brisbane . Speakers Suzanne Thompson Founder & Managing Director of Yambangku Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development Corporation; Chair, Australian Native Foods and Botanicals Madonna Thomson Chairperson, BushTukka and Botanicals Indigenous Enterprises Cooperative. Rhianna Patrick (host)Torres Strait Islander Journalist, broadcaster and audio content creator
Thu, August 22, 2024
Public broadcasting is not as simple as ABC — with Kim Williams and Kerry O’ Brien
New ABC Chair Kim Williams wants to see change at Australia’s national public broadcaster. In a fragmented media landscape and a fractured world, what is the role of public broadcasting, and how can the ABC stay relevant for its listeners, viewers and readers? This event was recorded at the Byron Bay Writers Festival on Saturday 10 August 2024. Speakers Kim Williams ABC Chair Kerry O’Brien (host) Journalist and author
Wed, August 21, 2024
In this climate, having kids is wrong! The Beaker St Festival Great Debate with Adam Spencer, Wendy Zukerman, First Dog on the Moon and more
It's an adults-only hour of high vaudeville to make you laugh and think. Two teams of brainiacs go head-to-head at the annual Big Ideas and Beaker St Festival Great Debate hosted by Big Ideas’ presenter Natasha Mitchell. Arguing for the proposition is Team 'The Procreators' starring radio host and maths nerd to the masses Adam Spencer, Quandamooka saltwater scientist Mibu Fischer, Guardian Australia journalist and TikTok presenter Matilda Boseley. Arguing against the proposition is Team 'Nappy Rash and the Tiny Demons' starring Mathematician Barbara Holland, Guardian Australia cartoonist First Dog on the Moon, Science Vs podcast host Wendy Zukerman. Who will convince you? Speakers: THE PROCREATORS Adam Spencer (Team captain)Author, broadcaster, maths geek Mibu Fischer Quandamooka saltwater scientist, marine ethnoecologist and PhD studentCSIRO Matilda Boseley Guardian Australia journalist and social media presenterAuthor, The Year I Met My Brain (Penguin, 2023) NAPPY RASH AND THE LITTLE DEMONS Professor Barbara Holland Mathematician, University of Tasmania First Dog on the Moon Cartoonist and wannabe marsupialGuardian Australia Wendy Zukerman Science journalistHost and founder, Science Vs podcast
Tue, August 20, 2024
The fairy wrens want to you to hear this. Rewilding our cities and why it matters.
"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" sang Joni Mitchell. Let's get wild and urban. Sometimes nature can thrive in cities in surprising ways and by accident. Hear how. And did you know 39 threatened species only exist in Australian cites? How do we design a city for fairy wrens, and the other feathered and furry beings who call it home? Speakers Sarah Bekessy Professor of Sustainability and Urban Planning, ICON Science research group, RMIT Darryl Jones Writer, speaker, researcher, behavioural ecologist, Professor Emeritus Griffith University Christopher Daniels (host)Chair of Green Adelaide, Zoologist, Adjunct Professor of Urban Ecology, University of South Australia
Mon, August 19, 2024
Insects — nature's ultimate superheroes
Meet the world's smallest superheroes. Insects are ecological warriors, but through the brilliance of biomimicry, they're also inspiring all sorts of human inventions. From new medicines to air safety systems — don't underestimate the larger-than-life impact of the planet's tiniest beings. Presented at the World Science Festival Brisbane . Speakers Dr Chris Burwell Queensland Museum Senior Scientist and Curator of insects Dr Andrew Walker Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland Professor Elena Ivanova Anobiotechnologist/biophysicist, RMIT University Rebecca Levingston (host)Presenter and broadcast ABC Radio Brisbane
Thu, August 15, 2024
Night Sky LIVE – a wondrous encounter with the dark sky
Join Natasha Mitchell for a very special event live under our stunning Southern night sky, with guests and listeners from around Australia in National Science Week. We crisscross the nation to observatories and dark sky sanctuaries to hear from astronomers, amateur sky nerds, and you. What's your most memorable night sky experience? And when did you last see a truly dark sky at night? Light pollution spells big trouble for creatures, culture, science, and your health. What can we all do to protect the darkness (and we don’t just mean embracing your inner Goth!). Speakers Dr Tanya Hill Senior Curator of Astronomy at Museums Victoria Rebecca Tayler Volunteer at Woomera Observatory Bill Stent Astronomical Society of Victoria Dr Ellie Sansom Director of the Australian Desert Fireball Network and Global Fireball ObservatorySenior lecturer, Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy, Curtin University Peter Swanton Research Associate, School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National UniversityGamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay man from Mackay, Queensland Marnie Ogg Founder of the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance Further information Science Week at the ABC: The amazing night sky and the impact of light pollution How to take a stunning photo of the Milky Way with your smartphone: a beginner's guide Dark skies are a 'library' for Indigenous knowledge systems, but light pollution threatens them All in the Mind - Turning sleeplessness into stargazing Future Tense - We're losing the dark sky and you can already feel the consequences ABC Classic playlist - Sounds of the Night Sky
Wed, August 14, 2024
New Cold Wars — America’s struggle to defend the West, with David E. Sanger
What led to this current era of superpower conflict, and what will the outcome of the 2024 US presidential race will mean for the geopolitical dynamics shaping the world? Speakers David E. Sanger National Security and White House Correspondent, New York TimesAuthor New Cold Wars: China's rise, Russia's invasion, and America's struggle to defend the West and others Dr Michael Green CEO, United States Studies Centre , University of Sydney
Tue, August 13, 2024
How to overcome the fear and anxiety that are holding you back
Your biological responses to fear are at the core of depression, anxiety, failed relationships and much of human misery. But you can change how your body reacts to threats – some steps are as simple as adjusting your breathing. Fear has evolved as a set of powerful physical reactions for surviving predators. In modern life we face very different threats, but the same ancient, automatic fear responses are triggered. And that doesn't end well. It has a huge impact on our physical and mental health, our behaviour, our capacity to think clearly and our ability to relate to each other. Reflections on Fear, Anxiety and Depression was provided by the York Festival of Ideas . The Festival is led by the University of York, UK Speaker Michael Guilding Psychotherapist and trainer Further information Michael Guilding's articles on complex trauma
Mon, August 12, 2024
Postmortem — Why forensic science is nothing like CSI
Humans have long had a morbid fascination with murder and other crimes, as shown through the popularity of shows like CSI and Silent Witness. But how close are these tv dramas to the real thing? Three forensic pathologists spill the beans on what it's really like to work in the science of death. This Sisters in Crime event was recorded on 24 May 2024 as part of Victorian Law Week. Speakers Associate Professor Linda IIes Head of forensic pathology services, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Dr Melanie Archer Forensic entomologist and pathologist, Victorian Institute of Forensic MedicineAdjunct senior lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University Dr Samantha Robotham Forensic Anthropologist, Victorian Institute of Forensic MedicineAdjunct Research Fellow, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University Liz Porter (host) Author, Written On The Skin: An Australian forensic casebook, Cold Case Files: Past crimes solved by new forensic science and morePhD, LaTrobe University
Thu, August 08, 2024
Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah: Why we must listen to the Global South
The Global South has vital perspectives in addressing the most pressing issues of our times, including inequality, the climate catastrophe, the mass displacement of humans, and the technologisation of life. Why aren't we listening? … Listening also to African diasporic writers when they correct the often unflattering stories about their home countries. Speaking from the South was presented by the University of Adelaide Africa Now was presented by the Sydney Writers Festival Speakers Abdulrazak GurnahZanzibar-born Nobel-prize winning author of 10 novels, his latest is Afterlives Oliver TwistWriter, actor and Comedian – shows Jali and Griot Sara El Sayed Egyptian-born writer and Sessional Academic working at the Queensland University of TechnologyAuthor of Muddy People Professor Tina Steiner (host – Speaking from the South)Chair of the English Department at Stellenbosch University in South Africa Sisonke Msimang (host – Africa Now)Columnist and author of Always Another Country: A memoir of Exile and Home
Wed, August 07, 2024
