Big Ideas

How should we reflect on wars, past and present? Do the rituals of Remembrance Day and Anzac Day hold meaning for young people? Natasha Mitchell is joined by a crowd of high school students and special guests with opinions on the future of commemoration. This event was hosted and organised by Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance to mark its 90th anniversary. Speakers: Che Weon (Michelle) Lee Masters of architecture student, University of Melbourne School of Design Granddaughter of Korean war veteran (Michelle's Shrine design is linked to below) William Muhlhauser Year 9 student, Haileybury College Member, ‘Winjeels’ student club, Moorabbin Air Museum Recipient of 2024 Spirit of Anzac Prize Zackary Melvaine Year 11 student, Mill Park Secondary College Australian army cadet Member of Australian Defense Force's National Drone Racing Team Youth Mayor of the City of Whittlesea Recipient of 2023 Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize Thanks to Sue Burgess and Laura Thomas at the Shrine of Remembrance. Further information: "First Songline" Che Weon (Michelle) Lee's design for the Shrine of Remembrance for her Masters degree in Architecture Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance 90th anniversary events Drone warfare, technology and the psyche: an insider speaks [this episode of Science Friction by Natasha Mitchell is mentioned in this program] What it's really like to live with drone warfare [illustrated feature] Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize Shrine of Remembrance Young Ambassador Leadership program

It needs strong leadership and good coordination. But most of all, it needs public opinion to rise up and push policy makers to tackle this crisis. Canada can teach us a lesson in how to do that. Homelessness is a systemic housing problem – not caused by mental health issues or drug abuse.  Presented at the Australian Homelessness Conference, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Speakers Tim Richter Founder, President & CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) Carmel Haugh Systems and Community Lead for the Brisbane Zero collaboration, Micah Projects David Pearson CEO Australian Alliance to End Homelessness   Dr Tom Alves Head of Development, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Further information Big Ideas – Housing as a human right? With Alan Kohler and Kevin Bell

When you're alive, the idea of dying feels weird, remote, alien. Yet it's the one experience we will all have. Can philosophy help us make sense of that weirdness?  What can talking about death and dying teach us about living? Natasha Mitchell is joined by a philosopher, funeral director, and a First Nations' songman for an uplifting, insightful conversation on death. This event is part of the Sophia Club live philosophy event series, presented by Aeon Media, publishers of Aeon and Psyche.  Speakers: Kimba Griffith Co-founder and co-owner, The Last Hurrah Professor Klaus Jahn Philosopher School of Historical and Philosophical Studies and Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences University of Melbourne Fred Leone Butchella songman, musician, and performer Garrwa-Mambaliya Clan Thanks to Sophia Club event creators and producers Brigid Hains (Editorial director, Aeon Media), Rosie Black, Jasmine Walter. Further information: LIsten and read a Days Like These feature and podcast about Fred Leone’s family story about a king, escape and connection to country.

From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are no shortage of options to include on those lists of "The Great American Novel". But which is the real plot in the story of America? This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne on 24 October 2024. Speaker Sarah Churchwell Professor of American Literature and Chair in Public Understanding of the Humanities, University of London Author, Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and The Invention of The Great Gatsby, The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Lies America Tells, and more

Friends are among the most important relationships we will have in our lives. So what makes someone a friend, how do we hold on to them, and how do they shape who we are? This event was recorded at the Sydney Writers Festival on 22 May, 2024. Speakers Gyan Yankovich Author, Just Friends: On the Power, Influence and Joy of Friendship Lifestyle editor, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Susan Wyndham Co-editor (with Brigitta Olubas), Hazzard and Harrower: The letters Former Literary editor, Sydney Morning Herald Melanie Kembrey (host), Editor, Spectrum (arts and culture publication), Sydney Morning Herald

Why did acclaimed actor Melissa Jaffer step away from the spotlight and the swinging 60s to enter a strict cloister of Australian nuns for 4 years? Sister Marian McClelland is the last of two surviving members of the same Australian order of contemplative nuns. They became nuns at a time of radical change for women worldwide and for the Catholic Church and have extraordinary stories to tell about how faith shaped their sense of identity and purpose. They join Natasha Mitchell with oral historian Dr Sarah Gilbert, author of Unconventional Women: The story of the last Blessed Sacrament Sisters in Australia. This event was organised by Melbourne University Press and hosted at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne. Speakers: Dr Sarah Gilbert Writer, researcher, producer, and oral historian Author, Unconventional Women: The story of the last Blessed Sacrament Sisters in Australia (Melbourne University Press, 2024) Sister Marian McClelland Order of the Blessed Sacrament sisters in Australia Melissa Jaffer Australian actor of stage and screen Further information: Sisters in arms: Catholic nuns through two millennia Jo Ann Kay McNamara Harvard University Press, 1998

Literature on crime is huge. Many of you just love to read about a good murder. But do you prefer a soft touch around violent scenes? Or do you want to read it in the drastic, graphic language that shows crime the way it is? Writing crime stories can be a minefield: Do authors have to tell people, if they want to use them in their book? Particularly if they want to paint 'your character' the villain? Can you re-traumatise a victim when you turn their painful experience into a bestseller? A stellar panel of acclaimed crime authors tell how they found their own way to deal with the dilemma of the ethics of writing about murder and corruption. Presented at the Byron Writers Festival. Speakers Matthew Condon Award-winning journalist and author, host of two true crime podcasts – Ghost Gate Road and Dig: Sirens Are Coming Candice Fox Bestselling author, her latest book is 'Devil's kitchen' Benjamin Stevenson Award-winning stand-up comedian and USA Today best-selling author of the 'Ernest Cunningham Mysteries', including 'Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone' and 'Everyone on This Train is a Suspect' Rosemarie Milsom (host) Founding director of Newcastle Writers Festival, former award-winning print journalist with Fairfax Media and broadcaster with the ABC

From mis and disinformation to election interference, parts of the internet have become dystopian, due to a lack of regulation. What is this doing to our democracies, and how are governments around the world trying to reign the tech giants in? The 8th annual Sir Zelman Cowan Centre Oration was recorded on 10 October 2024. Speaker Jon Faine Vice Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Melbourne Former ABC Radio host Author, Apollo and Thelma

Ninety years ago, in the face of communism, fascism, and the Great Depression, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, asked the question 'Is democracy doomed?' Today, we're asking that same question – with some answers that might surprise you. The 2024 Robert Menzies Oration was presented by the Robert Menzies Institute, recorded on 23 October 2024. The 2024 Henry Parkes Oration was recorded at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House on 22 October 2024. Speakers Sir Niall Ferguson Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University Barrie Cassidy Chair, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

Democracy is in retreat, authoritarianism on the rise. But this has happened before. So how did big thinkers of the past respond to the threats to democracy, and what can we learn from them? The Humanities Research Centre 50th Anniversary Distinguished Lecture was recorded at the Australian National University on 31 July 2024. Speakers Scott Stephens Co-presenter (with Waleed Aly) The Minefield Digital editor, ABC Religion and Ethics Co-author of Quarterly Essay 87, Uncivil Wars: How Contempt is Corroding Democracy (2022) Editor of Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other Writings by Raimond Gaita (2023) Dr Kim Huynh Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Deputy Director of the Humanities Research Centre

When you're swimming in the ocean, do you ever startle at a piece of seaweed? Mistake a wave for a fin? Does the thought of sharks cross your mind at all? Nearly 50 years ago, a little movie by the name of Jaws, changed everything. This event was recorded at the National Film and Sound Archive, in partnership with the Australian National University, on 28 February 2024. Speakers Dr Hannah Calich Postdoctoral research fellow, Australian National University Professor Kenneth Lampl Convenor, Composition for Film and Video Games, School of Music, Australian National University Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens Senior Lecturer in Science Communication, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science Head of Popsicule, ANU's Science in Popular Culture and Entertainment Hub

Remember the 8cm living worm found inside a woman's brain last year? Where the hell did it come from? Parasites have bizarre and whacky stories to tell. Join Natasha Mitchell to meet three scientists listening to what they have to say. The science, medicine, and mayhem of parasites. You'll have a whole new respect for these clever survivors and their biology. Thank you to the event organisers, the 2024 World Science Festival Brisbane and Queensland Museum  Speakers Professor Katherine Andrews  Parasitologist, malaria researcher  Founder of the That’s RAD! Science project      Author of My mum is a parasite scientist. That’s RAD!  Associate Professor Vincent Ho  Gastroentorologist  The Gut Doctor (GutDr) on Youtube  Western Sydney University  Dr Terry Miller  Ecologist and parasitologist  Head of Biodiversity and Geosciences at Queensland Museum

