Life Matters - Full program podcast

In the aftermath of the BAFTA awards, one moment has eclipsed the stories behind any of the films that were recognised. A Tourette Syndrome advocate who'd been invited to celebrate a film about his life shouted a racial slur while two Black actors were presenting an award on stage. It was an involuntary tic that he had no control over, but the impact was shocking, sparking heated debate. Mandy Maysey and Seamus Evans from Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia discuss how we can make these spaces genuinely accessible and inclusive — for everyone.
Australia is having a reckoning moment for the 1.5 million children enrolled in child care. At the Senate inquiry into quality and safety of Australia's early childhood system, some groups are pushing for more flexible choice for subsidised care outside of the existing daycare system, while others want to re-imagine the system entirely. One of the options put forward is universal child care. Parenting advocate Georgie Dent breaks down what that could look like and just how achievable it would be.
In our regular segment My Two Cents, veteran rock and roller Mick Thomas of Weddings, Parties, Anything and The Roving Commission, shares how he makes his money decisions.
And for Ask Aristotle, resident philosopher Patrick Stokes delves into what it means to be human. If your head was placed on a new body, would you still be you? Where does our consciousness truly reside? And even if such a transplant was possible, should we do it?

Australia's love of sport runs deep. We idolise the scoreboard, pack out stadiums, and beam with pride when our athletes bring home gold. But for some, the sideline isn't such a welcoming space. So how do we shift our relationship with sport to hold onto the good, and call out the bad? Olympic medallist Libby Trickett and Sportish podcast co-host Georgie Trickett share why they want to shift the way we talk about sport. 
The language you speak is so much more than the words that come out of your mouth, and for many holding onto those words is a symbol of a fight hard won. So how is the revival of languages, once on the brink of extinction, changing the next generation of speakers? Clark Webb, founder of the first Aboriginal bilingual school in NSW, and Irish language coach Eamon Corcoran explain how helping people rediscover language connects them with culture and community. 
Less than a month after the Launceston City Council announced it was considering a four-day work week, the proposal has been shelved. So what went wrong? This Working Life host Lisa Leong explores the questions this raises about our attitudes to work, and whether Australia will ever be ready to embrace the four-day week.

Endometriosis affects around one in seven girls and women in Australia, and getting a diagnosis can take, on average, six to eight years. QENDO chief executive Jessica Taylor and endometriosis patient Helene Hill discuss how the Four Corners investigation into a prominent Melbourne gynaecologist has affected trust in the medical system for those who have fought to have their voices heard.
A new report into multiculturalism shows that for migrants, a sense of belonging in the postcode where you live is key. But rising rents and gentrification are reshaping communities, sometimes pushing out the very cultural identities that made them vibrant in the first place. Researcher Trish Prentice, Maribyrnong mayor Mohamed Semra and Pakistan Australian Cultural Association president Syed Naqvi shed light on the path forward for new migrants.
Resident psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones joins Life Matters for Head and Heart, to chat through just how far you should go to pressure test a new romantic relationship.

The main street is the heart of a country town, and it can often give you a quick picture of how the place is faring. With new data showing more than 5.3 million metropolitan Australians would consider a move to the regions, that first impression can be make or break. Sheep farmer turned property investor Max Jones, regional Queensland mayor Shaun 'Zoro' Radnedge and Professor Andrew Beer discuss what it takes to breathe new life into these communities.
We've all had at least one run-in with a neighbour before. But if you knew they could leave you a review, would you think twice about chucking your overflowing rubbish in their bin? Rowan Thambar explains why he created a website called Rate Thy Neighbour, and the unspoken social rules it's revealed.
The concept is simple: a rotary phone, disconnected from any network, offering a quiet place to sit and chat with someone who's died. The wind phone began as one man's way to say goodbye, but the idea has now spread around the world, opening up space for conversations about death, loss and grief.
And author, academic and activist Bri Lee shares the book that awakened her feminist rage, and ultimately, changed her life.

Many of us feel overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life — hustling to make ends meet, managing never-ending life admin, staying fit and healthy, caring for the people around us, and worrying about the state of the world. So if you're feeling stuck, how do you regain a sense of hopefulness? Writers Jodi Wilson and Andrew Sloane share the practical changes you can make to your daily life to bring things back into balance. 
And for Ask Aunty, Fiona Harris and Joe Sullivan help navigate a neighbourly dispute over street trees on the nature strip.