Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

The potential changes which will affect rescue animals

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Queensland, it's illegal to feed or rehome stray cats.Councils favour trapping and euthanising - in a bid to protect wildlife.We could be about to...

Foster care concerns as volunteer numbers drop around Australia

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Across the country there are about 45,000 children in out-of-home care... and about 8,000 are in a foster care home.  These children rely on foster ...

Has Gordon Flett found the secret to feeling like you matter?

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Psychology professor Gordon Flett has shown that the amount a person feels they "matter" could be the key factor in how positive they feel about thei...

Ask Aunty: The lure of the neighbour's empty bin

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When your family's bin is constantly overflowing… And there's one across the street that's consistently empty….. is that too good an opportunity ...

The battle for the streets: How can we make our roads safer?

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many things that shape the way we use our streets. A new study from RMIT has found bringing residential speed limits down from 50 to 30 ...

New guidelines rethink male infertility

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Infertility is a taboo topic at the best of times, and when it comes to male infertility, the stigma can have big consequences for starting a family....

Chatbot relationships: What are the risks when your companion is AI?

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New research found one in seven adult Australians could imagine falling in love with an AI chatbot. It comes as the world's most popular AI chatbot,...

The move toward a cashless society

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What's in your wallet? License, credit cards, pics of the kids... but, is there any money in there?Will coins soon be ... just for collecting?The fed...

Finding balance between your online and offline world

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Around the world there have been moves to curtail smartphone use. Recently, a small town in central Japan introduced a measure limiting it to just tw...

This condition makes women consider ending their pregnancy. Why aren't we talking about it?

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you've been pregnant or not, you're probably familiar with the term "morning sickness."But have you heard of Hyperemesis gravidarum?It's an i...

Deep Time: An epic story more than 65,000 years in the making

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The ABC has launched a new interactive tool that brings together thousands of years of oral histories that have been passed down for generations.The ...

Are we over-reliant on suspensions in schools?

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One in five students in New South Wales has been suspended from school, and new research shows that being excluded from school not only influences ac...

Buyer Beware: How long would you stand in line to buy something special?

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard about the tiny bakery in Sydney that's supposedly selling cinnamon scrolls that are to die for? Every weekend, the lure of baked good ...

From waiting rooms to wi-fi: the telehealth shift risk

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

COVID completely changed the way many of us saw a doctor. Gone are the days of sitting in the GP's waiting room, flicking through old magazines as y...

You reach your mental peak at around 60 years of age. Here's why

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"Your school years are your best years." "Life begins at 40."According to researchers, what we're told about age isn't exactly correct.Contrary to co...

Multigenerational family travel is having a moment

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you thought once the kids hit adulthood, then the family trip was done, you'd be wrong.Research shows multigenerational holidays and large group f...

Marryam Chehelnabi on how to do relationship maintenance

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Therapy is generally associated with relationships in dire straits. But, psychotherapist Marryam Chehelnabi, from SBS' Couples Therapy Australia, say...

Ask Aunty: Being roasted on the group chat

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens if you're part of a tight-knit friendship group but you realise that those same friends have been laughing about you behind your back on...

The memoir that changed Astrid Jorgensen's life

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Voting has closed for ABC Radio National's Top 100 Books of the 21st Century.You spent weeks collating your list and casting your votes.We've been as...

Ask Aristotle: The ethics of standing up and speaking out

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recently in the United States, six former surgeons general -  their country's leading spokespeople on public health - joined forces to write an opin...

Is universal basic income really the solution to all our problems?

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What would happen if every person in the country - from the bottom to the top - got $500 income every week, no further information required?Wealth in...

What if you didn't have to wait for an insurance payout after extreme weather?

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Extreme weather events are becoming more common, and that's making insurance harder to afford - or in some places, impossible to get.Even if you are ...

What it takes to be a hostage negotiator

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you've watched the news this week, you've seen the powerful reunions.Hostages, some taken years ago, finally back with their families. Israel and ...

The end of hostels and hangovers? Aussie coming-of-age trips are changing

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For generations, young Australians marked adulthood with a backpack, a bus pass, and a blur of hostels and happy hours. But today’s young travelle...

Ending the relationship just before you say "I Do"

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The venue is booked. The invites have gone out. And the wedding gown is purchased. But something doesn't feel right.Ending a relationship shortly bef...