Irish Times columnist and author Fintan O'Toole draws on the Irish experience to explain the rise of populism and authoritarianism in the United States. This event was recorded at the Vice-Chancellor's Democracy Forum at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on 26 September 2024. Speakers Fintan O'Toole Columnist with the Irish TImes Literary Editor with the New York Review of Books Author of We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958, Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain, and Ship of Fools: How Stupidity and Corruption Sank the Celtic Tiger Professor of Irish letters at Princeton University Anna Funder (host) Author, Wifedom, Stasiland, All That I Am Luminary and Ambassador, UTS Roy Green (host) Emeritus Professor and Special Innovation Advisor, UTS Former Dean, UTS Business School

David McAllister invites you backstage and reveals gloriously gossipy anecdotes about the stars he's met in his long dancing career. But it's not all tutus and tiaras: ballet is at the top of transforming sport science. Presented at the Brisbane Writers Festival. Speakers David McAllister Guest artistic director of the West Australian Ballet, former principal dancer, former artistic director of The Australian Ballet Author of Ballet Confidential: A personal behind-the-scenes guide, Thames & Hudson Australia 2024 Leanne Benjamin Queensland Ballet's Artistic Director, former principal dancer

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has fought against antisemitism worldwide for over a century. It is now documenting a dangerous rise in antisemitism, and the connection between conspiracy theorists, white supremacy, pro-Palestine anti-war protests, and hate speech. ADL board member, prominent Iranian-American Jewish philanthropist and academic Dr. Sharon Nazarian presents the inaugural Gahl Hodges Burt Lecture in Policy at the American Academy in Berlin. Speaker Dr Sharon Nazarian  Board member and former Senior Vice President for International Affairs, Anti-defamation League (ADL) Founder, Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, University of California Los Angeles

Two Australians who are intimately connected to the conflict in the Middle East, one Jewish, one Palestinian, make their pleas for peace, and share their deeply personal stories of how it has affected them. The 13th annual UN International Day of Peace Brisbane lecture was recorded at St John's Anglican Cathedral on September 21, 2024. Speakers Peter Cat Dean, St John's Cathedral Brisbane Louise Adler Director, Adelaide Writers Week Nasser Mashni President, Australians for Palestine Further information Olive Kids

One of Australia's most seasoned political journalists Niki Savva has seen the fractures in our democracy up closer than most. Hear her timely advice for journalists, politicians and citizens. This 2024 Speaker's Lecture was recorded at Parliament House in Canberra on 9 September 2024. SOS DEMOCRACY airs on Tuesdays 8pm and Saturdays 10pm in October and November, and on the ABC Listen app. Speakers Niki Savva Columnist, Nine Newspapers Author, The Road to Ruin, Plots and Prayers and Bulldozed Milton Dick Speaker of the House of Representatives, Labor MP

Are you a gazelle or a grizzly bear when you run? The bounce in your step defines whether you're a stronger sprinter or long-distance runner — and choosing the right sport for your biomechanics determines whether you can get to the top of the podium. Find out more about the secret weapon of biomechanics, the theory of optimal speed control within racing endurance, and how performance psychology has an impact both on and off the track. The Science of Sport was presented at the York Festival of Ideas. The Festival is led by the University of York, UK. Speakers Professor Amandine Aftalion Mathematician and a senior scientist, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) Author of Be a Champion: 40 Facts You Didn't Know About Sports and Science Dr Brian Hanley Reader in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics, Leeds Beckett University Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes British athlete, double Olympic gold medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics Games for the 800m and 1500m Adam Nicholls Professor of Psychology within the School of Sport, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Hull Sharon Shortle (host) BBC Radio York

Can you have a wedding between the graves? Why not! – as long as it's respectful. The future of cemetery design is multi-functional, as public spaces just like our gardens and parks. And also as a refuge for animals in the midst of our cities and suburbs. They can be places for the living as well as the dead. How can cemeteries play a broader role in our communities? Six Feed Under: Design and Death Symposium, Melbourne Design Week. Presented by Open House Melbourne. Speakers Hamish Coates Principal Designer, Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust  Bec Lyons President, Natural Death Advocacy Network Bjorn Nansen Senior Lecturer, Media and Communications, and member of the DeathTech research team, University of Melbourne  Tania Davidge (host) Executive Director, Open House Melbourne Listen to Big Ideas: Talking about death

Renowned and controversial Australian philosopher and bioethicist Peter Singer is no stranger to contentious ideas — wrestling with the ethics of how we treat each other and other species — infanticide, altruism, veganism and more. He joins Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell to talk about why. This event was organised by The Wheeler Centre and Montalto Winery Speaker:  Professor Peter Singer Bioethicist and author Founder of The Life You Can Save Further information: The Life You Can Save  Oxford University's Centre for Effective Altruism GiveWell Giving What We Can

Big Ideas celebrates the blooming daphne with a look at the life, work and legacy of a pioneer of Australian landscape gardening, Edna Walling. This event was recorded on April 16, 2024 at the State Library of Victoria. Speakers Trisha Dixon Writer, photographer, tour guide leader Co-author (with Jennie Churchill) The Vision of Edna Walling: Garden Plans 1920-1951 (1998), and Gardens in Time: In the Footsteps of Edna Walling (1988) Sara Hardy Biographer, playwright, former actor Author, The Unusual Life of Edna Walling, and A Secretive Life Millie Ross (host) Presenter, Gardening Australia, professional horticulturist, garden designer, writer and broadcaster Author The Thrifty Gardener

The United Nations was established after World War II in an attempt to maintain international peace, security, and cooperation. So why now, in the face once again of rising global conflicts, are the UN, and other world bodies, laws, and mechanisms, so unable to address these crises? This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne on 29 August 2024. Speakers Professor Alison Duxbury Deputy Dean, University of Melbourne Law School Dr Tania Miletic Co-Director, Initiative for Peacebuilding, University of Melbourne Dr Carrie McDougall Senior Lecturer, University of Melbourne Law School Former legal specialist and Assistant Director of the International Law Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Former Legal Adviser at Australia's Mission to the United Nations in New York Jon Faine (host) Vice-Chancellor's Fellow, University of Melbourne Law School Former long-time presenter, Mornings, ABC Radio Melbourne

We've lived through the age of peak TV, (and wasn't it glorious). Then cinema was BACK, thanks to the hype of Barbenheimer. So, in this post Hollywood writers' strike world, how do we define the era of culture we are now consuming? This event was recorded at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 17 August 2024. Speakers Jared Richards  ABC Entertainment reporter Alison Willmore  Film critic, Vulture and New York magazines Hannah Diviney  Disability advocate, actress, screenwriter and author Brodie Lancaster (host)  Author, essayist, and pop culture podcaster

Does the Milky Way have a sibling and how are stars formed? How can a telescope go back over 13 billion years ago to the Cosmic Dawn? The ASTRO 3D Centre of Excellence are unlocking some of the deepest mysteries of our universe and produced perhaps the clearest and most comprehensive picture of how matter, chemical elements, and energy evolved. Some of the astronomers and astrophysicists involved share their insights. Presented by ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) Listen to Big Ideas - Night Sky LIVE – a wondrous encounter with the dark sky  Speakers Emma Ryan-Weber Director of ASTRO 3D, the Centre of Excellence in Astrophysics Dr Nichole Barry Scienta Lecturer at UNSW Amanda Karakas Associate Professor, School of Physics and Astronomy Monash University  Jesse Van De Sande Astronomer, lecturer in Astrophysics UNSW  Jonathan Webb (host) ABC's Science Editor

Every autistic person is different, with their own strengths and challenges. We shouldn’t be asking what jobs are suitable for them. Rather: How can we make this specific job suitable for this autistic person? The result is a thriving employee with unique abilities. On Big Ideas, we’ll debunk myths like that autistic people don’t recognise emotion or don’t have social skills. You can see how wrong this perception is in the ABC TV series The Assembly. The Assembly on ABC iview Speakers Diana Tan Macquarie University Autism and Education Researcher Kate Halpin Neurodiversity Consultant and advocate with lived experience. Kate is the Director of Employ for Ability Bill Shorten  Minister for the NDIS  Mel MacLean Helium Pictures; Executive Producer of the ABC TV series The Assembly Leigh Sales (host) Walkley award-winning journalist and broadcaster

