Life Matters - Full program podcast — Podcast

What losing his son taught this dad about fatherhood and recovering scam losses 02.06.2026 58min

Lawyer and educator Adair Donaldson is navigating a kind of grief that no parent should ever have to go through. Earlier this year, his son Oliver, the youngest of four boys, died suddenly. He was 19. In the midst of processing the enormity of this loss, he has been reflecting on what it means to be a good dad to boys, and turning these reflections into a series of letters — Dear Fathers of Sons. The federal government has announced plans to claw back money for people who have fallen victim to small-scale scams, introducing an automatic reimbursement scheme for scam victims with verified losses up to $3,000. Could this help stop cyber criminals from taking off with your hard-earned cash? In Head and Heart our resident psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones dives into the sticky question of whether it's ever ok to tell a friend they need therapy.

Fixing our social media feeds and planning a new city in space 01.06.2026 55min

Australia's social media ban has been in place for six months — with mixed reports on its success. For teens managing to bypass the ban, they're still swimming in the same addictive stream of harmful content. But could we change the way these algorithms work, and make social media a better place for everyone? Consent campaigner Chanel Contos and AI tech reporter Cam Wilson explain what it would take to fix our feeds. NASA is planning to build a home base for astronauts on the Moon as part of the Artemis program. It raises some big questions: are we any closer to a scenario where everyday humans are living somewhere other than Earth? And if we are, what would the ideal space city look like? Futurist Bridgette Engeler and Craig McCormack, who researches the possibilities of architecture in space, dive into the unknown. If you're looking for inspiration on where to take your next hike, the internet is full of visually stunning recommendations. But some of the most beautiful treks can be seriously dangerous. So how do we encourage people to visit these pristine locations without obscuring the risks?

How to talk about gambling and spotting a romance scam 29.05.2026 54min

The odds are, gambling is part of your life or the life of someone you know. It's a national pastime woven into Australian culture, so talking about the harms it brings can be tricky. Advocate Kate Seselja and clinical psychologist Kate Fennessy explain when it's time to seek help, and why there's still such serious stigma around gambling addiction. This week, Aunties Nate Byrne and Diana Nguyen give some advice to a listener who's suss on her friend's latest romantic suitor. How do you know when something really is too good to be true, and what can you do to support someone unlucky in love?

How coral became big business and a new system for job seekers 28.05.2026 55min

Each year up to 190 tonnes of coral is allowed to be harvested from the Great Barrier Reef, making Australia the second-largest exporter in the world. While those in the industry say it's a highly regulated space, conservationists are calling for an end to the trade. Third-generation coral farmer Lyle Squire Jr, conservation campaigner Simon Miller and conservation biologist Jon Daly discuss whether it's time for a rethink on the sustainability of coral harvesting. The federal government has announced a major overhaul of the unemployment system that it says is ill-equipped to support many of the people who rely on it. Job seeker Kerry Forrest, Australian Council of Social Service acting CEO Edwina MacDonald and National Employment Services Association CEO Kathryn Mandla explain the proposed changes and what they could mean for people looking for more meaningful work. New data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority shows that in 2025, only 37 per cent of year 10 students were proficient in digital skills. So if the kids can't even keep up with this newfangled techy world — what hope do the rest of us have?

The weirdest Australian festivals and the future of sustainable fashion 27.05.2026 55min

From the dunny derby to the championship tuna toss, some of Australia's most iconic events sound almost completely made up. But these quirky festivals tell us something deeper about regional Australia. Often times, the novelty comes from a community finding creative ways to bring people in, keep their towns thriving, and show off a part of the country most of us would otherwise drive straight past. Sustainability has been a fashion buzzword for well over a decade. But the controversial sale of Everlane to a fast-fashion giant has left many shoppers wondering what this means for the future of ethical consumption. Author and podcaster Clare Press and ethical fashion co-founder Eric Phu explore whether sustainable clothing can truly make for financially sustainable businesses. The average person spends around 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime. That's a lot of time to spend somewhere if you're not happy. This Working Life host Lisa Leong explains the classiest way to quit your job, and what to consider before you pull the trigger.

