PODCAST · news
Earth Matters
by Bec Horridge, Claudia Craig, Mia Audrey & Keiran Stewart-Assheton.
Local and global environmental issues from grassroots, activist perspectives with a strong social justice focus. Distributed nationally on the Community Radio Network.
Episodes
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Nature in the City
Many of us talk about nature as something that exists away from people, outside cities. For the vast quantity of us who call urban environments home, this makes it hard to appreciate, connect with, and work to protect the complex and remarkable web of life that surrounds us. What other stories…
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Data Centres Part 2: Are They Really That Bad?
Off the back of part one—an interview with independent climate expert Ketan Joshi last month—Mia brings in other perspectives on the data centre boom. You’ll hear from Professor Priya Rajagopalan of RMIT Univeristy; Dr. Thomas Nann, CEO of Allegro Energy and a globally recognised expert on...
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The Importance of Protecting Dingoes
This program is all about the important role dingoes have in the environment. We were joined by Co-Founder of the Dingo Conservancy Jo Samuel-King. She shed light on the difficulties in protecting dingoes, their lack of protections, common misconceptions and how beneficial they are in ecosystems....
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US offshore mineral extraction in American Samoa waters. / Human rights abuses and deforestation for sugar in West Papua
Interviewed by Priya Kunjan, Dr Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka, founder of youth-centred environmental organization Finafinau, joins us from Pago Pago to discuss recent progress in the United States government's moves to advance offshore mineral extraction in the waters off American Samoa in the face of...
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Great Barrier Reef: A divers tale. [and transcript]
We delve into the critical state of the Great Barrier Reef through the lens of Tony Fonts, President of the Whitsunday Conservation Council and a veteran diver with 45 years of immersive experience. Tony upacks the impacts of poor water quality, unsustainable fishing practices and that: "the...
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Data Centres Part 1: Energy Vampires
By now you would have heard the news: data centres are threatening to unravel the progress we’ve made on emissions reductions, as well as the health of communities throughout the continent. In fact, so-called Australia is a global investment hotspot, with 162 data centres in operation and at…
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30th anniversary special: Earth Matters founder Juliet Fox looks back on 30-years
The first episode of Earth Matters aired on the 26th of July 1996 - exactly 30 years ago this week! In this special anniversary episode* we time warp back thirty years and listen to excerpts from the first ever episode of Earth Matters broadcast on 26 July 1996. We speak to founder and inaugural...
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Art of Resistance Tour Protests on BHP's Olympic Dam Mine & Woomera Testing Range
In July 2026 activists and artists from across so-called Australia came together, forming a collective known as the Art of Resistance Tour. The group traveled across the desert with the intention to protest militarism and extractivism with art and performance.We hear from activists at these...
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Call for Richmond River Koala Parks /Spotlight on Australian Supers climate cop-out.
Earth Matters Bec Horridge meets a persistent team: Fridays 4 Forests [ Facebook] who regularly protest outside Janelle Saffin MP's office in Lismore on Friday. They are calling for the creation of the Richmond River Koala Parks and to "Stop Native Forest Logging".Then we meet climate campaigner...
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30th Birthday Special: Goolengook Blockade Reflections
Earth Matters 30th Birthday Special: Goolengook Blockade Reflections This month in June, Earth Matters has turned 30 years old, and our proud partner 3cr Community Radio also celebrates their 50th Birthday. To celebrate these important milestones we have been going through our archives. In this...
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30th Birthday Special: Close Pine Gap
This year, Earth Matters is thirty years old! And 3CR, our proud parent, is 50 years old! We’re celebrating by digging into the archives, tipping our hat to past presenters who paved the way with hard-hitting and crucial content on environmental current affairs. Have you heard of Pine Gap? Most...
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Earth Matters Live Radiothon Show
Earth Matters presents a live show in the studios of 3CR in Fitzroy Naarm to raise funds for our broadcasting. Earth Matters presenters Kieran Stewart-Assherton, Mia Audrey and Claudia Craig together with past producer Judith Peppard are joined on phone by Bec Horridge and Hannah York for a live…
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30th Birthday Special: The Jabiluka Blockade
To celebrate 30 years of Earth Matters, Mia digs into the archives and presents a special feature on a historic milestone: the Jabiluka blockade. You'll hear former presenter Juliet Fox interviewing Jane Weepers, spokesperson for the Jabiluka Alliance, on the first day of the blockade in March...
