Life Matters - Full program podcast

Although we’d all love to imagine you can have a second chance at love, the divorce rate for second marriages is double that of first. Psychotherapists Dr Zoe Krupka and Stephen Andrew have been a couple for 14 years and it's a second marriage for both of them. They say marriage number two can be the fulfilling and thrilling relationship people always hoped they could have.In high school, sorting out friendship drama can take up a lot of time, but it can cause even bigger headaches as adults. So what do you do when your relationship with your new best friend is upsetting your old best friend? Aunties Patrick Lenton and Dr Rebecca Ray get to the bottom of the problem.

A big backyard used to be part of the Australian dream. But a shift has happened over time. Block sizes for new houses across our cities have shrunk by 22 per cent in the past 15 years, according to the ABS. We're building bigger houses with smaller yards. So, RIP the backyard? What does it mean for our communities if backyards become a rarity?cCosta Georgiadis is a landscape architect and host of Gardening Australia, Professor Joe Hurley is at the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University and Dr Thami Croeser is Deputy Associate Director at Regenerative Environments & Climate Action at RMIT University.As the social media ban approaches, Meta platforms are prompting users under 16 to download their data before they're removed from the platform. As Australia enters our world first of taking social media off of teenagers, what do we need to make sure they take with them? Tama Leaver is Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University.When you die, what sort of assets will you leave and who's getting them? Or maybe you've handed over your inheritance early - helping your kids out with a house deposit, paying for their uni, or your grandkids' schooling. Financial expert David Koch says Boomers are putting a good retirement at risk to give their adult kids money. Koch argues that outside of a stable upbringing and a good education, you don't really owe your kids anything. So ... do you? Patrick Stokes is Associate Professor of philosophy at Deakin University.

When you think of the 1960s, what comes to mind? Hippies, Vietnam War protests, the music? What about the 1990s? VCRs, grunge music, minimalist fashion? We're about to reach the halfway point of the 2020s, so what is the defining legacy of this decade? Nic Carah is a professor at the University of Queensland School of Communication and Arts. She has never revealed her name publicly, but her opinions about fashion have made a huge impact. Fashion Critical started making "silly posts" to entertain her friends, but her platform ended up gaining a huge following. She tells us why we should never take fashion too seriously.Even at low speeds... if you have a car crash... and you're a woman... you're more likely to be seriously injured than a man. But interestingly, car crash testing and plane safety testing is dominated by "male" crash test dummies... and has been for decades. These dummies are part of a system of testing methods designed with men in mind.... and it's been letting women down. Natasha Heap is the Program Director for the Bachelor of Aviation at the University of Southern Queensland.

New plans in Victoria and New South Wales seek to address the issue of underquoting houses set for auction. So, will these reforms create a fairer system? Will they help first home buyers? And will the changes do anything to address Australia's housing crisis? Melinda Jennison is president of the Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia, Andrew McCann is chief executive of Jellis Craig Real Estate Agents, and Richard Denniss is an economist and co-CEO of The Australia Institute.If you're over 50, new research shows that unaffordable and poor quality housing is getting in the way of living a dignified second act. Lynette Stevens is living in community housing after leaving her long-term tenancy, Fiona York is Executive Officer, Housing for the Aged Action Group, and Dr Piret Veeroja is lead author of new research from Swinburne University.What happens when your ex announces their engagement... and the news throws you? Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones unpacks the emotions at play.

For the third year in a row, ABS figures show an increasing number of Australians are taking on two or more jobs as the cost of living rises. Lessleen Makoni is working two jobs to get by in Sydney, Isaac Koomson is a senior research fellow the University of Queensland's Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, and Dr Isaac Gross is a senior lecturer in Economics at Monash University and former RBA economist.For many of us who work, this time of year is a countdown until much-needed holidays over Christmas and the New Year. But a large number of people will push through with no break from work... not even on Christmas Day. Now, a new legal ruling has enforced the concept that employers must "request not require" staff to work on public holidays. Andrew Stewart is a Professor of Work and Regulation at the Queensland University of Technology and Sarah McCann-Bartlett is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Australian HR Institute.Women's teams are breaking records and hearts, with the Matildas selling out stadiums and record attendance for the women's Ashes earlier this year. But at the grassroots, the gap is real: data shows that nearly 30% more boys aged 0–14 participate in club or association sport than girls. Nikhil Kulkarni is the author of My Summer of Cricket, James Kay is a PhD Candidate at Flinders University's College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, and Dr Rochelle Eime is a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at Federation University.

According to the last census, there were 2.6 million Aussie couples without children... and projections that couple-only families are set to increase in the country. Not only that, there's also been a cultural shift: People without children have a growing visibility... they're more likely to share and celebrate their lives. Tanya Williams is the author of A Childfree Happily Ever After and Dr Imogene Smith is a Clinical Psychologist at the Cairnmillar Institute.Today's Ask Aunty letter-writer is in a reflective mood about the way he treated a classmate many years ago. Should he try to make amends? Today's aunties are James Findlay, ABC broadcaster and journalist, and Monica Dux, writer, commentator, and columnist.

Pill testing was available at Schoolies on the Gold Coast in 2024, but this year the Queensland government has taken a firm stance against the practice. So what conversations do parents need to have with their kids to stay safe this summer? Jennie Ross-King became a drug harm prevention advocate after her daughter's overdose death in 2019, Cameron Francis is the CEO of national drug-checking service The Loop, and Sophia, 19, plans on using drug-checking services at Strawberry Fields music festival.A new report from the Australian Human Rights Commission details the how older people too often feel unseen, unheard, or undervalued in the healthcare system. It found that perceptions of ageism are widespread across all levels of the health system, from how older people are treated by staff to broader systemic and policy issues. So how does ageism impact quality of care for older Australians, and how can we stamp it out? Val Fell is an Aged Care Council of Elders member, Robert Fitzgerald is Age Discrimination Commissioner and Patricia Sparrow is CEO of Council on the Ageing.The swear words that used to shock us… don't anymore. They've lost their sting. Researchers have unpacked the words Aussies really cringe at in 2025 - and it turns out slurs are now much more taboo than curse words. Our outrage has moved on to a whole new set of offensive words. Dr Joshua Wedlock is a researcher at Macquarie University's Department of Linguistics.