Surveys constantly reveal that a huge number of us are not sleeping well. What is that doing to our mental and physical health? This event was recorded at the University of Sydney's Raising the Bar night, on 9 April 2024. Speaker Dr Jacob Crouse Research fellow, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney Further information ABC Sleeptember

The art and ethics of artisanal trades, from stone masonry to roof plumbing to limestone mortar plastering. What can be done to revive many of these traditional trades and bring them sustainably into the 21st century? Recorded Melbourne Design Week — presented by the Heritage Council of Victoria and the National Trust of Victoria Speakers Glen Rundell Windsor Chair maker from the Central Highlands Co-Founder Lost Trades Fair, Kyneton Victoria  Samantha Westbrooke Executive Manager, Advocacy & Conservation National Trust Victoria  Rebecca Roberts Stone Mason, Doctoral Candidate with the University of Melbourne Ruth Redden (host) Architect and heritage consultant  Further Information Traditional Trades Exposition Conservation program at the National Trust in Victoria Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades

Liana Buchanan is a guardian of the rights of our most precious asset - our children. In a keynote speech, the Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, Victoria, presents some brutal realities of the failures in some systems that are meant to protect children at risk in Victoria. But there is hope. Amelia Hunt, a young person who has experienced out of home care describes how young people are raising their voices and having direct input into reforms.    Recorded at the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference, State Library of Victoria Speakers Liana Buchanan Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, Victoria  Amelia Hunt Victorian Commission for Children and Young People, Student Law and Global Studies, ABC Hey Wire winner 2023     Further Information  Commission for Children and Young people. Amelia Hunt - Kids in out-of-home care deserve better

Student activists from the Pacific Islands successfully got the International Court of Justice to define the responsibilities of nations to combat climate change, and the legal consequences of failing to do so. This is the story of their win. Seeing first-hand the dire impact of climate change in their countries, they want to ensure nations around the world understand their obligations to take positive climate action. The 2024 Talbot Oration presented by the Australia Museum Speakers Chynthia Houniuhi President of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change Craig Reucassel Writer, director and comedian, known for his work with The Chaser and for The War on Waste; currently the host of 702 ABC Sydney Breakfast Richie Merzian International Director at the Smart Energy Council, a peak renewable energy industry group Narelda Jacobs Whadjuk Noongar journalist and presenter of 10 News First: Midday, and 10 News First

The median Australian house price is now about $800,000 – almost eight times the average income – and well beyond the reach of many people, without help.  So how did we get here, and with a federal election looming, are the political parties game to seriously take this on? "Any solution to housing that is easy and popular won't work." — Alan Kohler Presented at the Sydney Writers Festival and Readings Bookshop. Speakers Alan Kohler Finance presenter, ABC Author of The Great Divide: Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix It (Quarterly Essay #92 and republished as a book available 1 October 2024) Richard Holden (host) Professor of Economics, University of NSW Kevin Bell Former Supreme Court Judge, Victoria; Former Director, Castan Centre for Human Rights Author of Housing: The Great Australian Right (In the National Interest essay series, Monash University Publishing)

Australia's high country is a spectacular and precious place. It's also a place that is changing, with shorter, less predictable snowfall. So, what does the future hold for the Alpine region, in a changing climate? This event was recorded on 13 June, 2024 at the Australian National University in partnership with Protect Our Winters Australia and the Australian Mountain Research Facility. Speakers Ruby Olsson Lead author, Our Changing Snowscapes: Climate change impacts on and recommendations for our Australian Alps PhD student, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Professor Adrienne Nicotra Director, Australian Mountain Research Facility Richard Swain Honorary Associate Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University David Pocock Independent Senator, ACT Sam Beaver (host) Volunteer Policy Lead, Protect Our Winters Australia Research Officer, Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Further information Our Changing Snowscapes: Climate Change Impacts and Recommendations for the Australian Alps

Frequently described as victims, as failures or even as women without morals, single mothers often get a bad rap. They are part of Australian statistics. Of the 1.1 million single parents, 83 percent are women, they are more likely to live in poverty and up to 65 percent have fled violent relationships. In this frank conversation, three women thrash and burn some of the assumptions about single mothers. Recorded at the All about Women Festival by the Sydney Opera House Speakers Barkaa Malyangapa, Barkindji woman, musician and rapper Karen Pickering feminist writer and organiser Edwina Throsby (host) producer, curator and former head of ABC Managing Editor of Arts.  Further Information About Bloody Time by Karen Pickering & Jane Bennett Doing It: Women Tell the Truth about Great Sex. UQP Edited by Karen Pickering Baarka Music

History is the stories we choose to tell about ourselves and others. So how have those stories changed over time? And how has that shaped new understandings of our national identity? Presented by the Friends of the National Library of Australia. Speakers Peter Stanley Former Research Professor, Australian Centre for the Study of armed conflict, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Former Principal Historian, Australian War Memorial Former inaugural head of research, National Museum of Australia Author of Bad Characters: Sex, Crime, Murder, Mutiny and the Australian Imperial Force (joint winner of the 2011 Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History), and many more Frank Bongiorno Professor of History, Australian National University Author, The Sex Lives of Australians: A History, Dreamers and Schemers: a Political History of Australia, and many more President, Australian Historical Association Anne-Marie Schwirtlich (host) Former Director General, National Library of Australia Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia

What is the allure of gothic fiction? How does it give shape to your most unsettling impulses? A panel of masters of the genre explore the creepy houses, dysfunctional families and the perfect degree of decay and rot that’s needed to create the ‘good scare’. From the classics of Jane Eyre to Harry Potter – we’re celebrating gothic tales.  Presented at the Brisbane Writers Festival Speakers  Angela "A.G." Slatter Author of six novels, including The Briar Book of the Dead, All the Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns and the Verity Fassbinder series Naomi Novik New York Times bestselling author of The Scholomance series, the award-winning novels Uprooted and Spinning Silver, and the nine-volume Temeraire series Kathleen Jennings British Fantasy Award-winning author of the short story collection Kindling, the novel Flyaway and poetry collection Travelogues: Vignettes from Trains in Motion; Fantasy Award-winning illustrator of fantasy and fairy tales Shelley Parker-Chan Author of She Who Became the Sun and its sequel, He Who Drowned the World, which form The Radiant Emperor Duology

What is the true meaning of Orwellian and what can George Orwell's writings teach us about navigating the 21st century? Since his book 1984 was published 75 years ago, there have always been comparisons drawn between the dystopian themes of the novel and contemporary injustices, inequality, censorship and corruption. Historian Laura Beers deconstructs many of the misconceptions around Orwell's writings to expose a complex, flawed man who had a commitment to liberty and economic justice. Provided by the York Festival of Ideas; led by the University of York, UK Speakers Laura Beers Professor History of Modern Britain American University Washington  Further Information Laura Beers - Orwell's Ghosts: Wisdoms and warnings for the 21st Century Anna Funder - Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life

It's the living force of the nation, but how much do we understand our Constitution?  Twenty five pages sets out our laws, roles of government and political structure. Enacted by a people's vote of white men over 120 years ago it does not include rights for all citizens, for Indigenous Peoples or environmental protections. So how does the Constitution work for a contemporary Australia? Recorded at the National Archives Constitution Day event Speakers Justine Bell-James Associate Professor & Director of Higher Degree Research & Director of HDR of T.C. Beirne School of Law, TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland Professor Megan Davis Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous at UNSW and a Professor of Law at UNSW, Co-Architect Voice Referendum an Acting Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court Harry Hobbs Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney Paul Barclay (host)  Journalist, producer, former host of Big Ideas Further Information The Australian Constitution The best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world.

