Big Ideas

Smaller conflicts than we're witnessing in the world right now have set off world wars. Who will be the crucial superpowers and super peacemakers in the next five years?

We are living in an "age of crises," says former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark. With her leadership experience and expertise in governance, politics, and policy, Helen Clark and a panel of health and international relation experts explore the challenges facing the world today and what is needed to achieve a healthier and thriving[...]

Women’s refuges are now a central part of our response to family violence, with hundreds operating across Australia. But that hasn't always been the case.

As Donald Trump makes his case for re-election in 2024, under a cloud of criminal prosecutions, how can journalists better cover such a norm-busting and rule-breaking political figure?

New York writer Jonathan Rosen’s memoir The Best Minds: a story of friendship, madness, and the tragedy of good intentions is a story of tenderness, heartache, and horror as he explores the vexed tensions between civil rights, medical power, and the complexities of recognising and treating severe psychotic illness. He joined Natasha Mitchell with psychiatrist Patrick McGorry for[...]

You don't need that dress, you need a hug. Or so says fashion activist and writer, Aja Barber.

It took 400,000 people to land man to the moon. And it's using that example as inspiration that the influential Italian American economist Mariana Mazzucato argues we can change capitalism.

Could Asia Pacific be with China within a couple of years? Is the independence of Taiwan worth for Australia to get involved? Would Indonesia be a better security partner for Australia than the US? On Big Ideas, a panel of foreign policy experts dissect evolving dynamics of South East Asia and offer insights into how[...]

Has the way politicians speak ever made you shout at the television, feel bamboozled, helpless,  or shut out of democratic debate over our shared future? Pollie-talk can make important issues opaque, the inequitable seem fair, and the fair seem inequitable. Join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell for some straight talk that cuts through the spin[...]

Only 50 years ago, if you were 60 years old your chance of dying was the same as an 80-year-old's today. Thanks to progress in medical technology, you can live longer than ever before. Quantum technology and quantum screening, modelling with digital twins, harvesting the power of AI and real time monitoring of your molecules[...]

Gender equality isn't just about equal pay, it's a health and safety issue. Women perceive safety very differently to men, and that's why they need a seat at the table when policies are being nutted out. Just a month after Australia gets its first Gender Equality Strategy, Stephanie Copus Campbell speaks about her first-hand experience[...]

How valuable are trees as an alternative crop? And what's the role of agroforestry in the future of sustainable farming?

They use of shark nets to protect us from sharks is highly controversial. Do they work, what do they do to marine life, are there alternatives, and why are sharks so political?  Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival for a robust interrogation of of an issue that ignites passions.

It's a question that has focused the minds of astronauts, scientists, space entrepreneurs and enthusiasts alike – is there, could there be, life on Mars? The race is on to find out, with NASA hoping to land astronauts there by the late 2030s.

Folk legend Eric Bogle is opening up and talks about his life, his thoughts about death, friendship and love and why having a deeper message for writing songs is so much more important than money and fame. It's a rare opportunity to share a conversation with one of the best and most prolific songwriters of[...]

What is the future of Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza strip and surrounding region? Can the past help us understand the tumultuous, horrifying present? And is a two-state solution a realistic response to the war in Gaza or not? Walkley Award-winning Australian journalist John Lyons, Israeli historian and political scientist Ilan Pappé, American essayist[...]

A wooden sarcophogas is sold in a Cairo market in the late 1800s, transported to Australia, and held in a University of Sydney collection. It remains closed for over a century. And then scientists opened its lid.  What happened next? Two leading Australian Egyptologists join Natasha Mitchell to consider the ethics, history, and science of a[...]

For decades, Mary Beard has forged her own path through the male dominated field of academia, from the ruins of Rome to the trenches of Twitter, to become "the world's most famous classicist".

The best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world.

What is the best response to hostage diplomacy? Pay the ransom? Sanction the responsible country, or individuals? Go public, or pursue quiet diplomacy? Can countries preserve bilateral relations, while at the same time advocating for the rights of their unlawfully detained citizens? 

Water is life. Rivers give life. But water and the rivers it flows down are also heavily politicised, and at the heart of battles over who gets access to water, what's killing our rivers, and what happens when they kill us during catastrophic floods. Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at this Adelaide Writers Week event with[...]

Australia’s bushfires are more intense, more frequent, and more costly. So how can we prepare for the inevitable – what proactive steps can communities take to protect themselves, and do we have the settings right?  

Many of you are involved in a charity: Handing out meals to homeless people, caring for surrendered animals in a shelter, organising soccer games to keep the youth in the neighbourhood on the straight and narrow. But are you sure that your charity is putting the time and also the money that you give up[...]

Grace is a hard word to define, but in her latest book, author, journalist and broadcaster Julia Baird explores the concept, and how finding and nurturing it in each other – and ourselves - can help us through dark times. 

When governments say they can't afford to fix climate change or lift kids out of poverty are they speaking the truth? American economist Stephanie Kelton challenges economic orthodoxy in her book The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People's Economy. She joins Natasha Mitchell in conversation at this 2024 National Sustainability[...]

Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, discusses his pioneering research into traumatic stress and its impact on our brains and bodies. Traumatised people experience incomprehensible anxiety, numbing and intolerable rage. Trauma affects their capacity to concentrate, to remember, to form trusting relationships, and even to feel at home in[...]

Different generations agree that youth mental health is in decline, but disagree about the causes. We explore generational attitudes to the economic and social drivers of mental ill-health in young people.

Liberalism isn't just a political philosophy but the basis of a truly meaningful life. That's the bold statement of philosopher Alexandre Lefebvre, author of the forthcoming book Liberalism As A Way of Life. Should individuals be free to pursue their own passions and interests in life? Does liberalism mean more than freedom of speech and small government?[...]

Quantum computing is all about physics, but for those looking to pioneer and revolutionise science, there are certain human qualities needed as well. That is the topic of these final two Boyer Lectures with a global leader in the field of quantum computing, Professor Michelle Simmons.

Imagine a machine with more power than all the computers in the world combined. This is the promise of quantum computing. In these 2023 Boyer Lectures, Professor Michelle Simmons explains why building a machine that operates at the scale of atoms has the potential to revolutionise society, and why Australia is at the forefront of[...]

The US has claimed that it has “no greater ally than Australia”, but with the stability of its democracy in question, what are the risks, and the rewards, of waltzing in step with the world’s greatest superpower? 

Hear from four “many worlds travellers” who have visited parallel worlds to explore themes of Indigenous rights, disability, gender and the climate crisis, to show us that a different way is within reach.  

Can you put a price tag on regional education? In fact, you can. The large difference in the quality of education between people who live in rural and regional Australia compared to those who live in the cities is costing our economy over 55 billion dollars…. AND we also talk about the role of advocates[...]

From dark energy to the nature of time, some of the most baffling mysteries in cosmology point to a surprisingly complex answer: The idea that alternate layers of reality might exist beyond the reach of our current physics, and perhaps even outside the Universe itself. Philosophy can help navigate the many enigmas of physics. In[...]

Two years since Vladimir Putin’s Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine, the risks are as grave as ever, including the possibility of war spilling into Europe, and the nuclear threat. What next for the Ukraine war?

We hear from the nation's anti-corruption leaders, including NACC Deputy Commissioner Nicole Rose, about the state of corruption in Australia.

Pioneering electronic musician and performer Laurie Anderson invites you contemplate the wonders of time. Time is one of the most impermanent forms of measurement that humans have invented to help manage our lives. We couldn't function without it. Do you feel like you're running out of time? Which way is time going? Are you able[...]

