Hot Topics

When it comes to renewable energy, South Australia is not just the leader of the pack – it’s in a league of its own. We talk to the man charged with building SA’s hydrogen industry. Until now, SA’s main renewable energy sources have been our famously hot sun and plentiful wind. Our hydrogen production has been relatively small-scale in comparison. That’s all about to change. Behind the scenes, the...

Episode 40: With Tasting Australia set to take over SA for 10 days of deliciousness from 3-12 May, co-drinks curator Banjo Harris Plane joins Hot Topics to share what’s on the menu. Established in 1997, Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel is one of the country’s longest-running eating and drinking festivals. Last year’s event attracted huge crowds, with more than 68,000 people visiting Town...

Think history’s boring? Think again! Ahead of South Australia’s History Festival 2024, happening 1-31 May, we talk to Dane Wilden – Manager, Major Events at the History Trust of South Australia – about why understanding our state’s past can help shape our future. From this year’s theme of POWER to all the program highlights (did someone say ghost tour?!), Dane spills the tea on everything you need...

We talk to two impressive women leading the way in STEM through their important roles at our state’s major research hub. For Hannah Brown, Acting Executive Director at SARDI (South Australian Research and Development Institute), STEM is “the best career in the world”. But for many other women, it’s a tough sector to thrive in. That being said, the number of Australian women in STEM-qualified occup...

Principal Matthew McCurry takes us behind the scenes of Hospital School SA and shares some heart-warming (and tear-inducing) stories of its inspiring students. Back in 1930, the South Australian Education Department did something pretty ground-breaking – they hired the very first teacher to work with school-age kids getting treatment at what’s now the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Today, there’...

Recent teaching graduate and self-described “city girl” Annie Boyd joins Hot Topics to discuss why she chose to launch her career in Port Pirie – and isn’t looking back. When Annie Boyd started her teaching degree, she always knew she wanted to work in the country after graduation. When she later learned of all the government support available, including Country Placement Scholarships, making the...

Fringe Director and CEO Heather Croall AM joins Matt, Anna and Tim to talk about the festival’s enormous economic impact, and what’s in store for this year! Established as an adjunct to the Adelaide Festival in 1960 to showcase smaller, local performers, Adelaide Fringe has long since outgrown its roots. It’s now a multi-genre mega-event that’s famous globally and so beloved locally that one in ev...

We have plenty of people who need care, for a multitude of reasons, and in a multitude of ways. Luckily, we humans have a high propensity to care for one another, with unpaid carers stepping up to support those in need everywhere and anywhere. Carers are an irreplaceable part of the health economy, with unpaid carers providing 2.2 billion hours of care Nationally in 2020, saving the Australian Gov...

South Australia is host to another year of a world-class cycling tournament. The Santos Tour Down Under is Australia’s greatest cycling event and 2024 will mark 25 years since it first started in 1999. Along the journey of starting as a national treasure to becoming an elite event on the global stage, the surrounding celebrations and events have expanded to become among the most important tourist...

It has been an eventful year for the Hot Topics podcast since we started bringing you the is, the was, and the will be of South Australia back in April. And what better time to reflect on what has been discussed on the podcast than the silly season!? This is a great opportunity to catch up on episodes you may have missed or remember some insights you may have forgotten. Matt, Anna, and Tim reminis...

Where’s your favourite holiday destination in South Australia? There’s too many to choose from, right?! Well, the South Australian Tourism Commission has been proving it to our interstate friends. With beaches, rivers, wine regions, and outback oases all within a day's drive, you can have it all on a trip to SA. And with lots of events throughout the year, the SATC has plenty of inspiration to dra...

In the dry state of South Australia, fires can start anywhere. The summer of 2023-2024 is set to be an especially dry and hot one, as an El Niño weather event hits Australia. This is great for those looking to cool down under the treetops in the hills, or for those who want to have a splash in our great beaches and rivers. But whether you live and work in a bushfire prone area, or you’re just pass...