The idea of "freedom" is one that's often used in relation to the economy: we have "the free market" and "free trade agreements", freedom from regulation, from government intervention, and so on. But whose freedom are we talking about, and at whose expense? This event was recorded at the Perth Town Hall on 14 August 2024. Speakers Joseph Stiglitz Professor, Columbia University Business School Author, The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society Ebony Bennett Deputy Director, The Australia Institute

Just over a decade ago democracy was within reach in Myanmar, but now the country is in danger of becoming a failed state. So what happened, and what keeps hope for the country alive? This event was recorded on 18 July 2024 at The Wheeler Centre, in partnership with PEN Melbourne, and RMIT Culture. Speakers Ma Thida Writer, human rights activist and doctor Author, A-maze: Myanmar's struggle for democracy: 2011-2023, Prisoner of Conscience: My Steps through Insein (2016) and many more Chair, Writers in Prison Committee, PEN International Fellow, Writers-in-Exile Programme, PEN Germany Dr Michelle Aung Thin Novelist, essayist and academic Author, The Monsoon Bride and Hasina: Through My Eyes Senior Lecturer in the School of Media and Communication, RMIT University

It's a tough time to be a parent. From screens, to mental health, neurodiversity, gender, diet and schooling, this generation is in unchartered territory in many ways. So what does the evidence tell us that will give parents the best chance to raise happy healthy children, without killing themselves in the process? This event was recorded at Waverley Library in Sydney on 8 August 2024. Speakers Norman Swan Presenter, Health Report, ABC Radio National Author, So you want to know what's good for your kids? Cassie McCullagh Presenter, The Bookshelf, ABC Radio National

From soy to oat to almond, plant mylks are all the rage. But is it possible that we've misunderstood and unfairly maligned old fashioned cow's milk? Speakers Matthew Evans Farmer, Fat Pig Farms Author, Milk: the truth, the lies and the unbelievable story of the original superfood Host, Gourmet Farmer, SBS Nick Haddow Bruny Island Cheese Co Author, Milk Made: A book about cheese

It was the stuff of scifi blockbuster movie The Terminator in the early 1980s, but now lethal autonomous weapons systems are actually being used in conflict zones around the world. And the arms race is on to develop more effective, more deadly killing machines, that don't need human inputs to do their job. This event was recorded at Human Rights Watch in Sydney on 4 June 2024. Speakers Mary Wareham Deputy Director, Crisis, Conflict and Arms Division, Human Rights Watch Co-Laureate (with Jody Williams), Nobel Peace Prize, 1997, for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) Daniela Gavshon Australian Director, Human Rights Watch

We all love a bargain, but what is the real cost of those books we buy online or in a supermarket for 12 dollars or less? Should Australia adopt a fixed book price common in Europe? How can we support and grow an industry that nourishes our minds and souls. A conversation on the challenges facing the Australian book industry.  Presented at the Sydney Writers Festival. Speakers Ray Bonner Pulitzer Prize winning author, journalist, co-owner of Bookoccino, the Northern Beaches bookstore Richard Flanagan Award winning Australian author, latest book Question 7, Penguin  Olivia Lanchester  Former CEO, Australian Society of authors  Michael Robotham Author,  latest book Storm Child, Hachette

The connections between the Caribbean and Australia go back to white settlement, with deep links to the slave trade and British colonialism. What does it mean to be a writer of Caribbean descent in modern Australia? And how can the act of writing and storytelling enable a new sense of belonging and home? This event was recorded at the Callaloo and Wattleseed Symposium at the University of Western Sydney on 3 May 2924. Speakers Maxine Beneba Clarke Author, The Hate Race, Foreign Soil, poetry books Carrying The World, How Decent Folk Behave, and children's books including When We Say Black Lives Matter, Wide Big World and more Inaugural Peter Steele Poet in Residence, University of Melbourne Sienna Brown Author, Master of My Fate Further information: Caribbean Convicts in Australia (podcast) The History Listen - ABC Radio National

10 humans in length, weighing 50 small cars, and with a bite that could take out two of you in one bite. This beast was BIG. But if Megalodon was so mighty, why did it disappear? Tim Flannery and his daughter Emma have written a book about the mystery of the giant extinct shark, and he joins Natasha Mitchell with two other fossil aficionados, palaeontologists Erich Fitzgerald and Cheng-Hsui Tsai, to take you into a very different watery world of wilderbeasts.   Speakers: Professor Tim Flannery  Paleontologist, conversationist, climate change advocate  Co-author, Big Meg: The Story of the Largest and Most Mysterious Predator that Ever Lived (Text Publishing, 2024) Dr Erich Fitzgerald  Senior Curator in Vertebrate Paleontology, Museums Victoria  Author, Triceratops: A Natural History (Museums Victoria, 2022) Associate Professor Cheng-Hsui Tsai  Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology  National Taiwan University

A new generation of female and non-binary intellectuals are using social media to share their scholarship and reach younger audiences. It's a tricky balance — juggling their followers' expectations and reactions, both bouquets and brickbats, maintaining their rigour, and making a living from these algorithmically-gamed corporate platforms. Meet the new influencers. Presented by the Sydney Opera House Speakers Hannah Ferguson Founder & CEO of cheekmedia.co Sisonke Msimang Writer, activist and Guardian columnist Mary Mcgillivray Art historian and visual content maker Bri Lee (host) Author, journalist and activist

Could our continent's ancient past help solve future food security crises? Or even offer new treatments for skin cancer and inflammatory bowel disease? Tasty on your dinner plate, potentially transformative for your health — First Nations experts explore the rich potential of traditional bush foods and Indigenous plant knowledge. Presented at the World Science Festival Brisbane. Speakers Suzanne Thompson Founder & Managing Director of Yambangku Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development Corporation; Chair, Australian Native Foods and Botanicals Madonna Thomson Chairperson, BushTukka and Botanicals Indigenous Enterprises Cooperative. Rhianna Patrick (host) Torres Strait Islander Journalist, broadcaster and audio content creator

New ABC Chair Kim Williams wants to see change at Australia’s national public broadcaster. In a fragmented media landscape and a fractured world, what is the role of public broadcasting, and how can the ABC stay relevant for its listeners, viewers and readers? This event was recorded at the Byron Bay Writers Festival on Saturday 10 August 2024. Speakers  Kim Williams ABC Chair  Kerry O’Brien (host) Journalist and author

It's an adults-only hour of high vaudeville to make you laugh and think. Two teams of brainiacs go head-to-head at the annual Big Ideas and Beaker St Festival Great Debate hosted by Big Ideas’ presenter Natasha Mitchell. Arguing for the proposition is Team 'The Procreators' starring radio host and maths nerd to the masses Adam Spencer, Quandamooka saltwater scientist Mibu Fischer, Guardian Australia journalist and TikTok presenter Matilda Boseley. Arguing against the proposition is Team 'Nappy Rash and the Tiny Demons' starring Mathematician Barbara Holland, Guardian Australia cartoonist First Dog on the Moon, Science Vs podcast host Wendy Zukerman. Who will convince you? Speakers: THE PROCREATORS Adam Spencer (Team captain) Author, broadcaster, maths geek Mibu Fischer Quandamooka saltwater scientist, marine ethnoecologist and PhD student CSIRO Matilda Boseley Guardian Australia journalist and social media presenter Author, The Year I Met My Brain (Penguin, 2023) NAPPY RASH AND THE LITTLE DEMONS Professor Barbara Holland Mathematician, University of Tasmania First Dog on the Moon Cartoonist and wannabe marsupial Guardian Australia Wendy Zukerman Science journalist Host and founder, Science Vs podcast

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" sang Joni Mitchell.  Let's get wild and urban.  Sometimes nature can thrive in cities in surprising ways and by accident. Hear how. And did you know 39 threatened species only exist in Australian cites? How do we design a city for fairy wrens, and the other feathered and furry beings who call it home? Speakers Sarah Bekessy Professor of Sustainability and Urban Planning, ICON Science research group, RMIT  Darryl Jones Writer, speaker, researcher, behavioural ecologist, Professor Emeritus Griffith University  Christopher Daniels (host) Chair of Green Adelaide, Zoologist, Adjunct Professor of Urban Ecology, University of South Australia

Meet the world's smallest superheroes. Insects are ecological warriors, but through the brilliance of biomimicry, they're also inspiring all sorts of human inventions. From new medicines to air safety systems — don't underestimate the larger-than-life impact of the planet's tiniest beings. Presented at the World Science Festival Brisbane. Speakers Dr Chris Burwell Queensland Museum Senior Scientist and Curator of insects Dr Andrew Walker Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland Professor Elena Ivanova Anobiotechnologist/biophysicist, RMIT University Rebecca Levingston (host) Presenter and broadcast ABC Radio Brisbane

