Life Matters - Full program podcast

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Helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. Let's talk! With trusted experts and your stories, Life Matters is all about what matters to you.

-1 J

Finding a place to feel at home and bringing a pet as a plus-one

When you think of your home, what springs to mind? For some, home is their happy place, a sanctuary of comfort and calm. But for others, it's complicated. Psychologist Chris Cheers discusses what it means to feel at home in our space, mind and body. And Ask Aunty delves into pet politics — Denise Eriksen and James Colley discuss how to deal with a mate's four-legged friend if you're not that enamoured by a slobbery extra guest under the dinner table.

54 min
-2 J

Scott Pape's vision for kids' cash and reimagining the verge garden

School is back and across the ditch there's a new subject in the New Zealand curriculum: financial education will be taught in classrooms from year 1 to 10. The Barefoot Investor author Scott Pape discusses how Australia could incorporate financial lessons into our own curriculum. There's a turf war in Melbourne right now over who's responsible for maintaining the nature strip on either side of the road. But could there be a better way to make use of these public pockets of land? Giving your child a name that suits them can feel like an impossible task, and we turn to our own cultural touchpoints for inspiration. So what does it say about our cultural references when Charlotte, Oliver, Amelia and Noah top the charts every year?

55 min
-3 J

Rethinking cancer survival and dressing for expression in your third age

Australia is a world leader in cancer survival, with more than 1.6 million people now living with and beyond cancer. But survival alone doesn't tell the whole story. Cancer survivor and researcher Professor Phoebe Phillips and Professor Bogda Koczwara from the Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship discuss how to support people not just during the early stages of care, but for the long run. What age did you consider yourself "too old" to wear certain outfits? Playwright Peta Murray and author David Carlin share what they learned about the complexities of aging through caring for their elderly parents and reflecting on their experience in a new memoir, How to Dress for Old Age. Around one in seven Australians lives with tinnitus, a debilitating condition that can affect our social lives, our work and even how we get to sleep. As part of Tinnitus Awareness Week, a group of researchers from around the world have joined forces to push sound-based therapies designed to help people reduce the noise.

55 min
-4 J

A reality check on women's sport and convincing your boss to let you work from home

While women's sport is booming in Australia, beneath the surface there are signs of a culture that's lagging behind. Accusations of disrespect, mistreatment and exclusion are still bubbling away — and one regional Victorian women's team has walked away from their club altogether. ABC Sport reporter Marnie Vinall, researcher Rochelle Eime and West Brunswick AFC president Lydia Holt unpack what it actually takes to turn spaces built by men, for men, into places where women truly belong. The pandemic entrenched working from home, and these days, millions of people are logging in remotely to do everything they once did in the office. But if your boss is not so keen on the idea of you working from home, how can you make the case for it? Melissa Wheeler digs into new research looking at which flexible work requests are most effective. An Australian designer has released a copycat version of the iconic Birkin handbag, retailing for a fraction of the price. It begs the question: how much more are we willing to pay for "authentic" products or experiences? Paul Harrison discusses whether fake can still be fashionable, and how important authenticity is to real consumers.

55 min
-5 J

Falling in love at the dog park and healing through companionship

The dog park is a magical place for our four-legged friends. But it's also a unique space for humans to connect with each other, form friendships, build community, and in some cases, even fall in love. Co-creator of ABC's new comedy Dog Park Amanda Higgs and animal-human relationship specialist Tiffani Howell discuss what makes dog park friendships so special. When John Davey became a quadruple amputee, he spent eight months lying in a hospital bed before a chance meeting in rehab showed him the true meaning of companionship. Could social connection be the key to recovery? A new survey shows around 70 per cent of kids travel to school by car, missing out on the benefits that come with active travel. So how can we get more out of our daily commute? Kieran Brophy shares the successes of a Victorian pilot program to get more kids walking to school.

55 min
29 JANV.

Simone Stolzoff on how to nurture your non-work self

If you've always defined who you are by what you do, you may have found it difficult to nurture other parts of your identity. But journalist and author of the Good Enough Job, Simone Stolzoff argues there are ways to downsize the role of work in your life. And, aunties Nelly Thomas and Annie Louey weigh in on when it's helpful to step into your 12-year-old's social life and when it's not.

55 min
28 JANV.

The magic of family stories and why you're drawn to doomscrolling

If your kids asked you what metadata is, or how an algorithm works, or why they still have to write an essay even though ChatGPT can do it for them, would you have a good answer? Dr Niraj Lal is the author of a new book that aims to give teenagers the tools they need to understand and demystify the internet. We all have that one family member who's told the same story a thousand times. But these stories matter — they help situate you in your own history and tell you something about who you are. Lorin Clarke shares her experience in documenting the stories of her late father and beloved satirist John Clarke, while Professor Kasia Bail explains all the benefits of reminiscing about the past. Should we bear witness to human suffering through our screens? What compels us to watch and share videos depicting violence and crisis — and does doing so help anyone beyond ourselves? Associate Professor in Philosophy Patrick Stokes unpacks the ethical dilemma of doomscrolling.

55 min
27 JANV.

What it takes to become an astronaut and how to build heat-proof housing

When she was five, Katherine Bennell-Pegg looked up at the stars and never looked back. While most childhood dreams drift back to Earth, hers didn't. The 2026 Australian of the Year reflects on the determination it takes to become an astronaut, and what compels someone to push beyond the limits and boldly go where we've never gone before. After another week of record-breaking heat, it's pretty clear a lot of our homes simply aren't designed for the climate we live in. So how can we design our homes so that they're a sanctuary once more, instead of an oven? Do we treat female voices differently to male voices? New research suggests when it comes to AI assistants, there's a clear divide. So what does that say about us, and does it really matter?

55 min

Tout afficher (1,5 k)

Hilary Harper

Animation
Michael Mackenzie

Animation
Tegan Taylor

Animation
Phoebe Phillips

Personne invitée
Marnie Vinall

Personne invitée
Lydia Holt

Personne invitée
Rochelle Eime

Personne invitée
Melissa Wheeler

Personne invitée
Paul Harrison

Personne invitée
Amanda Higgs

Personne invitée

Helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. Let's talk! With trusted experts and your stories, Life Matters is all about what matters to you.