Best-selling author Holly Ringland says that everyone can be creative – yes, even you! Be it painting, cooking, knitting a jumper or writing a song. It's often self-doubt and the fear of criticism and judgement that's holding you back. The voice in your head telling you that you're not good enough. It doesn't have to[...]

Most of us know that exposure to nature is good for us, because we’ve experienced it ourselves. Doctors can even prescribe time in nature to patients, for the health benefits. But increasingly, we’re understanding – and measuring - just how nature helps us – our minds, bodies, and society. This event is brought to you by[...]

Celebrities, and their fans, wield tremendous economic, cultural and political influence – and none more so than US pop superstar Taylor Swift. Academia is getting on board, with university courses now entirely dedicated to studying the icon. But celebrities and their fans have not always been taken seriously, by academia, or broader society – particularly[...]

Have you ever followed your intuition, or been guided by a gut feeling? Is intuition real or imagined? Can it be learnt and harnessed for good in our lives? Neuroscientist and psychologist Joel Pearson wanted to find out. He joins Natasha Mitchell to discuss his book The Intuition Toolkit – the New Science of Knowing[...]

What has happened to civil debate and the reasonable exchange of competing ideas in public, to conversations that might lead to productive compromise, or simply agreeing to disagree?  Has civil society always been so... uncivil?

There's nothing like an innocent story to rupture reality! Fiction is a literary seismograph for social conflict and stories can change minds. They have helped end slavery, and end discrimination. Hear the powerful story of how. Also, a gaming scholar with a blitz through the history of queer games. The creative games industry is pretty[...]

Public libraries are for everyone, but last year, the LGBTIQA+ community became a target for exclusion by anti-queer campaigners, when drag story time events – designed to celebrate diversity and embrace rainbow families –were shut down or postponed due to threats, protests and abuse. Librarians, drag artists, families and council staff were on the frontline[...]

Some things feel impossible to change without money and power. Meet four trailblazers didn't let that stop them. Fighting corporations. Stopping violence. Transforming talk on sex and consent. Helping men heal from childhood trauma. They join Natasha Mitchell and an audience of high school students to explore what pushed them to act.

Women and girls in Iran continue to take to the streets and protest gender oppression and human rights abuses. And too often they risk their lives for this fight. Iranian-born human rights advocate Nazanin Boniadi has used her public profile as an actress to campaign in solidarity with the people of Iran. For that, she's[...]

US singer, songwriter and producer Caroline Polachek is known as one of the most inventive pop musicians working in the industry today, pushing the boundaries of what the genre is, and what it means for the people who listen to it. Off the back of her acclaimed seventh album, ‘Desire, I want to turn into[...]

Speaking freely isn't only about Freedom of Speech legislation, it's equally about social norms, loving your family and courage. Authors Lea Ypi and Hayley Campbell discuss what's difficult to talk about. Death and what happens your body when you die. And whether Albania has experienced more freedom in communist times – only in very specific[...]

Housing is a hot mess in many remote Aboriginal communities,  including Tennant Creek, and the rollercoaster of government policies and interventions hasn't helped the situation. What's on offer is often culturally unsafe, crowded, and a climate disaster. But housing is hard to fix too. This group of Traditional Owners, health professionals, architects and others have[...]

Psychedelics were once the domain of hippies and cults, but these drugs have come long way from the ‘turn on, tune in, drop out’ countercultural philosophy of the 1960s and 70s. Nowadays, the field of psychedelic research is experiencing a resurgence, with substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine being used in controlled laboratories to treat[...]

Finishing your undergraduate assignments in English Literature in breaks between selling drugs … fighting and hurting people and committing crimes while discussing the finer nuances of human morality. Best-selling author Gabriel Krauze speaks openly about his life as a former gang criminal living on a notorious housing estate in South Kilburn in London - with[...]

Tiger parents: do their methods raise happy and successful human beings, or burnt out, damaged therapy cases? In this hyper competitive age we live in, could their approach bring up a new generation of winners this country needs to get ahead? Six Asian Australian comedians, writers and performers thrash it out in debate form to decide:[...]

From the moment we’re born, we all age. So why limit the possibilities? The latest Intergenerational Report describes Australia's ageing population as an economical and fiscal challenge ... a burden. Ageism is rife, but to age is to live. So what about thriving too? Find out how there's magic to found when relationships across the generations[...]

Craig Foster has a vision for the future: An Australia without racism, with equal access to food and representation and compassion for refugees. But it's 75 years since the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Craig Foster has a warning for us: Things need to change, and hopefully it doesn't take[...]

In her fifth Massey lecture, Escaping the Burrow, self-described "feral intellectual" Astra Taylor explores how insecurity can also offer us a path to wisdom — individually and collectively. A vision of hope and possibility. For the CBC Massey lectures, the renowned filmmaker, writer, political activist, and sometime rock musician Astra explores how our society now runs on 'manufactured'[...]

An appeal for solidarity with species other than our own, in this fourth Massey lecture by renowned Canadian-American filmmaker, writer, political organiser, rock musician and self-described 'feral intellectual' Astra Taylor. We, Them, Us, our stories and actions are all intimately intertwined across space, place, and time. In her thought-provoking CBC Massey lectures, Astra explores how our society[...]

In her third provocative CBC Massey lecture, Canadian-American filmmaker, writer, political organiser, rock musician  and self-described "feral intellectual" Astra Taylor argues our innate existential insecurity is vital to our curiosity,  creativity, compassion, and capacity to care. Drawing on her own childhood, she asks, how can educators better foster these? We're in the middle of an attack on[...]

We take certain fundamental rights for granted, but who got to define them and are they enough? You'll find solidarity in these stories of baroners and commoners from filmmaker, writer, political organiser, sometime rock musician  and self-described 'feral intellectual' Astra Taylor. In this year's thought-provoking CBC Massey lectures, Astra explores how our society runs on 'manufactured insecurity'[...]

Who was Cura and what's she got to do with how capitalism shapes our lives and psyches? In this year's thought-provoking CBC Massey lectures, renowned Canadian-American filmmaker, writer, political organiser, rock musician  and self-described 'feral intellectual' Astra Taylor explores how our society is now driven by a 'manufactured insecurity'. Fundamental to the human condition is[...]

Three successful authors Akuch Anyieth, Shannon Burns and Catherine Deveny talk about memoir, and why they're interested in the form. Moderator of the discussion Yves Rees asks the panel to reflect on whether the personal storytelling genre is popular because of voyeurism, a desire for intimacy between writer and reader or just a hunger for trauma[...]

Two teams of heavy-hitters debate the fate of human creativity in a world of artificial intelligence. In a Big Ideas first, two A.I debaters are taking to the stage, and with strong opinions! Are the bots coming for Boticelli and the Bronte Sisters? Will humans be thrown in the dustbin of civilisation as our artistic expression is usurped[...]

In early 2020, as Australians were being locked down, something strange was happening in an inner-suburban hotel in Brisbane. A group of men, previously invisible to most Australians, gathered on the hotel balcony wielding hand-made banners. Who were they? And how did this moment change the minds of middle Australia? It's 10 years since Kevin Rudd declared "no one who[...]

It's possibly the greatest ever example of artistic censorship in Australian history. Police have requested hip hop to be taken off online streaming platforms, stopped bands from performing in Australia, and amended visa regulations so local hip hop artists can't perform overseas. Their claim is that hip hop is inciting violent and criminal behaviour. But it's an old debate[...]

From apps that help us swim safely to using Crispr to cut the genes of box jellyfish to technology that identifies the source of a barramundi or coral trout at the fish market, science is at the fore-shore of keeping our oceans and our lives safe.