Join Natasha Mitchell for a very special event live under our stunning Southern night sky, with guests and listeners from around Australia in National Science Week. We crisscross the nation to observatories and dark sky sanctuaries to hear from astronomers, amateur sky nerds, and you. What's your most memorable night sky experience? And when did you last see a truly dark sky at night? Light pollution spells big trouble for creatures, culture, science, and your health. What can we all do to protect the darkness (and we don’t just mean embracing your inner Goth!).  Speakers  Dr Tanya Hill Senior Curator of Astronomy at Museums Victoria Rebecca Tayler Volunteer at Woomera Observatory  Bill Stent Astronomical Society of Victoria Dr Ellie Sansom Director of the Australian Desert Fireball Network and Global Fireball Observatory Senior lecturer, Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy, Curtin University Peter Swanton Research Associate, School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay man from Mackay, Queensland Marnie Ogg Founder of the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance Further information Science Week at the ABC: The amazing night sky and the impact of light pollution How to take a stunning photo of the Milky Way with your smartphone: a beginner's guide Dark skies are a 'library' for Indigenous knowledge systems, but light pollution threatens them All in the Mind - Turning sleeplessness into stargazing Future Tense - We're losing the dark sky and you can already feel the consequences ABC Classic playlist - Sounds of the Night Sky

What led to this current era of superpower conflict, and what will the outcome of the 2024 US presidential race will mean for the geopolitical dynamics shaping the world? Speakers David E. Sanger National Security and White House Correspondent, New York Times Author New Cold Wars: China's rise, Russia's invasion, and America's struggle to defend the West and others Dr Michael Green CEO, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney

Your biological responses to fear are at the core of depression, anxiety, failed relationships and much of human misery. But you can change how your body reacts to threats – some steps are as simple as adjusting your breathing. Fear has evolved as a set of powerful physical reactions for surviving predators. In modern life we face very different threats, but the same ancient, automatic fear responses are triggered. And that doesn't end well. It has a huge impact on our physical and mental health, our behaviour, our capacity to think clearly and our ability to relate to each other. Reflections on Fear, Anxiety and Depression was provided by the York Festival of Ideas. The Festival is led by the University of York, UK Speaker Michael Guilding Psychotherapist and trainer Further information Michael Guilding's articles on complex trauma

Humans have long had a morbid fascination with murder and other crimes, as shown through the popularity of shows like CSI and Silent Witness. But how close are these tv dramas to the real thing? Three forensic pathologists spill the beans on what it's really like to work in the science of death. This Sisters in Crime event was recorded on 24 May 2024 as part of Victorian Law Week. Speakers Associate Professor Linda IIes Head of forensic pathology services, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Dr Melanie Archer Forensic entomologist and pathologist, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Adjunct senior lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University Dr Samantha Robotham Forensic Anthropologist, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Adjunct Research Fellow, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University Liz Porter (host) Author, Written On The Skin: An Australian forensic casebook, Cold Case Files: Past crimes solved by new forensic science and more PhD, LaTrobe University

The Global South has vital perspectives in addressing the most pressing issues of our times, including inequality, the climate catastrophe, the mass displacement of humans, and the technologisation of life. Why aren't we listening? … Listening also to African diasporic writers when they correct the often unflattering stories about their home countries. Speaking from the South was presented by the University of Adelaide Africa Now was presented by the Sydney Writers Festival Speakers Abdulrazak Gurnah Zanzibar-born Nobel-prize winning author of 10 novels, his latest is Afterlives Oliver Twist Writer, actor and Comedian – shows Jali and Griot Sara El Sayed Egyptian-born writer and Sessional Academic working at the Queensland University of Technology Author of Muddy People Professor Tina Steiner (host – Speaking from the South) Chair of the English Department at Stellenbosch University in South Africa Sisonke Msimang (host – Africa Now) Columnist and author of Always Another Country: A memoir of Exile and Home

Eric Beecher joins Natasha Mitchell to discuss his riveting and excoriating new book The Men Who Killed the News: The inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy.  A longtime journalist, editor and media proprietor, Erich Beecher is chair and the largest shareholder of Private Media, which owns the news website Crikey. In 2023, Fox Corporation’s Lachlan Murdoch paid Crikey $1.3million in legal costs after withdrawing his much publicised defamation suit against the publication over an opinion piece about Fox News, the Capitol Hill riots, and election fraud allegations.  This event was organised by Christine Gordon of Readings Bookshop and held at the Cinema Nova in Naarm/Melbourne. Speaker: Eric Beecher Journalist, editor, media proprietor Chair and largest shareholder of Private Media (owner of Crikey and various other news websites) Author, The Men Who Killed the News: The inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy (Simon & Schuster, 2024) Chair, Australian Communities Foundation

Have you been online recently and noticed the internet is changing? Everything from your Google searches to your social media profiles are now being used to train artificial intelligence. So, do you have a problem with that? This event was recorded at the Vice-Chancellor's Annual Democracy Forum at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on June 19, 2024. Speakers Meredith Whittaker President, Signal Professor Peta Wyeth Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, UTS Associate Professor Ramona Vijeyarasa Director of the Juris Doctor Program, Faculty of Law, UTS Chief Investigator with the Gender Legislative Index Edward Santow (host) Co-founder and Director of Policy and Governance, Human Technology Institute, UTS

Whether in conflicts around the world or within society, irreconcilability seems to be the hallmark of our present times. But it doesn't have to be that way. Many thought that reconciliation between West Germany and the UK and France after World War II was absolutely impossible. History taught us otherwise. What's the lesson of this process for today? What are the tools that lead to successful and lasting peace? Analysing Reconciliation and Irreconcilability from a Historical Perspective: The Example of Germany and Britain was presented by the German Historical Institute London. Speaker Christine Krüger Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Bonn

World conflicts can be overwhelming, or sometimes they feel very remote. But for many Australians, they are deeply personal, raw, and real. So what's it like when world news is not about 'other' people, but about 'your' people?  This lively forum was hosted by Benjamin Law for QPAC and Multicultural Australia as part of the Changing the Conversation series on June 25, 2024. Speakers Amok Dhuol South Sudanese Australian youth mentor, advocate with the Queensland African Communities Council Arunn Jegan  humanitarian affairs lead, Médecins Sans Frontières, curator of Ted-X Sydney Professor Peter Greste Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland, former foreign correspondent Benjamin Law (host) Writer, broadcaster, screenwriter, author of The Family Law, Gaysia, Moral Panic (Quarterly Essay), and editor of Growing Up Queer in Australia

One day Ariane Beeston looked at her baby son in his pram and saw a dragon looking back at her. In her memoir Because I am Not Myself You See: A memoir of madness, motherhood and coming back from the brink Ariane takes us inside her visceral experience of postnatal psychosis. Her extraordinary book could save lives — and cleaves open the secrets and stigma around maternal mental health, perfectionism, eating disorders, maternal love, dance school culture, and much more. She joins Natasha Mitchell at the 2024 Williamstown Literature Festival.  Speaker: Ariane Beeston  Author, I am Not Myself You See: A memoir of madness, motherhood and coming back from the brink (BlackInc Books, 2024) Communications and content manager, COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence Writer, psychologist, perinatal mental health advocate, dancer, choreographer, mother   Further information: COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence Support lines and resources recommended by COPE PANDA National Helpline 1300 726 306 — available Monday to Friday 9am to 7.30pm, Saturday  9am to 4pm AEST/AEDT PANDA: Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia post natal psychosis information Pregnancy Birth Baby information on postpartum psychosis (Australian Government website) Gidget Foundation Australia (focuses on emotional wellbeing of expectant parents) Postpartum psychosis fact sheet from COPE Postpartum psychosis information (Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne)

A vintage ute, a novelty cheque, shearing prize ribbons, a household trunk and blanket – even the simplest of things can tell a powerful story, connect a community and showcase our history. In the ABC TV series 'Extraordinary Things', Tony Armstrong is on a journey to discover and celebrate the things we treasure. And an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia brings together the objects Tony found, the people who cherish them and the extraordinary stories they reveal. The exhibition is running until October 13th, 2024. Presented by the National Museum of Australia   Tony Armstrong's Extra-Ordinary Things on ABC iview. Speakers Tony Armstrong Award-winning tv presenter, podcaster, writer and creator; Gamilario man from rural NSW Dr Martha Sear Senior Curator at the National Museum of Australia Lucy Small 'Object owner'; professional surfer, activist, writer and film producer; co-founder of a campaign for gender equality in sport called Equal Pay for Equal Play Dr Liz Killen 'Object owner'; Research Director, Social Research Centre and Visiting Fellow, Australian National University; she currently serves as Assistant Manager in the science policy team of the Office of Australia's Chief Scientist Dan Bourchier (host) Multi-award winning journalist and broadcaster with the ABC