The Men Who Killed the News — Eric Beecher's inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy
Eric Beecher joins Natasha Mitchell to discuss his riveting and excoriating new book The Men Who Killed the News: The inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy. A longtime journalist, editor and media proprietor, Erich Beecher is chair and the largest shareholder of Private Media, which owns the news website Crikey. In 2023, Fox Corporation’s Lachlan Murdoch paid Crikey $1.3million in legal costs after withdrawing his much publicised defamation suit against the publication over an opinion piece about Fox News, the Capitol Hill riots, and election fraud allegations. This event was organised by Christine Gordon of Readings Bookshop and held at the Cinema Nova in Naarm/Melbourne. Speaker: Eric BeecherJournalist, editor, media proprietorChair and largest shareholder of Private Media (owner of Crikey and various other news websites)Author, The Men Who Killed the News: The inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy (Simon & Schuster, 2024)Chair, Australian Communities Foundation
Tue, August 06, 2024
Meredith Whittaker on big data, mass surveillance and the AI gold rush
Have you been online recently and noticed the internet is changing? Everything from your Google searches to your social media profiles are now being used to train artificial intelligence. So, do you have a problem with that? This event was recorded at the Vice-Chancellor's Annual Democracy Forum at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on June 19, 2024. Speakers Meredith Whittaker President, Signal Professor Peta Wyeth Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, UTS Associate Professor Ramona Vijeyarasa Director of the Juris Doctor Program, Faculty of Law, UTSChief Investigator with the Gender Legislative Index Edward Santow (host) Co-founder and Director of Policy and Governance, Human Technology Institute, UTS
Mon, August 05, 2024
If West Germany and Europe could reconcile after WW II − then we all can make peace
Whether in conflicts around the world or within society, irreconcilability seems to be the hallmark of our present times. But it doesn't have to be that way. Many thought that reconciliation between West Germany and the UK and France after World War II was absolutely impossible. History taught us otherwise. What's the lesson of this process for today? What are the tools that lead to successful and lasting peace? Analysing Reconciliation and Irreconcilability from a Historical Perspective: The Example of Germany and Britain was presented by the German Historical Institute London . Speaker Christine Krüger Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Bonn
Thu, August 01, 2024
When world news hits home, with Benjamin Law
World conflicts can be overwhelming, or sometimes they feel very remote. But for many Australians, they are deeply personal, raw, and real. So what's it like when world news is not about 'other' people, but about 'your' people? This lively forum was hosted by Benjamin Law for QPAC and Multicultural Australia as part of the Changing the Conversation series on June 25, 2024. Speakers Amok Dhuol South Sudanese Australian youth mentor, advocate with the Queensland African Communities Council Arunn Jegan humanitarian affairs lead, Médecins Sans Frontières, curator of Ted-X Sydney Professor Peter Greste Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland, former foreign correspondent Benjamin Law (host) Writer, broadcaster, screenwriter, author of The Family Law, Gaysia, Moral Panic (Quarterly Essay), and editor of Growing Up Queer in Australia
Wed, July 31, 2024
Because I Am Not Myself You See — Ariane Beeston speaks fearlessly on mental health, motherhood, and postnatal psychosis
One day Ariane Beeston looked at her baby son in his pram and saw a dragon looking back at her. In her memoir Because I am Not Myself You See: A memoir of madness, motherhood and coming back from the brink Ariane takes us inside her visceral experience of postnatal psychosis. Her extraordinary book could save lives — and cleaves open the secrets and stigma around maternal mental health, perfectionism, eating disorders, maternal love, dance school culture, and much more. She joins Natasha Mitchell at the 2024 Williamstown Literature Festival. Speaker: Ariane Beeston Author, I am Not Myself You See: A memoir of madness, motherhood and coming back from the brink (BlackInc Books, 2024)Communications and content manager, COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence Writer, psychologist, perinatal mental health advocate, dancer, choreographer, mother Further information: COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence Support lines and resources recommended by COPE PANDA National Helpline 1300 726 306 — available Monday to Friday 9am to 7.30pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm AEST/AEDT PANDA: Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia post natal psychosis information Pregnancy Birth Baby information on postpartum psychosis (Australian Government website) Gidget Foundation Australia (focuses on emotional wellbeing of expectant parents) Postpartum psychosis fact sheet from COPE Postpartum psychosis information (Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne)
Tue, July 30, 2024
Tony Armstrong's extraordinary objects showcase Australian history
A vintage ute, a novelty cheque, shearing prize ribbons, a household trunk and blanket – even the simplest of things can tell a powerful story, connect a community and showcase our history. In the ABC TV series 'Extraordinary Things', Tony Armstrong is on a journey to discover and celebrate the things we treasure. And an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia brings together the objects Tony found, the people who cherish them and the extraordinary stories they reveal. The exhibition is running until October 13th, 2024. Presented by the National Museum of Australia Tony Armstrong's Extra-Ordinary Things on ABC iview. Speakers Tony Armstrong Award-winning tv presenter, podcaster, writer and creator; Gamilario man from rural NSW Dr Martha Sear Senior Curator at the National Museum of Australia Lucy Small 'Object owner'; professional surfer, activist, writer and film producer; co-founder of a campaign for gender equality in sport called Equal Pay for Equal Play Dr Liz Killen 'Object owner'; Research Director, Social Research Centre and Visiting Fellow, Australian National University; she currently serves as Assistant Manager in the science policy team of the Office of Australia's Chief Scientist Dan Bourchie r (host)Multi-award winning journalist and broadcaster with the ABC
Mon, July 29, 2024
Lawfare in Hong Kong — the case of Jimmy Lai
Jimmy Lai was once considered Hong Kong's quintessential rags to riches success story. But now, the newspaper publisher and democracy supporter is facing a life sentence in jail under China's crackdown on press freedom and opposition in the city. How did it come to this? And what does it mean for Hong Kong? This event was recorded on Thursday July 4 with the Melbourne Press Cub and PEN Melbourne , supported by the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne . Speakers Sebastian Lai Jimmy Lai's son and lead campaigner on the #FreeJimmyLai campaign Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC Lead lawyer, Jimmy Lai's international legal teamCommissioner, Irish Human Rights and Equality CommissionIreland's Special Rapporteur on Child ProtectionAdjunct Full Professor, University College DublinFellow, Royal Society of Arts Jennifer Robinson Human rights lawyerBarrister, Doughty Street Chambers (London)Co-author, How Many More Women? Exposing how the law silences women (Allen & Unwin) Louisa Lim (host) Journalist Associate Professor in Journalism , University of MelbourneAuthor, Indelible City: Dispossession and defiance in Hong Kong (Text Publishing)
Thu, July 25, 2024
Is Australia fit for the Olympics in 2032?
It's only eight years until the torch will be passed on to Brisbane. The countdown is on: Are we prepared? What are the challenges? What is the politics involved? And how important is children participating in sport to ensure that the games have a future? Presented at the Bond Business Leaders Forum , Bond University. Speakers Ian Chesterman President of the Australian Olympic Committee Pat Howard Former rugby international player and coach for the Leicester Tigers; Executive General Manager of Strategy, Insights & Innovation at the Australian Sports Commission Patrick Johnson Kaanju man from Far North Queensland, Olympian, Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist in the 4x 100 metres relay; board member for the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee; Chair of Australian Olympic Committee Indigenous Advisory Council Eli a Hill Director, Commercial Opportunities and Investment, at the Queensland Department of Tourism and Sport William Tuffley (host)Partner, Business Services at the audit and accounting consultancy BDO Australia
Wed, July 24, 2024
Nobel scientist Jennifer Doudna with Natasha Mitchell at Sydney Opera House — the gene editing revolution, ethics, and what's next?
