Episodes
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You wouldn't be human if you hadn't from time to time wondered what the meaning of all of this is. Who am I? Is there a purpose? Why am I here? And how can I live a good life? Well of course you're not alone – some of history's biggest thinkers have been coming up with answers to these questions for thousands of years. So what can we learn from their conclusions?
This event was recorded at Melbourne Writers Festival on May 11, 2024.
Speaker
AC Grayling Professor of Philosophy, Northeastern University London Supernumerary Fellow, St Anne's College, OxfordAuthor, Philosophy and Life, Exploring the Great Questions of How to Live (Penguin Books)
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Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a poetic discussion on the ways you can create space to grieve for species that are going, going, gone. Powerful interests collude to tell us that expressing emotion is hysterical, and that humans are separate from Nature, but proper mourning paves the way for what to do next — and places us right back where we belong.
Speakers
Professor Thom van Dooren Environmental philosopherProfessor of Environmental HumanitiesDeputy Director of the Sydney Environment Institute, University of SydneyAuthor, Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of ExtinctionThe Wake of Crows: Living and Dying in Shared WorldsA World in a Shell: Snail Stories for a Time of Extinctions
Dr Blanche VerlieClimate change educator, sociologistLecturer in Gender and Cultural StudiesSydney Horizon Fellow, University of Sydney.Author, Learning to Live With Climate Change: From Anxiety to Transformation
Associate Professor Zoe SadokierskiBook designer, writer, creative producerCo-director, Visualisation Institute, University of Technology Sydney.Author, Father, Son and Other Animals
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Leading Australian climate scientist Dr Joelle Gergis takes a timely look at Australia's perilous future in a warming world.
"Most Australians aren't aware how bad things are and how much worse they will get." — Joelle Gergis
This event was recorded at Gleebooks in Sydney on Tuesday June 4, 2024.
Speakers
Dr Joelle Gergis Climate scientistAuthor, Highway to Hell — Climate Change and Australia's Future (Quarterly Essay #94, Black Inc Books)
Marian Wilkinson Journalist and author
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A huge number of ancient artefacts, First Nations' ceremonial objects and precious art sits in museums, galleries, private collections all over the world — with polite plaques. But their history is often messier than the plaques suggest. Throughout its reign, the British Empire 'stole' a lot of stuff. One of the arguably most controversial examples are the Parthenon Marbles, a collection of sculptural reliefs from the temple of Athena (the Parthenon) on the Acropolis in Greece. The second season of the TV documentary Stuff The British Stole has started on ABC TV and ABC iView. This discussion was presented by the National Gallery of Australia. The ABC acknowledges the National Gallery of Australia for their support with setting up this event and their assistance to guest speakers and ABC staff.
Speakers
Marc FennellHost of the podcast and TV series Stuff the British StoleWakely-award winning journalist and documentary-maker
Adjunct Professor Margo Ngawa NealeEmeritus Curatorial Fellow: First Nations at the National Museum of Australia, former Head of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges. Born and raised on Gunai/ Kurnai country with other clan affiliations to Gumbaynggirr and Wiradjuri nations
Dr Nick MitzevitchDirector of the National Gallery of Australia
Santilla Chingaipe (host)Zambian-born Australian historian, journalist, and filmmaker
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Author, essayist and speechwriter Don Watson says that the price of democracy is energy, imagination, and unstinting hard work. Through the lens of Trump's America, and the malaise of Australian politics, Watson questions whether our modern democracies are up to the job. This event was recorded on Bunurong country at the Sorrento Writers' Festival on April 25 2024.
Speaker
Don Watson, Author, essayist and speechwriter
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On the doorstep of Gaza comes the remarkable story of the world's first peace treaty — a 3200-year-old text. Egyptologist Dr Camilla Di Biase-Dyson joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell to share a political and personal soap opera that brought an enduring peace to a region now suffering from a bloody war.
Speaker:Dr Camilla Di Biase-DysonLinguist and EgyptologistSenior Lecturer, Macquarie University
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Disadvantaged and marginalised students often don't get the financial and teaching support that they need. Equity everyone, regardless of their background, is one of the most pressing challenges facing out higher education sector.
