Life Matters - Full program podcast cover art

All Episodes

Life Matters - Full program podcast — 293 episodes

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Title
1

Beware the bank of mum and dad and where not to go on your next holiday

2

Untangling gambling from sports culture and are smart glasses cool now?

3

Introducing the Grandparent Trap and unpacking tax time anxiety

4

Cultivating confidence and dating after death

5

How do we deal with Neil the seal and the ethics of football fandom

6

Family holidays without the fighting and embracing death for a happy life

7

Tim Minchin on the future of Australian theatre and discovering autism in your 50s

8

Middle children are disappearing and what this runner learned completing 150 marathons

9

Stepping out of the self-sabotage spiral and family function fatigue

10

Don Spencer and Alex Papps celebrate Play School's 60th birthday and public displays of affection

11

The decline of male teachers and how to protect your backyard chooks from bird flu

12

The secret to a sustainable wardrobe and why shopping simulators exist

13

People-powered cities and finding yourself in the family history books

14

What does spirituality look like without religion and is there a 'wrong' way to grieve?

15

John Williamson takes back true blue and life after a shark attack

16

Why it's still worth learning a new language and dads locked out of parental leave

17

What makes a "good" salary in 2026 and reviving the local bowls clubs

18

Giving building materials a second life and does the body really keep the score?

19

AI anxiety and fibbing about your religion for the greater good

20

Dealing with anxiety after a health scare and chasing happiness

21

Using maths to make the 'perfect' decision and why communities need trees and bookstores

22

Our plastic shame and how to deal with dyslexia at work

23

What Dr Billy Garvey wants you to know about raising boys and reflecting on Richard Scolyer's legacy

24

Where looksmaxxing crosses the line and the guilt of pet regret

25

Can we reset the ragebait machine and how to get better rest

26

Intergenerational BFFs and online nostalgia communities

27

What losing his son taught this dad about fatherhood and recovering scam losses

28

Fixing our social media feeds and planning a new city in space

29

How to talk about gambling and spotting a romance scam

30

How coral became big business and a new system for job seekers

31

The weirdest Australian festivals and the future of sustainable fashion

32

Why you're feeling stuck and how discounts influence buyer behaviour

33

The real winners of the Enhanced Games and what to do if you find a fossil

34

Overcoming social anxiety and untangling sleep envy

35

The value of NDIS social supports and is your car spying on you?

36

The friendship wealth gap and the price of volunteering

37

Forgotten women of Australian history and our deep obsession with gambling

38

Local councils tackling homelessness and bringing life back to cemeteries

39

Reframing shame around sexual hang-ups and splitting up the family photo albums

40

Keeping up with specialist bills and why beauty therapy is more than skin deep

41

Calls for intra-generational fairness in budget and rules of modern dating

42

Saving the school library and first aid for mental health

43

Caring for the carers and the economics of homegrown produce

44

How parenting dynamics change in adulthood and the price of doggy destruction

45

Celebrating 100 years of David Attenborough and cancelling the Met Gala

46

The golden gap year and where to start tightening your budget

47

The reality of leaving an abusive relationship and are influencers making us sick?

48

The great school debate and friction-maxxing

49

Dads discovering the father wound and the unspoken politics of the group chat

50

The unpopular solution to our growing waste problem and what to do with old pianos

51

How misogi celebrates one big win and the science of cosiness

52

The personal toll of advocacy and balancing out the mental load

53

A win for renters' privacy and the local councils trying to save uninsurable towns

54

How to spot a real narcissist and the case of the missing family jewels

55

Why we need to talk about booze and what it really takes to make it in Australia

56

The singles tax and psychosocial safety in the workplace

57

What's going on with adult ADHD diagnosis and is optimism dead?