Join a full house at the Sydney Opera House with Nobel winning scientist Jennifer Doudna and Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell to discuss the huge social, ethical, and scientific implications of the CRISPR gene editing revolution. From curative therapies to gene edited babies - will we use it to hack our own evolution? This event was presented by the Sydney Opera House , Big Questions Institute (BQI), Sydney Writers’ Festival , UNSW Sydney . Speaker: Professor Jennifer Doudna 2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry co-winner Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s ChairProfessor, Departments of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell BiologyFounder, Innovative Genomics Institute University of California, BerkeleyInvestigator, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteSenior investigator, Gladstone Institutes Further information and listens: Doudna Lab Jennifer Doudna in conversation with Natasha Mitchell at an event in 2018 World's first CRISPR gene edited babies born - are we ready?(2018 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) The CRISPR gene-edited babies and the doctor who made them - what really happened? (2019 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Out of jail, is the CRISPR-baby scandal scientist at it again? (2023 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Feral science or solution? Unleashing gene drives (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Making happier animals? Gene editing in the farmyard (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Hear Natasha Mitchell learn how to do CRISPR gene editing (as part of her 4-part Earshot series The Hidden History of Eugenics (2016)) The science and ethics of genome editing with Jennifer Doudna and Kevin Esvelt (
Tue, July 23, 2024
Read all about it! — why local news matters and what we can do to save it
Who's watching your local council, keeping you abreast of issues in your neighbourhood, and celebrating your community's achievements? That used to be the role of your local newspaper, but now many of us don't have one. This event was recorded at the Willy Lit Fest on Sunday 16 June 2024. Speakers Margaret Simons Honorary Professorial Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of MelbourneAuthor, Tanya Plibersek: on her own terms , Penny Wong: Passion and Principle , and others Josie Vine Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, RMIT UniversityAuthor, Larrikins, Rebels and Journalistic Freedom in Australia Rates, roads and rubbish reporter, The Westsider community newspaper Alice Pung Author, Unpolished Gem , Her Father's Daughter, Laurinda, Close to HomeEditor, Growing Up Asian in Australia Adjunct Professor in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT John Weldon (host) Associate Professor, Victoria University
Mon, July 22, 2024
Moral philosopher Raimond Gaita on Israel, Gaza and the student protests
Moral philosopher and writer Raimond Gaita wrestles with the moral and ethical dimensions of the Israel-Gaza war to try to make sense of the incomprehensible. The Jim Carlton Integrity Lecture , "The Urgency of Ethical Challenges Facing the World" was recorded at the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne on May 8, 2024. Speaker Raimond Gaita Honorary professorial fellow, Melbourne Law School, University of MelbourneEmeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy, King's College LondonFellow, Australian Academy of the HumanitiesAuthor, Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other Writings , (and many other books)Editor Gaza: Morality, Law and Politics
Thu, July 18, 2024
Andrew O’Hagan's defence of literature and truth in the age of the machines
In the shadow of the AI revolution, as the tech giants vie for our data, our attention, and our money, beloved Scottish author Andrew O'Hagan makes an impassioned case for the role of readers and writers as "frontline workers" in the fight for reality. These events were recorded at the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival on 17 and 19 May 2024. Speakers Andrew O'Hagan Author, Caledonian Road , Mayflies,and many moreEssayist, editor-at-large of the London Review of Books Gillian O'Shaughnessy (host) Writer, moderator, journalist, broadcaster
Wed, July 17, 2024
The surprising bonds that make us, break us, move us — Ceridwen Dovey, Anna McGahan, Ahona Guha
Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a conversation full of surprises on the bonds that make us and sometimes break us. Bad dates, spaceships, surviving cults, the creature within, mother love, loss, and more — how do our attachments shape our minds and lives? Thanks to Griffith Review and the Brisbane Writers Festival for organising this event. Speakers: Anna McGahan Actor, playwright, screenwriter, Vogel Award winnerAuthor, Immaculate (Allen and Unwin 2023), and Metanoia: a memoir of a body, born again (Acorn Press, 2020) Ceridwen Dovey Author, Only the Astronauts (Penguin, 2024), Only the Animals (Penguin, 2015), and other titles. Dr Ahona Guha Clinical and forensic psychologist, writerAuthor, Life Skills for a Broken World (Scribe Publications, 2024) and Reclaim: Understanding complex trauma and those who abuse (Scribe Publications, 2023) Further information: Griffith Review: Edition 84 Attachment Styles Griffith Review's editor Carody Culver on getting attached
Tue, July 16, 2024
Barkaa, Steph Tisdell and Rudi Bremer: Indigenous performers are expected to be perfect
For many Indigenous performers publicity comes with the burden of being a role model. Their only options seem to be a pedestal or oblivion, particularly if they are women. What are the challenges for them to find their place on stage and in life? Who has the right to be 'bad' in a society that expects women to be flawless? A panel of Indigenous cultural commentators explores stereotypes and puts them in the bin. Presented at the All About Women Festival by the Sydney Opera House. Speakers Barkaa Malyangapa, Barkindji rapper from Western New South Wales, now living in South West Sydney on Gandangara land Steph Tisdell Ydinji comedian and actress Rudi Bremer (host)Gamilaraay woman, broadcaster and presenter of RN's Awaye! Listen to Big Ideas – Indigenous arts
Mon, July 15, 2024
The Australian far right today
Recent elections overseas have shown a rise in the popularity of far-right politics in Europe and elsewhere, fuelled by anti-immigration sentiment, economic woes and other grievances. So what does this mean for far-right movements back here in Australia? This event was recorded at the University of Canberra on May 16, 2024. Speakers Jordan McSwiney Author, Far-Right Political Parties in Australia: Disorganisation and Electoral Failure Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, University of Canberra Kristy Campion Senior Lecturer in Terrorism Studies, Charles Sturt University Ariel Bogle Investigations reporter, Guardian Australia Clarification In the program was stated by Jordan McSwiney that "But if we look at this and global perspective, comparing to like Sweden, like you say, for example, where the Sweden Democrats, the far right party there, is the largest party now in the Swedish national parliament, having two seats in the Senate, nothing in the Lower House is totally marginal, right." The Social Democratic Party has the most seats in the Swedish national parliament (106). The Sweden Democrats have the second highest number of seats (72).