Jimmy Lai was once considered Hong Kong's quintessential rags to riches success story. But now, the newspaper publisher and democracy supporter is facing a life sentence in jail under China's crackdown on press freedom and opposition in the city. How did it come to this? And what does it mean for Hong Kong? This event was recorded on Thursday July 4 with the Melbourne Press Cub and PEN Melbourne, supported by the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne. Speakers Sebastian Lai Jimmy Lai's son and lead campaigner on the #FreeJimmyLai campaign Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC Lead lawyer, Jimmy Lai's international legal team Commissioner, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Ireland's Special Rapporteur on Child Protection Adjunct Full Professor, University College Dublin Fellow, Royal Society of Arts Jennifer Robinson Human rights lawyer Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers (London) Co-author, How Many More Women? Exposing how the law silences women (Allen & Unwin) Louisa Lim (host) Journalist Associate Professor in Journalism, University of Melbourne Author, Indelible City: Dispossession and defiance in Hong Kong (Text Publishing)

It's only eight years until the torch will be passed on to Brisbane. The countdown is on: Are we prepared? What are the challenges? What is the politics involved? And how important is children participating in sport to ensure that the games have a future? Presented at the Bond Business Leaders Forum, Bond University. Speakers Ian Chesterman President of the Australian Olympic Committee Pat Howard Former rugby international player and coach for the Leicester Tigers; Executive General Manager of Strategy, Insights & Innovation at the Australian Sports Commission Patrick Johnson Kaanju man from Far North Queensland, Olympian, Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist in the 4x 100 metres relay; board member for the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee; Chair of Australian Olympic Committee Indigenous Advisory Council Elia Hill Director, Commercial Opportunities and Investment, at the Queensland Department of Tourism and Sport William Tuffley (host) Partner, Business Services at the audit and accounting consultancy BDO Australia

Join a full house at the Sydney Opera House with Nobel winning scientist Jennifer Doudna and Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell to discuss the huge social, ethical, and scientific implications of the CRISPR gene editing revolution. From curative therapies to gene edited babies - will we use it to hack our own evolution? This event was presented by the Sydney Opera House, Big Questions Institute (BQI), Sydney Writers’ Festival, UNSW Sydney. Speaker: Professor Jennifer Doudna 2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry co-winner  Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Chair Professor, Departments of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell Biology Founder, Innovative Genomics Institute University of California, Berkeley Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Senior investigator, Gladstone Institutes Further information and listens: Doudna Lab Jennifer Doudna in conversation with Natasha Mitchell at an event in 2018 World's first CRISPR gene edited babies born - are we ready?(2018 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) The CRISPR gene-edited babies and the doctor who made them - what really happened? (2019 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Out of jail, is the CRISPR-baby scandal scientist at it again? (2023 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Feral science or solution? Unleashing gene drives (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Making happier animals? Gene editing in the farmyard (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell) Hear Natasha Mitchell learn how to do CRISPR gene editing (as part of her 4-part Earshot series The Hidden History of Eugenics (2016)) The science and ethics of genome editing with Jennifer Doudna and Kevin Esvelt (video of event hosted by Natasha Mitchell in 2018) Natasha Mitchell's review of Siddhartha Mukherjee's The Gene: An Intimate History

Who's watching your local council, keeping you abreast of issues in your neighbourhood, and celebrating your community's achievements? That used to be the role of your local newspaper, but now many of us don't have one. This event was recorded at the Willy Lit Fest on Sunday 16 June 2024. Speakers Margaret Simons Honorary Professorial Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne Author, Tanya Plibersek: on her own terms, Penny Wong: Passion and Principle, and others Josie Vine Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University Author, Larrikins, Rebels and Journalistic Freedom in Australia Rates, roads and rubbish reporter, The Westsider community newspaper Alice Pung Author, Unpolished Gem, Her Father's Daughter, Laurinda, Close to Home Editor, Growing Up Asian in Australia Adjunct Professor in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT John Weldon (host) Associate Professor, Victoria University

Moral philosopher and writer Raimond Gaita wrestles with the moral and ethical dimensions of the Israel-Gaza war to try to make sense of the incomprehensible. The Jim Carlton Integrity Lecture, "The Urgency of Ethical Challenges Facing the World" was recorded at the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne on May 8, 2024. Speaker Raimond Gaita Honorary professorial fellow, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne Emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy, King's College London Fellow, Australian Academy of the Humanities Author, Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other Writings, (and many other books) Editor Gaza: Morality, Law and Politics

In the shadow of the AI revolution, as the tech giants vie for our data, our attention, and our money, beloved Scottish author Andrew O'Hagan makes an impassioned case for the role of readers and writers as "frontline workers" in the fight for reality. These events were recorded at the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival on 17 and 19 May 2024. Speakers Andrew O'Hagan Author, Caledonian Road, Mayflies,and many more Essayist, editor-at-large of the London Review of Books Gillian O'Shaughnessy (host) Writer, moderator, journalist, broadcaster

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a conversation full of surprises on the bonds that make us and sometimes break us. Bad dates, spaceships, surviving cults, the creature within, mother love, loss, and more — how do our attachments shape our minds and lives? Thanks to Griffith Review and the Brisbane Writers Festival for organising this event. Speakers: Anna McGahan Actor, playwright, screenwriter, Vogel Award winner Author, Immaculate (Allen and Unwin 2023), and Metanoia: a memoir of a body, born again (Acorn Press, 2020) Ceridwen Dovey Author, Only the Astronauts (Penguin, 2024), Only the Animals (Penguin, 2015), and other titles. Dr Ahona Guha Clinical and forensic psychologist, writer Author, Life Skills for a Broken World (Scribe Publications, 2024) and Reclaim: Understanding complex trauma and those who abuse (Scribe Publications, 2023) Further information: Griffith Review: Edition 84 Attachment Styles Griffith Review's editor Carody Culver on getting attached

For many Indigenous performers publicity comes with the burden of being a role model. Their only options seem to be a pedestal or oblivion, particularly if they are women. What are the challenges for them to find their place on stage and in life? Who has the right to be 'bad' in a society that expects women to be flawless? A panel of Indigenous cultural commentators explores stereotypes and puts them in the bin. Presented at the All About Women Festival by the Sydney Opera House. Speakers Barkaa Malyangapa, Barkindji rapper from Western New South Wales, now living in South West Sydney on Gandangara land Steph Tisdell Ydinji comedian and actress Rudi Bremer (host) Gamilaraay woman, broadcaster and presenter of RN's Awaye! Listen to Big Ideas – Indigenous arts

Recent elections overseas have shown a rise in the popularity of far-right politics in Europe and elsewhere, fuelled by anti-immigration sentiment, economic woes and other grievances. So what does this mean for far-right movements back here in Australia? This event was recorded at the University of Canberra on May 16, 2024. Speakers Jordan McSwiney Author, Far-Right Political Parties in Australia: Disorganisation and Electoral Failure Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, University of Canberra Kristy Campion Senior Lecturer in Terrorism Studies, Charles Sturt University Ariel Bogle Investigations reporter, Guardian Australia Clarification In the program was stated by Jordan McSwiney that "But if we look at this and global perspective, comparing to like Sweden, like you say, for example, where the Sweden Democrats, the far right party there, is the largest party now in the Swedish national parliament, having two seats in the Senate, nothing in the Lower House is totally marginal, right." The Social Democratic Party has the most seats in the Swedish national parliament (106). The Sweden Democrats have the second highest number of seats (72).