58

What it costs to feed Australia and why we don't listen to new music

59

Making workplaces truly neuro-inclusive and the school fete dilemma

60

The neighbourhoods driving the DIY energy transition and why picky eating is a modern problem

61

The science of the perfect day and dogs in public spaces

62

Can kids claw back their digital privacy and fighting for the right to repair

63

The bees are dying again and the rise of 'slopaganda'

64

Understanding ethical non-monogamy and a family split over Dad's ashes

65

Rescuing the 'post-literate' generation and what ancient philosophers say about aliens

66

What kids of divorce really need and the future of space exploration

67

How to tackle Australia's gambling problem and why You Can't Ask That is back

68

Watching Married At First Sight with your teenager and rethinking financial education

69

Parenting advice from Dr Billy Garvey and how to uninvite a friend's four-legged plus-one

70

How to solve food insecurity and why Australian men are 'marrying up'

71

Learning on the road and the woman who fought Ansett to fly

72

Is social media addiction real and focus for dummies

73

Putting the car-free experiment to the test and the ethics of panic buying

74

How to stay friends when you hate their politics and advice about a toxic ex

75

Reimagining boyhood and launching childhood dreams with astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg

76

Petrol prices throwing travel plans out the window and AI agents doing your admin

77

Giving up your capital gains tax discount and the hot flush gold rush

78

Making apartments more family-friendly and is 'leisure sickness' a real thing?

79

Understanding 'the mother wound' and drawing the line on workplace gossip

80

How to protect your f*** off fund and travelling with dementia

81

The big benefits of small talk and leaving the 'manosphere'

82

A national hotline for witnesses to war and talking teens through spirituality

83

Teaching e-scooter safety and why optimism is good for your health

84

Co-parenting after separation and clearing an innocent cat's name

85

Why teens are trying therapy via Fortnite and should you get a sleep divorce?

86

Denise Scott on making comedy through cancer and workplace conflict tips from Esther Perel

87

Giving parents more choice in child care and saying goodbye at a living funeral

88

The future of Meals on Wheels and teaching teens to drive

89

Getting what you want in the bedroom and discovering infidelity after death

90

Is dynamic pricing coming to Australian supermarkets and the end of letters

91

What happened to O Week and could art save your life?

92

What's the harm in zero-alcohol drinks and should you try a no-buy year?

93

The obsession with longevity and how not-for-profit venues could revive live music

94

Dropping the shame around debt and phasing out a stale friendship

95

Talking about Tourette's and what universal child care could look like

96

The Tricketts on taking sport beyond the scoreboard and reviving native languages

97

Rebuilding trust in the medical system and the key to feeling like you belong

98

Breathing new life into the main drag and the website that lets you rate your neighbours

99

Hitting the reset button on everyday overwhelm and navigating neighbourly disputes

100

Saving your local pool and how to embrace friction in your life

101

The libraries that shaped us and withering takes on Wuthering Heights

102

Escaping the supermarket duopoly and turning your hobby into a serious leisure pursuit

103

Beyond the health star rating and Ben Crowe's nine lessons to live by

104

What it's like coming out in 2026 and advice for a struggling grandparent

105

Why hair is such a big deal and advice from an Olympian on sharing your wins

106

Our love-hate relationship with running and the reality of tiny home living

107

Why the Mardi Gras party matters and the art of saying no

108

Turning a trade into a long-term career and optimising your work playlist

109

Finding a place to feel at home and bringing a pet as a plus-one

110

Scott Pape's vision for kids' cash and reimagining the verge garden

111

Rethinking cancer survival and dressing for expression in your third age

112

A reality check on women's sport and convincing your boss to let you work from home

113

Falling in love at the dog park and healing through companionship

114

Simone Stolzoff on how to nurture your non-work self

115

The magic of family stories and why you're drawn to doomscrolling

116

What it takes to become an astronaut and how to build heat-proof housing

117

Reimagining boyhood and sending teenagers to work in aged care homes

118

Grand designs and why we breakup in January

119

How does nostalgia for our past help us in our present?

120

We're retiring later, but a fresh exercise routine could help us live longer

121

What it takes to build community and why we're burnt out on volunteering

122

Is Doctor Google dead and is comedy an art form?

123

How do we create space for grief after Bondi and are buttons making a comeback?