Thu, July 11, 2024
Ann Patchett, Lauren Groff and Tony Birch — when writing and selling books becomes a political act
In some parts of the United States, you're more likely to see a book banned in public libraries and schools, than efforts towards gun control. Advocacy organisation PEN America has documented more than 10,000 book bans since 2021. Momentum to censor books is growing, and also spreading to places like Australia. So what's it like to write and sell books in this climate? This event was recorded at the Melbourne Writers Festival on the 12 May, 2024. Speakers Ann Patchett Author of Tom Lake, Bel Canto, Truth and Beauty, and many more; Owner, Parnassus Books, Nashville Tennessee Lauren Groff Author The Vaster Wilds, Fates and Furies, Florida, and many more; Owner, The Lynx Books, Gainsville Florida Tony Birch Author, Women and Children, Ghost River, Shadowboxing; Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature at Melbourne University Christine Gordon (host)Programming and Engagement manager, Readings; Director, Victorian Women's Trust Board; Founding Director of the Stella Prize Further information The Book Show, ABC RN: Banned Books podcast
Wed, July 10, 2024
A reflection on Indigenous leadership, from Mabo and beyond
From land rights to health and education, working within the system or outside of it, what makes a great Indigenous leader, and how do we create the right conditions for leadership to flourish? The 2024 Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture was recorded by James Cook University in Cairns on May 16, 2024. Speaker Professor Ngiare Brown Chancellor, James Cook University, Yuin Nation
Tue, July 09, 2024
State of democracy in Asia
Democracy is not necessarily the winner of the recent elections in Asia. More than a billion people across the region have voted. But that doesn't ensure democratic ideals and processes are uphold. We look at Indonesia, India and Taiwan to put the election results into context and learn how they impact democracy not just in their own countries, but across the region and the globe. Presented by La Trobe Asia . Speakers Kevin MageeAdjunct Fellow at the Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney; Former Australian ambassador to Taipei (2011-2014) Dr Priya Chacko Associate Professor of International Politics, University of Adelaide Professor Vedi Hadiz Director and Professor of Asian Studies at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne Dr Ruth Gamble (host)Senior Lecturer in History and Deputy Director of La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University
Mon, July 08, 2024
Black, White, and what next? A case for reconciliation after the Voice Referendum
In NAIDOC Week, is reconciliation between Black and White Australians dead, buried, or in need of re-imagining? The fallout of the Voice Referendum has left many jaded, confused, angry or indifferent. Two galvanising reflections on what all Australians can learn from the referendum, with visions for what next. Speakers Professor Tom Calma AOAboriginal Elder from the Kungarakan tribal group and a member of the Iwaidja and Woolwonga tribal groups in the Top End of the NT. Former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, 2023 Senior Australian of the Year. The Lowitja O’Donoghue Oration was recorded at the Don Dunstan Foundation at Adelaide University on May 29, 2024. Professor Andrew Gunstone Director National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and JusticeAssociate Deputy Vice-Chancellor Reconciliation and Professor Indigenous Studies Federation University Co-Chair Reconciliation Victoria Erin Lang Chair of Reconciliation Queensland, Bundjalung woman This event was recorded at the Brisbane Writers Festival 31 May 2024 Further Information Book Reflections on the Voice: During and After the Campaign by Professor Andrew Gunstone NAIDOC Week 7-14 July 2024
Thu, July 04, 2024
Hugh Mackay on Australia today
From loneliness, to our technology addiction, growing inequality and our shrinking middle class, our faith in God, to the complex legacy of the Baby Boomers, Hugh Mackay paints a compelling portrait of modern Australia, and asks some pointy questions about its future. This event was recorded at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at the University of South Australia on May 16, 2024. Speakers Hugh MackaySocial psychologist and researcherAuthor, The Way We Are. Lessons from a lifetime of listening Julia Lester (host)Journalist, broadcaster, presenter
Wed, July 03, 2024
Hope at the coalface — can this coal town thrive in a post-Carbon future?
Join Natasha Mitchell and guests in a coal country heartland. Communities in Muswellbrook and Singleton in the NSW Upper Hunter are living at the coalface — quite literally — of the vexed debate over Australia's slow transition to a post-Carbon future. Australia's oldest coal-fired Liddell power station {"Lady Liddell") was shut down by AGL last year, AGL's Bayswater Power Station will close within a decade, coal mines are being closed, others expanded, and now the Coalition is proposing a nuclear power station for the Liddell site, but AGL has other plans. This event was organised by Arts Upper Hunter as part of the LIDDELLWorks exhibitio n and artists' residency, and held at the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre .Speakers: Professor Glenn Albrecht Environmental philosopher Creator of the concept "Solastalgia"Author, Earth Emotions: New Words for A New World. Associate Professor Hedda Askland Futures anthropologistLeader, MyMuswellbrook research project Rob Cooper Corporate and community affairs manager (Liddell and Bayswater power stations)AGL Fiona Lee Artist and climate activistOne of the 16 artists shown in the LIDDELLworks exhibition Further information: Liddell: Layers of Language in the Landscape (essay by Glenn Albrecht as part of the Liddellworks project) Artworks story on Fiona Lee Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations , including Liddell demolition pans Information from AGL about 500MW battery development at Liddell site Hunter Energy Hub HyResource background Information on solar recycling proposal at Liddell site Hunter Renewal Community Blueprint
Tue, July 02, 2024
Why civilisations vanish
Throughout history, empires and civilisations have risen to greatness and then fallen into decline and vanish, leaving only ruins and some artefacts. Why? Are there common features of collapse? From the great societies of Mesopotamia to those of Khmer and the Maya and Aztec of the Americas; from the Roman empire to Carthage. They all follow a similar route. What are the lessons for our civilisation and our future? Presented at the York Festival of Ideas . The festival is led by the University of York, UK. Speaker Paul Cooper Host and producer of the podcast Fall of Civilizations, author of Fall of Civilizations: Stories of Greatness and Decline Listen to Big Ideas: Our fascination with ancient Rome
Mon, July 01, 2024
Too posh, or not posh enough? — Polly Toynbee on the shackles and privileges of class
Through the lens of her own middle-class family, prolific British journalist Polly Toynbee explores the guilt of privilege, the myth of mobility and the role of class in British society and politics. This event was recorded at the UNSW Centre for Ideas on March 11, 2024. Speakers Polly Toynbee Columnist, The GuardianAuthor, An Uneasy Inheritance, my family and other radicals Nick Bryant Journalist, author and commentator
Thu, June 27, 2024
AC Grayling on philosophy and life
You wouldn't be human if you hadn't from time to time wondered what the meaning of all of this is. Who am I? Is there a purpose? Why am I here? And how can I live a good life? Well of course you're not alone – some of history's biggest thinkers have been coming up with answers to these questions for thousands of years. So what can we learn from their conclusions? This event was recorded at Melbourne Writers Festival on May 11, 2024. Speaker AC Grayling Professor of Philosophy, Northeastern University London Supernumerary Fellow, St Anne's College, OxfordAuthor, Philosophy and Life, Exploring the Great Questions of How to Live (Penguin Books)
Wed, June 26, 2024
The radical work of mourning — a toolkit for planet dwellers
Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a poetic discussion on the ways you can create space to grieve for species that are going, going, gone. Powerful interests collude to tell us that expressing emotion is hysterical, and that humans are separate from Nature, but proper mourning paves the way for what to do next — and places us right back where we belong. Speakers Professor Thom van Dooren Environmental philosopherProfessor of Environmental HumanitiesDeputy Director of the Sydney Environment Institute, University of SydneyAuthor, Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of ExtinctionThe Wake of Crows: Living and Dying in Shared WorldsA World in a Shell: Snail Stories for a Time of Extinctions Dr Blanche Verlie Climate change educator, sociologistLecturer in Gender and Cultural StudiesSydney Horizon Fellow, University of Sydney.Author, Learning to Live With Climate Change: From Anxiety to Transformation Associate Professor Zoe Sadokierski Book designer, writer, creative producerCo-director, Visualisation Institute, University of Technology Sydney.Author, Father, Son and Other Animals
Tue, June 25, 2024
Highway to Hell — Joelle Gergis on climate change and Australia’s future
Leading Australian climate scientist Dr Joelle Gergis takes a timely look at Australia's perilous future in a warming world. "Most Australians aren't aware how bad things are and how much worse they will get." — Joelle Gergis This event was recorded at Gleebooks in Sydney on Tuesday June 4, 2024. Speakers Dr Joelle Gergis Climate scientistAuthor, Highway to Hell — Climate Change and Australia's Future (Quarterly Essay #94, Black Inc Books ) Marian Wilkinson Journalist and author
Mon, June 24, 2024
Marc Fennell on stuff the British stole
A huge number of ancient artefacts, First Nations' ceremonial objects and precious art sits in museums, galleries, private collections all over the world — with polite plaques. But their history is often messier than the plaques suggest. Throughout its reign, the British Empire 'stole' a lot of stuff. One of the arguably most controversial examples are the Parthenon Marbles, a collection of sculptural reliefs from the temple of Athena (the Parthenon) on the Acropolis in Greece. The second season of the TV documentary Stuff The British Stole has started on ABC TV and ABC iView . This discussion was presented by the National Gallery of Australia . The ABC acknowledges the National Gallery of Australia for their support with setting up this event and their assistance to guest speakers and ABC staff. Speakers Marc Fennell Host of the podcast and TV series Stuff the British StoleWakely-award winning journalist and documentary-maker Adjunct Professor Margo Ngawa NealeEmeritus Curatorial Fellow: First Nations at the National Museum of Australia, former Head of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges. Born and raised on Gunai/ Kurnai country with other clan affiliations to Gumbaynggirr and Wiradjuri nations Dr Nick Mitzevitch Director of the National Gallery of Australia Santilla Chingaipe (host)Zambian-born Australian historian, journalist, and filmmaker
Thu, June 20, 2024
Don Watson on democracy
Author, essayist and speechwriter Don Watson says that the price of democracy is energy, imagination, and unstinting hard work. Through the lens of Trump's America, and the malaise of Australian politics, Watson questions whether our modern democracies are up to the job. This event was recorded on Bunurong country at the Sorrento Writers' Festival on April 25 2024. Speaker Don Watson, Author, essayist and speechwriter
Wed, June 19, 2024
The incredible saga of the world’s first peace treaty — it comes from the Middle East
On the doorstep of Gaza comes the remarkable story of the world's first peace treaty — a 3200-year-old text. Egyptologist Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell to share a political and personal soap opera that brought an enduring peace to a region now suffering from a bloody war. Speaker: Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson Linguist and EgyptologistSenior Lecturer, Macquarie University
Tue, June 18, 2024
Higher education for everyone in Australia — is it doable?
