The Yarn

On Chinese social media, political influencers risk censorship with every post.   On today’s episode of The Yarn, we speak to feminist content creators from China and Australia about their differing experiences, both online and in real life.     This episode was created by Rachel Liu, Jinghe Huang, Yufei Li, and Zijun Qi.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Food can provide far more than just sustenance. For many, meals are a pivotal link to memory, identity, and belonging.   On today’s episode of The Yarn, our reporters explore the transformative power of food. They speak to a gardener growing Chinese vegetables in Australia, a baker building community through a cake club, and others who turn to food for multifaceted nourishment.  Th...

This week on The Yarn, we explore the benefits of volunteering.   Volunteers from aged care homes, food delivery programs, and elsewhere explain how small contributions can make a big difference in their local communities.     This episode was created by Tianxiao Zhou, Sophie Sewell, Yuqing Hao, Lijing Zhu, and Shumin He.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Melbourne’s Teddy Bear Hospital might sound childish, but it’s where medical students practice vital skills (albeit with stuffed animals as patients). It’s one of several unorthodox learning methods explored in this week’s episode of The Yarn.      This episode was created by Erielle Sudario, Lewis Weir, Yuxuan Qia...

Last week, we heard from international students struggling with fee hikes. Today, we explore the ongoing challenges once they finish their studies.   We speak to graduates about the application process for post-study work visas, the completive job market, and the unfair disadvantages they face compared to permanent residents.   &nbsp...

Today, we talk to international students feeling the crunch of the University of Melbourne’s fee hikes.   For three years running, their enrolment costs have risen by seven per cent. On top of this, they’re dealing with a rental crisis, demanding coursework, and restrictive limits on working hours.   This episode was created by Beatrix Chirnside, Rae Zhang, Harry Robertson, a...

In this episode, we’re exploring the motivations behind acts of kindness.   We speak to Victorians working in homelessness support, sex worker advocacy, and other fields about why they’re so dedicated to their causes.   This episode was created by Michael Saliba, Alexandra Nevill, Yunqian Shi, Ruonan Yang, and Hope Kloppenburg.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

In the words of Joan Baez, action is the antidote to despair.   Today on The Yarn, we’re sharing stories of resistance and resilience, from pro-Palestine activists fighting for free speech, to teachers striking for fairer working conditions.      This episode was created by Siena Kinkela, Yiming Liu, Zoe Eyles, Matt Melia, and Lynn Pan.  See omnystudio.com/listener f...

To mark World Press Freedom Day, we're dedicating an episode of The Yarn to journalists in danger. We speak to reporters and media experts about navigating war zones, covering authoritarian regimes, and why exposing the truth is often a matter of life and death.    This episode was created by Isaure Duruy, Jiali Hong, Xue Xue, and Olivia Wright. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

This week, we're hearing about what keeps people up at night — and what keeps them hopeful in the face of despair. Student activists, marine ecologists, and other change makers share their tactics for turning fear into action.    This episode was created by Eamon Leggett, Theone Van Der Merwe, Fan Chu, and Yixin Zhang. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donating used clothes might seem sustainable, but Australia's textile waste is causing an environmental catastrophe in Fiji. This week on The Yarn, reporter Shayal Devi explains how “waste colonisation” is harming the pacific nation.     Show Notes: Shayal Devi's reporting for The Citizen See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To most Melburnians, urban seagulls are noisy pests. But why did these once coastal creatures abandon their seaside habitats in the first place? This week on The Yarn, reporter Luisa Bonazzoli explains the human-led changes forcing gulls into cities.       Show Notes: Luisa Bonazzoli's Feature for The Citizen   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final episode of our Passion Project series, we’re hearing from trailblazers, trendsetters, and leaders. From a woman motorsport racer smashing her industry’s glass ceiling, to a music teacher rekindling passions for a neglected genre. This episode features reporting by Aimee Watson, Molly O'Farrell, Nina Bartholomeusz, Katya Ewing, and Vivien Frischknecht. See omnystudio.com/l...