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Part 2 Exploring Extreme Heat: The Mental Health Impacts of Heat
Content WarningThe episode mentions domestic and sexual violence, and online hate in this episode which might be distressing for some listeners. Later on there is a more in-depth discussion of mental illness including suicidal ideation. The presenter announces when the more in-depth discussion...
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Fire Scientists on Impacts of Planned Burns in Wet Forests
This week on Earth Matters, Hannah speaks with fire scientist Phil Zylstra about the large planned burn that took place in the Snowy River National Park. He speaks on the ecological impacts planned burns have on wet forest ecosystems and how Forest Fire Management Victoria is escalating the…
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Conservation: Back2Basics
This episode of Earth Matters examines the ecological crisis unfolding across this continent, from the destruction of the Victorian Volcanic Plains to extinction, land clearing, invasive species and climate change. It explores the responsibilities people hold in response, including First Nations...
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Sooty on the High Court win that affirms right for third parties with a "special interest" to take Forestry Corporation to court while 15 year old Jesinta calls for more relevant environmental education in schools. [with transcript]
Sooty from South East Forest Rescue shares a significant legal win in the High Court, which affirmed the right for third parties with a "special interest" to take Forestry Corporation to court in New South Wales. This overturned Forestry's argument that such actions would "open the floodgates” to...
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A regenerative approach to international development
This week on Earth Matters, we zoom out, and across the world, to speak with an author and human development practitioner based in Antigua, about the big picture of sustainable development. You’ll hear about what has changed in the development sector over recent decades; Cherise’s intersectional...
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Felling of Mt Macedon snow gums leaves conservationists aghast
Felling of Mt Macedon snow gums leaves conservationists aghast This week Earth Matters travels to a mountain peak in Central Victoria where the State government has destroyed almost a hectare of fragile snow gums. Nature lovers and conservation advocates are devastated and confused. The snow gums...
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Women coming together to activate the UNFCCC Belém Gender Action Plan
The Belém Gender Action Plan is a nine-year framework, representing a historic step forward in embedding gender equality into climate action. ensuring inclusive, intersectional, and gender-responsive policies and practices. It emphasizes that climate change impacts are not gender-neutral,...
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Return Lee Point to Larrakia People
Mia interviews Te Raukura O’Connell Rapira and Laniyuk, two staunch and inspiring warriors in the defence of Larrakia country. Larrakia country is Laniyuk’s country, and together with Te Raukura and an ever-expanding network of fellow protectors she has been fighting a military housing…
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Earth Matters: Compassion and kindness in government - a gateway to wise action on climate change and other challenges?
Continuing our popular online Women's Climate Congress conversation series, this event featured Jennifer Nadel FRSA, Co-Founder and CEO, Compassion in Politics (UK).In the last federal election campaign, Anthony Albanese referred to kindness in government, saying that kindness is not a weakness…
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Part One Exploring Extreme Heat | Hot histories: can past heatwaves teach us how to adapt to extreme heat?
Exploring Extreme Heat: Part One Hot histories - can heatwaves of the past teach us how to adapt to extreme heat? Earth Matters is embarking on a multi-episode series exploring what intense heat events mean for Australians. We’ll be hearing from settler Australians, migrant communities and First...
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Interview with Basalt Buddies Pirate Nursery
In this edition of Earth Matters, host Keiran Stewart-Assheton interviews Matt from the pirate nursery Basalt Buddies, discussing the Victorian Grassland Plains, local conservation efforts, the limitations and unseen issues within government conservation policies, and how people can get involved…
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Lutruwita Forest Resistance Tour
As with all other areas of Direct Activism for social and environmental justice, some of the most staunch, courageous and passionate forest defenders are women. At the Lutruwita Forest Resistance Tour last month Hannah and Rosie were fortunate to meet and work alongside many of them, who ranged...
