Life Matters - Full program podcast

ABC

3.9 (34)
RELATIONSHIPS
UPDATED DAILY

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.

17H AGO

How does nostalgia for our past help us in our present?

There's a viral nostalgia trend at the moment with millions of people posting photos of themselves from a decade ago. So, what is it about today that's making us yearn for the past? And how much does it serve us to kick off 2026 with our heads in 2016? Psychologist Dr Carly Johnco and behavioural neuroscientist Dr Jee Hyun Kim on how to look back whilst also looking ahead. And, on Ask Aunty, columnist Kerri Sackville and broadcaster Paul Culliver weigh in on the politics of volunteering at your kid's canteen.

55 min
1D AGO

We're retiring later, but a fresh exercise routine could help us live longer

Up to one in five Australians are postponing retirement or re-entering the work force later in life. For many, there's just not enough in the nest egg to retire when and how they'd like. Financial adviser Olivia Maragna and Neysa King, who returned to work in her 70s, unpack some of the reasons behind the trend. A new study from Harvard University shows that mixing up the types of exercise you do can significantly reduce the risk of early death. Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis breaks down the science and Heather Cooper shares her own training regime for running a half marathon at the age of 81. Have you tried typing your name into an online search engine? It can be surprising what shows up. Rae Johnston explains how to clean up the digital footprint you leave online.

54 min
2D AGO

What it takes to build community and why we're burnt out on volunteering

You've heard the saying "it takes a village". But when so much of our modern lives are geared towards convenience and individualism, where do we find one? New York-based writer Amanda Litman decided to build her own by inviting friends and strangers to weekly dinners for a whole year. Weight loss drugs are here to stay — and changes coming to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme are set to make it easier for more people to access these medications. So how might that change the way we eat together and connect over food? And Professor Dan Woodman examines the conundrum of volunteer burnout: while volunteer numbers have been in steady decline, the amount of work we rely on those volunteers to do has stayed roughly the same.

54 min
3D AGO

Is Doctor Google dead and is comedy an art form?

We've all Googled our symptoms, but would you ask AI for medical advice? David Hansen from CSIRO's e-Health Research Centre, Dr Michael Bonning and consumer health expert Elizabeth Deveny weigh up the risks of relying on AI chatbots to navigate your health concerns. When comedian Craig Quartermaine applied for an arts grant, it was a flat-out no. Comedy wasn't on the list of "accepted" performing arts. So, if the purpose of "art" is to act as a mirror to reflect society, does stand-up deserve a ticket to the show? The face of multi-level marketing schemes seems to be changing, but the chances of success remain the same. Consumer behaviour expert Paul Harrison examines how MLMs hook us in, and what keeps us coming back for more.

55 min
4D AGO

How do we create space for grief after Bondi and are buttons making a comeback?

The Bondi terrorist attack has left the Jewish community and the nation at large reeling. Journalist Nadine Cohen, artist Joel Adler and grief sociologist Margaret Gibson unpack how you can create space for mourning to heal and move through tragedy. Ben Collins had been contemplating a career change for years before hitting the books again in his late 40s to become a junior doctor at 51. So when is the right time to make a career pivot? You'll hear Ben's story and career counsellor Ellen Hooper's advice on making the move. When was the last time you pressed an actual button to get where you needed to go? Australia's car safety body warns touchscreens are taking over, and is pushing for a return to physical controls.

55 min
JAN 15

Debriefing your holiday break and getting ghosted by your hook-up

If you spent the holidays with your immediate or extended family, it may have been joyful. But is may also have been stressful and draining. Psychologist Anushka Phal helps you work through any emotions that came up during what may have been some intense family time. And, aunties, comedian Geraldine Hickey and ABC meteorologist Nate Byrne, advise on what to do when you want your new hook-up to be casual but not MIA!

55 min
JAN 14

Data privacy and daycare apps, plus will aged care changes result in a system we can trust?

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. One of the cornerstone reforms from the Aged Care Royal Commission's final report is 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.

55 min
JAN 13

The crisis in foster care, and why weather obsession takes hold

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. 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. 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.

55 min

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Hilary Harper

Host
Michael Mackenzie

Host
Tegan Taylor

Host

3.9

out of 5

34 Ratings

Life does matter

05/17/2008

incognito82

This podcat is categorized "kids & family" and I found this misleading. I expected to hear about raising children, parenting issues, etc. But it is so much more and better. It's really about what matters in life through convesations. I love this show.
Efficient or just rude?

03/17/2022

;!;!;!;

It’s obvious that the interviewer is bored and wants to end each conversation as quickly - oh I mean efficiently - as possible ... Time is of the essence, or is it just a pain in the neck?
Thought-provoking and thoughtful

08/26/2007

Samantha122

The issues covered in this podcast are relevant to all of us, even outside of Australia, and coverage is thorough. The host creates a real community and treats subjects with intellect and compassion. I wish we had a similar program in the U.S.

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.