Schoolies travel has been a rite of passage for Aussie teenagers since the 1970s, but the event that was synonymous with getting sauced on the sandy shores of the Gold Coast is changing. Many young people are heading overseas to places like South-East Asia, Fiji, or Vanuatu. So, is it a good thing that today's school leavers are rewriting the script, ditching the binge-drinking and redefining what makes this milestone meaningful in the first place? Grace Richards is Growth and Marketing Manager at Schoolies.com and Dan Woodman is a Professor in Sociology at the University of Melbourne.The average Australian worker does 3.6 hours of unpaid overtime a week. National Right to Disconnect Laws, which were supposed to tackle work-life imbalance, were phased in last August. So, has anything changed? Fiona Macdonald is the Director of the Centre for Future Work and Dr Ben Searle is an organisational psychologist.The trailer for the The Devil Wears Prada sequel has dropped - and viewers immediately noticed a huge change in the dynamic between the two main characters. In the original film, magazine editor Miranda Priestly famously terrorised her staff, but also served as an unconventional mentor to Anne Hathaway's character. In the sequel's trailer, the pair look to be on even footing. So, who shapes our careers? And how big a difference can a mentor make? Professor Naomi McClure-Griffiths is an astrophysicist whose two mentors helped guide her career and Norah Breekveldt is the author of Me and my Mentor.

In the United States, there's a new proposal to address their nation's housing crisis. The Trump Administration is working to introduce 50-year mortgage terms for home buyers. Here in Australia, some lenders have recently started offering 40-year mortgages. One-third of Aussie adults polled said they'd take out a 40-year home loan if it reduced their monthly repayments to a more affordable level. So what are the pros and cons of longer mortgage terms? Eliza Owen is Head of research at Cotality, formerly CoreLogic Australia and Molly Benjamin is the founder of Ladies Finance Club.Australia is on the cusp of welcoming its one millionth refugee visa since the second world war. Behind that statistic are so many stories of upheaval and hardship, but also resilience and hope in starting a new life. Ogy Simic is the Head of Refugee Leadership and Advocacy at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Daniel Ghezelbash is Professor and Director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW.There's a growing trend of adding supplements and vitamins to every meal and snack. Between vitamin gummies and drinks fortified with this or that, we're constantly being sold "extras" ... even as headlines warn of inconsistent dosages and questionable efficacy. So, what's the consumer psychology behind their appeal? Paul Harrison is the Chair of Consumer Behaviour at Deakin University's Business School.

It's sales season and Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of every November. But it's no longer just a day. It's more like a month-long retail extravaganza. So, how did Black Friday evolve from a US phenomenon... to our biggest sales event? And what impact is this having on our year-round spending? Gary Mortimer is a professor of consumer behaviour and retail marketing at QUT Business School and Fleur Brown is Chief Industry Affairs Officer at the Australian Retailers Association.If you've got adult kids in 2025, you'll know that reaching independence looks a lot different now than it did in your day. New research confirms what lots of us already know - the intensive phase of parenting doesn't end on your child's 18th birthday anymore. Dr Susie O'Brien is a journalist and the National Education Editor with News Corp. She has three children living at home with her - including two young adults. And Dr Julia Cook is a youth sociologist at the University of Newcastle.In My Two Cents, we ask those questions you'd rather not answer about money. Today hear how actor, artist and author Ione Skye makes and spends her money.As the school year winds down, many teenagers are about to start the next chapter of their lives – and potential careers. Whether it's a bit of summer work experience or a mandatory placement for a university degree, unpaid work can often feel like the only way for young people to get a foot in the door. So how did working for free become the norm? What supports are available? And when does an internship stop being experience, and start looking like exploitation? Andrew Stewart is a professor of Work and Regulation at the Queensland University of Technology and James Sherriff is a third-year teaching student and co-founder of Students Against Placement Poverty.

It’s the time of year when you can't wait for time away from your job. But, as you reset for 2026, workplace researcher Dr Michelle McQuaid says there are lots of changes you can make to how you "do work" and how you "do life" so you feel re-energised in both these domains. And when it comes to complicated relationship dynamics … what happens when your marriage ends but your best friend and his wife remain close to your ex? Today's aunties work out who gets what in this potentially very messy split. Bridie Jabour is a journalist, author and associate editor at Guardian Australia and Lachie Mackintosh is Life Matters executive producer.

Across Australia, the laws around begging vary from state to state. In Victoria - where begging is illegal - its become an issue of public debate, following an inquest into the death of a Melbourne woman who was forced by her abusive partner to beg for food, cigarettes, and money. A Victorian coroner didn't criticise police, but said officers responding to complaints about her begging seemed to treat it as an individual issue rather than considering it in a broader context. And that's really the heart of it. Begging isn't just about someone asking for spare change ... it's a visible symptom of much deeper social problems. Thalia Anthony is a Professor in the Faculty of Law at University of Technology Sydney and Deborah Di Natale is CEO of the Council to Homeless Persons and a director on the board of Homelessness Australia.The federal government is pushing local content quotas, forcing big streaming platforms to invest in Australian-made shows. Yet fewer Year 12 students are choosing creative arts subjects like drama, music, dance and visual arts. Can you blame them? For years, it’s been all about STEM, with arts degrees now costing nearly $55,000 and many universities making cuts to creative programs. So, are we doing enough to support the next wave of artists and performers? And what do we lose — as a country and a culture — if we don’t? Dr John Nicholas Saunders is a Lecturer in Education at Australian Catholic University and Chair of the National Advocates for Arts Education and Madeleine Dyer is a writer-director behind Colin From Accounts, Ghosts Australia and Austin.Throughout 2025, ethicist Patrick Stokes has been unpacking the thorny topics for us in the segment Ask Aristotle. "Is it ok to lie in a memoir?", "Am I evil for not wanting to be around children?", "Is it ethical to create AI clones of people who've died?" This week, we take an opportunity to get back to basics. What sort of lessons did Aristotle actually espouse? What are some golden rules of philosophy we can apply to our lives in 2025?

Would you give up Christmas presents? Or are you like many of us and associate what you spend, with how much you care? There's been a backlash against over-consumption, so why do we still go wild at Christmas? And how can we untangle ourselves from the cycle of holiday spending? Steph Thompson went on a no-buy challenge, Daniel Kiely is an economist at Curtin University and Dr Paul Harrison is head of consumer behaviour at Deakin University.Picture your favourite Australian beach. Imagine a headland, the fish & chip shop, sun-worshippers, beach flags snapping in the wind ... and that surf club standing guard by the shore. That view - that classic image of the Australian coast - is in trouble. Eroding dunes. Crumbling cliffs. Clubhouses teetering on the edge. Coastal erosion is quickly reshaping Australia's iconic coastline. So what can be done? Glenn Arnold is the President of Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, Steven Pearce is the CEO of Surf Life Saving New South Wales, and Prof. David Kennedy is a coastal geomorphologist at the University of Melbourne.You've probably seen BMX dirt jumps popping up in parks or empty lots ... built by the riders themselves, for the riders. It's creative, social, and physical… but it's also what gets them into trouble, as councils across the country crack down on these DIY tracks. New research shows that it's this activity that takes place outside of organised sport that can be really beneficial. So if we're pushing teens off their screens, don't we owe them real-world spaces where they can actually build something ... together? Julie Ritchey is a Brisbane mum who spearheaded a local protest to protect DIY BMX jumps in her neighbourhood and Dr Dave Camilleri is a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Melbourne.