The government released the Universities Accord Final Report earlier this year – and it recommends sweeping changes.
What are the main recommendations? And are they any good?
Access, Achievement, Accord 2024 was presented at The Australian Student Equity Symposium, Curtin University.
Speakers
Dr Kylie AustinPresident for Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia
Professor Verity FirthVice President Societal Impact, Equity and Engagement at the University of New South Wales
Professor Barney GloverCommissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia
Professor Harlene HayneVice-Chancellor of Curtin University
Professor Mary O'KaneChair of the Universities Accord Review; director and executive chairman of the consultancy O'Kane Associates
Professor Shamit Saggar (host)Executive Director Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success, Curtin University
Further information
Australian Universities Accord Final Report Document
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Award winning playwright S. Shakthidharan has described his groundbreaking theatre work Counting and Cracking as "a radical act of belonging". The epic, three-act, three-hour tale captures the Australian migrant experience through the story of one Sri Lankan family across four generations. To celebrate the play's return to the stage, we hear from four Sri Lankan Australians about the role creativity has played in their lives, culture and community.
This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne (UMAC) in partnership with Rising Festival and The Wheeler Centre on June 2, 2024.
Speakers
S. Shakthidharan Writer, Director, Producer and composer of original musicAuthor, Counting and CrackingCo-Founder and Co-Director, Kurinji
Minoli De Silva Owner, Ella by MinoliFinalist, Masterchef Australia
Suren Jayemanne Comedian, writer, presenter
Bhakthi Puvanenthiran (host) Entertainment and Features Editor, ABC
Further information
How writing the epic play Counting and Cracking helped Tamil playwright S. Shakthidharan's mum face her traumaABC Online, May 27, 2024
'We are here, we belong' — The unifying impact of Counting and Cracking The Stage Show, ABC RN, June 11, 2024
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Drawing on his experiences working across continents in the "shatter zones" of society — jails, war zones, refugee shelters – Andre de Quadros explains how music and creativity can be used to build peace, reconciliation and empowerment in a troubled world. Later, Anne-Marie Forbes explains how music improves mental, physical and community well-being.
These events were recorded at the 2024 Miegunyah Lecture at the University of Melbourne on April 11, 2024, and Melodies as Medicine at the University of Tasmania on April 10, 2024.
Speakers
Andre de Quadros Professor of Music, Boston University2024 Miegunyah Visiting Fellow, University of Melbourne
Anne-Marie Forbes Associate Professor Musicology, University of TasmaniaFellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.
Nourish Women's Choir
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Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival in Bondi. From deep sea mining to illegal fishing on the high seas, who is the boss of the ocean? And why are scientists-turned-entrepreneurs singing the praises of seaweed? Two panels of big thinkers exploring new frontiers for ocean exploitation — and inspiration — the risks, the rewards, and the regulation of this vast wilderness which covers 70% of the planet's surface
Panel 1 - Who owns the high seas and deep seas? Deep sea mining and illegal fishing
Associate Professor Aline JaeckelAustralian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS)University of Wollongong
Captain Peter HammarstedtDirector of Campaigns and Chairman of Sea Shepherd Australia
Mattheiu RytzDirector of the film Deep Rising
Panel 2 - Is algae the new gold?
Dr Michael AskewExecutive Director and co-founderAlgae Co
Dr Pia WinbergFounder and chief scientistVenus Shell Systems
Dr Alexandra Thomson,Industry Engagement ManagerClimate Change Cluster (C3) Research InstituteUniversity of Technology Sydney
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It took until the late 1990s for Australia to decriminalise homosexuality. Since then, the law has changed and evolved in a multitude of ways for LGBTQIA+ people, but not without a fight virtually every step of the way.
This event was recorded as part of Victorian Law Week on May 22, 2024.
Speakers
Elizabeth Bennett SC, BarristerVice President, Victorian Barristers Network
Sam Elkin Author, Detachable Penis: A queer legal saga (Upswell publishing)Legal aid lawyer (inaugural lawyer for Victoria's first Queer legal service)Host, Queer View Mirror, Triple R
Yves Rees (host) Senior Lecturer in History, La Trobe University
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Firstly, make sure you become a grandparent. It apparently adds five years to your life. And it can make you very happy - if you do grandparenting right! Hear about the does and don'ts in this discussion about how to age well. Then add a good diet. With the six secret ingredients provided by one of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dietetics. And lastly, ignore social attitudes and images, that tell you how old you should feel.