Disadvantaged and marginalised students often don't get the financial and teaching support that they need. Equity everyone, regardless of their background, is one of the most pressing challenges facing out higher education sector. The government released the Universities Accord Final Report earlier this year – and it recommends sweeping changes. What are the main recommendations? And are they any good? Access, Achievement, Accord 2024 was presented at The Australian Student Equity Symposium , Curtin University. Speakers Dr Kylie Austin President for Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia Professor Verity Firth Vice President Societal Impact, Equity and Engagement at the University of New South Wales Professor Barney Glover Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia Professor Harlene Hayne Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University Professor Mary O'Kane Chair of the Universities Accord Review; director and executive chairman of the consultancy O'Kane Associates Professor Shamit Saggar (host)Executive Director Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success, Curtin University Further information Australian Universities Accord Final Report Document
Mon, June 17, 2024
Creativity in the Sri Lankan diaspora
Award winning playwright S. Shakthidharan has described his groundbreaking theatre work Counting and Cracking as "a radical act of belonging". The epic, three-act, three-hour tale captures the Australian migrant experience through the story of one Sri Lankan family across four generations. To celebrate the play's return to the stage, we hear from four Sri Lankan Australians about the role creativity has played in their lives, culture and community. This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne (UMAC) in partnership with Rising Festival and The Wheeler Centre on June 2, 2024. Speakers S. Shakthidharan Writer, Director, Producer and composer of original musicAuthor, Counting and Cracking Co-Founder and Co-Director, Kurinji Minoli De Silva Owner, Ella by MinoliFinalist, Masterchef Australia Suren Jayemanne Comedian, writer, presenter Bhakthi Puvanenthiran (host) Entertainment and Features Editor, ABC Further information How writing the epic play Counting and Cracking helped Tamil playwright S. Shakthidharan's mum face her trauma ABC Online, May 27, 2024 'We are here, we belong' — The unifying impact of Counting and Cracking The Stage Show, ABC RN, June 11, 2024
Thu, June 13, 2024
Andre de Quadros on freedom dreaming
Drawing on his experiences working across continents in the "shatter zones" of society — jails, war zones, refugee shelters – Andre de Quadros explains how music and creativity can be used to build peace, reconciliation and empowerment in a troubled world. Later, Anne-Marie Forbes explains how music improves mental, physical and community well-being. These events were recorded at the 2024 Miegunyah Lecture at the University of Melbourne on April 11, 2024, and Melodies as Medicine at the University of Tasmania on April 10, 2024. Speakers Andre de Quadros Professor of Music, Boston University2024 Miegunyah Visiting Fellow, University of Melbourne Anne-Marie Forbes Associate Professor Musicology, University of TasmaniaFellow of the Royal Society of Public Health. Nourish Women's Choir
Wed, June 12, 2024
Ocean bounty — deep sea mining, Sea Shepherd sagas, and seaweed solutions
Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival in Bondi. From deep sea mining to illegal fishing on the high seas, who is the boss of the ocean? And why are scientists-turned-entrepreneurs singing the praises of seaweed? Two panels of big thinkers exploring new frontiers for ocean exploitation — and inspiration — the risks, the rewards, and the regulation of this vast wilderness which covers 70% of the planet's surface Panel 1 - Who owns the high seas and deep seas? Deep sea mining and illegal fishing Associate Professor Aline Jaeckel Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) University of Wollongong Captain Peter Hammarstedt Director of Campaigns and Chairman of Sea Shepherd Australia Mattheiu RytzDirector of the film Deep Rising Panel 2 - Is algae the new gold? Dr Michael AskewExecutive Director and co-founder Algae Co Dr Pia Winberg Founder and chief scientist Venus Shell Systems Dr Alexandra Thomson, Industry Engagement Manager Climate Change Cluster (C3) Research Institute University of Technology Sydney
Tue, June 11, 2024
Queer journeys through the law
It took until the late 1990s for Australia to decriminalise homosexuality. Since then, the law has changed and evolved in a multitude of ways for LGBTQIA+ people, but not without a fight virtually every step of the way. This event was recorded as part of Victorian Law Week on May 22, 2024. Speakers Elizabeth Bennett SC, BarristerVice President, Victorian Barristers Network Sam Elkin Author, Detachable Penis: A queer legal saga (Upswell publishing)Legal aid lawyer (inaugural lawyer for Victoria's first Queer legal service)Host, Queer View Mirror, Triple R Yves Rees (host) Senior Lecturer in History, La Trobe University
Mon, June 10, 2024
What are the secrets to a long and happy life?
Firstly, make sure you become a grandparent. It apparently adds five years to your life. And it can make you very happy - if you do grandparenting right! Hear about the does and don'ts in this discussion about how to age well. Then add a good diet. With the six secret ingredients provided by one of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dietetics. And lastly, ignore social attitudes and images, that tell you how old you should feel. 'How To Grow Old. It ain't for the faint-hearted' was presented by the Sorrento Writers Festival . Speakers Michael Carr-Gregg Adolescent psychologist, and one of Australia's leading authorities on teenage behaviourAuthor of Grandparents: A practical guide to navigating grandparenting today Allen & Unwin, 2023 Karen Inge One of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dieteticsAuthor of 'Let's Eat Right! for Families', 'Food, Fitness and Feeling Good', Co-author of the award winning book 'Food for Sport' and 'Food for Sport Cookbook' Bernard Salt Author, demographer, social commentator and regular columnist with The Australian Hannie Rayson (host)Australian playwright and newspaper columnist Listen to Big Ideas – The ingredients to ageing well
Thu, June 06, 2024
The Art of Opposition
It's often said that democracies can't function well without a strong opposition to hold the government of the day to account. But what does it take to be an effective opposition? This event was recorded at the Centre for Independent Studies on Thursday 16 May 2024. Speakers Scott Prasser Co-author with David Clune, The Art of Opposition (Connor Court publishing) Senior Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies John Howard Former Prime Minister 1996 – 2007 Tom Switzer Director, Centre for Independent Studies Andrew Blythe (host)Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies
Wed, June 05, 2024
Uprooted and unprotected — 110 million displaced lives
From stopping the boats to building a wall, countries have gone to great lengths to stop the flow of people migrating across borders in search of a better life. But are these efforts realistic – let alone humane — when there are an estimated 110 million people forcibly displaced by war, persecution, hunger and climate change worldwide? This event was recorded at the University of Tasmania on May 8, 2024. Speakers Dr Tamara Wood Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Tasmania Sanushka Mudaliar Director, Global Migration Lab, Red Cross and Red Crescent Arad Nik Iranian refugee, human rights activist and business owner
Tue, June 04, 2024
Is nuclear power the fastest way to decarbonise the planet?