Last week police and health inspectors shut down two illicit tobacco stores in Sydney... the first to be closed under new state laws targeting illegal tobacco. Which is big business -- organised crime is making about $10 billion a year from it, and it comprises half of the products sold to the country's 2.7 million smokers. Meanwhile, the legal sale of cigarettes has slowed. So what impact is this having on Australia's smoking rates... and your local community? And if the goal is fewer smokers and a healthier population... are we still on the right track. Anita Dessaix is the Chair of Cancer Council Australia's Public Health Committee, Dr Raglan Maddox is an Associate Professor at the Tobacco Free team at Australian National University, and Theo Foukkare is CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores.Tesla shareholders have approved a record-breaking pay package for Elon Musk, a deal that could make the world's richest man the first person in history to become a trillionaire. So how did we get to a place where one person can accumulate so much wealth? And why is the gap widening between the world's richest and the rest of us? Carl Rhodes, Professor of Business and Society at the University of Technology Sydney and author of Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire.When you're stuck in a lift ... or waiting for a meeting to start, what's your go-to "small talk" opener? "Wow, it's hot today." "How was the traffic on the way here?" "Did you find somewhere to park?" Why do we even make small talk? And what happens if you just ... stop? Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones offers a deep-dive on small talk.

What would it take for home owners to let go of the idea of their house as a financial asset, and to re-think what owning a home means? One Australian capital city is bucking the trend of skyrocketing house prices. While investors groan, should we actually be celebrating this? How can we share the wealth around? Michael Fotheringham is CEO of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and Gavin Jackman is a Homes for Homes adviser.Keeping track of your subscriptions can feel like a full-time job.From streaming services to gym memberships, toilet paper deliveries and even cars that come with in-app purchases just to turn on heated seats — it's starting to feel like we're subscribed to everything, but actually own nothing.So how do we steer clear of subscription traps? Are consumer protections keeping up? And are we heading towards a future where ownership is a thing of the past? Chandni Gupta is Deputy CEO and Digital Policy Director at the Consumer Policy Research Centre and Kirsten Drysdale is an independent journalist and host of YouTube channel The Internet, Reviewed.Many schools don't offer swimming lessons. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they were cancelled altogether - and lots of kids never went back. Now advocates say teenagers need a refresher course. They are calling for older children to get back to swimming lessons - amid a spike in downing deaths in people between 10 and 20 years of age. Dr Justin Scarr is the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Life Saving and Julie Zancanaro is a swimming instructor.

We often think about consent as something related to sex, but consent plays a role in many everyday encounters. Talking to your kids about consent can be anxiety-inducing. What can be even harder is having that conversation with your parents, in-laws, uncles and aunts. But, with consent education becoming mandatory around the country, there are strategies parents can learn if they want to bring those lessons back to home-base. Jane Gilmore is a journalist, researcher and author of It Takes A Village To Teach Your Children About Consent and Vanessa Hamilton is a sexuality educator, registered sexual health nurse and author of Talking Sex: A Conversation Guide For Parents.

Around the country, it's getting more expensive to get rid of rubbish... and there are fewer places to dump it. It is a warning the waste industry has voiced for a decade, but for many councils, the reality is about to hit. On the Gold Coast, rubbish tips will be exhausted within a decade ... it's a similar story across Australia. So ... when the landfill runs out ... what do we do with all our waste? And how do we reduce the amount we produce in the first place? Rick Ralph is CEO of the Australian Resources Recovery Council and Professor John Thwaites is the Chair of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Former Chair of the Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group.At any given time there are 1,850 people waiting for a life changing organ transplant in Australia. What's it like to navigate the donation process? And what does it take to convince someone to make a donation that not only changes someone else's life, but theirs as well Rechelle Coombes is on waitlist for a pancreas and kidney transplant and Chris Thomas is CEO of Transplant Australia.The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, especially for Chris Martin's family. The Coldplay frontman's daughter recently sung at a gig in Nashville - and reviews have been mixed. So, is this an example of privilege and nepotism, or is Apple just following a time-honoured tradition ... and inheriting the family trade? Dan Woodman is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Melbourne.

If you don't own your home or if you live in an apartment and can't put panels on the roof, you've largely been locked out of the benefits of rooftop solar energy. In a small way, that changed this week when the government announced plans to give households access to free electricity for three hours every day ... in an effort to encourage energy use when excess solar power is being fed into the grid. Dr Saul Griffith is Chief Scientist at Rewiring Australia and Davood Dehestani is CEO and founder of energy start-up Smartizer.We're told it's getting harder to raise kids, amid a cost of living crunch. But that isn't what the numbers show. New research shows having kids is no more costly than it was a few decades ago ... so why does it feel that way? And if you need to be frugal - where should you put your pennies? What's the best thing you can invest in Associate Professor Ben Phillips is a Principal Research Fellow at the ANU's Centre for Social Research and Methods and Robyn Titmus is the mother of Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus.A new report out of Europe has shown that a few big name companies are creating children's toys that have harmful levels of chemicals on them. It's obviously not good news, but at this point is it even possible to avoid nasty chemicals that are already out there in the world, for us and our kids? Dr Rachael Wakefield-Rann is research principal at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at Univeristy of Technology Sydney

There are plenty of benefits to power-assisted pedal bikes, or "e-bikes", they're great for commuting or touring a new town. But not all e-bikes are created equal, some are so heavily modified they're basically motorbikes. One of the hardest things for parents to navigate is exactly what kind of e-bike might be safe for your child, and understanding the risks to their safety and others around them.If you've been diagnosed with coeliac disease, skipping gluten isn't a trend – it's a medical must. But for everyone else who swears they're "gluten sensitive" or "intolerant", is gluten really the villain it's made out to be? According to a new research review published in The Lancet, your gluten sensitivity could actually be something else entirely.Was your most picture-perfect holiday actually your best holiday? Science says we tend to conflate the two. So, why do perfect holiday photos make us feel we had a perfect holiday? And the book that changed Formula 1 engineer turned baking icon Kate Reid's life.

The rise of apps linked to childcare centres gives crucial reassurance to worried parents that children are safe and happy at daycare. Throughout the day, educators snap pictures of activities and upload them to the app.But what happens to the pictures and sensitive documents accumulated over the years on these apps? Some parents, like Niels Wouters, are finding out that when your child graduates to big school, their data doesn't automatically go with them. Luci Pangrazio is an Associate Professor at Deakin University and Chief Investigator at the Centre for the Digital Child and Nesha Hutchinson is Vice President of the Australian Childcare Alliance.Four years after the Aged Care Royal Commission's final report, one of the cornerstone reforms came into effect on Saturday: a new federal Aged Care Act. So do these changes bring us closer to a system we can trust to care for our parents ... and ourselves? Debra Nicholl is CEO of Elder Rights Australia and Lisa Backhouse has been advocating for aged care reforms and gave evidence to Royal Commission about the substandard level of care her mother experienced.In Australian primary schools, many tuckshops are struggling, teachers are paying for kids' lunches out of their own pockets, and some public primary schools are hiring chefs. And yet, many kids are still going to school hungry and without lunch. So, why is lunch a growing challenge for Australian schools? Bec Spink is the principal of Wirrigirri Primary School in Victoria and Rebecca Golley is Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Flinders University.