Why you're feeling stuck and how discounts influence buyer behaviour 26.05.2026 55min

Most of the best things in life start as a risk — changing careers, moving cities, building a dream. But data suggests we're not taking these chances as much as we used to. Even owning your own home can come with "golden handcuffs", tying people to one place, one job, and one version of their life. ABC business journalist Daniel Ziffer and author Jodi Wilson explore how to get yourself unstuck. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Alice Springs School of the Air, the first of its kind in the world. While times and technology have changed since 1951, it remains a lifeline for kids in the bush. Principal Kerrie Russell, online learning platform founder Martin Dougiamas and parent advocate Amber Driver reflect on the legacy of Australia's largest virtual classroom. The Federal Court recently found Coles intentionally misled customers with its infamous "down down" discounts. So what role do discounts play in marketing and what does this mean for upcoming cases against other businesses?

The real winners of the Enhanced Games and what to do if you find a fossil 25.05.2026 55min

Thousands of spectators at a purpose-built complex in Las Vegas are about to watch something that's never happened before. The Enhanced Games will see 40 athletes attempting to break human records by pumping their bodies full of performance-enhancing drugs. Powerlifting coach Gus Cooke and researchers Matthew Dunn and Adam Karg examine how the Games could change sport and science as we know it. Imagine being caught in a cycle where every 29 days, you transform into an angry, weepy, out-of-control mess. Then suddenly, it passes. This is how author Emma Hardy describes living with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. She joins psychiatrist Jayashri Kulkarni to explain the complex reality of living with PMDD. Twenty-three species of dinosaur have been discovered in Australia and 70 per cent of those were found by the public. Palaeontologist Sally Hurst explains what you should do if you find a fossil.

Overcoming social anxiety and untangling sleep envy 22.05.2026 52min

Recent research suggests social anxiety is on the rise. Beyond the usual feelings around making awkward small talk, many people are struggling to socialise at work, meet new friends or even leave their own house. Psychologist Sahra O'Doherty explains why more of us are experiencing social anxiety and what you can do about it. When you're parenting small children, sleep can feel like a battleground. So when one person takes a night off, how late is too late to stay out? Aunties Amy Middleton and Joe Sullivan, weigh in on a sensitive debate, and share some advice on navigating sleep envy and resentment.

The value of NDIS social supports and is your car spying on you? 21.05.2026 54min

Among the major changes slated for the NDIS, funding for "social and community participation" looks likely to be significantly reduced. These programs help people stay connected, build confidence and independence, and participate in daily life. Social researcher and NDIS participant Katie Butler and Megan Spindler-Smith from People With Disability Australia explain how these changes could affect people day-to-day. With features that are designed for safety, connected cars have been described as a "privacy nightmare on wheels". These vehicles transmit data continuously — tracking location, monitoring calls, recording your voice and even capturing images from inside and outside your car. So how much data is being collected and what are the rules around it? A new survey has found 1 in 4 doctors believe it will one day be possible to preserve a person's brain and revive their body at a later date. But just because we can, does that mean we should? What would that mean for our sense of humanity?

The friendship wealth gap and the price of volunteering 20.05.2026 54min

Not all friendships are for life, and there are plenty of reasons people drift apart. Sometimes distance makes it harder to catch up, or life just pulls you in different directions. But what happens when it's money driving a wedge between mates? Writer Cate Gilpin, comedian Matt Okine and psychologist Rachel Samson explore the friendship wealth gap and how to make peace with it. The majority of people who stand between you and all manner of natural disasters are highly trained and totally unpaid. It's one thing to sign up as a volunteer to make friends and learn new skills, but many volunteers put their own lives on the line to save others. So how sustainable is a critical system that relies so heavily on unpaid labour, and should they be paid for the work they do?