What do the streets feel like where you live? Unsafe for kids to ride to school, big busy highways, limited public transport, cars reign supreme? From electric vehicles to bike-friendly buses — be inspired by these globally renowned movers and shakers. They're using the regional town of Bendigo and international case studies to re-imagine how we can live and move. Transport accounts[...]

Three influential women explore the power, the politics, and the cost of speaking out. 

The history and development of the nuclear industry is shred in secrecy and contradictions. And its future is throwing up more questions than answers. A scientist, a historian and a poet consider the economic, scientific and social realities of nuclear technology. They discuss how the lessons from the past might shape an uncertain future, and[...]

Are Greek-Australian's now considered to be 'white' in Australia's colourful social fabric? A panel of prominent Greek-Australians discusses questions of identity and belonging. As they have evolved into one of the oldest migrant groups in the country, is the era of Greek 'otherness' over? And what role did anglicising surnames play in our journey towards[...]

"Are they a girl or a boy?" That question is often asked about a newborn. But what if you're born with genetic variations in sexual development, also known as intersex conditions, and possess both typical male and female physical traits? New legislation tabled in the ACT is set to limit the scope of medical treatments and surgeries for such children.[...]

The best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world.

Meet some climate refugees of a different kind. From the Western swamp tortoise to honey ants to whales, can they just up-stumps and move house if things get too hot under the collar? From understanding First Nations science to breaking up the siloed western conservation practices, are there better ways to make life possible for[...]

Questioning whether travel is ethical is probably the last thing on your mind when you decide to go on holiday. But for increasing number of travellers, 'ethical travel' is the preferred mode for tourists who don't want their holiday to just be an extractive exercise. So what are the ethical obligations for those who have[...]

Would you eat protein brewed in a vat from bacteria instead of meat? "Nom nom nom!", you might say. George Monbiot probably agrees. One of the most influential thinkers on the future of of the planet, now he's interrogating what's on our dinner plate, and the staggering business of how it got there. He joins Natasha[...]

The planet's hotter than it has ever been. July was the Earth's hottest month ever recorded since records began. And the consequences of this warming is increasingly becoming too hard to bear — particularly among those who don't have access to climate control. So what happens to our bodies in times of heat extremes? And what[...]

If you can't control it – then don't worry about it. It's one of the core messages of stoicism. Much easier said than done. But if you manage it, it can make your life a lot happier and calmer. That's not to say you should sit back and ignore injustice. The stoics have an answer[...]

For more than 100 years, birdwatchers have searched for evidence that one of Australia's rarest native birds is not extinct. And they might be a step closer to solving the mystery of the Buff-breasted Button Quail. It lives in the humid savannas of Cape York. And we know that this habitat is changing. If we[...]

We make machines, but do our machines also make us? And who's in control really? Superstar anthropologist, technologist, futurist, cyberneticist, and Silicon Valley insider Genevieve Bell joins Natasha Mitchell with young cybernetic creatives Hannah Feldman, Matt Heffernan, Ben Swift,   to talk machines, minds, messing with the code and what it would take to make technology and the world better.

Movie or TV roles for older women accurately reflecting contemporary, society and experiences are rare. Sigrid Thornton, Rachael Maza, Sophie Hyde and Anousha Zarkesh are asking: Why is that? After decades honing their craft in the industry, older actresses are more talented than ever before, more confident and more attuned to the camera. But cinema[...]

Who doesn't dream of being loved dangerously, thrillingly free from the tethers of restraint? It's a question journalist and author Kate Legge asked after the discovery of her husband's affairs. He was a high-powered media CEO, and she was a veteran journalist who was assured the infidelity was singular (more were to be discovered on[...]

Harvard University has been running the world's longest study into happiness. The Harvard Study of Adult Development has been running since 1938, and in that time of researchers have observed how Americans experience and understand happiness, and how that's changed over time. In an address for the UNSW Centre for Ideas, the study's fourth director,[...]

Who sets the agenda when it comes to designing houses? More often than not wealthy developers call the shots. The result is cheaply-made hot boxes, unaffordable to live in, and poorly designed for human habitation. How did it come to this, and how can citizens and architects seize control? Meet 3 international trailblazers who want to[...]

In its simplest definition, orientalism refers to the patronising depictions of the 'Eastern world' — a term that encompasses North Africa, the Middle East and Asia — by writers and artists from the West. And it's no stranger to the Australian stage.Major commercial musicals with orientalist underpinnings such as The King and I, Madame Butterfly,[...]

Where once photography gave us images of the world as seen by machines, photography under AI gives us images of machine images… seen by machines.Major global companies including Bing and Adobe are heavily investing in generative image models to produce the next AI advance in photography. But in this moment, what has become of the[...]

While Australian women were among the first to get the vote in the world, their lives were still constrained for decades afterward. It was only until 1966 when the marriage bar was removed, which forced women to give up their careers once they married.But despite these constraints, generations of Australian women were able to subvert[...]

Your internal experience of consciousness – your rich inner life — has had scientists and philosophers completely perplexed for centuries. How does your brain's 100 billion neurons conjure up that distinct sense you have of being YOU? Is it different to your dog's sense of being a 'doggish'? Could that sense be reproduced in artificial intelligence?[...]

In 1963, as the space race was taking off, the influential political philosopher Hannah Arrendt challenged scientists over their shift away from a humanistic focus to worlds beyond. She was responding to a question posed by the Encyclopedia Britannica: "Has man’s conquest of space increased or diminished his stature?". Replace man with human, and let's[...]

Mental health problems and chronic diseases are plaguing societies around the world. Both fields need new solutions. We know that lifestyle and obesity contribute to chronic diseases; they can shorten your life by 11 years! But can you use lifestyle to stay chronically healthy? And are we ignoring human rights and social factors in mental[...]

Australians on average chuck out 7.6 billion tonnes of food per year. That amounts to 312 kilos per person, or about $2,500 per household. It's bananas. But in a world that has long prioritised convenience and abundance, disposability has been baked into food chains. But this wasn't always so.In this Melbourne Conversations and RMIT Culture[...]

In a world of hyper-connectivity and social media, why do so many of us feel so damn lonely? Being lonely isn’t the same as being alone, and some people love their solitude. But loneliness is widespread, growing, affects all ages, and seriously sucks for your physical and mental health. Why are we so ashamed to[...]

Many people embark on a journey to discover their family's past in order to contextualise their present. But what happens when that journey uncovers something unwelcome?This was the case for the award-winning Australian writer David Marr. His great great grandfather, Reginald, was an officer of the Queensland Native Police — a force whose task it[...]

What happens when Australia’s best poets and writers walk into the world of scientists? How do they feed of each other’s brilliant, inventive minds to help us understand one of the most challenging experiences of our lives ... watching a loved one slowly lose their mind?  

A range of media outlets — including the ABC — have been criticised for their coverage of the latest Israel-Gaza war. There have been protests, apologies, and retractions from the likes of the BBC and CNN. But in a moment where it is notoriously difficult for foreign journalists to gain access to Gaza, what are[...]

A range of media outlets — including the ABC — have been criticised for their coverage of the latest Israel-Gaza war. There have been protests, apologies, and retractions from the likes of the BBC and CNN. But in a moment where it is notoriously difficult for foreign journalists to gain access to Gaza, what are[...]

Multi-award-winning Australian photojournalist Andrew Quilty went to Afghanistan on a two-week assignment. He stayed for 9 years.At just 25, Afghan-born women's activist Zahra Karimi found herself facilitating a 5000-strong network of Afghan women.As the Taliban took over in August 2021, and the Republic of Afghanistan crumbled, both had to get out of the country they loved. With[...]