Kids are already finding ways around the social media ban

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With less than two months until the under-16 social media ban comes into effect, some kids are already finding ways to stay on the platforms.In some ...

Will the IVF review fix the issues facing the sector?

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This year multiple stories of embryo mix-ups and surprise donor-conceived siblings have come to light, highlighting issues in the assisted reproducti...

Head and Heart: Is a little loneliness in a marriage always a bad thing?

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's the three words every newly-engaged couple is given as well-meaning advice at some point: "marriage is hard".But we also hear that "familiarity ...

Millions of Aussies work at night: why aren't our cities built for them?

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if your work day is actually a work night? Four million Australians work between 6pm and 6am - from nurses and cleaners to delivery drivers and...

New guidelines to help you in financial hardship

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Financial Counselling Australia has just released a set of principles aimed at guiding organisations to better respond to financial hardship.So if yo...

Farm-to-table suburbs: Agrihoods are coming to Australia

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine living in a community built around a working farm, where fresh, locally grown food is right outside your door.Imagine living in a community b...

What's fueling supplement culture?

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From tablets to powders, capsules, gummies, shakes, and sprays. If you stroll through your pharmacy or supermarket... or scroll down your social medi...

My Two Cents: Ione Skye

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In My Two Cents, we ask those questions you'd rather not answer about money.Today hear how actor, artist and author Ione Skye makes and spends her mo...

Ask Aunty: “Surprise! The birthday dinner's on you!"

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It can be awkward to split the bill with friends.But when you’re at a new friend’s birthday dinner and you think it's their shout, then get hand...

If Madonna can reconcile with her estranged family, can I?

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Madonna's recent discussion with Jay Shetty about reconciling with her estranged brother has sparked conversations about whether it is possible to re...

New global diet advice: Fill your plate with veggies

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Late last week a group of scientists and nutrition experts unveiled an updated global diet plan. This diet is a bit different. It's not just about wh...

Turia Pitt: Being selfish is self-care

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2011, Turia Pitt was caught in a grassfire while competing in the 100km Kimberley ultra marathon in Western Australia. She suffered burns to 65% o...

Social Studies: Why do we still bother with weddings?

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, 600 couples from the South American nation of Paraguay were married simultaneously in a gym.Is this a genius way to get around the financia...

The meaning behind a special piece of jewellery

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A really meaningful piece of jewellery can feel like it's part of you... but some people take that to the next level with pieces that are literally m...

Private tutoring is still unregulated. Experts warn that must change.

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Its estimated one in six Australian students receive private tutoring to help them catch up or get ahead at school. However, the billion-dollar indu...

How to start again after a relationship ends

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last week's big celebrity news that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban had ended their marriage after 19 years came as a bit of a shock. And within a day...

Buyer Beware: The inefficient way to connect with your kids

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It can be easier to outsource errands on your phone. Especially if those chores involve a trip to the shops with your kids. But is avoiding the hass...

Can specialised libraries encourage kids to read?

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Children are reading less and less. And adults? Well, we're not much better.A new report shows that kids need the time, space and a little helping ha...

Would you watch a film starring an AI "actress"?

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if the leading performer in the next movie you saw wasn't human, but an AI entity? Tilly Norwood is young, brunette, with brown eyes and what s...

Bob Brown's stories of conviction and defiance

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Former parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens, Bob Brown is known as a beacon of environmental activism.Now he has written a book, Defiance: S...

Rural GPs are hard to find, so this town is offering a reward

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Australia has a shortage of GPs, particularly in rural, regional and remote areas.But, one GP clinic in regional Victoria is tackling the problem in ...

A midwife shares her labours of love

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It might be one of life's most common experiences, but giving birth is also one of the most unique and profound moments in any person's life.Midwife ...

The scientifically proven way to experience more joy

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us would love to add a little more joy, fun or pleasure into our lives, and research is now proving that we can. Dr Kerry Burnight, Director...

Ask Aunty: Watching a friend break up and make up

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What should you do to support a friend who has bad luck with relationships? Letter-writer Morgan says she's fed-up with a friend who she thinks is s...

Is cancel culture "cancelled" in 2025?

