Life Matters - Full program podcast

ABC Australia

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Relationships
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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.

17 hr ago

An ode to aunties and uncles and how Dolly Parton will be remembered by little readers

We celebrate mother's day, father's day, and even invite the grandparents along to kindy once a year to partake in special craft activities, but are we overlooking the role of our beloved aunties and uncles? Journalists Kate Leaver and Tiger Webb explain the special relationship they each have with their nieces and nephews, and how being an aunty and an uncle has changed them. As the world reflects on the life of Dolly Parton, who died overnight aged 80, millions of children will remember her simply as "the book lady". Among her many accolades, one of her proudest achievements was establishing the Imagination Library. Lindsey McKee, CEO of United Way, which runs the free book program in Australia, shares how Dolly Parton's legacy made it all the way to Tamworth. This northern hemisphere summer has been punishingly hot, a real mood killer if you were planning a glamorous Euro trip. And the summer looming here could be just as bad. New research shows that a fifth of people surveyed had changed their most recent holiday because of the weather. So what does our changing climate mean for your travel plans and the tourism industry? If there's a bird feeder hanging in your backyard, you're not alone. Around 50 per cent of Australian households say they feed wild birds. But it might be time to reconsider, because there's a risk it could be a hotspot for bird flu transmission. Urban ecologist Daryl Jones and Euan Ritchie explain how to safely interact with your feathered friends.
1 day ago

Being the positive influence your teenage boy needs and roadies in retirement

New research from the University of Melbourne has found that young people are now significantly more likely than older generations to hold hostile attitudes towards women. It can be easy to feel like there's no hope of things getting any better. But researcher Sara Meger and youth mentors Daniel Allars and Daniel Principe say it starts with finding opportunities to change young minds. Roadies were the backbone of Australia's rock and roll scene, making the magic happen before and after the curtains dropped. But now it's taking a toll — physically, emotionally and socially. Adelaide University researcher Brad West, roadie Rod Louey-Gung and geropsychologist Nancy Pachana explore what other industries can learn from the original gig workers. If someone was bad mouthing your best friend you'd go into bat for them, but what if the person they're talking down on is themselves? Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones explains how to nip the negative self-talk in the bud.
2 days ago

The art of video games, archiving the internet and respecting romance novels

According to a new report from Screen Australia, 78 per cent of Australians have played a video game in the past six months. Gaming is one of the fastest-growing industries of Australia's screen sector, yet unlike film and television, we don't often talk about its cultural value. Video game developer Luke Muscat and researcher Brendan Keogh explore what's missing from these conversations. The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) is inducting 10 Australian YouTube content creators into the archive. It's a big step in recognising their cultural contribution, but with technology and media appetites changing so quickly, how do we keep up? Digital culture researcher Nicholas Carah and the NFSA's Patrick MacIntyre explain who gets to decide what's worth preserving in our digital world. Romance fiction is often dismissed as a guilty pleasure, but this growing genre accounts for a hefty chunk of the publishing industry. So why do we look down our noses at these books? Author Kodi McAlister and sex historian Esme Soan explore our changing relationship with romance novels.
5 days ago

Making time to talk about death and telling your crush your true feelings

We all die. But how much have you thought about what will happen before, during and after? Funeral celebrant and author Jackie Bailey explores why planning for a "good death" can bring a sense of peace and control, and make the grieving process a whole lot easier for the people you'll eventually leave behind. There's nothing like a secret crush. But should it stay that way? This week, Aunties Patrick Lenton and Michelle Law give some advice to a listener whose true feelings about a platonic friend are at risk of being exposed. Is it time to 'fess up?
6 days ago

Imagining a renters' utopia and why poor sleep might be limiting your career

With home ownership still out of reach for a huge swathe of Australians, the Australian Council of Trade Unions is calling on the government to improve stability for long-term renters. Its wishlist includes increased investment in public housing and stronger tenant rights, including minimum two-year lease terms. Housing policy researcher Hal Pawson joins two lifelong renters to explore what actually contributes to a sense of stability for people renting long-term. Waking during the night or struggling to fall asleep can become more common as you get older, and poor sleep has all sorts of flow-on effects. Researchers in Finland have found a connection between poor sleep and a shorter working life. Sleep expert Moira Junge and podcaster Sarah Macdonald explore what gets in the way of a good night's sleep as we get older. We all love a good whinge. Complaining about the little everyday inconveniences can help us work through things, and sometimes, it can even lead to social change. So where's the line between a harmless whinge that facilitates social bonding and becoming the Eeyore of your friend group?
18 Aug

An ode to the weekend and how to better support parents through postpartum

If the weekend is something you take for granted, it might be worth remembering it's a concept that only came about 100 years ago in the United States, and it’s even younger here in Australia. But over the last few decades the sanctity of the weekend has shifted. Historian Sean Scalmer explores whether the weekend is on its way to becoming a relic. It's estimated around 1 in 7 Australian mothers will experience postnatal depression in the year after giving birth, and 1 in 5 will experience postnatal anxiety. On the other side of her own experience with postnatal anxiety, Australian senator Marielle Smith is calling for a national inquiry into postpartum health care. She joins clinical psychologist Nicole Highet and rural parenting advocate Stephanie Tretheway to explore how far we've come and what we could be doing better. More than 60 per cent of Australian employers say they're using AI "significantly" or "extensively" in recruitment. It might be to write job ads, screen and shortlist applicants, or even to interview candidates. So, if you're job hunting, how do you beat the bot?
17 Aug

The anxiety of surviving cancer and keeping up with the gig economy

Susan Delcour had been eagerly counting down the days until her treatment for breast cancer was over. But after that final appointment, she realised she actually missed the routine of regular appointments and familiar faces checking in. Nearly 1.7 million people are living with, or beyond, cancer in Australia — and that number is expected to reach 2.6 million by 2050. So how do we better support people who are adjusting to life after cancer? Better protections have just landed for workers in some sections of the gig economy, giving delivery drivers a set of minimum standards to ensure fairer pay. But the gig economy has expanded beyond food and ridesharing. Employment relations expert Alex Veen explores how workplace protections are keeping up with the changing face of employment. The next generation of budding STEM workers are being encouraged to enter the sciences via pen pal friendships with working scientists.STEMpals founder Jennifer Payne and researcher Zoe Xirocostas share the joy in exchanging letters with aspiring scientists.
16 Aug

Using your face to make a purchase and local councils rethinking how to address homelessness

It wasn't that long ago that buying something required you to hand over some cash, or at least use a physical card. But by last year 40 per cent of payments were coming from digital wallets on a phone or smart watch. So how would you feel about using your biometric data to make a purchase? Researcher Lauren Perry and tech journalist Kirsten Drysdale talk through the ethical implications of using facial recognition technology in commerce. A Queensland council that came under heavy criticism for demolishing makeshift campsites has announced it will turn a local park into a dedicated space for people experiencing homelessness. Advocates Gregory Smith and Leanne Mitchell explore the role that local councils can play in supporting their communities and providing services to fill the gap. Ever since the Duolingo owl became a TikTok sensation, it seems like every organisation — from corporate brands to your state police department — wants to act like a cool, hip person on the internet. Does this actually generate sales? And did this phenomenon exist before the internet?

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Hilary Harper

Host
Michael Mackenzie

Host
Tegan Taylor

Host
Prof Hal Pawson

Guest
Moira Junge

Guest
Alex Veen

Guest
Jennifer Payne

Guest
Zoe Xirocostas

Guest
Lauren Perry

Guest
Kirsten Drysdale

Guest

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.