Humanity faces two existential threats: catastrophic climate change and nuclear annihilation, according to former US Deputy Secretary of Energy turned nuclear industry player Daniel Poneman.Yet, he argues nuclear energy is an essential part of the mix of carbon zero power sources as we transition away from coal. He discusses global developments in nuclear power generation, including new generations of reactor design, and critical issues like cost, safety, and proliferation risks. Presented at the American Academy in Berlin . Speakers Daniel Poneman Former US Deputy Secretary of Energy; distinguished fellow Atlantic Council's Global Energy CentreFormer President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp (a nuclear fuel company), 2015-2023 Daniel Benjamin (host)President of the American Academy in Berlin
Mon, June 03, 2024
Laura Tingle — Off course discourse
Laura Tingle delivers the 2024 John Button Oration at the Melbourne Writers Festival, looking at how our public discourse has changed over her 40-year career – and throughout history. She explores what is to blame for the demise in civility in our public debate, and the seeming inability of our media and the political class to solve the intractable problems we face. This event was recorded on Saturday 11 May 2024, at the Melbourne Writers Festival , in partnership with University of Melbourne School of Government and the Faculty of Arts , and the Button family. Speakers Laura Tingle Chief Political Correspondent, 730 (ABC)President, National Press Club Staff-elected director, ABC board
Thu, May 30, 2024
Why we drink — the past and present of Australia’s relationship to alcohol
Australians love a drink, or at least, that's a perception that's deeply ingrained in our national identity... but how true is it, these days? This Big Ideas explores the politics, problems, and pleasures of Australia's long and chequered relationship with alcohol. This event was recorded at Clunes Booktown Festival on Saturday March 23 2024. Speakers Alex Ettling Author, Knocking the Top off: A People's History of Alcohol in Australia Sarah MacLean Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University Richard Gilbert Author, Thirst for Gold Bill Garner (host) Writer, actor, academic, author Born in a Tent
Wed, May 29, 2024
Where is the soul in science?
Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to grapple with some gritty paradoxes about science and religion. In this era of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and existential angst — are they serving the needs they used to?
Tue, May 28, 2024
Not drowning, fighting — life on the front lines of the climate crisis
When you're faced with the reality that your home, livelihoods and culture will be swallowed up by the rising seas of a warming climate, how do you respond?
Mon, May 27, 2024
Evolution can explain why humans are such weird animals
You might think humans have escaped biology and evolution altogether with our strange and different ways: Women live well past their reproductive years, and we have baffling long childhoods as a species. We display a dazzling mix of selfishness and altruism, and gossiping can in fact be a strategy for survival.
Thu, May 23, 2024
How to make the Global North and the Global South play nicely together
As violence continues in Europe and the Middle East and as positive collective action on urgent global-scale issues seems out of reach, do we need new forms of international cooperation? How can Global South and Global North nations work together more effectively? What roadblocks hinder joint action on crucial issues such as security, development, climate, and AI? How can ethical reflection and engagement pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable multilateralism? A panel of international policy experts believes it's possible: There are shared values and shared interests that can serve as the basis for effective and inclusive forms of cooperation; we merely need to activate them.
Wed, May 22, 2024
From panic attacks to finding freedom — Tibetan master Mingyur Rinpoche joins a Sufi scholar and an Indian philosopher of mind
Join Natasha Mitchell as she speaks to Tibetan master Venerable Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, along with an Indian philosopher of mind and a Sufi scholar, to wrestle with the self and its dissolution.
Tue, May 21, 2024
Fareed Zakaria on how economic and technological progress leads to revolutions
You would think that times of intense progress and technological innovation are good for societies, but history shows that's when revolutions happen. Author and prominent CNN TV host Fareed Zakaria explains how rapid transformation of economy through technology often leads to an identity crisis and upheaval against the establishment. It's just too much too quickly. Sounds familiar? Yes – we in the middle of one. But Fareed Zakaria is optimistic it will all end well.
Mon, May 20, 2024
Girt by Sea — Australia’s maritime security
Since the announcement of the AUKUS plan for nuclear submarines, we’ve been hearing a lot about Australia’s maritime security. But as an island “girt by sea”, that security depends on much more than our military capability.
Thu, May 16, 2024
Costa Georgiadis on how to stop Australia's invasion by feral species
Australia's unique biodiversity, a product of almost 50 million years of glorious evolutionary isolation, is in freefall. The threats are not just the rabbits, the cane toads, the cats and foxes – the common culprits. Let's not forget the small but impactful smooth newt or the fierce red fire ants, and the many invasive weeds. Twenty new weeds will establish in the wild in Australia this year – and every year to come … unless things change. But is it possible to stop this ongoing invasion? How do we go about it?
Wed, May 15, 2024
A new future for Black and White Australia — Thomas Mayo, Margo Neale, David Marr with Natasha Mitchell
Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a robust conversation about forging a shared future between Black and White Australians through deeper understanding. Indigenous curator Margo Neale thought her nickname was "Abo" when she was a little girl. She didn't understand it was racist. Writing on politics and race for decades, David Marr thought he knew a lot — until he unearthed an family story. Thomas Mayo is thinking deeply about what's possible for Black and White Australia after the Voice referendum.
Tue, May 14, 2024
Anne Manne - Crimes of the Cross
For more than half a century, the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle allowed and covered up an extensive network of paedophile priests who sexually abused hundreds of children in their care.
Mon, May 13, 2024
10,000 puffs — how vapes got the next generation hooked on smoking
Through sinister marketing and loose regulation, the tobacco industry has hooked a whole new generation of kids on smoking. How did it come to this, and will the federal government’s new laws to crack down on vaping actually work?
Thu, May 09, 2024
What Oppenheimer can teach us about regulating new technologies
What lessons can we learn from J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the nuclear bomb? How should we govern and legislate new technologies that have the power to change the world? Like nuclear technology in the mid of last century, now large digital platforms and generative AI are putting humanity at the threshold: progress or possible exploitation and abuse? How can we regulate cutting-edge technology on a global stage?
Wed, May 08, 2024
Superpowers and superpeacemakers — your guide with John Lyons, Sam Roggeveen, Ilaria Walker and Natasha Mitchell
Smaller conflicts than those we're witnessing right now have set off world wars. Who will be the crucial superpowers and super peacemakers in the next five years? Get your head around the major machinations and manoeuvres with Natasha Mitchell and guests.
Tue, May 07, 2024
Helen Clark on how to build a healthier future for all
We are living in an "age of crises," says former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark. With her leadership experience and expertise in governance, politics, and policy, Helen Clark and a panel of health and international relation experts explore the challenges facing the world today and what is needed to achieve a healthier and thriving future for all. While it's easy to feel overwhelmed by complex problems, speaking up about inequality can make a difference. Helen Clark urged everyone to "raise the issues, never give up, and relentlessly campaign".
Mon, May 06, 2024
Tenacity and two squat houses — how an Australian movement was born for women leaving violence
Women’s refuges are now a central part of our response to family violence, with hundreds operating across Australia. But that hasn't always been the case.
Thu, May 02, 2024
Donald Trump, American authoritarianism and how journalists should cover it
As Donald Trump makes his case for re-election in 2024, under a cloud of criminal prosecutions, how can journalists better cover such a norm-busting and rule-breaking political figure?
Wed, May 01, 2024
Jonathan Rosen, Patrick McGorry with Natasha Mitchell— friendship, madness and the tragedy of good intentions
New York writer Jonathan Rosen’s memoir The Best Minds: a story of friendship, madness, and the tragedy of good intentions is a story of tenderness, heartache, and horror as he explores the vexed tensions between civil rights, medical power, and the complexities of recognising and treating severe psychotic illness. He joined Natasha Mitchell with psychiatrist Patrick McGorry for a powerful conversation at the 2024 Adelaide Writers Week . In light of the recent Bondi shopping centre killings, this discussion recorded just prior was sadly prescient, but deeply insightful.