124

Debriefing your holiday break and getting ghosted by your hook-up

125

Data privacy and daycare apps, plus will aged care changes result in a system we can trust?

126

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

127

AI and cheating accusations, and what if your workday is actually a work night?

128

Relationship endings and new beginnings, and treating chatbots as friends

129

Dr Billy Garvey, host of the Pop Culture Parenting podcast, on kid's mental health

130

What's behind the rise in silver separation and women going it alone

131

How to stop children committing crimes, and talking to your kids about their own safety

132

What book changed your mind and could you fall in love with a character?

133

Why young workers are still being exploited, and tackling the class ceiling

134

What message do your clothes send to the world?

135

Coming off antidepressants and getting an ADHD diagnosis

136

Is camping about to get pricier and our obsession with big things

137

Science says we peak at 60, plus why so many women are joining the "we do not care" club

138

The race to find the elixir of youth, and what's considered "old" in the workforce?

139

What it looks like to follow Mel Robbins and 'just let them'

140

Life Matters: Live Show from the World Science Festival

141

The rise in women using steroids and how blind marathoners learn to race

142

Conspiracy theories, extremism, and the tradwife subculture

143

Family secrets and surviving your partner's addiction

144

Exploring what home means to you and handling your friend's annoying kids

145

When you regret sharing your kids online and homebirths on the rise

146

Moving to regional Australia for better balance and the importance of hobbies

147

From dupes to dark tourism - navigating ethical gift giving at Christmas

148

Can your relationship survive a home reno and modular housing's role in boosting supply

149

The moment you feel like an adult, and how to stay calm amid house guest drama

150

How to navigate personal body change, and what's the secret to reaching 100?

151

When to stop being a bystander, and can AI make you laugh?

152

Life under Australia's social media ban, and how to enjoy smooth holiday travel

153

The future of Aussie libraries, and using AI to get closer to God

154

Parenting with Dr Billy Garvey, and dealing with an in-law culture clash

155

The mystery behind our country's empty houses, and could price tag changes get us to eat more veggies?

156

Big Design Adventures with Kevin McCloud and Tim Ross

157

Search and rescue in the wild, and the meaning behind what we wear

158

How to prevent deadly shark attacks, and do you care if music is AI-generated?

159

Making a second marriage work, and how to deal with best friend drama

160

Why backyards have a vital role, and saving our kids' social media history

161

Defining the 2020s, and anonymous fashionista Fashion Critical shares her style insights

162

Debate over changes to the auction system, and what happens when your ex moves on?

163

Why so many people are working multiple jobs, and how do we close the gender play gap?

164

Celebrating a childfree life, and should you make amends if you were a bully as a kid?

165

Keeping young people safe at Schoolies, and facing ageism in the healthcare system

166

How Schoolies celebrations have changed, and the power of a mentor

167

What a longer mortgage would cost you, and Australia's millionth refugee

168

The impact of Black Friday, and how parents supporting their adult children became the norm

169

Reigniting the spark for work, and what happens when your best friends are mates with your ex?

170

Begging in public places, and how to support the next wave of artists and performers

171

How to consume ethically, and will our coastline look very different in a decade's time?

172

Illicit tobacco's impact on smoking, and who wants to be a trillionaire?

173

Bringing down the house, and avoiding subscription traps

174

Talking about consent, and what happens when a family heirloom is offered to someone else?

175

What to do when landfill runs out, and do organ recipients owe a debt of gratitude?

176

A plan to give households access to free electricity, and the truth behind toxic toys

177

Are e-bikes safe for your kids and re-thinking gluten's dietary villain status

178

Data privacy and daycare apps, plus will aged care changes result in a system we can trust?

179

Russ Harris on how to stop worrying, and drama over screen time at grandpa's house

180

Why weather obsession takes hold, and are death bots ethical?

181

Courtney Act's first children's book, and do you use tech to monitor your sleep?

182

The best way to assess your family's childcare, and Wikipedia co-founder on public trust

183

The crisis in foster care, and who's looking after feral cats?

184

The power of mattering, and should you "borrow" your neighbour's bin?