In some parts of the United States, you're more likely to see a book banned in public libraries and schools, than efforts towards gun control. Advocacy organisation PEN America has documented more than 10,000 book bans since 2021. Momentum to censor books is growing, and also spreading to places like Australia. So what's it like to write and sell books in this climate? This event was recorded at the Melbourne Writers Festival on the 12 May, 2024. Speakers Ann Patchett Author of Tom Lake, Bel Canto, Truth and Beauty, and many more; Owner, Parnassus Books, Nashville Tennessee Lauren Groff Author The Vaster Wilds, Fates and Furies, Florida, and many more; Owner, The Lynx Books, Gainsville Florida Tony Birch Author, Women and Children, Ghost River, Shadowboxing; Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature at Melbourne University Christine Gordon (host) Programming and Engagement manager, Readings; Director, Victorian Women's Trust Board; Founding Director of the Stella Prize Further information The Book Show, ABC RN: Banned Books podcast

From land rights to health and education, working within the system or outside of it, what makes a great Indigenous leader, and how do we create the right conditions for leadership to flourish? The 2024 Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture was recorded by James Cook University in Cairns on May 16, 2024. Speaker Professor Ngiare Brown Chancellor, James Cook University, Yuin Nation

Democracy is not necessarily the winner of the recent elections in Asia. More than a billion people across the region have voted. But that doesn't ensure democratic ideals and processes are uphold. We look at Indonesia, India and Taiwan to put the election results into context and learn how they impact democracy not just in their own countries, but across the region and the globe. Presented by La Trobe Asia. Speakers Kevin Magee Adjunct Fellow at the Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney; Former Australian ambassador to Taipei (2011-2014) Dr Priya Chacko Associate Professor of International Politics, University of Adelaide Professor Vedi Hadiz Director and Professor of Asian Studies at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne Dr Ruth Gamble (host) Senior Lecturer in History and Deputy Director of La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University

In NAIDOC Week, is reconciliation between Black and White Australians dead, buried, or in need of re-imagining? The fallout of the Voice Referendum has left many jaded, confused, angry or indifferent. Two galvanising reflections on what all Australians can learn from the referendum, with visions for what next. Speakers Professor Tom Calma AO Aboriginal Elder from the Kungarakan tribal group and a member of the Iwaidja and Woolwonga tribal groups in the Top End of the NT. Former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, 2023 Senior Australian of the Year. The Lowitja O’Donoghue Oration was recorded at the Don Dunstan Foundation at Adelaide University on May 29, 2024.  Professor Andrew Gunstone Director National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor Reconciliation and Professor Indigenous Studies Federation University  Co-Chair Reconciliation Victoria Erin Lang Chair of Reconciliation Queensland, Bundjalung woman This event was recorded at the Brisbane Writers Festival 31 May 2024 Further Information Book Reflections on the Voice: During and After the Campaign by Professor Andrew Gunstone NAIDOC Week 7-14 July 2024

From loneliness, to our technology addiction, growing inequality and our shrinking middle class, our faith in God, to the complex legacy of the Baby Boomers, Hugh McKay paints a compelling portrait of modern Australia, and asks some pointy questions about its future. This event was recorded at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at the University of South Australia on May 16, 2024. Speakers Hugh McKay  Social psychologist and researcher Author, The Way We Are. Lessons from a lifetime of listening Julia Lester (host) Journalist, broadcaster, presenter

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests in a coal country heartland. Communities in Muswellbrook and Singleton in the NSW Upper Hunter are living at the coalface  — quite literally — of the vexed debate over Australia's slow transition to a post-Carbon future. Australia's oldest coal-fired Liddell power station {"Lady Liddell") was shut down by AGL last year, AGL's Bayswater Power Station will close within a decade, coal mines are being closed, others expanded, and now the Coalition is proposing a nuclear power station for the Liddell site, but AGL has other plans.  This event was organised by Arts Upper Hunter as part of the LIDDELLWorks exhibition and artists' residency, and held at the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre. Speakers:  Professor Glenn Albrecht Environmental philosopher  Creator of the concept "Solastalgia" Author, Earth Emotions: New Words for A New World. Associate Professor Hedda Askland Futures anthropologist Leader, MyMuswellbrook research project Rob Cooper Corporate and community affairs manager (Liddell and Bayswater power stations) AGL Fiona Lee Artist and climate activist One of the 16 artists shown in the LIDDELLworks exhibition Further information: Liddell: Layers of Language in the Landscape (essay by Glenn Albrecht as part of the Liddellworks project) Artworks story on Fiona Lee Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations, including Liddell demolition pans Information from AGL about 500MW battery development at Liddell site Hunter Energy Hub HyResource background Information on solar recycling proposal at Liddell site Hunter Renewal Community Blueprint

Throughout history, empires and civilisations have risen to greatness and then fallen into decline and vanish, leaving only ruins and some artefacts. Why? Are there common features of collapse? From the great societies of Mesopotamia to those of Khmer and the Maya and Aztec of the Americas; from the Roman empire to Carthage. They all follow a similar route. What are the lessons for our civilisation and our future? Presented at the York Festival of Ideas. The festival is led by the University of York, UK. Speaker Paul Cooper Host and producer of the podcast Fall of Civilizations, author of Fall of Civilizations: Stories of Greatness and Decline Listen to Big Ideas: Our fascination with ancient Rome

Through the lens of her own middle-class family, prolific British journalist Polly Toynbee explores the guilt of privilege, the myth of mobility and the role of class in British society and politics. This event was recorded at the UNSW Centre for Ideas on March 11, 2024. Speakers Polly Toynbee Columnist, The Guardian Author, An Uneasy Inheritance, my family and other radicals Nick Bryant Journalist, author and commentator

You wouldn't be human if you hadn't from time to time wondered what the meaning of all of this is. Who am I? Is there a purpose? Why am I here? And how can I live a good life? Well of course you're not alone – some of history's biggest thinkers have been coming up with answers to these questions for thousands of years. So what can we learn from their conclusions? This event was recorded at Melbourne Writers Festival on May 11, 2024.  Speaker AC Grayling Professor of Philosophy, Northeastern University London  Supernumerary Fellow, St Anne's College, Oxford Author, Philosophy and Life, Exploring the Great Questions of How to Live (Penguin Books)

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a poetic discussion on the ways you can create space to grieve for species that are going, going, gone. Powerful interests collude to tell us that expressing emotion is hysterical, and that humans are separate from Nature, but proper mourning paves the way for what to do next — and places us right back where we belong. Speakers Professor Thom van Dooren Environmental philosopher Professor of Environmental Humanities Deputy Director of the Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney Author, Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction The Wake of Crows: Living and Dying in Shared Worlds A World in a Shell: Snail Stories for a Time of Extinctions Dr Blanche Verlie Climate change educator, sociologist Lecturer in Gender and Cultural Studies Sydney Horizon Fellow, University of Sydney. Author, Learning to Live With Climate Change: From Anxiety to Transformation Associate Professor Zoe Sadokierski Book designer, writer, creative producer Co-director, Visualisation Institute, University of Technology Sydney. Author, Father, Son and Other Animals

Leading Australian climate scientist Dr Joelle Gergis takes a timely look at Australia's perilous future in a warming world. "Most Australians aren't aware how bad things are and how much worse they will get." — Joelle Gergis This event was recorded at Gleebooks in Sydney on Tuesday June 4, 2024. Speakers Dr Joelle Gergis Climate scientist Author, Highway to Hell — Climate Change and Australia's Future (Quarterly Essay #94, Black Inc Books) Marian Wilkinson Journalist and author

A huge number of ancient artefacts, First Nations' ceremonial objects and precious art sits in museums, galleries, private collections all over the world — with polite plaques. But their history is often messier than the plaques suggest. Throughout its reign, the British Empire 'stole' a lot of stuff. One of the arguably most controversial examples are the Parthenon Marbles, a collection of sculptural reliefs from the temple of Athena (the Parthenon) on the Acropolis in Greece. The second season of the TV documentary Stuff The British Stole has started on ABC TV and ABC iView. This discussion was presented by the National Gallery of Australia. The ABC acknowledges the National Gallery of Australia for their support with setting up this event and their assistance to guest speakers and ABC staff. Speakers Marc Fennell Host of the podcast and TV series Stuff the British Stole Wakely-award winning journalist and documentary-maker Adjunct Professor Margo Ngawa Neale Emeritus Curatorial Fellow: First Nations at the National Museum of Australia, former Head of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges. Born and raised on Gunai/ Kurnai country with other clan affiliations to Gumbaynggirr and Wiradjuri nations Dr Nick Mitzevitch Director of the National Gallery of Australia Santilla Chingaipe (host) Zambian-born Australian historian, journalist, and filmmaker

Author, essayist and speechwriter Don Watson says that the price of democracy is energy, imagination, and unstinting hard work. Through the lens of Trump's America, and the malaise of Australian politics, Watson questions whether our modern democracies are up to the job. This event was recorded on Bunurong country at the Sorrento Writers' Festival on April 25 2024. Speaker Don Watson, Author, essayist and speechwriter

On the doorstep of Gaza comes the remarkable story of the world's first peace treaty — a 3200-year-old text. Egyptologist Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell to share a political and personal soap opera that brought an enduring peace to a region now suffering from a bloody war. Speaker: Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson Linguist and Egyptologist Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University

