Life Matters - Full program podcast

As petrol prices continue to soar, the only way to reduce your bowser bill is to go electric or get rid of your car altogether. But could you realistically do that where you live? Researcher Dorina Pojani from the University of Queensland shares what she learned from an experiment in Brisbane asking 10 people to totally ditch their cars for three weeks.
Getting to gigs and immersing yourself in the atmosphere of live music is a rite of passage for many young Australians, but there are significant barriers holding some people back. Kate Duncan and Jamison Kelh from youth music charity The Push have just launched the National Plan for Young Australians and Music, to provide equal access for all young Australians — no matter where they live, what their budget is, or what kind of music they're into.
Anyone who lived through the toilet paper saga of the COVID pandemic era can attest that Australians have a tendency towards panic buying. With fuel prices rising, consumers are being warned not to start stockpiling, with concerns that mass hysteria at the petrol pump could soon lead to shortages. So what are the ethics of panic buying? Do we have a moral responsibility not to buy what we don't really need?

There's an longstanding rule that it's not polite to talk about politics at the dinner table. But in times of global turmoil, where freedom of expression is under threat, it can be harder to keep the peace. Psychotherapist Andrew Sloan talks through how to navigate relationships when we vehemently disagree, and what we stand to lose as a community if we can no longer hold space for different opinions.
After a friend goes through a break-up, often the real feelings their besties had about their ex come out into the open. But what do you do if they decide to reunite with the person you just declared as public enemy number one?

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

The looming fuel crisis is starting to bite, with service stations running out of petrol and prices soaring past $2.50 per litre. If you're in the middle of planning a trip, whether it's up the coast for Easter or hitting Greek Islands for European summer, the new reality is throwing travel plans into disarray.
In Australia, the average kitchen lifespan is about 15 to 20 years. Interior designer Caroline Cumberbatch and author Kate Legge contend that we risk losing the heart of the home in the modern bid to replace and renovate these spaces that hold our family history.
If you could delegate all the boring work-related tasks to an AI version of yourself, would you do it? This is the idea behind Identic AI, an assistant trained to mimic your tone and correspond on your behalf. This Working Life host Lisa Leong shares what she learned from chatting with researcher Don Tapscott and his AI agent, Digital Don.

A recent Senate inquiry report has found capital gains tax discounts and negative gearing have historically benefited investors over owner-occupiers — so is it time to tweak the system? Independent MP Allegra Spender and the Australian Urban and Housing Research Institute's Michael Fotheringham discuss how these changes might work and whether it would be enough to address housing affordability for the next generation.
From mood swing tea to moisture-wicking pyjamas, marketing to menopausal women has become so lucrative it's been dubbed the hot flush gold rush. But experts argue it could be preventing women from getting the health advice they actually need.
Everyone needs a break from the daily grind from time to time. The idea of a sabbatical might sound appealing — what if it wasn't your job, but your marriage, that you needed some reprieve from?