185

The debate over speed limits, and treating chatbots as lovers and friends

186

Switching off the online world, and will we soon see the end of cash?

187

Rethinking suspension in schools, and why do people queue for hours to buy something?

188

Peaking at 60, and does telehealth come at a cost?

189

How to do relationship maintenance, and what happens when the group chat gets mean?

190

The debate over universal basic income, and what are the ethics around speaking up?

191

Coming-of-age travel is evolving, and what's it like to broker a hostage release?

192

Under 16s are already using workarounds to stay on social media, and is your workday a night?

193

Rethinking our dependence on supplements, and why agrihoods are taking off in Australia

194

Taking the first step to end family estrangement, and drama over splitting the bill

195

Global push to eat less meat, and Turia Pitt on why being selfish can be a life-changer

196

Relationship endings and new beginnings, and concerns about unchecked private tutoring

197

How to stop the decline in young readers, and will AI "actresses" take over the screen?

198

Bob Brown on standing up for the planet, and a creative way to attract a rural GP

199

Embracing joy in life, and how to support a friend who has bad luck with relationships

200

How new airline rules will impact passengers, and the appeal of a quiz show

201

The key to surviving burnout and Melissa Leong's unexpected career in food

202

The campaign for sports finals without gambling ads, and do our universities have a trust problem?

203

The debate over entry fees for Australia's iconic landmarks and letting driverless technology take the wheel

204

Embracing the ups and downs of a friendship group, and how do you share family responsibilities?

205

Breaking free of prejudice and who deserves a bronze statue?

206

Fact-checking President Trump's autism claims and how volunteering can "fill your cup"

207

The positive power of petitions and the struggle of living with long COVID

208

How to live a happier and healthier life and the power of a one-star review

209

The mindset of saying yes and emotions run hot at a school sausage sizzle

210

Debating the future of gene-edited meat and supermodel Samantha Harris' meteoric rise

211

The impact of a good book and will your house last the distance?

212

AI and cheating accusations complicating student life and how extreme weather is changing sport

213

The complex steps needed to protect koalas and why men with eating disorders face an added challenge

214

You've been diagnosed with ADHD, now what?

215

Retail workers facing abuse and why phone scams are targetting Aussies

216

Treaty promises to "reckon with the past" and what's it like to reunite with an old friend?

217

The questions surrounding female perpetrators and what's the meaning behind work uniforms?

218

Why new suburbs become fast food magnets and can your local club survive the volunteer drought?

219

Taking action to change your personality and what to do when a young child is sharing her family's secrets?

220

The meaning behind the Australian flag and the minefield of an office romance

221

Reimagining the Great Australian Dream and how much would you pay to call someone you loved?

222

The struggle to share the mental load and coping when you're caring for a loved one

223

Stopping a life of crime at the start and are universities dying?

224

Navigating difficult conversations and managing ex-in-laws

225

Why are banks bailing on the regions and is gun control still under control?

226

The mixed emotions of empty nesting and what is a sovereign citizen?

227

New frontier for gambling advertising and the cult of Swifties, Beliebers and Bey-hive

228

The upsides to downsizing and Osher Günsberg on how to ask for help

229

Recovering from perfectionism and handling an ex-best friend

230

Navigating drug rehab wait lists, and why legal language is so confusing

231

Wild stories from a paramedic, and why one woman ran the City2Surf topless

232

The human heart of productivity, and pocket money pay gap

233

Charging EV users a road use charge, and the argument for pets on planes

234

The moment you know a relationship is over, and surviving a getaway with the in-laws

235

The evolving role of pharmacists, and have you been targetted by a "Gen Z stare"?

236

Todd McKenney's journey to fatherhood, and what to do if you're filmed without consent

237

The pros and cons of our health star rating system, and what's the impact of "pretty privilege"?

238

Claiming the right to "own" your face, plus the real-life experiences of an Aussie spy

239

Connecting to your family's past, and what happens when your friends have money... and you don't?

240

Being left behind as life moves online, and the app helping ease the load

241

Trusting parents' gut instincts, and who is in the We Do Not Care Club?