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The internet pile-on is a well-established phenomenon in 2025.We've been living our lives online for decades now, so is it time for our behaviour on ...

If trivia is your special skill, here's how to get on a quiz show

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered how to get your mug on a quiz show? Or have you wondered who comes up with all those left-field questions?Hamish Watt is the s...

Will aviation reforms help protect Australian travellers?

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A cancelled flight, lost bags, a lengthy delay forcing you to spend hours at an airport, and the stress of trying to rebook the family's holiday at t...

Ask Aristotle: Is it ethical to keep watching problematic shows?

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dawsons Creek. Little Britain. Friends. At the time, you thought these TV shows were hilarious. But by 2025 standards, they haven't aged well. But i...

Who gets to be an "Aussie" in 2025?

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2016, Peter Drew's posters became some of the most recognisable art in the country. He made the posters at a time of great distress about rising r...

How to address the deep exhaustion of burnout

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A seemingly never-ending list of work projects is piling up... meanwhile family and personal commitments have never been more demanding. You feel lik...

Melissa Leong explains her "accidental" career in food

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

MasterChef judge, food critic, and writer under the handle Fooderati, Melissa Leong is many things. She is also an author - she's just released her n...

The benefits of poetry in an era of algorithms and distraction

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When's the last time you read a poem?Perhaps you were at a wedding, a funeral, or another special occasion. Or maybe you're the one who has written a...

Why does the public have trust issues when it comes to our universities?

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"Betrayed. Undermined. And let down."This is how students and staff at Australia's universities feel... according to the chair of a senate inquiry ex...

Can you imagine footy finals with zero gambling ads?

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine watching the footy - whatever your code - with no gambling ads.Can you even picture it? They're are all-pervasive - on jerseys, on the TV bet...

Head and heart: combatting FOMO when everyone else is on holiday

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

School's out! And a lot of lucky families are at the beach, or somewhere exotic or far-flung.But if you're not posting postcard-perfect pics on Insta...

How do you decide what food is "healthy", especially when the science changes?

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keeping up with the best, most up-to-date nutrition information that's backed by science isn't always easy. Just recently, a study that spruiked the ...

Are you ready for driverless cars on our roads?

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tesla's latest software upgrade has arrived on our shores. A software update just dropped... and it upgrades your car, to take a ton of driving tasks...

Should visitors be charged to access natural sites?

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Victoria, there's a push to charge a fee to view the iconic Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road.Around the country, some of our national parks...

The fantasy story that changed Leigh Sales' life

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ABC Radio National has launched its Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Over the next few weeks, you can vote for the books that you believe belong on...

Ask Aunty: Family matriarch ready to hand over the crown

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're the family matriarch or patriarch but you're very ready to hand over your crown to the next generation…. what do you do if the heirs appa...

How to find your space in a friendship group

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From Seinfeld to Sex and the City... from Cheers to Friends... popular culture loves celebrating a friendship group.And for most of us, friendship gr...

Social Studies: Why are young adults lonelier than older people?

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a fan of 90s sitcoms, you'll know that the friendship depicted in the sitcom Friends isn't necessarily representative of real life. People ...

Who should get a statue in contemporary Australia?

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever given any thought as to why some people are commemorated with a public bronze statue... and not others?In Victoria, plans are underway ...

We're becoming more prejudiced. How can we break our echo chambers?

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For decades the thinking has been that bringing together people from different cultural or religious groups would be enough to effectively reduce pre...

How has volunteering changed your life?

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Volunteering was once a part of the cultural fabric of Australian society, but with increasing time pressures both at home and work, it's slipping by...

The psychology behind "us versus them" thinking

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Riots, murders, and politically-motivated terrorism. No matter what side of politics you sit on ... or even if you consider yourself pretty removed f...

Unproven autism claims cause global ripple effects

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The US President Donald Trump has linked autism to vaccines ... even pointing the finger at paracetamol. He urged parents to delay childhood vaccinat...

From slacktivism to real change - are petitions still effective?

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Australia marches towards banning under 16s from social media, it's worth remembering that this idea didn't start in Parliament.It started as an o...

Buyer Beware: what makes something go viral?

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're on any kind of social media, you may have seen this mythical dessert popping up everywhere. Dubai chocolate.  It's milk chocolate, filled ...