Tue, April 30, 2024
Slowing down fast fashion with Aja Barber
You don't need that dress, you need a hug. Or so says fashion activist and writer, Aja Barber.
Mon, April 29, 2024
Mariana Mazzucato — a moonshot guide to changing capitalism
It took 400,000 people to land man to the moon. And it's using that example as inspiration that the influential Italian American economist Mariana Mazzucato argues we can change capitalism.
Thu, April 25, 2024
Is it time to change Australia's security strategy for South East Asia?
Could Asia Pacific be with China within a couple of years? Is the independence of Taiwan worth for Australia to get involved? Would Indonesia be a better security partner for Australia than the US? On Big Ideas, a panel of foreign policy experts dissect evolving dynamics of South East Asia and offer insights into how Australia can navigate the delicate diplomatic dance with the two global giants and emerging regional powers. There are many different views on Australia's geopolitical position and the implications for its strategic future.
Wed, April 24, 2024
How to challenge political spin with straight talk — Richard Denniss, Joelle Gergis, Yanis Varoufakis, Tom Keneally with Natasha Mitchell
Join host Natasha Mitchell and guests for some straight talk that cuts through spin and jargon. Has the way politicians speak ever made you shout at the television, feel bamboozled, helpless, or shut out of democratic debate over our shared future? Pollie-talk can make important issues opaque, the inequitable seem fair, and the fair seem inequitable. Hear from Richard Denniss (author of Econobabble: How to decode political spin and economic nonsense), Yanis Varoufakis (author of Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism), Joelle Gergis (author of Humanity's Moment: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope) and Thomas Keneally (Schindler's List).
Tue, April 23, 2024
Dr Norman Swan with biotechnology pioneers on what's next for medicine
Only 50 years ago, if you were 60 years old your chance of dying was the same as an 80-year-old's today. Thanks to progress in medical technology, you can live longer than ever before. Quantum technology and quantum screening, modelling with digital twins, harvesting the power of AI and real time monitoring of your molecules – a panel of health experts discusses the new frontiers in the development of drugs and health technology.
Mon, April 22, 2024
It's personal! — field stories from the frontline of Australia's Ambassador for Gender Equality
Gender equality isn't just about equal pay, it's a health and safety issue. Women perceive safety very differently to men, and that's why they need a seat at the table when policies are being nutted out. Just a month after Australia gets its first Gender Equality Strategy, Stephanie Copus Campbell speaks about her first-hand experience on women's rights and discrimination in Papua New Guinea and many other countries in the region — and her observations as the international Ambassador for Gender Equality. Her verdict: we are going backwards worldwide.
Thu, April 18, 2024
Trees as an alternative crop — the future of forestry in Australia?
How valuable are trees as an alternative crop? And what's the role of agroforestry in the future of sustainable farming?
Wed, April 17, 2024
The shark net controversy — hear the debate at Bondi's Ocean Lovers Festival with Natasha Mitchell
They use of shark nets to protect us from sharks is highly controversial. Do they work, what do they do to marine life, are there alternatives, and why are sharks so political? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival for a robust interrogation of of an issue that ignites passions. Speakers Lawrence Chlebeck Marine biologist and campaigner Humane Society International Dr Chris Pepin-Neff Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Sydney Author, Flaws: Shark Bites and Emotional Public Policymaking (2019) Steven Pearce Chief Executive Officer, Surf Life Saving NSW Hannah TaitCEO, Action for Dolphins Further information: Australian UAV Service NSW Shark meshing program NSW Shark Management Strategy and Shark Program Review (2022) Rebranding Sharks project Australian Shark Incident Database Yearly Worldwide “Shark Attack Summary” (Florida Museum) Shark nets information (Action for Dolphins)
Tue, April 16, 2024
Life on Mars — and beyond
It's a question that has focused the minds of astronauts, scientists, space entrepreneurs and enthusiasts alike – is there, could there be, life on Mars? The race is on to find out, with NASA hoping to land astronauts there by the late 2030s.
Mon, April 15, 2024
A heart-to-heart with Eric Bogle — his songs and his life
Folk legend Eric Bogle is opening up and talks about his life, his thoughts about death, friendship and love and why having a deeper message for writing songs is so much more important than money and fame. It's a rare opportunity to share a conversation with one of the best and most prolific songwriters of the last several decades. His songs have become Australian classics – like The Band Played Waltzing Matilda or No Man's Land. And as a very special treat – you'll hear the world premiere of his latest song … finished on the way to this event.
Thu, April 11, 2024
The war in Gaza, Palestinians, and Israelis – what can we learn from the past about the future?
What is the future of Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza strip and surrounding region? Can the past help us understand the tumultuous, horrifying present? And is a two-state solution a realistic response to the war in Gaza or not? Walkley Award-winning Australian journalist John Lyons, Israeli historian and political scientist Ilan Pappé, American essayist and author Nathan Thrall, and American political advisor Bruce Wolpe share their perspectives.
Wed, April 10, 2024
A mummified mystery! This ancient Egyptian coffin was closed for years. Then Australian scientists opened it.
A wooden sarcophogas is sold in a Cairo market in the late 1800s, transported to Australia, and held in a University of Sydney collection. It remains closed for over a century. And then scientists opened its lid. What happened next? Two leading Australian Egyptologists join Natasha Mitchell to consider the ethics, history, and science of a quest to understand life and death in Ancient Egypt and get a glimpse into one woman's world over 2500 years ago. But is it really Mer-Neith-It_Es?
Tue, April 09, 2024
Mary Beard — Empress of Rome
For decades, Mary Beard has forged her own path through the male dominated field of academia, from the ruins of Rome to the trenches of Twitter, to become "the world's most famous classicist".
Mon, April 08, 2024
Michael Gawenda on Jewishness, the Australian Left, and the State of Israel
The best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world.
Thu, April 04, 2024
Cheng Lei, Sean Turnell and Kylie Moore-Gilbert on the ruthless practice of hostage diplomacy
What is the best response to hostage diplomacy? Pay the ransom? Sanction the responsible country, or individuals? Go public, or pursue quiet diplomacy? Can countries preserve bilateral relations, while at the same time advocating for the rights of their unlawfully detained citizens?
Wed, April 03, 2024
Ripples, resilience, and rivers – the politics of water with Natasha Mitchell and guests
Water is life. Rivers give life. But water and the rivers it flows down are also heavily politicised, and at the heart of battles over who gets access to water, what's killing our rivers, and what happens when they kill us during catastrophic floods. Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at this Adelaide Writers Week event with Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Barrister and author Richard Beasley, grazier and activist Kate McBride, and environmental historian Dr Margaret Cook.
Tue, April 02, 2024
Forging a fire ready future
Australia’s bushfires are more intense, more frequent, and more costly. So how can we prepare for the inevitable – what proactive steps can communities take to protect themselves, and do we have the settings right?
Mon, April 01, 2024
What makes a charity successful?
Many of you are involved in a charity: Handing out meals to homeless people, caring for surrendered animals in a shelter, organising soccer games to keep the youth in the neighbourhood on the straight and narrow. But are you sure that your charity is putting the time and also the money that you give up to good use? What makes a charity successful? And how can you future-prove them?
Thu, March 28, 2024
Julia Baird on how grace saves us from a dark world
Grace is a hard word to define, but in her latest book, author, journalist and broadcaster Julia Baird explores the concept, and how finding and nurturing it in each other – and ourselves - can help us through dark times.
Wed, March 27, 2024
The Deficit Myth with Stephanie Kelton — what to ask when governments can't afford to fix things.