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Connecting With Our Living World Through Poetry
Mia speaks with two poets about their recent books, both of which chronicle relationship-building with the more-than-human world. Eungedup is a work of poetry and narrative non-fiction recounting Giles Watson's relationship with a freshwater wetland during a long, dry summer. Vampire Squid is a...
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Adrian Burragubba & Guridyula jubilant on their right to protect Doongmabulla Springs. /South Coast Action Network
A jubilant senior cultural custodian, Adrian Burragubba makes the first announcement of a landmark decision handed down in the Queensland Court of Appeal, restoring the case to protect the sacred Doongmabulla springs from Adani’s Carmichael coal mine.Adrian's son Guridyula describes the...
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"Ancient Futures" with Helena Norberg-Hodge. (with transcript).
Helena Norberg-Hodge is a pioneer of the new economy movement, a filmmaker, author and founding director of Local Futures, which is committed to the revitalisation of cultural and biological diversity and the strengthening of local communities and economies worldwide. Helena has just turned 80...
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Arts and the Climate Part 2
Mia chats with the folks behind A Climate for Art and Creative Climate, initiatives driving climate conversations and action in the arts and cultural sector. Eliki Reade is an Interdependent Producer and artist of kailoma-Fijian (Fijian/European) heritage. They are a co-instigator of A Climate…
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Hear the rapturous cheers when Rising Tide coal port blockade succeeds in stopping coal ships.
Earth Matters brings you Voices from "Rising Tide" protest blocking coal ships in Moolobinba/Newcastle, highlighting youth climate anxiety, calls for government accountability, and the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and Indigenous justice issues in Australia.We will hear from:Grace...
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Invasion Day - Colonialism and Climate Collapse
This Invasion Day, Earth Matters confronts the truth behind January 26 — not as a celebration, but as the beginning of invasion and ecological destruction.From colonisation as an environmental catastrophe to the climate crisis as a colonial crisis, this special episode centres First Nations...
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Yurlu |Country: Wittenoom asbestos documentary tells Banjima elder’s cultural story
‘Aboriginal people in Western Australia experience the highest rates of death from mesothelioma globally. That’s because of Wittenoom. And there isn’t a Banjima family who isn’t touched by this. This is really a huge human rights issue.’‘We went pretty deep into where the main tailings dumps are....
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A Climate for Art
The climate crisis is a crisis of imagination; we are stuck in a web of stories about what’s possible. But voices outside the web are picking at the knots, opening other ways of being through different, older stories. This is the work of artists. And while you may not know it from how your tax...
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Benny Zable challenges mask laws. /Matthew Jeffrey: First Nations Organiser and Climate Justice Advocate
Benny Zable and Tarneen Onus Browne have filed a legal challenge in the Federal Court against Victoria Police's decision to declare Melbourne's CBD and surrounding suburbs a "designated area" for six months, enabling officers to conduct warrantless pat-down searches across the entire CBD, and...
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Climate change, green capitalism, and the myth of ethical consumption
In this episode, host Keiran Stewart-Assheton looks at the propaganda we are sold around ethical consumption, particularly in the form of "green" energy, electric cars and carbon offsets.He asks Who really pays for this? Are we sacrificing lives for lifestyle? Can individual lifestyle choices…
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John Seed: The Religion of Economics (with transcript).
John Seed explains how modern economics functions as a powerful, unrecognised religion, driving environmental destruction and social inequality, and that unmasking it is crucial for planetary survival.John is the co-founder of the Rainforest Information Centre and, for over forty years, has...
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Clive Palmer's Secret Weapon
Six weeks ago, billionaire businessman Clive Palmer lost a $300 billion case against the Australian government when the High Court determined that he is not, in fact, a Singaporean investor.It may sound absurd, but Palmer’s case had potential – and he has three more similar cases in the works....
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Beating Back Buffel Grass
What would you guess is the largest environmental threat to our iconic deserts? Feral animals? Contaminated or depleted water tables? Desertification? Actually, it’s a grass. Since its introduction in the 1960s and 70s, and particularly in the last couple of decades, buffel grass has spread like...