Technology's default setting is 'male' — more precisely a white, or at least, light-skinned male. Tracey Spicer exposes how technology and AI has embedded sexism and racism into the future. It's the next frontier of feminism. But who is responsible? Big Tech, refusing to spend money to fix the problem? The world's politicians, who lack[...]

In 2020, veteran science journalist Ed Yong intended to write a book about the world of animal senses. But fate had other plans — he was put on the COVID beat for The Atlantic, and later received the Pulitzer Prize for his efforts.But year later he returned to the book and rediscovered an immense world:[...]

If you find yourself locked up in a foreign prison on fake charges, what would you like your government to do? It's a question that rollicked around economist Sean Turnell's brain when the unthinkable became reality.In November 2021, Myanmar's military junta arrested Turnell — then an economic advisor to Aung San Suu Kyi — and[...]

Has feminism been too white and too middle-class for too long? From India to Australia, five trailblazing women spanning generations, geography, and cultures join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell to give their frank and fearless views  on the F Word — what it means to them and how it might evolve.

The road to peace is one littered with compromise. From Belfast to Bosnia, Dili to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, peace negotiations after bloody armed conflict have involved incredibly complex choices between what to prosecute and what to pardon. So what would you give up to obtain a lasting peace?This Big Ideas episode was[...]

He was one of the most remarkable producer/director/actors to come out of Hollywood. The cinema wunderkind George Orson Welles. But he was also a troublemaker and outsider; maybe too creative and eccentric for his own good. Some of his work remained unreleased, and at the same time his movie Citizen Kane is studied as an[...]

The director of Doherty Institute for Infectious Diseases was out of office when the first official case of the novel coronavirus was declared. At the time, Sharon Lewin was hiking in remote Patagonia.Then she got a call.Her deputy, Mike Catton, confirmed that Doherty scientists were the first outside of China to grow the novel coronavirus in[...]

Clem Ford, author of bestselling book Fight Like a Girl, Boys Will be Boys, and How We Love, is back with a firey new read. This time she's taking on an age-old institution that she argues harms women, and has throughout history. She wants marriage abolished. From white weddings to wandering wombs, coverture to capitalism, I DON'T: the case against marriage is full of stories of resistance,[...]

There is nothing like cheering on your favourite sport team; or seeing our Aussie athletes on the top podium at the Olympic Games. A whole nation celebrates. Strangers are falling into each other's arms. Sport can truly unite us. But then… there are racist smirks, fans getting violent. Even in high school can you get a[...]

While it was Mao Zedong who believed power came from the barrel of a gun, philosopher Hannah Arendt saw it differently. Instead, she believed the eruption of violence was less a testament to power, but rather, a stark admission of its absence. These thoughts later culminated in her 1970 essay, On Violence. More than a[...]

How can you quiet those nagging voices inside your head; expectations that you should to better; anxiety how to make ends meet with rising costs of living … or trying to cope with abuse, trauma and loss? How can you turn your 'inner wilds' into 'inner calm' and achieve a more peaceful way of being? At[...]

Sometimes an event so big happens that it leaves everyone gasping in its wake. In this case, more than million fish were left gasping too. A stunning story of how one community rallied. At its heart is healing country, art, science, and ancient knowledge. In the Summer of 2018-2019 and again in 2023, mass fish kills left communities[...]

The witch is a figure that has been around for a long time in many cultures, stretching back to ancient times. In the West, witches have re-appeared in stories for centuries: from Macbeth, to Salem, to Sabrina the Teenage Witch.But in the 21st-century, witches — and the practices associated with them — are being re-appraised,[...]

To write history is to omit. The historical archive is the end-product of a series of choices, and in the wash, particular voices get privileged over others. But around the globe, historians are attempting to identify the gaps in 'official' history, and in so doing, understand how and why they were created.Santilla Chingaipe is among[...]

Disinformation is nothing new, but ever increasingly, it is stifling the capacity for governments of all kinds to carry out their day-to-day duties.  It has acutely been felt at the local government level, where public council hearings, and library rainbow storytime events have either been postponed or cancelled due to security concerns.So what can cities (and[...]

From politicians telling porkies to pork barrelling — many believe there is an accountability crisis at the heart of Australia’s democracy. What will it take to fix? Meet five who have tried with considerable success. Join Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell with Ed Coper, Simon Holmes a Court. Andrea Durbach, Helen Haines MP, Shireen Morris.

For every cancer patient, there's a life story that has influenced diagnosis, treatment, and survival.A patient in a vulnerable housing or financial position may not be able to participate in treatment fully, while those incarcerated may only be accessing cancer care for the first time. It's this holistic view of patients that clinicians want to[...]

To change violent behaviour, regulators and assistance services need compassion for the perpetrators. That's the consent of our panel of psychiatrists, psychologists and women who went through domestic violence themselves. You'll hear about the impact of trauma and what it does to your brain; how abuse destroys your identity; the hurt and healing effect of[...]

In a world that's warming faster than ever before, there are some places that are seen as future refuges from the ravages of climate change. New Zealand is high on the list, especially among the ultra-rich.But for architect and social entrepreneur Indy Johar, that escape can't really exist — the world's too entangled. After all,[...]

Although Elizabeth was only a little girl when her mother Anne was executed, their relationship significantly shaped the later queen's character, religion and reign. Historian Tracy Borman pieces together evidence from original documents and artefacts to show their bond and long-lasting influence; and she tells a story of famous royal women, the significance of symbols[...]

From the Amazons to the Ukraine conflict, women have always been on the frontline of war. But their role and contribution are still disputed. Big Ideas sets the record straight. How has war become an all-make space? And why were women allowed to be astronauts a full thirty years before they were allowed to fight[...]

It was on Antarctica's most remote stations that prompted scientist Meganne Christian to consider a life in space.On Concordia, also dubbed 'White Mars', Meganne did some accidental training. She experienced windchills at –104 degrees, 100 days without sun, and profound isolation — conditions the European Space Agency uses to test future astronauts. In 2022, Meganne became one of[...]

The consumption of media is perhaps the most fragmented it's ever been. It's a world swimming in unopened tabs, in-video links, and scrolls that never end: a world of near-infinite choice.In this roundtable from the 2023 Melbourne International Film Festival, an author, a critic, a film buff, and cook join forces to discuss what culture they're[...]

Nicole Kitman, Errol Flynn, Peter Finch and David Gulpilil… they all are Australian actors who made their fortune in Hollywood. Australian talent is in fact very popular in the glitzy and cut-throat cinema business. Why is that? The book 'Cast Mates' looks behind the Hollywood curtain, from the Golden Age in the 1930s to the[...]

For fire scientist Philip Zylstra, there are a lot of myths contained in the modern approach to containing bushfires in Australia. Namely, that management practices after colonisation continued pre-colonial Indigenous approaches in the form of prescribed burns.In his view, that's not correct. Instead, he argues the science underpinning prescribed burns isn't sound, resulting in a[...]

A 31,000-year-old skeleton with a successfully amputated foot has rewritten the medical history books. The extraordinary find in Borneo challenges modern medicine's amputation record, which stretches back a mere 100 years. An expert panel traces the discovery story and describes a pre-historic caring and medically skilled society.

For some advocates of the no case for this year's referendum, the proposed Voice to parliament simply doesn't go far enough.Instead, advocates — often referred to as progressive 'no' voters — argue that Indigenous Australians should be given more institutional power to effect change, like dedicated First Nations seats in parliament.So what does this look[...]

Interior designer Mary Featherston is famous for many things. Her trailblazing creations with her late husband Grant Featherston. Their extraordinary Melbourne house designed by the iconic modernist architect Robin Boyd, which has housed four generations of their family. But what Mary's most driven by is her 50-year mission to change the face, feel, and function of[...]