Author of the international bestseller The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living, Dr Russ Harris says ruminating, over-thinking and worrying can all be kinds of "suffering." Dr Harris says evidence shows that with practice, anyone can rewire their neural paths and dramatically shift their thinking patterns. And in Ask Aunty, a letter-writer asks, can I set the rules when my grandkids visit? This is a dilemma about a clash of parenting and grandparenting and the issue at play is screen-time. Aunties Denise Eriksen, Screen Careers Training Manager, I’m a Celeb Get Me Out of Here (UK), and Joe Sullivan, Radio National producer, offer their insights on the drama.

The Bureau of Meteorology has revamped its website and to say that people have strong opinions is an understatement. Whether you like or loathe it, the flood of reactions shows how the weather means so much more to us than small talk. So what is it about the weather... why are we so obsessed? Nate Byrne is ABC News Breakfast weather presenter and meteorologist and Lawrie Zion is professor of journalism at La Trobe University and author of The Weather Obsession.Commercial operators are using national parks for lodges, glamping, and private accommodation.New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service has called for expressions of interest from businesses to provide "supported camping" in 16 national parks and reserves across the state. So, is this a valuable source of revenue? Does it make our national parks more accessible? Or is this just privatising public space? Jessie Burke is President of Bushwalking NSW and Sonya Underdahl is Professor of Environmental Sociology, Edogawa University in Japan.Suzanne Somers was one of the biggest TV stars of the 1980s and 1990s... starring on sitcoms like Three's Company and Step by Step. She also made a name for herself marketing the iconic fitness gadget - the ThighMaster. Sadly, Suzanne died of cancer in 2023... but now her husband of 46 years has brought her back... kind of. Somers' widower Alan Hamel has created an AI clone of her and plans to upload it on her website, to be a 24/7 AI chatbot for her fans. So, is this ethical? Patrick Stokes is Associate Professor of philosophy at Deakin University.

In 2003, Courtney Act made a splash as a contestant on the first season of Australian Idol. And since then Australia's most famous drag queen has a string of achievements under her heels. But for many, Courtney made a more significant impact by educating people on queer issues such as gender fluidity and sexuality. Now the man behind Courtney - Shane Jenek - is stepping into the spotlight. And he's just released his first children's book titled Confetti and the Rainbow Garden.For many people, their bedtime involves tech... wearable sleep trackers like rings and watches... even gadgets for under the mattress. Sleep monitoring is a booming industry. People who are deep into analysing their shut-eye have even been labelled "sleep data nerds." But is all this extra data helping people get a more restful night's sleep? Dr Donald Lee is a respiratory and sleep physician at Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and Dr Dean Miller is a sleep and circadian scientist at CQ University.It might be hard to believe but one of the biggest social media platforms Instagram turned 15 years old this month. From the carefree days of grainy filters and photos of Sunday brunch to influencers and doomscrolling, social media has shaped our lives in so many ways. So are our lives better or worse with social media? And with the growth of AI, what does the future look like on these platforms? Jean Burgess is a distinguished professor of digital media at Queensland University of Technology and Konrad Benjamin is a former teacher and founder of Punter's Politics.

Jimmy Wales might not have the name recognition of Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk, but his invention has been just as influential to the history of the modern internet. He co-founded a website you might have open in another tab on the device you're looking at right now: Wikipedia. He has written a new book called The Seven Rules of Trust: Why it is Today's Most Essential Superpower. Did you have a Facebook account around 2013? If you did... you may be eligible for compensation from its parent company Meta as part of a landmark $50m privacy breach payout here in Australia. The payments stem from Facebook's involvement in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a massive data breach in the 2010s. Dr Katharine Kemp is an Associate professor at the faculty of law and justice at UNSW.

In Victoria, some foster carers are reporting sudden reductions in their allowances for looking after children with high-level needs. It highlights the ongoing challenges around the country when it comes to finding foster carers for children who need safe and stable homes. So, what needs to change? Emma is a foster carer, Samantha Hauge is Chief executive of the Foster Care Association of Victoria, and Renée Leigh is CEO of Adopt Change, and member of the National Foster & Kinship Care Collective.In Queensland, it's illegal to feed or rehome stray cats.Councils favour trapping and euthanising - in a bid to protect wildlife. We could be about to see changes to the regulations. So, how do we strike a balance between kindness to all animals - and preserving our fragile ecosystem? John Tracey is CEO of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland and Jacquie Rand is the Executive Director of Australian Pet Welfare Foundation.There's a new type of consumer pricing that’s targeted just to you – personalised pricing. It’s a price set just for you, based on how much a company thinks you’re willing to pay for something because of your own distinct internet trail. So how do you know if this is happening to you? And is there anything you can do about it? Meg Elkins is an associate professor of behavioural and applied economics at RMIT University.

Do you feel like you are heard, appreciated and cared for? The concept of "Mattering" is increasingly seen as playing a key role in how positive you feel about your life. Professor Gordon Flett is at the forefront of research in this field. He is Professor Emeritus of psychology at York University in Canada and the author of The Psychology of Mattering: Understanding the Human Need to be Significant and Mattering as a Core Need in Children and Adolescents.And in Ask Aunty, when your family's bin is constantly overflowing… And there's one across the street that's consistently empty….. is that too good an opportunity to go to waste? So, does victimless bin appropriation exist? Today's aunties are comedian Geraldine Hickey and Simon Kennedy-Jewell, Ethi-Call counsellor for The Ethics Centre.

A new study from RMIT has found bringing residential speed limits down from 50 to 30 kilometres an hour would protect cyclists. Other studies show a drop in residential speed limits even more benefits, especially for our kids. So what do we need to do to make our streets safe, healthy and places that encourage us to get outside and play? Jennifer Kent is a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney's school of architecture, design and planning and Robyn Monro Miller AM is chief executive of Play Australia.Infertility is a taboo topic at the best of times, and when it comes to male infertility, the stigma can have big consequences for starting a family. New guidelines have just been implemented to inform and shape the care heterosexual couples going through infertility will receive. But will they reduce the stigma for blokes seeking help for infertility? Father-of-two Jason Wylie shares his story of infertility and Associate Professor Darren Katz, urologist and male fertility specialist, discusses the new guidelines.New research found one in seven adult Australians could imagine falling in love with an AI chatbot. It comes as the world's most popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, prepares to roll out a new version that includes erotic conversations and the ability to "act like a friend." So is this innovation? Can a bot help alleviate loneliness? Or are there too many risks when you replace human connection with AI? Social media content creator Mia Anastasia says she treats ChatGPT as a friend. Professor Jeannie Paterson is Co-director of the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics, University of Melbourne and Scott Watters is CEO and Founder of the youth mental health service LifeChanger.