When we think of police officers, ideas of authority and protection come to mind. The South Australia Police exemplify those values as they take on the difficult job of keeping us safe. And as prominent and respected members of South Australian communities, our police officers are in a position to make real impactful differences in our lives. Despite the burden facing the hard-working people at SA...

With the first State Disability Inclusion Plan ending soon, South Australia has its gaze upon the next iteration of the plan. With inclusion and accessibility top of mind, the Hot Topics team wanted to explore what SA has achieved and what needs improving to make this a place where everyone can live with dignity. Matt, Anna, and Tim are joined by an advocate from the Disability Engagement Group ,...

Home to Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music, South Australia is a place that celebrates its artists and has made incredible contributions to contemporary music. November is Good Music Month, with over 600 live events across the state, representing the excellence and diversity of our artists. Matt, Anna, and Tim brought in a two-time nominee for Best Solo Artist at the South Australian Music Awar...

When Maggie Rutjens got her diagnosis of autism later in life, catharsis washed over her as she found an explanation for her differences. The label also seemed to invite plenty of comments and questions ranging from respectful curiosity to plain ignorance. In a world where autism is mostly understood by representations in TV shows like The Good Doctor, Matt, Anna, and Tim want to find out what it...

South Australia’s craft spirit industry is finding local and international success as part of our world-class repertoire of flavours in food and drink. On the back of South Australia’s dominance in the 2023 Tasting Australia Spirit Awards, SA distilleries are expanding internationally and creating jobs in South Australia. Matt, Anna, and Tim were all too excited to learn what makes our spirit craf...

South Australia’s multicultural diversity and inclusivity are what make us great. But The Post team has been wondering what support there is for new migrants who make the transition to bring their heritage and language here. Special guest Lenard Sciancalepore from Community Language Schools SA joins Matt, Anna, and Tim to discuss the ways we facilitate and celebrate multiculturalism in SA. And if...

The Adelaide CBD is one of the most beautifully planned places in Australia, but how does the Greater Adelaide region stack up? The Greater Adelaide Regional Plan is set for draft release and further public consultation in 2024, which got The Post team thinking, what makes a good city lifestyle? Matt, Anna, and Tim discuss the considerations of growing a smarter, more connected, and more diverse A...

The fight for equality is still alive across the world, so how does South Australia stack up? We have a strong history of progressiveness for gender-related issues, and the 2020s are strengthening our reputation. The Women’s Equality Blueprint not only includes actions that move us closer to parity between genders, but it also sets the culture of understanding so we can all thrive. Anna tells Matt...

South Australia has a great reputation for producing some amazing and world-renowned goods and we’re not just talking about our globally-celebrated wines. We are a proud bunch, who love to support our own people and businesses by buying the best local delicacies for our picnic platters. But buying local is so much more than platters and wines and it is about to become so much easier to identify SA...

This podcast deals with sexual assault and may be triggering for some listeners. Stealthing is the deliberate act of removing a condom before or during sex without consent. It’s a vile act that many Australians still don’t know about. And yet, it’s more common than we know. In this week’s episode, Matt Gilbertson, Tim Whiffen and Anna Kantilaftas talk about the act of stealthing, which is now expl...

With more pressure on young people than ever before, it is vital to counter the increased risk of disconnection from society. October is Mental Health Awareness Month and Thursday the 14th of September is R U OK Day, bringing focus to suicide prevention and destigmatising the topics of stress, anxiety and depression. To contribute to the broader discussion, Matt, Anna and Tim talk to Lisa Doyle, S...

If you have ever been in or seen a road collision, you know just how much destruction it can cause, even on heavy vehicles. It comes as no surprise then that riding a motorcycle with less weight and very little protection for the rides is even more deadly. Matt, Anna, and Tim are joined by a survivor, Steve Page who collided with an SUV towing a horse float 5 years ago. With SAPOL’s campaign on ro...

As the South Australian 2023 budget takes effect, the equation for first home buyers is changing. The State Government has brought relief to support South Australians trying to get into a competitive housing market, with a push toward new builds in a bid to amend supply and demand issues.  What is the most significant land release in South Australia’s history in the pipeline, Matt, Anna, and Tim d...