Next in our Passion Project series, five stories about communal care. In this episode, a former cult member guides others to freedom, an ICU doctor supports burnt-out colleagues, and an anorexia survivor helps those in recovery.   This episode features reporting by Eliza McIntosh, Celina Lahdo, Sanober Bhavnagri, Charlie Williams, and Jenson Galvin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

On this week’s episode of Passion Project, we’re entering the DIS-comfort zone.   We’re investigating extreme hikers who rebel against modern life, elite athletes struggling with burnout, and others who push themselves to the absolute limit.  This episode features reporting by Grace Viney, Berit Anna Rojer, Kezia Tan, and Rose Beattie.  See omnystudio.com/listener...

Nude  movie screenings might sound perverse, but this one-of-a-kind experience has been selling out Melbourne cinemas. It's just one of the hyper niche interests we're exploring in this week's episode of Passion Projects — our new series about outliers, trailblazers, and the pastimes they love.  This episode features reporting by Lachie Carroll, Cathy Yee, Mia Leys, Cassia Cunningh...

Today, we’re sharing a talk from Pulitzer Prize-winning war journalist Chris Hedges, who believes the Western media is complicit in the Gaza genocide.  Chris spent two decades covering war zones in places like Iraq, Sarajevo, and Gaza. He’s also the author of more than a dozen books. His most recent is A Genocide Foretold: Reporting on Survival and Resistance in Occupied Palestine...

The Labubu craze might be baffling to some, but their relentless popularity has led to a thriving black market for counterfeits, or “Lafufus”.  This week on The Yarn, reporter Ashleigh Wyss explains how these low-quality fakes could be putting kids in danger. Her investigation on this issue was copublished by The Citizen and CHOICE. Show Notes Ashleig...

From bread tag collecting to rocket building, the first episode of The Yarn’s Passion Project series delves into the world of immersive hobbies. Across five stories, our reporters investigate interests that blur the line between leisure and purpose, and question why women are treated differently in certain fan communities.   This episode features work by Jamille Jayoma, Shaid...

Pacific  newsrooms are in crisis. US funding cuts, the rise of artificial intelligence, and constraints on press freedom are just some of the threats to the region’s journalists.    On this week's episode of News Bites, Louisa Lim discusses the future of Pacific media with Solomon Islands journalist Dorothy Wickham and Fijian journalist Shayal Devi. See omnystud...

Who gets to shape the story? That’s what journalist Nour Haydar has been asking in relation to Australian coverage of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.   On this week’s episode of The Yarn, we’re sharing her AN Smith lecture from December 2024. It’s a searing critique of the Australian media’s double standards, and its failure to “meet the moment”.&...

First, Artificial Intelligence took our jobs. Now, it's deciding how we're recruited into the ones that are left.  For today's episode, Sarah Jensz discusses her reporting on this new—and barely regulated—industry practice. She also speaks with legal experts, including Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay, who is pushing for urgent reforms to curb algorithmic discriminat...

Thousands of Little Penguins nest along the southwest coast of Victoria, but their colonies are constantly threatened by energy companies pushing to conduct seismic surveys. Fearing these shockwaves could devastate local marine life, citizen scientist Carli Reeve rallied her community to protect them. Her grassroots campaign ultimately forced the plans to be scrapped, if only for now.  Our re...

Nature is like a time capsule. The cyclical rhythm of healthy ecosystems can outlast entire civilisations. This week on The Yarn, two environmental stories take us back to postwar Germany and prehistoric Australia. We hear how fragile ecosystems have stood the test of time — and what’s at stake if we lose them forever.   These audio documentaries were originally produced by T...

In the final episode of Distraction, we explore how a well‑timed distraction, often thought of as a mindless time sink, can become tools for mindfulness, connection, and creativity. Featuring stories by Guilia Scenna, Ying Wan, and Georgie Preston. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.