Depending who you ask, the baby boomers got it good, and everyone that followed got a raw deal.Here's the common assumption: Millennials are saddled with student debt, unaffordable housing, and increasingly insecure work, while their forebears didn't (and some experienced profound asset gains afterwards). But is this generational binary that simple?Ok Boomer was first recorded[...]

Checking out the Goldilocks Zone. With a team of astronomers and astrophysicists, Big Ideas is exploring the skies — more precisely, exoplanets that orbit around stars beyond our solar system in what is known as the Goldilocks Zone. It's the zone with conditions that might be just right for creating life. What is this zone, what[...]

It's been 24 years since Australia's last referendum, meaning there's an entire generation who will be participating in a referendum for the first time.As the nation gears up for the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to parliament, a Monash University panel of legal scholars and constitutional nerds give you a refresher on the mechanics of[...]

Moving to a new country is hard – do you seek out your own diaspora or find a way to blend in and assimilate? Usually it’s a bit a of both, and what governments do can make a big difference to your life. Why do certain migrants get embraced by certain governments — while others are stigmatised,[...]

The 70's was the peak era of musical innovation and creativity. Kickstarted by the rock'n'roll revolution of the 60s, the music of the 70s has transformed the world and defined all styles that came after. Bands co-opted elements of classical, jazz, electronic, world and avant-garde music. And music became visual spectacle via glam, shock rock,[...]

Chances are your favourite writer got their first break in a literary journal. While they're most often seen as flash-in-the-pan print publications, run on love and free labour, the reality is a lot more complicated.Ahead of of the 2025 launch of Writers Australia — the federal government's proposed peak body for Australian literature — Western[...]

There's a broad spectrum of perspectives on the Voice referendum, but where do the voices of Australia's youth fit into the debate?Recently, the University of Tasmania gathered a panel of young Indigenous and non-indigenous voices to speak to the complexities of this era-defining moment, and what future they want to inherit — whatever the outcome[...]

When it comes to biological sex, humans are pretty vanilla. Things are so much wilder in nature. Philosopher of science Paul Griffiths challenges the notion that our biological sex is a rigid, unchangeable thing. Political philosopher Luara Ferracioli contemplates the controversial idea of artificial wombs replacing women’s wombs, with babies gestated entirely outside of the human[...]

Travelling is fun — but does it have a deeper purpose? It helps us cultivate connections in the world, it shapes our own identity and makes us understand other cultures. But has modern technology made it too easy and fast-paced? What does 'good-travelling' involve? How do you fit into the places you visit?

The Coppolas are one of cinema's great family dynasties. The patriarch is Francis Ford Coppola, the Oscar-award winning director of the Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now, and many others.His children, Sophia and Roman, have charted creative paths in their own right. Roman — an award-winning music video director and regular collaborator of Wes Anderson — was[...]

On the same day as her historic misogyny speech, Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard introduced a policy that would plunge tens of thousands of single parents into poverty. It had significant consequences for single mothers. Single parents whose children turned eight no longer had access to the single parent payment, a move many experts believe increased child[...]

David Suzuki says the global environmental movement – of which he has been an influential figurehead - has failed. His breathtaking book The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering our Place in Nature has just been released as a 25th Anniversary edition.  Now he’s calling for some radical truth telling. Especially from corporate executives and elders. Let his now or never battle-cry[...]

There are certain sensory experiences that bind us to place. It might be the scent of the city after rain, the way light moves through a street tree canopy, or the texture of a handrail as you move through the day.It is these small details that the field of placemaking is trying to help us[...]

In the mind of Veena Sahajwalla, the way we think about waste is rubbish. The award-winning scientist — who's also been dubbed Australia's "queen of waste" — wants to start a revolution in recycling.For her, recycling doesn't need to replace like-for-like.Instead, she wants us to imagine a future where all things can be unmade into[...]

For Cathy McGowan, change doesn't come about by waiting for government. Nor for that matter, perfecting theories… it's simply doing. And sticking it out when the work isn't sexy, incremental, and the outcome seems unlikely.It's something she learnt around this time a decade ago when she toppled a long-standing incumbent in the Victorian seat of[...]

Seeing is only one way of sensing the world. When you don't have sight, your brain develops another set of sensory superpowers. Meet three trailblazers in design, art, architecture, and advocacy to discover how the world unseen can be so much better for the seen and seeing. 

Pitting innovation against equitable access to medicine: Should drugs and vaccines have patents and fall under intellectual property laws? It's a particularly difficult question in times of a public health crisis. On Big Ideas, a panel of experts will draw on their own experiences and re-think vaccine creation, production and distribution. Do we need to[...]

What if every law, process, or government department decision was mandated for the well-being of citizens and future generations in mind? That is the case in Wales in the UK. Meet Sophie Howe, the world's first Future Generations Commissioner.

The planet's hotter than it has ever been. July was the Earth's hottest month ever recorded since records began. And the consequences of this warming is increasingly becoming too hard to bear — particularly among those who don't have access to climate control.So what happens to our bodies in times of heat extremes? And what will[...]

The Bots have landed. Meet the artist bot. The designer bot. The actor bot. The screenwriter bot.  Paul McCartney says AI was used to produce a new Beatles song using demo tape recording by the late John Lennon. But in Hollywood, screen-writers and actors are striking over their work being used to train up A.I tools[...]

It's possibly the greatest ever example of artistic censorship in Australian history. Police have requested hip hop to be taken off online streaming platforms, stopped bands from performing in Australia, and amended visa regulations so local hip hop artists can't perform overseas. Their claim is that hip hop is inciting violent and criminal behaviour. But it's an old debate[...]

Throughout human history, infectious viruses have moved between animals and humans without much fanfare. These are known as Zoonotic diseases.But every so often, they set off a chain reaction that can't be contained, like the bubonic plague, or COVID-19.But the collective experience of COVID has given the world many lessons about what to — and[...]

Australia is a majority migrant nation. Increasingly, that migration skews more Asian than European, with more than 50 per cent of the population either born overseas or having a parent who was.This includes the lauded Australian writer Alice Pung, whose Chinese-Cambodian parents fled the Khmer Rouge. But it's a story replicated across many generations of[...]

Two teams of heavy-hitters debate the fate of human creativity in a world of artificial intelligence. In a Big Ideas first, two A.I debaters are taking to the stage, and with strong opinions! Are the bots coming for Boticelli and the Bronte Sisters? Will humans be thrown in the dustbin of civilisation as our artistic expression is usurped[...]

Dame Jacinda Ardern's rise to the top wasn't down to destiny. In fact, the first job she wanted was to be a clown. Then she tried (and failed) in a Lord of the Rings audition to be a hobbit. But what would come later would be a bigger role that would eclipse any of her prior[...]

Geopolitics and climate change now have immediate consequences for national and international security interests across the Arctic and Antarctic. The world's polar regions are contested and strategically central to geopolitical rivalry. At the same time, rapid political, social, and environmental change presents unprecedented challenges for governance, environmental protection, and maritime operations in the regions.

Why did an earless lizard make politicians take to the podium? (And could it have heard them anyway?). What makes a pygmy possum randy?  (The nose knows).  Why are Africa’s sacred cows so vital? (More than a meaty issue). Genetics to the rescue with hopeful stories and science from three trailblazing women. Join Natasha Mitchell at the[...]

What gives you the ick? Though of course, that is inherently subjective. What may be someone's ick could be someone's kink. Jesse Bering is a psychologist specialising in evolutionary psychology and human behaviour whose work has tried to understand what lies beneath 'normal'.In this talk from Vivid 2023, Jesse explores the complex dynamics between repulsion[...]