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Angelica Mantikas: Using Market Forces to plug APAs gas pipeline proposals. (Or "Hesta must do better".)
Angelica Mantikas from Market Forces details the environmental, social, and financial risks associated with APA Group's proposed pipelines in Australia's Northern Territory, which would enable extensive gas fracking in the Beetaloo Basin.Angelica explains Market Forces' strategies to oppose APAs'...
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Rocket resistance: Nobel Peace Prize winning Kokatha Elder stands against Southern Launch rocket testing on Country
In this episode of Earth Matters, host Keiran talks about the rocket testing being undertaken by Southern Launch, discussing its impacts on the local environment, Aboriginal community and Aboriginal culture; the dangers it is posing to people undertaking cultural duties within the testing range…
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Talking to Kids About the Climate: Part 2
This show is the second of two parts on the tricky and crucial work of speaking with young people about the climate: conversations with two educators on opposite sides of the world. Jonathan Noble is the Director of the School of Nature and Climate at CERES Community Environment Park, Narrm...
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Talking to Kids About the Climate: Part 1
Talking about climate change is hard. And for those of us who work, live or spend time with young people, it can be especially difficult to work out how to balance the harsh realities of present and future impacts; communicate accurately about what can be done; and respond to the feelings that…
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The 2035 Targets: What Now
In September, the federal Government made an announcement that sent shockwaves through the community of climate activists and advocates: a 2035 climate target range of 62 to 70 % below 2005 levels. The lead-up to the announcement saw hundreds of groups calling for an ambitious target, many...
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Decolonising water management in Australia
Western hubris about water leads to really bad water policy - kate harridenAustralia’s First Peoples looked after the country’s waterscapes for millennia before colonisation brought Western ways that exclude their contribution. This week on Earth Matters Wiradyuri woman and indigenous water…
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Does your Super support climate collapse?
Follow the Money. Use “Market Forces” to go Fossil FreeMarket Forces provides free independent research and analysis online, assisting people who want to learn more about making their superannuation and banking fossil-free. It is a small group with a big impact, driving the shift away from fossil...
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Hope and resistance: ecocide in Palestine
Israel's miltary annihilation of Gaza and the Palestinian population has been described as the world’s first live-streamed genocide. While the horrific loss of human life and catastrophic humanitarian conditions imposed on Palestinian people have dominated mainstream media output, other crises…
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Storytelling in a climate crisis
How do we tell stories about a world in climate crisis? What is the role of writers and storytellers at this critical ecological time? And do the narratives we tell drive climate action or exacerbate the doom and gloom? This week on Earth Matters we hear from two Australian climate advocates...
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First Nations Voices on Climate Justice
On today’s show, we hear from two first nations advocates from the frontlines of the climate battle. They touch on climate change impacts in their communities; their fight to protect Country, and why First Nations voices must be front and centre. Rosaline Parker is a Pasifika advocate and…
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Toxic Waste on Stolen Land
This episode of Earth Matters investigates the toxic legacy of waste on stolen Aboriginal land, from the radioactive scars of nuclear testing and uranium mining to the invisible spread of PFAS “forever chemicals” in our waterways. Drawing on stories from Maralinga, Kakadu, and the Blue Mountains,...
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Seed; Australia's indigenous youth climate action movement; their achievements and plan to ban fossil fuels.
Georgia and Angel from Seed introduce Australia’s indigenous youth climate action movement, their activities, and strategic plan for the next three years and goals to:to ban fracking in the Kimberley,a ban on fossil fuels across the continent,a significant presence at COP31 train 500 young...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Earth Matters have?
Earth Matters currently has 560 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Earth Matters about?
Local and global environmental issues from grassroots, activist perspectives with a strong social justice focus. Distributed nationally on the Community Radio Network.
How often does Earth Matters release new episodes?
Earth Matters releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 560 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Earth Matters?
You can listen to Earth Matters on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Earth Matters?
Earth Matters is created and hosted by Bec Horridge, Claudia Craig, Mia Audrey & Keiran Stewart-Assheton..
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