Ideas at the House

Capturing global attention through recipes so popular they became viral hashtags (#TheCookies, #ThePasta, #TheDip), Alison Roman wowed Sydney audiences in May 2023 in her quest for us all to ditch “domestic goddess” perfection and embrace a no-fuss, no-nonsense approach to cooking at home. Roman spoke to fellow cook and Australian television presenter Adam Liaw about all the things that took her f...

In a year when everyone is talking about artificial intelligence, we need to talk about the human kind. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be conscious of your existence, your thoughts, your dreams? As machines develop, what might be left that is uniquely human? Our pursuit of pleasure and its rewards? Our ability to love?    AI expert Toby Walsh and evolutionary bi...

We kick off a new five-part season with a debate from our 50th Birthday Festival, discussing whether or not the Sydney Opera House would be built today. It's an iconic building that inspires imagination and sparks conversations, but do we still have what it takes to bring such a bold vision to fruition? Arguing for the motion are: Osman Faruqi, Rebecca Huntl...

Unsure about parenthood? You're not alone. There's a lot to consider when it comes to reproductive choice, evolving social norms mean that women don't have to follow a one-way path to motherhood. Either flying solo or coupled, hetero or queer, when it comes to taking control of fertility there's IVF, egg freezing, and more. And the decision to have children only leads to more questions - about car...

Independent single women are a threat to the status quo. So, it comes as no surprise that the demonisation of single women is not new. From the European witch trials to the formation of the western legal system and its impact on survivors today, the patriarchy has gone to diabolical lengths in order to keep women under its watch. In this invigorating All About Women 2023 session, Clementine F...

Reality tv has always been a contentious category of television especially when it comes to authenticity and finding true love. Many of us love the drama, the tropes and stereotyping, even if we’re just poking fun at it.   This session at All About Women 2023 explored Brooke Blurton’s time on The Bachelorette and Rosie Waterland’s satirical take on dating shows. Hosted by Nakkiah Lui, th...

From repressed women in Iran to the rollback of abortion rights in the US, alongside the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the continuing fight for rights for First Nations people and justice for victims of sexual assault, there appears to be a global war against women. Women around the world are speaking up and there has been a ferocious backlash. Karen Iles, Mona Eltahawy, Fatima Bhutto...

Being a girlboss meant that you could have it all, a renlentlessly demanding job, the side hustle that swallowed your downtime, and a phone that never stops pinging.   This session explored questions such as: Is burnout the only path to modern career success? Will all the girl bossing in the world win a pay rise for those women stuck in the underpaid and undervalued care economy? And can...

Since time immemorial, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have looked after human, spiritual and ecological wellbeing. Many First Nations women's activism is empowered through continuation of a long history of matriarchs who embody kinship and moral responsibility to community and country. This session will examine how this activism intersects and conflicts with mainstream feminism t...

We live in a society that is only just beginning to recognise neurodivergence in women and non-binary people. So how does it feel to be misdiagnosed for years? Does greater public awareness make socialising a little bit simpler? What are some strategies to cope with ableist systems? And what stereotypes do we really need to put in the bin? In this session at All About Women 2023, host and festival...

Legendary punk band Bikini Kill headlined Sydney Opera House’s 2023 All About Women Festival with a reminder of what it was like to perform in a male-dominated music industry in the 90s. They represented anarchist feminist music and encouraged disobedience in young women, emboldening them to publish zines and start bands as acts of cultural resistance.  In this s...

The conduct of many journalists during the 2022 federal election appeared to expose media bias on the campaign trail. Many Australians were dissatisfied with journalists who seemed more concerned with catching politicians out than helping us understand their vision and priorities for the country.  At Antidote 2022, journalists Maddison Connaughton, Barrie Cassidy, Osman Faruqi & Jani...

With growing momentum to enact the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and The Voice to Parliament on the agenda, is a meaningful change for First Nations people finally happening in Australia? In a First Nations led discussion at Antidote 2022, host Jason Glanville was joined by Nareen Young and Nardi Simpson, to discuss what needs to change in our politics, our society and our culture. And what...