Many people have mixed feelings about their smartphone. It's a convenience that is hard to put down. But it can make it challenging to be fully present with the people you're with. One coastal town south of Sydney has seen a grassroots movement to keep kids and adults off their devices. Instead, they're running phone-free events with board games, art, and even knitting! So, how do you find balance between your online and offline world? Jane Bourne is the founder of Kiama Unplugged and Australia Unplugged and Jocelyn Brewer is a Psychologist and founder of Digital Nutrition.Will coins and cash soon be just for collecting? The federal government has released draft legislation requiring supermarkets and service stations to accept cash for at least another three years. But there are plenty of exemptions. Jason Bryce is the spokesperson for Cash Welcome and Nicole Pederson-McKinnon is a financial literacy expert.Whether you've been pregnant or not, you're probably familiar with the term "morning sickness." But have you heard of Hyperemesis gravidarum? It's an illness that can have dire consequences for mums-to-be, so why don't we take it more seriously? Nicoles Rowles is a Brisbane mum who had Hyperemesis gravidarum and Caitlin Kay-Smith is the Founder of Hyperemesis Australia a charity supporting women with the condition.

Teachers and schools are constantly trying to figure out the best way to handle challenging behaviour. One of the go-to tools? Suspension. One in five students in NSW has been suspended from school... and new research shows that being excluded not only affects academic performance ... but mental wellbeing as well. So when is suspension the right option? Mark Johnson is Youth Programs Coordinator for south west Sydney YMCA, Angela Falkenberg is the President of the Australian Primary Principals Association, and Professor Kristin Laurens is Program Co-Leader of the Health and Wellbeing Program at Queensland University of Technology's School of Psychology & Counselling.The ABC has launched a new interactive tool that brings together thousands of years of oral histories that have been passed down for generations. The Deep Time website tells the ancient story of our continent and its people... and explores Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture over 65,000 years. The site covers everything from how people migrated across the land, how they survived an ice age.. and how they lived alongside megafauna. Solua Middleton is co-executive producer of Deep Time and Dr Noel Nannup contributed to the project.Have you heard about the tiny bakery in Sydney that's supposedly selling cinnamon scrolls that are to die for? Every weekend, the lure of baked good from Sundays Bondi draws a line of people that stretches down the road. Are the cinnamon scrolls worth a one-hour wait? Who knows! Does the act of queuing for hours to buy something increase the thrill when you finally get it? Or are expectations sky-high and destined to result in disappointment? Dr Paul Harrison is a senior lecturer in marketing at Deakin Business School.

According to a new study, our overall mental functioning is at its highest between 55 and 60. Good news if the number of candles on your birthday cake is getting harder to count. You're about to hear from the man behind this research to unpack what this means... and from a specialist in older people's health on how to make the most of this peak. Gilles Gignac, from the School of Psychological Science at the University of Western Australia, unpacks what the research means for everyone. Dr. Stephanie Ward is a geriatrician and voices the ABC TV series Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds.COVID completely changed the way many of us saw a doctor. Gone are the days of sitting in the GP's waiting room, flicking through old magazines as you waited to be seen. Telehealth is a great convenience for many of us, and especially if you're living in a rural community with less access to healthcare. But, does telehealth come at a cost? What are the benefits, and the risks, when we go online for our healthcare? Justin Untersteiner is the CEO of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and Dr Centaine Snoswell is a health economist at the University of Queensland.If you thought once the kids hit adulthood, then the family trip was done, you'd be wrong. Research shows multigenerational holidays and large group family trips are a popular trend. According to the Family Travel Association - over 50% of parents say they're planning to travel with both their children and kids' grandparents. And a new trend study by an international hotel chain... found that skip-generation travel is also popular.... That's when a grandparent and grandchild book a trip together... and leave the parents at home! Dianne Bortoletto is a freelance travel writer and Jackie O'Connor is co-founder and co-host of The Modern Grandparenting Podcast.

What does "relationship maintenance" look like for you and your partner? Do you consider a relationship to be a living thing that requires care? Or have you got more of a "she'll be right" mentality? Psychotherapist Marryam Chehelnabi is the therapist on SBS's Couples Therapy Australia.And in Ask Aunty, what should you do if your group chat mates have been laughing about you behind your digital back? After the initial horror -- would you call it out? Today's aunties are James Findlay, ABC broadcaster and journalist, and comedian Annie Louey.

Wealth inequality is worsening and new figures show 1 in 7 Australians now live below the poverty line. So what impact would introducing a universal basic income really have? Jessica Chew, co-director of Basic Income Australia, and Simon Cowan, Research Director at the Centre for Independent Studies, debate this thorny issue.Extreme weather events are becoming more common, and that's making insurance harder to afford - or in some places, impossible to get. Even if you are covered, payouts and repairs can take months... or even years. But what if you didn't have to wait at all? Paula Jarzabkowski, Professor in Strategy, School of Business at the University of Queensland, discusses parametric insurance. Voting has closed for ABC Radio National's Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. We've been asking some notable readers to share the book that changed their life. This week, Astrid Jorgensen, the founder and director of Pub Choir, discusses her special book.Recently in the United States, six former surgeons general - their country's leading spokespeople on public health - joined forces to write an opinion piece for The Washington Post. They argued Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should not be in his current position as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Patrick Stokes, Associate Professor of philosophy at Deakin University, explores the ethics of speaking truth to power.

Today’s young travellers are chasing something very different when they head overseas. Sunrise yoga, ‘run club’ tours, and meaningful cultural experiences are replacing the boozy bus tours of the past. Quentin Long, Managing Director, Australian Traveller Media and Dean Vowles, Contiki Brand Partnership & Product Manager, discuss how coming-of-age travel is evolving. Israel and Hamas have both released captives, to long-awaited hugs, tears, and relief. But these moments don't come easy. Negotiations are fragile and hard-fought - when every message, every word, carries the weight of human life. So, what's it like to negotiate the release of hostages? Stephen Davis is an Australian hostage negotiator and shares his experiences.Ending a relationship shortly before you're set to say "I Do" can be complex. It's an emotionally charged time, family and friends are invested in the big day.... not to mention the financial fall-out and tricky logistics. Phoebe Rogers broke up with her fiancée two months before the big day. Psychologist and Policy Coordinator at the Australian Association of Psychologists, Carly Dober, explains the emotional factors at play when you have second-thoughts.