Disadvantaged and marginalised students often don't get the financial and teaching support that they need. Equity everyone, regardless of their background, is one of the most pressing challenges facing out higher education sector.  The government released the Universities Accord Final Report earlier this year – and it recommends sweeping changes. What are the main recommendations? And are they any good? Access, Achievement, Accord 2024 was presented at The Australian Student Equity Symposium, Curtin University. Speakers Dr Kylie Austin President for Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia Professor Verity Firth Vice President Societal Impact, Equity and Engagement at the University of New South Wales Professor Barney Glover Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia Professor Harlene Hayne Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University Professor Mary O'Kane Chair of the Universities Accord Review; director and executive chairman of the consultancy O'Kane Associates Professor Shamit Saggar (host) Executive Director Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success, Curtin University Further information Australian Universities Accord Final Report Document

Award winning playwright S. Shakthidharan has described his groundbreaking theatre work Counting and Cracking as "a radical act of belonging". The epic, three-act, three-hour tale captures the Australian migrant experience through the story of one Sri Lankan family across four generations. To celebrate the play's return to the stage, we hear from four Sri Lankan Australians about the role creativity has played in their lives, culture and community. This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne (UMAC) in partnership with Rising Festival and The Wheeler Centre on June 2, 2024. Speakers S. Shakthidharan Writer, Director, Producer and composer of original music Author, Counting and Cracking Co-Founder and Co-Director, Kurinji Minoli De Silva Owner, Ella by Minoli Finalist, Masterchef Australia Suren Jayemanne Comedian, writer, presenter Bhakthi Puvanenthiran (host) Entertainment and Features Editor, ABC Further information How writing the epic play Counting and Cracking helped Tamil playwright S. Shakthidharan's mum face her trauma ABC Online, May 27, 2024 'We are here, we belong' — The unifying impact of Counting and Cracking  The Stage Show, ABC RN, June 11, 2024

Drawing on his experiences working across continents in the "shatter zones" of society — jails, war zones, refugee shelters – Andre de Quadros explains how music and creativity can be used to build peace, reconciliation and empowerment in a troubled world. Later, Anne-Marie Forbes explains how music improves mental, physical and community well-being. These events were recorded at the 2024 Miegunyah Lecture at the University of Melbourne on April 11, 2024, and Melodies as Medicine at the University of Tasmania on April 10, 2024. Speakers Andre de Quadros Professor of Music, Boston University 2024 Miegunyah Visiting Fellow, University of Melbourne Anne-Marie Forbes Associate Professor Musicology, University of Tasmania Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health. Nourish Women's Choir

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival in Bondi. From deep sea mining to illegal fishing on the high seas, who is the boss of the ocean? And why are scientists-turned-entrepreneurs singing the praises of seaweed?  Two panels of big thinkers exploring new frontiers for ocean exploitation — and inspiration — the risks, the rewards, and the regulation of this vast wilderness which covers 70% of the planet's surface Panel 1 - Who owns the high seas and deep seas? Deep sea mining and illegal fishing  Associate Professor Aline Jaeckel Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) University of Wollongong Captain Peter Hammarstedt Director of Campaigns and Chairman of Sea Shepherd Australia Mattheiu Rytz Director of the film Deep Rising Panel 2 - Is algae the new gold? Dr Michael Askew Executive Director and co-founder Algae Co Dr Pia Winberg Founder and chief scientist Venus Shell Systems Dr Alexandra Thomson, Industry Engagement Manager Climate Change Cluster (C3) Research Institute University of Technology Sydney

It took until the late 1990s for Australia to decriminalise homosexuality. Since then, the law has changed and evolved in a multitude of ways for LGBTQIA+ people, but not without a fight virtually every step of the way.  This event was recorded as part of Victorian Law Week on May 22, 2024. Speakers Elizabeth Bennett SC, Barrister Vice President, Victorian Barristers Network Sam Elkin Author, Detachable Penis: A queer legal saga (Upswell publishing) Legal aid lawyer (inaugural lawyer for Victoria's first Queer legal service) Host, Queer View Mirror, Triple R Yves Rees (host) Senior Lecturer in History, La Trobe University

Firstly, make sure you become a grandparent. It apparently adds five years to your life. And it can make you very happy - if you do grandparenting right! Hear about the does and don'ts in this discussion about how to age well. Then add a good diet. With the six secret ingredients provided by one of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dietetics. And lastly, ignore social attitudes and images, that tell you how old you should feel. 'How To Grow Old. It ain't for the faint-hearted' was presented by the Sorrento Writers Festival. Speakers Michael Carr-Gregg Adolescent psychologist, and one of Australia's leading authorities on teenage behaviour Author of Grandparents: A practical guide to navigating grandparenting today Allen & Unwin, 2023 Karen Inge One of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dietetics Author of 'Let's Eat Right! for Families', 'Food, Fitness and Feeling Good', Co-author of the award winning book 'Food for Sport' and 'Food for Sport Cookbook' Bernard Salt Author, demographer, social commentator and regular columnist with The Australian Hannie Rayson (host) Australian playwright and newspaper columnist Listen to Big Ideas – The ingredients to ageing well

It's often said that democracies can't function well without a strong opposition to hold the government of the day to account. But what does it take to be an effective opposition? This event was recorded at the Centre for Independent Studies on Thursday 16 May 2024. Speakers Scott Prasser  Co-author with David Clune, The Art of Opposition (Connor Court publishing) Senior Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies John Howard Former Prime Minister 1996 – 2007 Tom Switzer  Director, Centre for Independent Studies Andrew Blythe (host) Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies

From stopping the boats to building a wall, countries have gone to great lengths to stop the flow of people migrating across borders in search of a better life. But are these efforts realistic – let alone humane — when there are an estimated 110 million people forcibly displaced by war, persecution, hunger and climate change worldwide? This event was recorded at the University of Tasmania on May 8, 2024. Speakers Dr Tamara Wood Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Tasmania Sanushka Mudaliar Director, Global Migration Lab, Red Cross and Red Crescent Arad Nik Iranian refugee, human rights activist and business owner

Humanity faces two existential threats: catastrophic climate change and nuclear annihilation, according to former US Deputy Secretary of Energy turned nuclear industry player Daniel Poneman.Yet, he argues nuclear energy is an essential part of the mix of carbon zero power sources as we transition away from coal. He discusses global developments in nuclear power generation, including new generations of reactor design, and critical issues like cost, safety, and proliferation risks. Presented at the American Academy in Berlin. Speakers Daniel Poneman Former US Deputy Secretary of Energy; distinguished fellow Atlantic Council's Global Energy Centre Former President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp (a nuclear fuel company), 2015-2023 Daniel Benjamin (host) President of the American Academy in Berlin

Laura Tingle delivers the 2024 John Button Oration at the Melbourne Writers Festival, looking at how our public discourse has changed over her 40-year career – and throughout history. She explores what is to blame for the demise in civility in our public debate, and the seeming inability of our media and the political class to solve the intractable problems we face.  This event was recorded on Saturday 11 May 2024, at the Melbourne Writers Festival, in partnership with University of Melbourne School of Government and the Faculty of Arts, and the Button family. Speakers Laura Tingle Chief Political Correspondent, 730 (ABC) President, National Press Club Staff-elected director, ABC board

Australians love a drink, or at least, that's a perception that's deeply ingrained in our national identity... but how true is it, these days? This Big Ideas explores the politics, problems, and pleasures of Australia's long and chequered relationship with alcohol. This event was recorded at Clunes Booktown Festival on Saturday March 23 2024. Speakers Alex Ettling Author, Knocking the Top off: A People's History of Alcohol in Australia Sarah MacLean Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University Richard Gilbert Author, Thirst for Gold Bill Garner (host) Writer, actor, academic, author Born in a Tent

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to grapple with some gritty paradoxes about science and religion. In this era of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and existential angst — are they serving the needs they used to?

When you're faced with the reality that your home, livelihoods and culture will be swallowed up by the rising seas of a warming climate, how do you respond?

You might think humans have escaped biology and evolution altogether with our strange and different ways: Women live well past their reproductive years, and we have baffling long childhoods as a species. We display a dazzling mix of selfishness and altruism, and gossiping can in fact be a strategy for survival.

As violence continues in Europe and the Middle East and as positive collective action on urgent global-scale issues seems out of reach, do we need new forms of international cooperation? How can Global South and Global North nations work together more effectively? What roadblocks hinder joint action on crucial issues such as security, development, climate, and AI? How can ethical reflection and engagement pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable multilateralism? A panel of international policy experts believes it's possible: There are shared values and shared interests that can serve as the basis for effective and inclusive forms of cooperation; we merely need to activate them.