242

Peaceful protest is getting harder, and the heartbreak when a loved one goes missing

243

Debating a teenager's right to delete, and are influencers the new church missionaries?

244

The evolution of masculinity, and what happens when stolen milk drama spills into the workplace?

245

The push to move Aussies to the regions, and should parents redesign the workplace?

246

Living booze-free in Australia, and should parents get more choice in how to spend their childcare subsidy?

247

Digital age verification online, and is the solution to burnout more public holidays?

248

The baggage that comes with the word "cancer" and why more families are homeschooling

249

Helping kids through mental health challenges, and how to deal with a rude funeral guest

250

A plan to tackle homelessness in Australia, and does Princess Polly deserve the sustainability tick of approval?

251

The age considered "older" in the workplace, and is your toddler in charge of your remote?

252

Pioneering work with psychedelic drugs, and AI threatening some workplace roles

253

Why young workers are still being exploited, and do you have a breakup ritual to help you move on?

254

Finding a physical activity that fills you with joy, and juggling different sleep schedules

255

Call to ban card surcharges, and older Aussies dealing with anxiety

256

The debate over letting kids skip school for a holiday, and the rise of the YIMBY movement

257

Housing affordability is now impacting divorce, and are you a #GirlDad?

258

The risk of losing your doctor, and what's your favourite big Aussie tourist attraction?

259

How we mask aspects of ourselves, and dealing with a difficult step-sister

260

A new teaching method that's old-school, and what are the limits to supporting a friend?

261

Families who develop their own lingo, and why Gen Z is saying no to sex

262

Zero-alcohol beverages are having a moment, and why is buying tickets online so stressful?

263

Fixing a broken childcare system and grieving your best friend

264

Give a pep talk to your high school self, and how should children behave in public?

265

The pros and cons of whole body MRIs, and why are young people tight-lipped about money?

266

The special role of grandparents, and should AI write our heartfelt messages?

267

Creative burial ideas, and why you should ask strangers "what do you do for a hobby?"

268

Children living shorter lives than their parents and how to not be 'that' annoying tourist

269

Connections with people you've never met, and what to do if you're 'ghosted'

270

Challenging tired stereotypes in advertising, and the tech that's changing who gets to watch sport

271

What to say after someone you love says "I have cancer", and what's it like to give birth at home?

272

Winning a million-dollar lottery, and playgrounds that prevent bullying

273

Finding calm in times of global crisis, and helping kids transition to school

274

Exploring your sense of home, and is a pet dog a party guest?

275

How we fall in love with particular songs, and the challenges of Fly In Fly Out work and parenting

276

Putting your love life in the hands of a matchmaker, and why are climate targets starting to unravel?

277

Dealing with a spouse's alcohol addiction, and a new study about an embarrassing illness

278

Safety concerns escalate over e-scooters, and what's your relationship with meal delivery apps?

279

The lessons we learn in relationships, and what to do when your family doesn't "do feelings"

280

Changes to liquor laws aim to curb family violence, and is it acceptable to discipline other people's children?

281

The extreme things we do for a crush, and fears after another Australian embryo mix-up

282

How to ensure boys embrace reading, and why do families keep secrets?

283

New guidelines for cosmetic injectables, and what happens when you donate your body to science?

284

The changes that parenting brings to your life, and is it wise to get involved in your child's friendships?

285

The push for Australia to invest more in the gaming industry, and why is grey divorce a phenomenon?

286

A legal test case for the Right to Disconnect, and new data about forever chemicals

287

How to respond to a mental health crisis, and should you withdraw your super early?

288

Changes set to make an ADHD diagnosis easier for some patients, and retiring comfortably on a budget

289

Our relationship with our clothing and a warning about a new girlfriend

290

The world of human cryopreservation and why drama is engulfing parent WhatsApp groups

291

Have you imagined a life without the internet and what's behind the rise of 'dupe' culture?

292

Playing team sport improves mental health

293

Surviving disaster after disaster: new research reveals hidden mental toll