You see more long braids, a touch of makeup and some curves in professional sports. Women are finally starting to assert their place on the field. But as our expert panel says, creating pathways to inclusion for women and gender diverse people with intersecting identities and abilities remains an urgent task at both grassroots and[...]

Who doesn't dream of being loved dangerously, thrillingly free from the tethers of restraint? It's a question journalist and author Kate Legge asked after the discovery of her husband's affairs. He was a high-powered media CEO, and she was a veteran journalist who was assured the infidelity was singular (more were to be discovered on[...]

Many precolonial kingdoms and dynasties of Africa, have shaped cultures across the continent to this day. But they have been terribly ignored and marginalised throughout history. A pity really – because we could learn so much from their approach to wielding power: like how to reign with mystical stories and through generosity instead of oppression;[...]

Frank Bongiorno is always adventurous with the way he unearths the history of Australia. He's written a history of Australian sex lives, Australia in the 1980s, and now he'll surprise you again with stories of the dreamers and schemers who have shaped Australia's political history. 

With a change in government, there comes a new orientation for Australian foreign policy. Under the leadership of Foreign Minister Penny Wong — the first Asian and overseas-born Australian to hold that office — there has been attempts to reset many of Australia's relationships in the region, particularly with China.But a hard reset isn't exactly[...]

Can you stay positive and optimistic in difficult times? Is it a fool's game even to try? Bill Hayes and Lachlan McIver talk about the difference between realism and pessimism; and why it's imperative to muster up hope in hard times. They know what they're talking about, having gone through tragedy and loss in their[...]

He's one of Australia's most successful stage exports who cites Kermit the Frog as one of his greatest influences. Over decades, Barrie Kosky has blazed a trail directing theatre and opera across Europe, who in 2022, finished a 10-year stint leading Berlin's prestigious opera house, the Komische Oper.The self-described "gay, Jewish, Kangaroo" is in conversation[...]

You’re young. You’re healthy. Would you open Pandora’s box and take a DNA test to find out your risk of a serious disease?  Scientists say widespread DNA screening of young people will save lives — but who will pay the price?  And if you discovered you carry a high-risk gene for breast or prostate cancer,[...]

Is it necessary to engage with the Taliban to improve conditions in Afghanistan? It's an inconceivable idea for many who have fought in the country of fled from Taliban oppression. But Benjamin Gilmour has done it. At a recent trip to the country, he has been given access to some of the top leaders of[...]

IVF, or in vitro fertilisation has come a long way since its first successful application in Australia. That was in 1980, at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne with the birth of Candice Reed. Forty years on, it's estimated that some 200,000 Australian children have been born via IVF.But despite the technological, legislative, and social[...]

When making change, how do you amplify the voices of youth without being tokenistic?It's a question that was on the minds of many at the once-in-a-generation summit called Wiyi Yani U Thangani, a Bubuna phrase meaning women's voices. Held in Canberra earlier this year, Wiyi Yani U Thangani, brought together around 900 First Nations women[...]

Former prime minister Julia Gillard's misogyny speech hit a nerve worldwide. But before that speech, were the feminist rebels, ratbags, and renegades who got Australian politics to that moment.Hear how and why women's lives, against the odds, were first put on the political agenda in Australia… and why Miss Australia wasn't there.

Song writing in the 21st-Century is an increasingly precarious endeavour. We now live in a world where even the slightest similar melodic pattern could send you to court, while AI-driven production could send you packing.But despite this, there's still something magical about song writing. So what keeps compelling people to try their luck at crafting[...]

Would you endure intense physical challenges and privations, extreme temperatures, dizzying heights, hunger and loneliness …. just for the thrill of it? What kinds of people thrive in hostile environments? It takes a special type of person to embark on extreme adventures and sports. It's not just about your fitness and bodily constitution, you mental[...]

Australia is obsessed with sport — it's become shorthand for our national identity abroad. But there's tension at the heart of this obsession.As keen and disinterested followers of Australian sport have witnessed, sports of all kinds have had a troubled relationship with race, gender, and sexuality.It's something Mununjali writer — and part-time soccer player —[...]

As a gonzo documentary maker and author, John Safran goes where others fear to tread. He's been baptised, exorcised, crucified, hung out with extremists. Now he's digging into the spin and shenanigans of Big Tobacco. When is a cigarette not a cigarette when it really still is? An eye-opening conversation about vapes, "heat sticks", and corporate[...]

We might like to think of Australia as a generous nation, but Australian foreign aid levels tell a different story. We're now ranked 27th out of 31 OECD countries when it comes to foreign aid as a percentage of gross national income.And with the money we do spend, to what extent has national self-interests impeded[...]

After many decades of Chinese occupation, the Tibetan culture is under threat, and a 'stolen generation' of Tibetan children is forced into boarding schools. There are no civil rights, and any protest means risking your life. Despite all, the Tibetans believe in a non-violent approach to solve the Sino-Tibet conflict. Tibet's president in exile is speaking[...]

Three successful authors Akuch Anyieth, Shannon Burns and Catherine Deveny talk about memoir, and why they're interested in the form. Moderator of the discussion Yves Rees asks the panel to reflect on whether the personal storytelling genre is popular because of voyeurism, a desire for intimacy between writer and reader or just a hunger for trauma[...]

Going digital is greener, right? French investigative journalist Guillaume Pitron travelled the planet for his latest exposé — from covertly flying drones over graphite mines in Northeast China to journeying to the cold wilds of Lapland to visit the computer server farms that drive Facebook.  He joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell to discuss his[...]

Questioning whether travel is ethical is probably the last thing on your mind when you decide to go on holiday. But for increasing number of travellers, 'ethical travel' is the preferred mode for tourists who don't want their holiday to just be an extractive exercise.So what are the ethical obligations for those who have the[...]

Thirty years ago, Harlem doctor Harold Freeman saw that the most disadvantaged in America also had the highest cancer deaths, mainly because of late diagnosis and treatment and patients being unfamiliar with hospital systems. So he created a navigation system where patients are chaperoned through the health care system to ensure they get the care they[...]

The history and development of the nuclear industry is shred in secrecy and contradictions. And its future is throwing up more questions than answers. A scientist, a historian and a poet consider the economic, scientific and social realities of nuclear technology. They discuss how the lessons from the past might shape an uncertain future, and[...]

In early 2020, as Australians were being locked down, something strange was happening in an inner-suburban hotel in Brisbane. A group of men, previously invisible to most Australians, gathered on the hotel balcony wielding hand-made banners. Who were they? And how did this moment change the minds of middle Australia? It's 10 years since Kevin Rudd declared "no one who[...]

Has the application of the law been just to Indigenous Australia?Australia's cultural and legal notions of justice stem from British colonial rule, which by its very nature, usurped the law and customs of Australia's First Peoples.Since colonisation, this law has disciplined and punished Indigenous Australians through legal frameworks and theories they didn't consent to.So what[...]

Earlier this year, 900 First Nations women travelled to Canberra for a once in a generation Womens Voices Summit.Titled Wiyi Yani U Thangani — a Bunuba word meaning Womens' Voices — the summit aimed at producing a new 'blakprint', to improve their lives, those of their families and future generations.

Meet some climate refugees of a different kind. From the Western swamp tortoise to honey ants to whales, can they just up-stumps and move house if things get too hot under the collar? From understanding First Nations science to breaking up the siloed western conservation practices, are there better ways to make life possible for[...]

From apps that help us swim safely to using Crispr to cut the genes of box jellyfish to technology that identifies the source of a barramundi or coral trout at the fish market, science is at the fore-shore of keeping our oceans and our lives safe.