In less than two months, being a teenager in Australia will change in a big way. Kids under 16 will be kicked off most social media platforms - under a new government ban... which is supposed to protect the mental health of young people, and limit their exposure to harmful content. But some are already finding ways to stay on the platforms. In some cases, their parents are supporting their mission. Crikey tech reporter Cam Wilson discusses how effective the ban will be.Four million Australians work between 6pm and 6am - from nurses and cleaners to delivery drivers and security staff. But the people who keep our cities running after dark are largely invisible in planning. Researchers from the University of Melbourne’s Night Shift project say it’s time to design cities that better support night-time workers. So what would that look like? Dr Anna Edwards is a Research Fellow in Urban Studies at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Cities and Andrew Copolov is the founder of the Gig Workers Hub.This year multiple stories of embryo mix-ups and surprise donor-conceived siblings have come to light, highlighting issues in the assisted reproductive technology sector. It's led to a rapid review of the IVF industry, and now that report is in. Although there are wins for strengthening oversight of the sector, some are saying it doesn't go far enough. Karin Hammarberg is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine at Monash University.When two people marry, they'll bring with them different hobbies, different expectations, and different ways of communicating. So, it's unlikely you'll mesh perfectly, 100 per cent of the time. But - those disconnects can leave you feeling... well, lonely. Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones discusses whether some level of loneliness in a marriage is to be expected.

Nowadays it seems like there's a dietary supplement for everything. To ward off potential illnesses. To support mental wellness. To help with weight loss. And to enhance your fitness regime. So what's fueling supplement culture? And is it really making us healthier? Dr Michael Bonning is a GP and Chair of Public Health for the Australian Medical Association and Emma Fernance suffered vitamin B6 toxicity after taking iron supplements.Agrihoods are booming in the US, and several projects are now in the early planning stages in Australia. Advocates say they bring farm-to-table living to suburban communities and reconnect people with where their food comes from. Steve Grist is an agrihood advocate and founder of Arkadian Developments and Dr Jason Hilder is an urban geographer and Chair of Co-Housing Australia.Financial Counselling Australia has just released a set of principles aimed at guiding organisations to better respond to financial hardship. So if you find yourself in financial stress, what should you do? And how should you expect a business to treat you? Dr Domenique Meyrick is CEO of Financial Counselling Australia, which runs the National Debt Helpline.Actor, artist and author of "Say Everything: A Memoir", Ione Skye reveals how she makes and spends her money in In My Two Cents.

In a conversation on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Madonna opened up about making peace with her brother Christopher Ciccone before he died in 2024. The pair had been estranged for many years. So, how can you reconnect with estranged family? And how do you know if it's the right decision for you? Naomi Mourra reconciled with her family after years of estrangement. And Dr Zoe Krupka, psychotherapist and senior lecturer at the Cairnmillar Institute, explains how you can safely take the first step.It can be awkward to split the bill with friends. But when you’re at a new friend’s birthday dinner and you think it's their shout, then get handed a massive bill…What do you do? Aunties Jenny Valentish, journalist and author of The Introvert's Guide to Leaving the house, and Nate Byrne, weather presenter and meteorologist on ABC News Breakfast, share their insights.

A new global diet plan focuses not only on what you put into your body ... but how to produce food to keep the planet healthy. The EAT-Lancet Commission says adopting its diet recommendations could prevent 40,000 early deaths per day across the world... and cut emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The diet's key message: eat way less meat and more plants. Briar McKenzie is an accredited dietitian and Senior Research Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health and Professor Ben Lyons is Director at the USQ Centre for Rural Economies.In 2011, Turia Pitt was caught in a grassfire while competing in the 100km Kimberley ultra marathon in Western Australia. She suffered burns to 65% of her body. She lost seven fingers, had more than 200 medical procedures, and spent two years in recovery. In her new book, Selfish, she turns her focus to different challenges - those as a parent and partner. She explores sacrifice, guilt, and burnout.Recently, 600 couples from the South American nation of Paraguay were married simultaneously in a gym. Is this a genius way to get around the financial strain of throwing a wedding? Or is it somehow less special than a ceremony of your own? What makes weddings so special anyway? They're expensive. They're full of drama. And they rarely turn out exactly how you wanted. Dan Woodman, Professor of Sociology at the University of Melbourne, discusses why weddings still have a role in people's lives.

Last week's big celebrity news that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban had ended their marriage after 19 years came as a bit of a shock. And within a day... came the next update... Keith has reportedly moved on and is in a new relationship. While we're talking about two global superstars here... in a lot of ways, they're also going through a pretty relatable experience. About 30% of Australian marriages end in divorce....and many people go on to find new partners and remarry. Kate Halfpenny is a journalist and author who's written about endings and beginnings in her own relationships. Elisabeth Shaw is a clinical psychologist and CEO of Relationships Australia NSW.Its estimated one in six Australian students receive private tutoring to help them catch up or get ahead at school. However, the billion-dollar industry remains largely unregulated, with no national standards or enforced accreditation. A new University of Sydney study warns this 'shadow' education sector is putting student safety, learning quality and fairness at risk. Dr Ben Zunica has researched the private tutoring industry and identified some concerns. He's from Sydney School of Education & Social Work, University of Sydney. Chantelle Ford is a private tutor and owner of Attain Education.A really meaningful piece of jewellery can feel like it's part of you... but some people take that to the next level with pieces that are literally made with body parts. Elton John for instance -- he had a double kneecap replacement surgery last year, then hired a jeweller to fashion his old kneecaps into shiny gold jewellery... a pendant and a brooch. Our taste in jewellery is pretty personal... One person's dream engagement ring is another person's gaudy horror. So, how did jewellery become the status symbol it is today? And what's your relationship with your jewellery? Adrian Dickens is a personal jeweller and lecturer with ArtsNational.

Children are reading less and less. And adults? Well, we're not much better. A new report shows that kids need the time, space and a little helping hand to fall in love with reading. So why don't we have more dedicated spaces for kids to explore books? Jane Cowell is President of the Australian Library and Information Association, Megan Daley is a teacher-librarian, and Anna Burkey is head of Australia Reads.What if the leading performer in the next movie you saw wasn't human, but an AI entity? Tilly Norwood is young, brunette, with brown eyes and what sounds like an English accent. She's an AI-generated creation made by an artificial intelligence talent studio. So, what do audiences think? And how do AI performers affect living, breathing, creatives? Katina Michael is a Professor of technology, strategy, and innovation and visiting research scientist at the University of Sydney, Robert Sparrow is a Professor of Philosophy at Monash University, and Karen Jacobsen is a singer, songwriter, and voice of Apple's virtual assistant, Siri.It can be easier to outsource errands on your phone. Especially if those chores involve a trip to the shops with your kids. But is avoiding the hassle of the shopping centre car park and in-store meltdowns worth what you miss when their face lights up as they find the shoes that fit just right? Or the incidental deep and meaningful chats in the car What falls by the wayside in our relentless pursuit for efficiency? Dr Paul Harrison is Chair of Consumer Behaviour at Deakin University's Business School.