When governments say they can't afford to fix climate change or lift kids out of poverty are they speaking the truth? American economist Stephanie Kelton challenges economic orthodoxy in her book The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People's Economy. She joins Natasha Mitchell in conversation at this 2024 National Sustainability Festival event.
Tue, March 26, 2024
Bessel van der Kolk on The Body Keeps the Score
Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, discusses his pioneering research into traumatic stress and its impact on our brains and bodies. Traumatised people experience incomprehensible anxiety, numbing and intolerable rage. Trauma affects their capacity to concentrate, to remember, to form trusting relationships, and even to feel at home in their own bodies. And he explains promising treatments, including neurofeedback, psychedelic therapy, psychodrama … and dance.
Mon, March 25, 2024
Why are young people more unhappy and worried?
Different generations agree that youth mental health is in decline, but disagree about the causes. We explore generational attitudes to the economic and social drivers of mental ill-health in young people.
Thu, March 21, 2024
Are we all liberals at heart?
Liberalism isn't just a political philosophy but the basis of a truly meaningful life. That's the bold statement of philosopher Alexandre Lefebvre, author of the forthcoming book Liberalism As A Way of Life. Should individuals be free to pursue their own passions and interests in life? Does liberalism mean more than freedom of speech and small government? You might not identify as a liberal, but are we in fact all liberals at heart?
Wed, March 20, 2024
Imagination and Mindset, and The Importance of Doubt (Boyer Lectures 3 and 4)
Quantum computing is all about physics, but for those looking to pioneer and revolutionise science, there are certain human qualities needed as well. That is the topic of these final two Boyer Lectures with a global leader in the field of quantum computing, Professor Michelle Simmons.
Tue, March 19, 2024
The Atomic Revolution and the Quantum Promise (2023 Boyer Lectures 1 and 2)
Imagine a machine with more power than all the computers in the world combined. This is the promise of quantum computing. In these 2023 Boyer Lectures, Professor Michelle Simmons explains why building a machine that operates at the scale of atoms has the potential to revolutionise society, and why Australia is at the forefront of the global race to develop the first one.
Mon, March 18, 2024
Trump vs Biden vs the world — what will it mean for Australia?
The US has claimed that it has “no greater ally than Australia”, but with the stability of its democracy in question, what are the risks, and the rewards, of waltzing in step with the world’s greatest superpower?
Thu, March 14, 2024
I've Been to a Parallel World
Hear from four “many worlds travellers” who have visited parallel worlds to explore themes of Indigenous rights, disability, gender and the climate crisis, to show us that a different way is within reach.
Wed, March 13, 2024
The education gap between rural and metropolitan Australia is costing us billions
Can you put a price tag on regional education? In fact, you can. The large difference in the quality of education between people who live in rural and regional Australia compared to those who live in the cities is costing our economy over 55 billion dollars…. AND we also talk about the role of advocates in conflict situations, in particular lawyers, speaking truth to power and speaking up for the weak.
Tue, March 12, 2024
Solving the mysteries of the universe − with philosophy
From dark energy to the nature of time, some of the most baffling mysteries in cosmology point to a surprisingly complex answer: The idea that alternate layers of reality might exist beyond the reach of our current physics, and perhaps even outside the Universe itself. Philosophy can help navigate the many enigmas of physics. In fact, there is a long history of the entanglement of the two.
Mon, March 11, 2024
How Russia’s war on Ukraine ends
Two years since Vladimir Putin’s Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine, the risks are as grave as ever, including the possibility of war spilling into Europe, and the nuclear threat. What next for the Ukraine war?
Thu, March 07, 2024
Corruption at the crossroads in Australia
We hear from the nation's anti-corruption leaders, including NACC Deputy Commissioner Nicole Rose, about the state of corruption in Australia.
Wed, March 06, 2024
Spending time with Laurie Anderson
Pioneering electronic musician and performer Laurie Anderson invites you contemplate the wonders of time. Time is one of the most impermanent forms of measurement that humans have invented to help manage our lives. We couldn't function without it. Do you feel like you're running out of time? Which way is time going? Are you able to stop time? What is the role of time in ethics, or how you experience trauma? Laurie shares a creative conversation with twice-Booker-shortlisted author Tom McCarthy as they look to arts and literature for answers.
Tue, March 05, 2024
Finding your creativity with Holly Ringland
Best-selling author Holly Ringland says that everyone can be creative – yes, even you! Be it painting, cooking, knitting a jumper or writing a song. It's often self-doubt and the fear of criticism and judgement that's holding you back. The voice in your head telling you that you're not good enough. It doesn't have to be like this.
Mon, March 04, 2024
Nature for people – how the natural world affects our health
Most of us know that exposure to nature is good for us, because we’ve experienced it ourselves. Doctors can even prescribe time in nature to patients, for the health benefits. But increasingly, we’re understanding – and measuring - just how nature helps us – our minds, bodies, and society. This event is brought to you by the Australian Land Conservation Alliance as part of the National Private Land Conservation Conference held in Canberra on October 17, 2023.
Thu, February 22, 2024
Swiftposium – the academics of Taylor Swift
Celebrities, and their fans, wield tremendous economic, cultural and political influence – and none more so than US pop superstar Taylor Swift. Academia is getting on board, with university courses now entirely dedicated to studying the icon. But celebrities and their fans have not always been taken seriously, by academia, or broader society – particularly when it’s someone idolised by young girls. Well, these academics are trying to change that. Ahead of Swift's record-breaking Australian tour, 160 scholars from around the world came together in Melbourne for the inaugural Swiftposium conference, to engage in critical dialogue about Swift’s popularity and its profound influence on society, from feminism, to gender, fandom, popular culture, literature, the economy, the music industry, and more. This event was presented by the University of Melbourne from February 11 to 13, 2024. “The worst kind of person is someone who makes someone feel bad, dumb or stupid for being excited about something.” - Taylor Swift, 2019
Wed, February 21, 2024
Intuition — the science of knowing WHAT without knowing WHY
Have you ever followed your intuition, or been guided by a gut feeling? Is intuition real or imagined? Can it be learnt and harnessed for good in our lives? Neuroscientist and psychologist Joel Pearson wanted to find out. He joins Natasha Mitchell to discuss his book The Intuition Toolkit – the New Science of Knowing What without Knowing Why.
Tue, February 20, 2024
Uncivil society – polarisation and breakdown in our conversations
What has happened to civil debate and the reasonable exchange of competing ideas in public, to conversations that might lead to productive compromise, or simply agreeing to disagree? Has civil society always been so... uncivil?
Mon, February 19, 2024
How to tell stories that change the course of history — from slavery abolition to gaming culture
There's nothing like an innocent story to rupture reality! Fiction is a literary seismograph for social conflict and stories can change minds. They have helped end slavery, and end discrimination. Hear the powerful story of how. Also, a gaming scholar with a blitz through the history of queer games. The creative games industry is pretty gay — so why isn't there more queer representation in gaming stories, and does the recent growth in queer games benefit all players? Enter a world of gaming, fan culture, gay romance, the essence of trans-ness to hear how the answer may not be binary.
Thu, February 15, 2024
A queer love letter to libraries
Public libraries are for everyone, but last year, the LGBTIQA+ community became a target for exclusion by anti-queer campaigners, when drag story time events – designed to celebrate diversity and embrace rainbow families –were shut down or postponed due to threats, protests and abuse. Librarians, drag artists, families and council staff were on the frontline of these attacks. To counter the hurt caused by these campaigns, the LGBTIQA+ and library communities joined forces to celebrate and reclaim libraries as safe spaces for everyone.
Wed, February 14, 2024
Be the change you want to see — Chanel Contos, Isabelle Reinecke, Semara Jose, Sarah Brown
Some things feel impossible to change without money and power. Meet four trailblazers didn't let that stop them. Fighting corporations. Stopping violence. Transforming talk on sex and consent. Helping men heal from childhood trauma. They join Natasha Mitchell and an audience of high school students to explore what pushed them to act.
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