Forgotten women of Australian history and our deep obsession with gambling 19.05.2026 54min

Less than 4 per cent of the statues in Australia depict women from our history. It reveals a lot about who we remember, and how they're immortalised. Our collective memory is shaped by historians' personal values, ideals and beliefs as much as it is by historical events themselves. So historian and guide Sita Sargeant took it upon herself to reshape this history to tell stories of the women we forgot. Shaun Micallef has never understood the appeal of gambling, but he's something of an outlier. Australians are among the biggest punters in the world, and we lose billions each year. He explains why he decided to investigate our national obsession in a new documentary series, and what can be done to protect future generations from falling prey to voracious betting companies. It's notoriously hard to hold the attention of teenage boys. But when Andy Griffiths stumbled across a novella in his school library about a man who wakes up as an insect, it sparked something wonderful. That reading experience would set him on the path to becoming an award-winning children's author with a penchant for the ridiculous. Parenting styles are a bit like fashion — norms are continually challenged, evolving and ultimately judged. Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones joins Life Matters for Head and Heart to unpack "beta parenting", the latest trend describing a more relaxed, "good enough" approach to child-rearing.

Local councils tackling homelessness and bringing life back to cemeteries 18.05.2026 54min

Since, COVID, there's been a 39 per cent increase in the number of people sleeping rough. When housed residents see this in their local parks, they call council to report it. But of all the levels of government, it's this local layer that it is least equipped to respond. Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli and researcher Andrew Clarke explain how local councils are addressing the issue. There are more than 6,300 cemeteries across the country, but space is at a premium, with many already at capacity. In some cases, the mourners visiting these sacred places are dying out too. So could we find a better way to use these public spaces dedicated to grief, giving them back to the living, while maintaining respect for the dead? There was a time when the word "peptide" was reserved for conversations between chemists, but now it's a wellness supplement gaining momentum. It's prompted experts to call for stronger regulation, with concerns that young people are particularly at risk.

Reframing shame around sexual hang-ups and splitting up the family photo albums 15.05.2026 52min

Whether you feel self-conscious about your body, or have trouble with performance anxiety, most of us experience sexual hang-ups at some point or another. Sex and relationships therapist Georgia Grace talks through where these anxieties come from, and how normalising conversations about our hang-ups can help us work through them to prioritise pleasure. Family photo albums can hold immense sentimental value, documenting a shared history and keeping memories of relatives long since passed alive for future generations. But when the family parts ways, who decides where those memories go?

Keeping up with specialist bills and why beauty therapy is more than skin deep 14.05.2026 54min

A Grattan Institute report indicates that over one million Australians a year are delaying or skipping specialist health care because they can't afford it. Specialists do vital work, and they're highly trained. But uncapped fees means costs can keep growing and people can't keep up. What can be done to balance the scales and what is the reality for the specialists? New research has outlined the urgent need to better equip the people who become our de facto therapists — the beauticians, hairdressers, nail techs —with the tools to do this heavy emotional labour. If you're married, did you keep your own surname or take the name of your betrothed? It's a highly gendered and changing social norm, so what does our surname actually say about us?

Calls for intra-generational fairness in budget and rules of modern dating 13.05.2026 55min

The government has laid out the federal budget for the next year, and there's a theme: intergenerational fairness. We know the scales are not tipped in favour of young people, but can we re-balance the scales without pitting older people against younger people, and acknowledge that not all older people are rich? Patricial Sparrow from Council on the Ageing unpacks the budget for over 50s. If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice about dating, what would you tell them? When Dee Salmin sat down to write a book on everything she'd learned about love, it was her teenage self she had in mind. But it struck a chord with women who'd grown up in an era before "going boy sober" or "raising the bar" were trending topics. Would you be up for a sing-along session with your colleagues, in the name of collaboration? Research shows music can be a powerful tool in promoting connection and group identity. Melissa Forbes and Emma Dean share what happened when they brought together a group of carers to investigate the benefits of music in the workplace.

