Life Matters - Full program podcast

If you spent the holidays with your immediate or extended family, it may have been joyful. But is may also have been stressful and draining.  Psychologist Anushka Phal helps you work through any emotions that came up during what may have been some intense family time.  And, aunties, comedian Geraldine Hickey and ABC meteorologist Nate Byrne, advise on what to do when you want your new hook-up to b...

The rise of apps linked to childcare centres gives crucial reassurance to worried parents that children are safe and happy at daycare. Throughout the day, educators snap pictures of activities and upload them to the app. But what happens to the pictures and sensitive documents accumulated over the years on these apps? Some parents, like Niels Wouters, are finding out that when your child graduates...

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...

ChatGPT... Grammarly... Google Gemini...  AI tools have changed student life in the space of just a couple of years. Cheating seems easier than ever before. So, how do teachers monitor AI use, while accurately assessing students' work? Mark McLauchlin is a nursing student who is fighting AI cheating accusations. Dr Jasmine Thomas, Associate Director of I.C.T. Governance and Partnerships at the Uni...

The news that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban had ended their marriage after 19 years came as a shock. As did stories that Keith has reportedly moved on and is in a new relationship. While we're talking about two global superstars here... in a lot of ways, they're also going through a pretty relatable experience. About 30% of Australian marriages end in divorce....and many people go on to find new p...

Unlike previous generations, most parents today know there is a huge amount they can do to set up (or stuff up) their kids' mental and emotional needs. In an era of information overload, Developmental Paediatrician, host of the Pop Culture Parenting podcast and author Dr Billy Garvey aims to help parents understand and prioritise what's most important.  Also, aunties, journalist Denise Eriksen and...

Our best stories of 2025 helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. Let's talk! With trusted experts and your stories, Life Matters is all about what matters to you. Today you'll hear about finding joy in going solo. 

Over Summer, we've been revisiting some of your favourite stories from 2025. Today, we'll be discussing how to help our kids - or grandkids - navigate the world safety. How do you actually talk to your children about their own personal safety - without scaring them, but still giving them the confidence to make good decisions when you're not around? We also look at a different kind of safety - fina...

Our best stories of 2025 helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. Let's talk! With trusted experts and your stories, Life Matters is all about what matters to you. Today you'll hear about how overcoming challenges early in life. 

Today, we're taking a look back at some of your favourite stories from 2025 and revisiting those all-important "firsts" at work. A study shows more than one in three young people have been ripped off by their employers, and they're also unlikely to challenge their bosses about it. We look at why young workers are still so widely exploited - despite multiple legal reforms. Also, does where you grow...

When you get dressed in the morning, what role does your identity play in the clothes you choose to wear? And how do your feelings that day influence what you pick from your wardrobe? Fashion photographer Liz Sunshine and fashion lecturer Dr Harriette Richards look at the messages your clothes send to the world about who you are. Also, aunties columnist Robert Skinner and comedian Urvi Majumder, s...

We're bringing you some of our favourite stories from Life Matters in 2025 over summer, to help you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. Today it's your stories about mental health and neurodivergence in yourself and your family.

We're bringing you the best stories from Life Matters in 2025 that helps you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. You're about to hear about the potential changes to New South Wales national parks that could see camping fees increase, why we're so obsessed with the big stuff - whether it's prawns, bananas or avocados - and one marine ecologist's l...

Over Summer, we've been revisiting some of your favourite stories from 2025. Science says we reach our mental peak at 60. So, why are we always being told our best years are in our teens or twenties? Plus, the women joining the "We do not Care" club in droves. We also discuss the practicalities of long-haul travel in retirement. 

Over Summer, we've been revisiting some of your favourite stories from 2025. Today, we'll be discussing the hint to find the elixir of youth - and the huge cash prize up for grabs. Plus, what do we consider "old" in the workforce? The answer might surprise you. We also look into how photography can help us age well, as Dr Karl shares his money secrets. 

Have you heard of the "Let Them theory", the viral self-help trend popularised by American motivational speaker Mel Robbins? The mantra, according to Robbins, can help you let go of situations you can't control.  But what do psychologists say about what happens if the theory is applied to our actual relationships and life goals? Clinical psychologist Dr Jacqueline Baulch weighs in. And, aunties, c...

Are there actually physical symptoms when you get your heart broken? Why do heart emojis look nothing like the thing beating in our chests? What can be done to save someone when their heart stops beating?

Helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world.

It's summer on ABC Radio National so we're bringing you some of your favourite stories from the year gone by. Today, we're giving you a peek behind the curtain of secretive extremist subcultures. They're in our backyards, but most of us know next to nothing about them. We speak to a journalist who delved down the rabbit hole of the history of conspiracy theories in Australia.  We also look into th...

It's summer on ABC Radio National so we're bringing you some of your favourite stories from the year gone by. Today, we're diving into family relationships. During the holiday season, those ties feel more tangled (and more telling) than ever. They're fraught with complexities, but probably the deepest and most intimate connections many of us will ever have. We talk to a so-called "reproductive ref...

Home can be a refuge where you curl up, feel safe and read a good book.  But your sense of 'home' doesn't have to be a physical place.  Psychologist Chris Cheers explores how you can find that sense of comfort wherever you are.  Also, the aunties, comedian Nazeem Hussain and broadcaster James Findlay, weigh in on what happens when you love your friends but find their kids (kind of) annoying.

From the Life Matters archives, it's all about parents today. You'll hear about how the way we're sharing our kids identity online is shifting. We also ask what's driving a rise in homebirths, and how fathering - not fatherhood - has changed in Australia over the last century. Plus how comedian Matt Okine has totally changed his priorities and how he thinks about money since becoming a dad in My T...

It's summer! Which means you're hearing the best of the best from Life Matters this year. Today we're giving you the wrap up on all things work life balance. You'll hear from someone who thinks it's just important to have a hobby as it is to have a fulfilling job. And by now we know AI is coming for our jobs, but what would it mean for our career trajectory if it takes our internships?  Plus the t...

We're replaying some of your favourite stories from Life Matters this year for our summer specials. Today you'll hear our top stories to navigate the ethical minefield of shopping at Christmas time. If your kids are begging you for "dupes" of popular items - it's a double edged sword - on one hand you'll be saving money and on another you could be encouraging a trend that rips off smaller designer...

It's summer on Life Matters so we're bringing you some of your favourite stories from the year gone by. Today we're talking housing, diving into how downsizing isn't always as straightforward as it seems. We'll also dig into the strain housing stress can put on relationships, namely the self-induced stress of a renovation with Grand Designs Australia host Anthony Burke, and investigate what role m...