Society & Culture – Australia – Popular podcasts
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What makes you a heretic? Journalist Andrew Gold believes that, in an age of group-think and tribes, we need heretics - those who use unconventional wisdom to speak out against their own groups, from cancelled comedians and radical feminists to cult defectors and vigilantes hunting deviants.
Learn from my guests how to rebel, think differently and resist social contagion. From Triggernometry's Francis Foster and the world's most cancelled man Graham Linehan to ex-Hasidic Jew Julia Haart and gender critical atheist Richard Dawkins. These are the people living with the weight of their own community's disappointment on their shoulders. -
On a scratchy recording made in a Melbourne hotel room above a casino, a man admits to committing murder. But as journalist Alicia Bridges investigates the man on the tape known as Mr Big, she finds herself in a world of lies and subterfuge, where very few things are as they seem. The recording leads her deep inside an international controversy, to a world of secrets that powerful institutions don't want revealed.
Mr Big is the latest season of Unravel, the ABC's award-winning true crime podcast.
Previous seasons of Unravel have covered everything from love scams to neo-nazi gangs.
'Snowball' (Season 4) won Best True Crime at the Australian Podcast Awards in 2020, was one of Apple Podcasts' Best Listens of 2019, made the American Bello Collective's top 100 list that year.
'Blood on the Tracks' (Season 1) won a Walkley award for Coverage of Indigenous Affairs.
In Season 5, Firebomb, Crispian Chan investigates what really happened after his family's restaurant went up in flames in 1988. He was just a kid when Chinese restaurants were being firebombed in the dead of night and a campaign of terror was underway in Perth. Thirty-five years on, most of us have never heard about it, even though it's one of the few sustained and coordinated terrorism campaigns in Australia's history. Crispian teamed up with ABC reporter Alex Mann, and together they traversed the country to find answers and explore the darker forces that still lurk in our suburbs today.
In Season 4, Snowball, Ollie Wards investigates how his brother's whirlwind romance with a charismatic Californian woman ultimately cost his family more than a million dollars. When Greg Wards met Lezlie Manukian, a beautiful woman whose world is full of glamour, he is immediately drawn to her. They fall in love, get married and start planning the rest of their lives together — the only catch is Lezlie is a con artist. To find out who his brother's wife really is, Ollie must track down Lezlie herself, and it soon becomes clear that his family's story is just one piece of a bigger jigsaw.
In Season 3, Last Seen Katoomba, reporter Gina McKeon digs deep into the suspicious unsolved disappearance of young mum, Belinda Peisley, who was last seen in the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba, west of Sydney, in September 1998. Belinda's life descends into chaos after her 18th birthday when she receives a large inheritance and buys her own place in town. It's a move her family thinks will set her up for life but, instead, the house becomes a magnet for a world of drugs and a crowd of hangers-on who visit day and night. Gina pieces together the stories and evidence around the six main persons of interest named in the inquest into Belinda's disappearance and suspected death, and what emerges is a picture of a town and a case shrouded in secrecy.
In Season 2, Barrenjoey Road, reporter Ruby Jones tries to solve the mystery of what happened to 18-year-old Trudie Adams after she disappears while hitchhiking home on Sydney's northern beaches in 1978. Ruby exposes the dark underbelly of the seemingly beautiful and serene "Insular Peninsula," uncovering a world where surfers run drugs home from Bali, gangs of men prowl the beaches and predators have unchecked power. Ruby will question why the case was never solved and her investigation will lead her to a criminal monster with links to organised crime and police corruption at the highest level.
In Season 1, Blood On The Tracks, award-winning Muruwari and Gomeroi journalist Allan Clarke spends five years investigating the unusual circumstances surrounding the death of 17-year-old Gomeroi teenager, Mark Haines. In 1988, just outside of Tamworth in country New South Wales, a freight train hits Mark's body lying across the tracks. When the rail worker stops the train and gets out, the scene doesn't add up. The tracks divide Tamworth in two. An Aboriginal community on one side, a largely white population on the other. Some will say it was a suicide and others a murder. Despite the strange evidence found at the scene of his death, the family feel like they're being ignored by police. An inquiry finds no answers and the mystery is left to fester, causing division and suspicion in the town. Allan's reporting helps to spark a resurgence of interest in the case that sees the file reopened, a review launched, a reward announced. As Allan gets closer to the truth, the story ends with a revelation no-one was expecting, and the thirty-year-old mystery finally begins to unravel. -
Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption.
Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling.
Whether it's an exploration of Australian and American politics, the intricacies of mental health, or the mysteries of ancestry and origin stories, our episodes offer a conversational approach that brings topics to life.
We uncover epic tales of war and peace, the complex dynamics of relationships and family, and the profound impact of grief and loss.
Follow Conversations for thought-provoking discussions, heartfelt stories, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.
Conversations explores the meaning of life, history, relationships, motherhood and fatherhood, love, religion and the origins of human life through a contemporary and conversational Australian lens.
From distinctive accounts of crime, mental health, ancestry, cults, grief, family and parenting, to discussions about science, books, art, music, war, spies and economics, Conversations traverses myriad topics.
Our interviews focus on pioneers of the natural world, wildlife, oceans, fungi, archaeology, palaeontology and megafauna.
Our guests speak about geopolitics, being a refugee and the experience of migration. They come from all walks of life — First Nations, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples, CALD communities and ancestors of Australia's first fleeters. We explore Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu faith traditions, among other beliefs, including atheism.
We look at social history as well — close encounters with the ancient world, the Stolen Generations, and adventurers on an explorative odyssey.
In a Conversations interview, you will hear personal stories of secrets, lies, adoption, and living with disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness.