'How To Grow Old. It ain't for the faint-hearted' was presented by the Sorrento Writers Festival.
Speakers
Michael Carr-GreggAdolescent psychologist, and one of Australia's leading authorities on teenage behaviourAuthor of Grandparents: A practical guide to navigating grandparenting today Allen & Unwin, 2023
Karen IngeOne of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dieteticsAuthor of 'Let's Eat Right! for Families', 'Food, Fitness and Feeling Good', Co-author of the award winning book 'Food for Sport' and 'Food for Sport Cookbook'
Bernard SaltAuthor, demographer, social commentator and regular columnist with The Australian
Hannie Rayson (host)Australian playwright and newspaper columnist
Listen to Big Ideas – The ingredients to ageing well
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It's often said that democracies can't function well without a strong opposition to hold the government of the day to account. But what does it take to be an effective opposition? This event was recorded at the Centre for Independent Studies on Thursday 16 May 2024.
Speakers
Scott Prasser Co-author with David Clune, The Art of Opposition (Connor Court publishing)Senior Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies
John HowardFormer Prime Minister 1996 – 2007
Tom Switzer Director, Centre for Independent Studies
Andrew Blythe (host)Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies
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From stopping the boats to building a wall, countries have gone to great lengths to stop the flow of people migrating across borders in search of a better life. But are these efforts realistic – let alone humane — when there are an estimated 110 million people forcibly displaced by war, persecution, hunger and climate change worldwide?
This event was recorded at the University of Tasmania on May 8, 2024.
Speakers
Dr Tamara Wood Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Tasmania
Sanushka Mudaliar Director, Global Migration Lab, Red Cross and Red Crescent
Arad Nik Iranian refugee, human rights activist and business owner
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Humanity faces two existential threats: catastrophic climate change and nuclear annihilation, according to former US Deputy Secretary of Energy turned nuclear industry player Daniel Poneman.Yet, he argues nuclear energy is an essential part of the mix of carbon zero power sources as we transition away from coal. He discusses global developments in nuclear power generation, including new generations of reactor design, and critical issues like cost, safety, and proliferation risks.
Presented at the American Academy in Berlin.
Speakers
Daniel PonemanFormer US Deputy Secretary of Energy; distinguished fellow Atlantic Council's Global Energy CentreFormer President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp (a nuclear fuel company), 2015-2023
Daniel Benjamin (host)President of the American Academy in Berlin
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Laura Tingle delivers the 2024 John Button Oration at the Melbourne Writers Festival, looking at how our public discourse has changed over her 40-year career – and throughout history. She explores what is to blame for the demise in civility in our public debate, and the seeming inability of our media and the political class to solve the intractable problems we face.
This event was recorded on Saturday 11 May 2024, at the Melbourne Writers Festival, in partnership with University of Melbourne School of Government and the Faculty of Arts, and the Button family.
Speakers
Laura TingleChief Political Correspondent, 730 (ABC)President, National Press ClubStaff-elected director, ABC board
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Australians love a drink, or at least, that's a perception that's deeply ingrained in our national identity... but how true is it, these days? This Big Ideas explores the politics, problems, and pleasures of Australia's long and chequered relationship with alcohol.
This event was recorded at Clunes Booktown Festival on Saturday March 23 2024.
Speakers
Alex Ettling Author, Knocking the Top off: A People's History of Alcohol in Australia
Sarah MacLean Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University
Richard Gilbert Author, Thirst for Gold
Bill Garner (host) Writer, actor, academic, author Born in a Tent
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Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to grapple with some gritty paradoxes about science and religion. In this era of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and existential angst — are they serving the needs they used to?
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When you're faced with the reality that your home, livelihoods and culture will be swallowed up by the rising seas of a warming climate, how do you respond?
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You might think humans have escaped biology and evolution altogether with our strange and different ways: Women live well past their reproductive years, and we have baffling long childhoods as a species. We display a dazzling mix of selfishness and altruism, and gossiping can in fact be a strategy for survival.
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