Big Ideas

They use of shark nets to protect us from sharks is highly controversial. Do they work, what do they do to marine life, are there alternatives, and why are sharks so political? This is an issue that ignites passions.Join Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival for a robust interrogation of the harms and benefits​​.Original broadcast April 17, 2024.SpeakersLawrence Chlebeck Marine biologist and campaignerHumane Society International  Dr Chris Pepin-Neff Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Sydney Author, Flaws: Shark Bites and Emotional Public Policymaking (2019) Steven Pearce Chief Executive Officer, Surf Life Saving NSW   Hannah TaitCEO, Action for DolphinsFurther information: Australian UAV Service  NSW Shark meshing program NSW Shark Management Strategy and Shark Program Review (2022) Rebranding Sharks project Australian Shark Incident DatabaseYearly Worldwide “Shark Attack Summary” (Florida Museum) Shark nets information (Action for Dolphins) 

At a time when family violence wasn't even recognised by the law, a group of women broke into two vacant houses in Sydney and claimed squatters' rights, changing lives and attitudes to family violence forever.This event was recorded at the Elsie Conference on 15 March 2024. Original Big Ideas broadcast on 6 May 2024.SpeakersProfessor Di Otto Halfway House VictoriaBobbie Townsend Former resident and worker, Elsie Women's RefugeVivien Johnson Founding member of Marrickville Women's Refuge CollectiveLudo McFerrin (host) Elsie Women's Refuge

Australia's unique biodiversity, a product of almost 50 million years of glorious evolutionary isolation, is in freefall. The threats are not just the rabbits, the cane toads, the cats and foxes – the common culprits. Let's not forget the small but impactful smooth newt or the fierce red fire ants, and the many invasive weeds. Twenty new weeds will establish in the wild in Australia this year – and every year to come … unless things change. But is it possible to stop this ongoing invasion? How do we go about it?Heartlands Conversations was presented as part of the Blue Mountain Music FestivalOriginal broadcast on May 16, 2024SpeakersCosta GeorgiadisHost of ABC TVs Gardening Australia and landscape architectAndrew CoxCEO of the Invasive Species CouncilGregg Borschmann (host)Writer, radio producer and oral historian for the National Library of Australia

From Vincent Namatjira's painting of Gina Rinehart, to Jonathan Yeo's take on King Charles, what do portraits say about those they represent, those who create them, and the broader context of the time?The Andrew Sayers Memorial Lecture was recorded at the National Portrait Gallery on 31 July 2024. The National Gallery of Australia's annual lecture with Lindy Lee was recorded on 24 October 2024.SpeakersBenjamin Law Writer, broadcaster and cultural commentatorSarah Oakes (host) Director, External Relations, National Portrait GalleryLindy Lee ArtistFurther informationWatch LIndy Lee's full lecture "A Life of Spirit" hereCatch Lindy Lee at the NGA for Ouroboros (permanent) and her retrospective until 1 June 2025.Read more about Jordan Richardson's Venus here