When you can't move on from COVID-19

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, New South Wales' first public long COVID clinic announced it will close its doors at the end of the month.The clinic - at St Vincent's Hos...

My Two Cents: Mick Thomas

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In our regular segment My Two Cents, we ask those questions you'd rather not answer about money.In this episode, hear how veteran rock and roller Mic...

Australia's health stats are looking bad - here's how we can fix them

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sad, sick, and lonely. The ABS "Measuring What Matters" report is out - and it's showing a pretty dire snapshot of the nation's wellbeing.It shows th...

The power of an online review

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From Tripadvisor, to True Local, and Google Reviews. Australians can offer opinions on restaurants, cafes, hair salons, mechanics, call centres... ev...

What benefits can kids get from risky play?

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The way we think about risk for kids has changed drastically over a generation or two, moving towards a world with all the sharp edges and trip hazar...

The biography that changed Simon Burke's life

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ABC Radio National has launched its Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Over the next few weeks, you can vote for the books that you believe belong on...

Ask Aunty: Drama at the School Sausage Sizzle

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Volunteering at school events is about building community spirit … but it's also about being fast, efficient, and able to work as part of a well-oi...

Embracing the power of saying yes

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What could happen if, rather than saying no to all the things that scare us, we tried saying yes? And we did that over and over again for a whole yea...

Would you like gene-edited meat on your dinner plate?

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, genetically modified foods have sparked debate.  Praised as a solution to global food security, and criticised as unnatural, unsafe, an...

The role model keeping supermodel Samantha Harris grounded

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

All mothers are proud of their kids, but for Indigenous supermodel Samantha Harris, her success on the runway has earned her a "Samantha Shrine" in h...

Why isn't gardening space part of the housing crisis discussions?

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are mental and physical health benefits of a garden. But unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of their own personal green space - a backy...

The rise in solo motherhood by choice

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage... Or does it? Between 2019 and 2023, one fertility group saw a 220%...

How to make sure your house lasts the length of your mortgage

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you build or buy a home that will go the distance? By 2050, climate change could see over $600 billion dollars wiped from our property market...

Is there a book that's changed your thinking?

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes a book stays with you long after you finish reading it. Sometimes a book finds a permanent place in your heart... and changes the way you s...

Divided reaction to the death of Charlie Kirk

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's been almost a week since Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated, and the public commentary has been extreme.There's no doubt th...

Schools and students grapple with AI and cheating

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ChatGPT...  Grammarly... Google Gemini...  AI tools have changed student life in the space of just a couple of years. Cheating seems easier than ev...

How climate change is impacting the way we play sport

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Footy fever is in the air with the AFL and NRL grand finals just around the corner. But that's not the only kind of heat hitting the world of sport.A...

The unconventional love story that changed Zan Rowe's life

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ABC Radio National has launched its Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Over the next few weeks, you can vote for the books that you believe belong on...

Are we prepared to take the steps needed to save koalas?

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Few animals are more iconic to Australia than the koala. Cuddly, world-famous, and deeply woven into our national identity.But behind the cute image ...

Men struggling with eating disorders... why getting treatment is a challenge

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Eating disorders can affect anyone, and anyone can have body image concerns... but the stereotype remains that it's an illness that mostly affects wo...

Would the planet be better off if we took farming indoors?

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Indoor farming, where rows of fresh produce are stacked in vertical towers, could be a viable way to insulate homegrown food from our rapidly changin...

Ask Aunty: The disappearing husband

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you're stuck between your best mate and your best mate's wife, what do you do? The aunties step in to help letter-writer Tom move forward when t...

Matilda Boseley: How to ‘ADHD-ify’ your life

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So, now you know! You have ADHD! But, what comes next? Is there a way that you, and those who love you, can “do life” that better suits your ADH...

My Two Cents: Matt Okine

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In our regular segment My Two Cents, we ask those questions you'd rather not answer about money.Comedian and former triple j breakfast host shares wh...

Shoved, spat on, sworn at: the reality of working in retail

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For many retail workers, dealing with angry and abusive customers has become part of the job.A national survey of 4,600 retail workers in 2023 found ...

Why do we keep falling for phone scams?

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scams these days are pretty sophisticated.And given the number of ways they can get to you, social media, email, text message, it might feel almost q...