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

EPISODE · Jan 13, 2026 · 55 MIN

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

from Life Matters - Full program podcast · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

In Victoria, some foster carers are reporting sudden reductions in their allowances for looking after children with high-level needs. It highlights the ongoing challenges around the country when it comes to finding foster carers for children who need safe and stable homes. So, what needs to change? Emma is a foster carer, Samantha Hauge is Chief executive of the Foster Care Association of Victoria, and Renée Leigh is CEO of Adopt Change, and member of the National Foster & Kinship Care Collective.The Bureau of Meteorology has revamped its website and to say that people have strong opinions is an understatement. Whether you like or loathe it, the flood of reactions shows how the weather means so much more to us than small talk. So what is it about the weather... why are we so obsessed? Nate Byrne is ABC News Breakfast weather presenter and meteorologist and Lawrie Zion is professor of journalism at La Trobe University and author of The Weather Obsession.Suzanne Somers was one of the biggest TV stars of the 1980s and 1990s... starring on sitcoms like Three's Company and Step by Step. She also made a name for herself marketing the iconic fitness gadget - the ThighMaster. Sadly, Suzanne died of cancer in 2023... but now her husband of 46 years has brought her back... kind of. Somers' widower Alan Hamel has created an AI clone of her and plans to upload it on her website, to be a 24/7 AI chatbot for her fans. So, is this ethical? Patrick Stokes is Associate Professor of philosophy at Deakin University.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 13, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

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

0:00 55:06

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Life Matters - Full program podcast?

This episode is 55 minutes long.

When was this Life Matters - Full program podcast episode published?

This episode was published on January 13, 2026.

Can I download this Life Matters - Full program podcast episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!