A lot of blood has already been shed in 21st century conflicts. But why does war continue to claim so many lives, why have we not learnt lessons from the past and who are the power-holders who perpetuate the cycle of violence?

The past few weeks have seen the headlines embroiled in what seems to be an intractable problem — housing. And it's a peculiarly Australian phenomenon.So why has equitable housing become such a vexed and complex issue for Australia? And what are the steps to take if we actually want to tackle the housing crisis once[...]

Guardian Australia Editor Lenore Taylor takes us through the everyday challenges facing journalists in the digital age, from trying to fact check in a 24-hour news cycle to the potential plagiarism and disinformation dangers of AI and ChatGPT. 

Former ABC broadcaster and lawyer Jon Faine in conversation with Paul Barclay explains how as a young lawyer he discovers the story behind his new book, Apollo and Thelma: A True Tall Tale. 

For more than 100 years, birdwatchers have searched for evidence that one of Australia's rarest native birds is not extinct. And they might be a step closer to solving the mystery of the Buff-breasted Button Quail. It lives in the humid savannas of Cape York. And we know that this habitat is changing. If we[...]

Big Ideas brings you a riveting account of the downfall of former UK prime minister Boris Johnson. Scandals over parties in Downing Street breaking Covid restrictions and attempts to change ethic regulations to allegedly help a mate, stories of betrayals and rivalries. This behind-the-scene interview is a timely look at how power is gained, wielded[...]

Recent horrifying public headlines betray what is going on behind closed doors. In Perth, a woman is lit on fire. Forty per cent of her body is burnt. In Sydney, a woman is found dead before police can respond to a call. In Melbourne, an ex-Olympian pleads guilty to harassing an ex-girlfriend. Why do some men[...]

What do the streets feel like where you live? Unsafe for kids to ride to school, big busy highways, limited public transport, cars reign supreme? From electric vehicles to bike-friendly buses — be inspired by these globally renowned movers and shakers. They're using the regional town of Bendigo and international case studies to re-imagine how we can live and move. Transport accounts[...]

Australia is often described as the most vibrant multicultural nation in the world.  How are our policies and frameworks tracking to support that view?  

We need to better protect our oceans – but can we have it all: happy fish and happy fishermen? Currently only 3 per cent of the global oceans are protected. Environmentalists say that needs to grow to 30 per cent to make a difference. How do we get there? And how to design marine protected[...]

Stealing water, smuggling our native species overseas, illegal logging, what are the frameworks to hold perpetrators to account? 

"Are they a girl or a boy?" That question is often asked about a newborn. But what if you're born with genetic variations in sexual development, also known as intersex conditions, and possess both typical male and female physical traits? New legislation tabled in the ACT is set to limit the scope of medical treatments and surgeries for such children.[...]

Economic warfare is possibly the biggest threat the world is facing after climate change. Interdependent financial, trade and information networks have become instruments of state power – and that economic coercion could be the end of a functioning global economy. What are the new chokepoints – and how can we mitigate the new economic vulnerabilities?

There is a deep conversation at all levels, from governments, universities and think tanks on the role of the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

From traditional art works that outline democratic processes to dances that narrate ancestral lines, First Nations have lived by sophisticated and complex laws embedded deeply in culture. Exploring how western legal structures and society can learn from and reconcile with Indigenous laws. 

Movie or TV roles for older women accurately reflecting contemporary, society and experiences are rare. Sigrid Thornton, Rachael Maza, Sophie Hyde and Anousha Zarkesh are asking: Why is that? After decades honing their craft in the industry, older actresses are more talented than ever before, more confident and more attuned to the camera. But cinema[...]

A name synonymous with the women’s movement in Australia over the past 60 years is Marie Coleman. As part of the  2023 Pamela Denoon Lecture series, Marie reflects on her time as the first woman to head a federal government agency in 1973 and her advocacy for universal childcare, single mothers' payments, paid parental leave and[...]

One of the most tedious things about social media is the self-appointed authorities spouting commentary on any and every subject. All the while experts are increasingly degraded or ignored in our public discourse. But how do we make sense of the world and who we should be listening to when everyone's an 'expert'?

Would you eat protein brewed in a vat from bacteria instead of meat? "Nom nom nom!", you might say. George Monbiot probably agrees. One of the most influential thinkers on the future of of the planet, now he's interrogating what's on our dinner plate, and the staggering business of how it got there. He joins Natasha[...]

Three influential women explore the power, the politics, and the cost of speaking out. 

Is your personal data safe? Do you know how to protect them from scammers and hackers? As your digital footprint expands, many people are questioning whether the benefits of technological innovation outweigh the potential for misuse of their personal data. But there are options to optimise and safeguard who can access your data. Companies around[...]

From medicines to restoring damaged soil, the kingdom of fungi is the world's unsung hero playing a huge role in maintaining and supporting our ecosystems. 

What do coral reefs have to do with cancer? What does First Nations knowledge have to do with making the rice on your dinner plate more resilient? Can science save the world? Does the world need saving? Hopeful stories from 4 scientists, all big thinkers turning big ideas into life changing opportunities for humans and the air, water, food[...]

Whether you keep the peace or go to war – it often depends on who your friends are. Alliances between nations have shaped our modern world. States make alliances out of self-interest, fear, or ideology, and the ensuing relationships are rarely easy, especially when they are put to the test. Historian Margaret MacMillan looks at[...]

University should be a place that nurtures big ideas; where curiosity and creativity thrive. But are our universities struggling with a lack of imagination? Increasingly, higher education in Australia has become transactional, relying heavily on students to bring in revenue. But if Australian universities are to meet the challenges of the future, is it time[...]

Science fiction’s most frequent alternative to human is 'alien', another rich imaginative resource with which to think about what makes us human. Whether aliens are imagined as conquerors or saviours, their superiority has often been used to explore human limitations.

Public shaming and boycotting has always been used to control or call out people's behaviour.  But has social media, social activism, and the rise of the keyboard warrior changed how it happens and who does it? Four prominent artists taking risks in the public eye debate the rise of 'cancel culture'. What happens when you are deemed to have gone[...]

How can liberal democracies create a working partnership with authoritarian states – and at the same time maintain their values and succeed as open societies offering political freedom? For some years now, we have seen the splintering of the post war system of international order. The number of authoritarian states around the world is growing,[...]

Following the death of the longest reigning British monarch and coronation of a new King, discussion on whether Australia should become a republic is once more in the public sphere. Chair of the Australian Republic Movement, Craig Foster delivers the 2023 Manning Clark Lecture: Australia's Third Act: Reconciled, Independent, Truly Multicultural. 

Four distinguished guests argue the motion: 'We need to alter to the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice', presented by the Centre for Independent Studies

Renowned humanitarian Lt-General (ret) Roméo Dallaire headed up UN mission in Rwanda during the brutal genocide three decades ago. Today Rwandan survivors wear the scars of machetes on their skins like living shrines. He joins Natasha Mitchell to reflect powerfully on the aftermath of war — for him personally and for countless conflicts to come.

From pearl divers to post-war trade agreements and the sharing of technology, minerals and cyber security strategies, Japan and Australia have strong historic ties. Just how strong is that relationship and what are the strategies to address the security and environmental challenges ahead?

Exploring the jargon that confuses us, the policy deficits, the obstacles, and some of the innovative actions taken to tackle our biggest challenge, Climate Change.

Cabaret was popularised in Paris at the turn of the 20th century and during the 1920's in Berlin. Today it is in the midst of a renaissance in Australia, with contemporary cabaret performers finding new audiences. Cabaret may be a form of raucous entertainment, but it can also include social and political satire, and sometimes[...]