Can someone else's story change your life?  Dai Le, Nardi Simpson, Dinesh Palipana, Antoinette Lattouf and host, Steph Tisdell, took the stage at Antidote 2022 to draw back the curtain on their worlds and reveal what happened to them. We hear stories that are tragic, hilarious, engaging, and life changing, and learn how they shaped who they have become. This event was recorded live at th...

In the wake of multiple political crises in the United States, a rich and powerful China increasingly asserts itself. How does Australia navigate this new world order?   China will soon overtake the US as the world’s largest economy and has swiftly become a strategic powerhouse with relationships across the globe. With America’s deep political divisions and diminishing consensus aro...

The Last White Man is the latest novel from internationally bestselling author Mohsin Hamid. The book reimagines Kafka's Metamorphosis and taps into white anxiety about replacement in unique and enlightening ways.    The British Pakistani novelist of The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Booker-Prize-nominated Exit West, talked to Osman Faruqi at Antidote 2022 about whiteness,...

The 2022 federal election saw Australian voters moving away from the traditional two-party system, with a record number of Independents and Greens candidates elected. How will this change the way our government is formed in the future? Will we stitch coalitions together after elections to assemble government like in many other countries? At Antidote 2022, Karen Middleton, ...

Would you quit your job to serve others? These two high-achievers sacrificed successful careers in journalism to take up the rigorous study necessary to become medical doctors. What drives such a sacrifice, and how does it feel to be called to serve? Lisa Pryor, previously a lawyer and a columnist is now a psychiatry registrar, listening and responding to human stories in a different way. Amy Coop...

Is Covid just the beginning? The climate crisis has created a unique situation that has the potential to breed many more viruses, forcing animals to migrate to new habitats, creating new inter-species infections. This means more and more of the world's viruses could leap from animals to humans.  Science journalist Ed Yong - who won a Pulitzer Prize for his COVID explanatory articles...

There are over 150 Indigenous languages actively maintained by community groups in Australia, and a growing movement to protect, revitalise and promote Indigenous language. There are 7000 languages in use worldwide - but many Indigenous languages are falling out of use. What does Australia need to do to preserve, revitalize and promote Indigenous languages? Uncle Gary Williams, Shelley Ware &...

Bodies carry and represent so much, these fragile vessels that we are "stuck in" can dictate privilege or oppression not only within ourselves but in wider society.  In a talk recorded at our Antidote festival in September 2022, trans and non-binary author, Olivia Laing is joined by host Jessie Tu in a profound discussion about the ideas in Laing's latest book 'Everybody', which dra...

Should government step in to protect us from Big Social Media? Conspiracy theories and false news are spread by social media, with real and dangerous consequences for society. Is it time for governments to consider dealing with algorithm bubbles?  At Antidote 2022, journalist Karen Middleton was joined by former PM Malcolm Turnbull AC and Ed Coper, author of Facts and Other Lies, to...

What if the things we keep hidden say more about us than those we put on display? Jarvis Cocker, founder and front man of legendary English band Pulp finally found the time to rummage around his attic crawl space and wrote a book on the rediscovered hoarded objects and mementos that tell a lifetime of incredible stories.  In this show and tell with Myf Warhurst as part of Antidote 2022, Cocke...

This episode of Ideas At The House features an Antidote festival event like no other. As a response to the brutal invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine, the event features sombre and beautiful works by Ukrainian poets, musicians, and storytellers Maria Tumarkin, Serhiy Zhadan, Billie Tumarkin, Anatoli Torjinski & Olga Boichak.  Hosted by Chip Rolley, this event was recorded l...

This episode, we begin a season of talks from our Antidote 2022 festival, starting with an in-depth discussion with renowned actor, Brian Cox. Famed for his portrayal of the media patriarch, Logan Roy, in the television series Succession, Brian Cox has built a brilliant career exploring power, control, and fallibility. Fellow actor David Wenham sits down with Brian Cox to...