Bob Brown is a former politician, doctor, and environmentalist who was the leader of the Australian Greens. In his new book, Defiance: Stories from Nature and Its Defenders, he inspires a new generation to take action. He reflects on the value of nature and shares what motivates him to keep fighting. Australia has a shortage of GPs, particularly in rural, regional and remote areas. But, one GP clinic in regional Victoria is tackling the problem in a creative way by offering a reward to anyone in their community who can help recruit a doctor! John McColl is the co-owner of Beechworth Surgery and Dr Anita Munoz is the Victorian Chair of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.Midwife Oceane Campbell has lost count of the number of babies she's helped bring into the world. In her new memoir, she shares hilarious births, unexpectedly early arrivals and heartbreaking moments when things don't go according to plan.

When was the last time you had fun or experienced joy? It's something you'd assume should be pretty easy, but sometimes it can feel hard. That struggle to feel joy or notice the small joyful moments in our day is actually very normal. Dr Desiree Koslowski is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Southern Cross University and Dr Kerry Burnright is a gerontologist and author of a new book called Joyspan: A Short Guide to Enjoying Your Long Life.What should you do to support a friend who has bad luck with relationships? Letter-writer Morgan says she's fed-up with a friend who she thinks is scared to be alone. The friend's latest relationship is just eight months old and they've already broken up and reunited several times. Writer and author Patrick Lenton and comedian Urvi Majumdar discuss whether it's possible to help a friend without the emotional labour taking its toll on you.

Travel can have its frustrations: A cancelled flight, lost bags, a lengthy delay forcing you to spend hours at an airport, and the stress of trying to rebook the family's holiday at the last minute. The Federal Government has released new rules to establish reasonable standards for airlines and airports ... like when refunds should be issued and when food and drink vouchers are appropriate. So, what protections would you like to make your airline travel smoother? Traveller Peter Mansell had a planned trip to Bali that didn't go according to plan, Adam Glezer is founder of Consumer Champion, and Andy Kelly is Choice's Deputy Director of Campaigns.The internet pile-on is a well-established phenomenon in 2025. We've been living our lives online for decades now, so is it time for our behaviour on the internet to turn a corner? In two new projects, podcaster and author Clare Stephens asks what would we learn if we paused, just as the pitchforks are coming out, to ask what are we actually trying to achieve here? Have you ever wondered how to get your mug on a quiz show? Or have you wondered who comes up with all those left-field questions? Hamish Watt is the senior question producer for one of the country's highest rating quiz shows - Channel 9's Tipping Point Australia.Dawsons Creek. Little Britain. Friends. At the time, you thought these TV shows were hilarious. But by 2025 standards, they haven't aged well. But is that fair? Patrick Stokes, Associate Lecturer in Philosophy at Deakin University, debates whether we can view things that were made in a different time with different ethical standards and moral expectations.

The deep exhaustion of burnout makes it feel like you'll never emerge at the other end. A 2023 report found 80% of the Australian workforce struggles with burnout. So, what are the signs you are headed for a crash? How do you course-correct? Dr Roland Bull shares his personal experience of burnout and Dr Rachel Hannam, Clinical Director at North Brisbane Psychologists, talks about the steps you can take to overcome burnout.In Melissa Leong's new book Guts: A memoir of food, failure and taking impossible chances, she explores themes of abuse in the hospitality industry, racism, and mental health. The MasterChef judge also reveals how her career in food was an accident. In 2016, Peter Drew's posters became some of the most recognisable art in the country. He made his "Aussie" posters at a time of great distress about rising racism and anti-immigration sentiment. Now he's decided, 10 years from the first poster going up, it's time to relaunch the project.

One advocacy group wants 2026 to be the first year where you can watch the footy finals without the gambling ads. Can you even picture it? Currently, gambling ads are all-pervasive - on jerseys, on the TV between tackles and even on the field itself. Martin Thomas is CEO of Alliance for Gambling Reform and Dylan Jacotine is sharing his recovery from gambling addiction online.Students and staff at Australia's universities feel "betrayed, undermined and let down" according to the chair of a senate inquiry examining governance at our higher education institutions. Meanwhile, new Deakin University research found one third of Australians do not trust universities and two in five agree university managers "are more focused on revenue than quality." Deakin University's vice chancellor Professor Iain Martin says whether this is perception or reality makes little difference now.When's the last time you read a poem? Perhaps you were at a wedding, a funeral, or another special occasion. Or maybe you're the one who has written a sonnet for a special someone. In the age of algorithms and distraction – what's the role of poetry? Erik Jensen is the author of a poetry collection titled A Lick of Fireweed. He is also editor-in-chief and chief executive of Schwartz Media. School's out! And a lot of lucky families are at the beach, or somewhere exotic or far-flung. But if you're not posting postcard-perfect pics on Instagram, it's easy to feel a strong sense of FOMO - fear of missing out. Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones explains how can you put the green-eyed monster in its place.Statement from Responsible Wagering Australia CEO Kai Cantwell: The industry has already reduced TV advertising by 71% over the past five years. Banning advertising won’t stop people from gambling - it will simply hand the market to illegal offshore operators who aggressively target vulnerable Australians and children online, refuse to pay out winnings, contribute nothing to Australian sport, racing or tax revenue, and operate without any of the safeguards licensed providers must follow.That’s why a balanced, middle-ground approach is needed - one that reduces children’s exposure to ads while keeping gambling within the regulated system, which polling shows is what Australians want.

In Victoria, there's a push to charge a fee to view the iconic Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road. Around the country, some of our national parks are free, but you pay to visit the most popular, like Kakadu. Nearly all of our beaches are free... but you'll get often slugged for parking. So, what's reasonable when it comes to charging access to Australia's great natural wonders? Liz Price is General manager of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism and Professor Sarah Gardiner is Director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism.Keeping up with the best, most up-to-date nutrition information that's backed by science isn't always easy. Just recently, a study that spruiked the benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss was retracted. But is the genie already out of the bottle? How hard is it to unpick scientific research that people have already been told is good, when it in fact goes bad? Simone Pettrigrew is Director of Health promotion at George Institute for Global Health.ABC Radio National has launched its Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Over the next few weeks, you can vote for the books that you believe belong on the list. We're asking some notable readers to tell me about the book that changed their life, and sat down with host of The Assembly Leigh Sales.Tesla's latest software upgrade has arrived on our shores. A software update just dropped... and it upgrades your car, to take a ton of driving tasks off your hands. But experts say driverless technology can be fraught with issues. Hussein Dia is Professor of Future Urban Mobility at Swinburne University of Technology.