It's 30 years ago this year since Steven Spielberg did something scientists have never been able to. He brought the dinosaurs back from the dead. Extraordinarily, now genetic scientists are inching closer to attempting the resurrection of long extinct animals like the Tasmania Tiger.  But even if they could, should they?

Do you argue across the dinner table about saving the world? Some say it’s up to individuals, others want governments to fix the problem. Then there’s the follow-the-money view that business and the market will save us. But is capitalism part of the problem not the solution?

Are Greek-Australian's now considered to be 'white' in Australia's colourful social fabric? A panel of prominent Greek-Australians discusses questions of identity and belonging. As they have evolved into one of the oldest migrant groups in the country, is the era of Greek 'otherness' over? And what role did anglicising surnames play in our journey towards[...]

What does 'Australia' mean to you? We all have our own version of Australia, shaped by our lived experience. But what happens when our reality sits outside the collective narrative?

We live our lives for the short term. School semesters, tax years, election cycles, next week. But have you tried thinking in 'deep time' — millions of years before and after this present moment? Some describe it as the 'Long Now', and evidence suggests it's healthy for your head, and for the planet.

If you can't control it – then don't worry about it. It's one of the core messages of stoicism. Much easier said than done. But if you manage it, it can make your life a lot happier and calmer. That's not to say you should sit back and ignore injustice. The stoics have an answer[...]

What happens when classical music meets pop culture? Do we see a clash between two irreconcilable styles? Could smoothing up to pop culture be the way forward for classical music? It's no secret that the genre often struggles to find new and young audiences. Big Ideas explores the role of classical music in society today,[...]

The potential fallout of a global media giant and family dynasty on the precipice of generational change. And, the calls to dilute a highly concentrated media industry.

A conversation between Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and John Berry, former US Ambassador to Australia (Retired) on living and working as openly gay men, even when homosexuality was illegal.

The rise of far-right extremism, conflicts over gun law reform, widening economic gaps, and former President Donald Trump's continued push for influence. Are polarising polemics damaging the reputation of the US? And should there be limits to free speech?

From the invention of the calendar to the humble carry bag – and even to the concept of moral responsibility. It all comes down to humans' ability to relive past events in order to predict possible futures. Foresight is the driver behind innovation. On Big Ideas, a panel of cognitive scientists argues that foresight has[...]

Around the world, governments are apologising for past wrongs and historic injustices - like slavery, the forced removal of children, and institutional abuse.But do these apologies lead to transformational change?  What has been the experience of apologies in Australia to the 'stolen generations', and to those affected by forced adoptions? 

Are the values of the enlightenment, ideas from ancient times, developed through the centuries in Christian Europe under threat? Some perspectives on the state of Australian classic liberalism.

Until recently, one party dominated Malay politics. Now there’s a new multi-government. Could this lead to an era of democratic reform in Malaysia? 100 days after the snap-election, the new Malaysian government looks stable enough. A panel of Asia-Pacific experts discusses the campaign narratives and what they mean for Malaysia's political environment and the challenges ahead[...]

In the final Boyer Lecture Noel Pearson looks at the question of Australian identity. From the 1993 Boyer's, Ulli Helen Corbett speaks on the importance of raising First Nations voices in the international arena.

In his fourth Boyer Lecture lecture, Noel Pearson addresses the educational barriers facing young Indigenous people, and from the 1993 ABC Boyer Lectures, Dot West considers the negative media portrayal of First Nations people.

In his third Boyer lecture, Noel Pearson outlines ways of lifting all Australians including First Nations people from the economic 'bottom million'. And from the 1993 Boyer Lectures, Ian Anderson's vision for developing a new model for Indigenous health and wellbeing.

In the 2nd Boyer Lecture Series Noel Pearson traces the long road that led to the final proposal for a Voice to Parliament. And from the 1993 Boyer Lecture Series, Voices from the land, linguist Jeanie Bell the importance of Indigenous language, not just connection to the land but to self-determination.

In the lead up to a vote on a referendum to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the Constitution, we present some of the debates and visions from First Nations leaders over the years.

Net zero emissions means we can still burn fossil fuels, and emit carbon into the atmosphere, as long as this is offset by carbon credits. But what if the offsets are not credible, and claims to carbon neutrality misleading?

The COVID pandemic, the GFC, and the recent energy crisis, have all required the state to play a bigger role in our lives, and in the economy. Is this a rejection of neo-liberalism?

The Australian Constitution is a living document which includes a provision to facilitate reform. But over its 122 year history, it has only been amended eight times. Has Australia lost its constitutional muscle memory?

The best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world.

Unemployment may be low, but it is no bed of roses for Australian workers. Real wages are falling, inflation remains high, and interest rates keep going up. For many, it is a struggle to put food on the table and find secure housing. Yet Australia is brimming with money – it is one of the[...]

Are you feeling sad, angry, stressed or worried? More so than in previous years? Then you're not alone. Unhappiness is on the rise around the world. And according to Gallup's statistics that's because political leaders don't track people's wellbeing. How can leaders begin to incorporate wellbeing and happiness indicators?

What is the legacy of the previous Scott Morrison leadership and what changes have there been since? A panel discussion for the Perth Festival 2023

It's our nearest democratic neighbour and a vital ally in the region.  But new legal code laws will ban consensual sex outside marriage, abortion and limits freedom of speech. So where does this leave human rights for our near democratic neighbour?

What is more important to you, that authorities can monitor online messages for crime and child abuse — or that your messages are always completely private? You can't have it both ways, and that's the problem with end-to-end encryption. And what about government exploiting workarounds to access the encrypted messages of political dissidents? Big Ideas investigates[...]

How do you resist when your identity is reduced to a number? A conversation with Behrouz Boochani and his good friend, writer and human rights advocate, Arnold Zable, about the language and art of resistance.

Australia has a long tradition of dissent – with some environmental protections won as a result. But do new laws unduly impede the right to protest and silence dissent?  What are the reasonable limits to peaceful protest in a democracy, especially when facing an existential threat such as climate change?

There’s already plenty of debate, for and against about the need for a permanent Indigenous Voice to federal parliament. Victoria decided to get ahead of the game in 2021 and set up a commission on truth and treaty.

More people, worldwide, are becoming 'sober-curious', and questioning their relationship with alcohol. Teenagers and twentysomethings are less likely to binge drink. It's far cry from the situation, Jill Stark, found herself in ten years ago, when she released her book 'High Sobriety', about her 12 months off the booze.

Australians are feeling the pinch of cost of living pressures.

Cryptocurrencies are revolutionising the finance world as we know it. Fintech has produced a decentralised finance system that exists parallel to the traditional one, and it's difficult to move assets between the two. But is crypo in finance recreating the old problems? Or is it offering new solutions?

Extreme heat has negative effects on your health and we're experiencing more heatwaves due to climate change so how can we protect our health and lifestyle?And online learning versus face-to face....which is best?

The 'Feared and Revered' exhibition, currently on display at the National Museum of Australia, explores how goddesses, demons, witches, spirits, and saints, have shaped our understanding of the world.  The exhibition celebrates a diverse range of female spiritual beings across cultural traditions and religions - like the Hindu goddess, Kali - and it examines feminine[...]

Is the war on drugs unwinnable? Illegal drugs are killing hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and the largest drug market is the US. Most drugs there come into the country via Latin and Central America. But counter-drug programs, local incentives and changes to drug policies in Latin America don't seem to break the steady[...]

The war in Ukraine has up-ended the security landscape in Europe.The EU is using every measure , short of troops on the ground, to punish Putin and countries like Sweden and Finland want to join NATO .The Finnish Prime Minister , Sanna Marin, visited Australia recently to strengthen trade and security ties.