Saving the school library and first aid for mental health 12.05.2026 55min

The school library is where so many kids first develop a love of reading and learn the skills they need to understand the world. But the very existence of those libraries is largely dependent on the discretion of the school, and some say they're under threat. The Australian Library and Information Association's Cathie Warburton, best-selling children's author Andy Griffiths and school librarian Hajnalka Molloy explain why school libraries are a vital learning resource for students. After a player went through a serious mental health episode on the field, the AFL implemented a new rule: all clubs must have an in-house psychologist to keep an eye on players' mental fitness. So if the footy field was actually your office, could you spot the signs? Sport psychologist Courtney Walton and Mental Health First Aid Australia's Jackqui Barnfield run through how to support someone in crisis. What is it that motivates you to get to the gym? An investigation by the BBC has revealed a trend in companies using AI influencers to sell programs promising results that experts say are unrealistic. Consumer behaviour expert Paul Harrison explores how marketing is being used in the health industry and what role AI plays in convincing us to get fit.

Caring for the carers and the economics of homegrown produce 11.05.2026 55min

There are three million carers in Australia looking after a loved one who's unable to care for themselves anymore. But what happens when carers need a break? There's meant to be a system of respite care to serve this need, but that system is under strain. Jayne Christian, who has been caring for her mum since 2022, joins sociologist Myra Hamilton and Sharon Gudu, CEO of Carers New South Wales, to explore the future for respite care. With the price of groceries climbing, many are looking to grow fresh produce at home and bring down household bills. Horticulturalist Michael Casey, home gardener Emmy Petersson and psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones break down the costs and benefits of growing your own produce. A new program from the Adelaide University is looking to get over-50s back into exercise, utilising outdoor gym equipment. Lead researcher Alyson Crozier explains how, beyond the health benefits, the program is hopinh to combat social isolation and increase a sense of belonging.

How parenting dynamics change in adulthood and the price of doggy destruction 08.05.2026 53min

The parent-child relationship is a two-way street. It takes both sides to figure out how to relate to each other as adults -- and that can be especially tough if you have different expectations. Psychotherapist Zoe Krupka unpacks how to manage the changing relationship dynamics from childhood to into adult life. The Aunties help out a listener whose beloved teddy bear was destroyed by the neighbours' dog. When the eye-watering bill for repairs comes in, is it reasonable to expect the owners to pay up?

Celebrating 100 years of David Attenborough and cancelling the Met Gala 07.05.2026 55min

Sir David Attenborough is turning 100 years old. Over decades spent exploring and documenting the wonders of nature across the planet, he has shaped our collective understanding of the world. On the cusp of his birthday, Emeritus Professor Justin Marshall and Sir Dave Day convenor Gemma Pepper celebrate the enduring legacy of an extraordinary man. Every day, thousands of Australians rely on blood transfusions to not just survive, but to live a normal life. And while it's estimated one in three of us will need blood or blood products in our lifetime, only one in 30 donates. Blood donation advocate Kate Fisher shares how human stories are key to encouraging more eligible donors to give the gift of life. The Met Gala has always been for a handful of elite philanthropists and celebrities raising money for an exclusive institution. But this year's event, funded by Jeff Bezos, felt especially dystopian. So is it ethical to have a little bit of fun looking at fancy people dressing up in fun clothes, when it's sponsored by a billionaire oligarch?

The golden gap year and where to start tightening your budget 06.05.2026 54min

After Chris Herrmann's wife died suddenly, he was left with the feeling that life is too short not to make the most of every moment. So he packed up and set off on a round-the-world trip. Retirement expert Bec Wilson shares how the "golden gap year" is giving people in their 50s, 60s and beyond a chance to see the world and take the trips they missed out on in their youth. Rates are rising again, the cost of grocery staples is going up and people are feeling it. Many households are starting to look more closely at their budgets to figure out where they can make meaningful savings. Financial adviser James Wrigley and the National Debt Helpline's Karyn Hicks explain where to start if you're trying to cut back. Circadian rhythms play a powerful role in how your manage your day. If you're a morning person, your energy might be waning by the early afternoon, while night owls feel more productive later in the day. But the workforce isn't set up to suit everyone's needs, so how do you get the best out of everyone?