For many of us, friendship groups are a key part of our social circle. Maybe it's your friend group from school or uni... or the gang you bonded with at your first job... it could be the parent group at your child's school. Friendship groups can be a source of joy, comfort, and camaraderie. They can also be tricky to navigate and Sahra O'Doherty, President of the Australian Association of Psychologists, offers some advice about how to walk that line.And in Ask Aunty, letter-writer Lydia and her husband are in their 70s, and slowing down a bit. So they think it seems fair that, after all those years of managing everything, their children should do some of the heavy lifting. But what happens when their children seem unwilling? Aunties Denise Eriksen, journalist and executive Director of Screen Careers, and Bridie Jabour, author, journalist and associate editor at Guardian Australia, offer their advice.

For decades the thinking has been that bringing together people from different cultural or religious groups would be enough to effectively reduce prejudice in society. But new research from the University of Queensland says that method simply isn't working anymore. Staying prejudiced isn't an option if we want to live in a peaceful country. So how can we open the door of our echo chambers, and let other voices in? Dr Alexander O'Donnell is a research fellow at the Univeristy of Queensland's Institute of Social Science Research, Giridharan Sivaraman is the Race Discrimination Commissioner and Rabbi Zalman Kastel is the founder of Together for Humanity, an educational organisation that works to combat prejudice.In Victoria, plans are underway to memorialise former Premier Daniel Andrews with a bronze statue. Meanwhile, there's also a push to immortalise one of Melbourne's former local pollies, Darebin councillor Gaetano Greco. So who - if anyone, really - should get a statue in contemporary Australia? Clare McCracken is a Senior Lecturer at RMIT University's School of Art and Robert Hitchcock is a sculptor who has captured dozens of people in bronze. If you're a fan of 90s sitcoms, you'll know that the friendship depicted in the sitcom Friends isn't necessarily representative of real life. People in their mid to late-twenties, seemingly working very little, and spending every day and night, sitting around, drinking coffee and chatting with their mates. But contrary to this, many of us will finish school, then spend the next few years wondering where all our mates went. Dan Woodman, Professor of Sociology at the University of Melbourne, discusses why young adults are seemingly lonelier than older people.

The US President Donald Trump has linked autism to vaccines ... even pointing the finger at paracetamol. His claims have been widely criticised by medical experts worldwide and Australian regulators have been quick to point out the safety of both vaccines and paracetamol. But when a US President speaks, the ripple effects are global... and Australia's autism community is paying close attention. Dr Andrew Whitehouse is Deputy Director of The Kids Research Institute Australia and a director of Autism Awareness Australia. Autism activist Dr Jac den Houting is a Senior Research Fellow at La Trobe University, and ABC Top 5 Humanities Resident for 2025.As Australians face increasing time pressures both at home and work, the number of volunteers has dropped. So how can you make the time to keep your volunteering commitments alive? Mark Pearce is the CEO of Volunteering Australia and Bhawana Basnet is a finalist in the Queensland Volunteer Awards 2025.There is a deepening divide in society and no matter what side of politics you sit on ... or even if you consider yourself removed from politics ... the "us versus them" mentality is wide-spread. Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones discusses what's behind this thinking.

For a long time signing an online petition was seen as the slackest form of activism. But now the digital world has supercharged petitions. Australia's under 16 social media ban started as an online petition. Supported by regular people, calling for change. Whether it's slowing down traffic on your street or shaking up national policy, petitions can give regular people power. Julie-Ann Finney led a petition calling for a Royal Commission into Veteran suicides. Paige Mulholland is communications manager at Change.org and Dr Sky Croeser is a senior lecturer in Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry at Curtin University.Last week, New South Wales' first public long COVID clinic announced it will close its doors at the end of the month. In a statement, St Vincent's Hospital said patients who had been visiting the clinic would continue to receive the same comprehensive care but "within well-established clinical frameworks and with specialist input available as required". The statement also said: "Patients currently under the care of the Long COVID Service will be contacted directly by our team in the coming days to discuss their transition and ongoing symptom management." But the clinic's closure is leaving many long COVID patients frustrated and angry... and unsure exactly how they will manage their condition, which is complex and can be debilitating. And as we approach the sixth anniversary of COVID first surfacing ... patients, clinicians and researchers are still grappling with some basic questions. Why are some people struck down with long COVID and not others? How can we better diagnose it? What treatments will help the most? And how can we ensure all Australians have access to this help? Charlotte Sangster is living with long COVID and Dr Emma Tippett is a Clinical Research Fellow at the Burnet Institute and Founder of the Clinic Nineteen.If you're on any kind of social media, you may have seen this mythical dessert popping up everywhere. Dubai chocolate. It's milk chocolate, filled with pistachio cream. But what's really remarkable is how much it costs - about $25 for a standard-sized block. There's the same excitement around Labubus, Ooshies, and even - if you were around in the 90s - the Beanie Baby craze. So, is an item going viral enough to make it worth something? Dr Paul Harrison, Deakin University's head of Consumer Behaviour, discusses what makes some trends reach fever pitch... and others fizzle.In our regular segment My Two Cents, we ask those questions you'd rather not answer about money. In this episode, hear how veteran rock and roller Mick Thomas of Weddings, Parties, Anything and The Roving Commission, makes his money decisions.

A new report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics paints a pretty dire snapshot of the nation's health and wellbeing. It shows that you and I are living in a society that's more socially fragmented, less happy, and less healthy than it has been in years. So, what is needed to live a happier, and healthier life? A panel of experts weighs in on the nation's health, including Dr Jenny Gordon, ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, Nancy Pachana, geropsychologist, University of Queensland, and Kim van Schooten from the UNSW School of Population Health.Consumer decisions are now heavily driven by online reviews. Australians can offer online opinions on restaurants, cafes, hair salons, mechanics, call centres... even local schools. But on the flip side, a business can live or die on the power of reviews. One study found 98% of Australians read online reviews before making a purchase. So, how much weight do you give online reviews when you're making a purchase, deciding where to eat, or planning a holiday? Professor Gary Mortimer, retail consumer behaviour expert at QUT Business School, shares his insights. And Cafe Fifty Two co-owner Aisha Jones reveals how she fought back when a customer left her a one-star review. ABC Radio National has launched its Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Over the next few weeks, you can vote for the books that you believe belong on the list. We're asking some notable readers to tell us about the book that changed their life. This week, we spoke to former Play School host Simon Burke. The way we think about risk for kids has changed drastically over a generation or two, moving towards a world with all the sharp edges and trip hazards removed. While the chance of harm is minimised, no one is ever challenged in environments with zero risk. Research shows that the benefit does outweigh the risk when it comes to risky play, and a new study includes a tool to calculate exactly where that inflection point is. David Eager, Professor of Risk Management and Injury Prevention at the University of Technology Sydney, breaks down the benefits and harms.