We traverse a person's life story, full of human interest topics, including redemption, love at first sight, spirituality, poverty, having children, family dynamics and even hidden families.
We hear from individuals who have struggled with drug addiction, jail, family violence, political imprisonment, persecution, abuse, depression, anxiety and mental health issues.
Conversations also speak to the public figures of Australian and international society — leaders, artists, politicians, authors, sports stars, actors and musicians.
A writer, a builder, a neurologist, a Paralympian, an Olympian, an amputee, a historian, a comedian, a funeral director, a bird photographer, an ethicist, a doctor, a spy, a pilot, a choreographer, a firefighter, a bookseller, an astrophysicist, a martial artist, a principal, an oud virtuoso, an ecologist, a carer, a demographer, a chess master, a forensic archaeologist, a biologist, a chef, a surfer, a button shop owner, a costume and set designer, a boxer, a drummer, a conductor, a dog behaviourist, an AFL player, a longevity expert, a barber, a Matilda, and a psychologist have all appeared on our program.
Stories make us who we are. Join Conversations for an hour of diverting listening, to transport, touch and uplift you. Our guided storytelling will teach you something new, introduce you to someone extraordinary and take you away to a different place or time in history.
After almost 20 years of digging into the lives, stories and worlds of thousands of people, Conversations continues as the ABC's most popular podcast, providing Australians with a social history of our country and paying close attention to the small, personal details that make up a life. -
Australia's longest-running comedy podcast (established 2024), host Karl Chandler hangs out with funny, famous, and not-so-famous mates every week and (high concept alert) tries to be as funny as he can with them, for about an hour. Real splitting-the-atom stuff. It's like Joe Rogan if he was a comedian.
From the ashes of "The Little Dum Dum Club" comes a podcast JUST different enough to avoid an intellectual property lawsuit.
If you find low-brow humour a little hi-falutin', this show may be for you.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Season three of Expanse dives into the murky world of spies, lies and secrets that surrounds the most secretive place in Australia.
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Join Louis Theroux as he embarks on a series of in-depth and freewheeling conversations with a curated collection of fascinating figures from across the globe. The Louis Theroux Podcast is a Spotify podcast from Mindhouse, now available everywhere.
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True Crime Conversations explores the stories and the people behind some of the world’s most notorious crimes.
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Mad Woman is all about embracing the chaos, finding your voice, and living unapologetically. Join me as we dive into everything from mental health and self-care to navigating life’s messier moments with honesty and humour.
But don’t worry—this podcast isn’t just about the heavy stuff. It’s also about celebrating those moments of empowerment, liberation, and joy that make us feel like we can conquer anything.
Get ready to let go of what’s holding you back and step into your unapologetic self. Whether you’re here for the laughs, the lessons, or a little bit of both, I'm so glad you’re joining me on this journey.
Proudly produced in partnership with Pro Podcast Studios, COMMS 101 and supported by Acast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Exes. We’ve all had one and we’ve all been one. And while breakups can be painful and heart-breaking, a complete surprise or a total relief, there’s always a story to be told.
This documentary-style series, narrated by Georgia Love, brings you a collection of unconventional stories about relationships past, through the eyes and the hearts of the very people who lived them.
Tales of public humiliation and prison to forbidden love and funerals; we bring you the good, the bad and all the juicy details in between.
Everyone Has An Ex explores the deep intricacies of relationships, the curve-balls life throws at you and overcoming adversity through resilience, honesty and a few glasses of wine.
Submit your story: [email protected]
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Think nothing ever happens in your town? Australia's suburbs are home to some of the most mysterious and disturbing true crime cases in the world. Meshel Laurie is a true crime obsessive, and with the help of expert interviews with writers, victims, investigators and perpetrators, she probes the underbelly of our towns and suburbs, and uncovers the darkness at the heart of Australian life.
Join our ATC EMAIL LIST
Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantruecrime.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Listen to over 10 years of talks presented at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas – Australia's original disruptive ideas festival. FODI brings to light important conversations that push the boundaries of conventional thought, challenging thinking on some of the most persevering and difficult issues of our time. Hear from our festival alumni – the world’s best experts, innovative thinkers and mischief makers – as they share provocative ideas and conversations that encourage debate and critical thinking.
It’s time to get uncomfortable… -
Join us as we blindly navigate and unpack the raw and often unspoken experiences of womanhood, grief, friendship and everything in between. Darling, Shine is your survival kit to the unexpected shit life throws at you.
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A daily entertainment podcast that's a smart look at celebrity news and covers the top pop culture stories of the day. You know you want to listen.
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From razor-sharp analysis of current events to the hottest debates in politics, science, philosophy and culture, Late Night Live puts you firmly in the big picture.
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Troubled Waters is a 10-part ground-breaking podcast exploring the untold story of Louisa Ioannidis' tragic and mysterious death in 2011. Louisa Ioannidis was only 24. Beautiful, courageous, and vulnerable, yet her untimely death barely received a two-line report in a small local newspaper. Her body was discovered by passers-by in a local creek, clad in a pink dressing gown. Despite being a strong swimmer, police quickly determined there were no suspicious circumstances. Yet no one has been able to explain how or why she came to enter the creek.
Louisa’s brother Tass has always doubted the findings and is desperate for answers.
Over a decade after Louisa’s death, Private Investigator Julia Robson embarks on a fresh investigation and explores the full story of Louisa’s short life and the events leading up to her tragic passing. Together with Producer Clare McGrath, they uncover a gripping narrative full of intrigue. From an international kidnapping, a daring escape and a family’s desperate bid to stay together, it all unravels into a downward spiral exacerbated by a toxic relationship, all the while revealing flaws in a family violence support system that desperately needs fixing.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Something Was Wrong is an award-winning docuseries about survivors discovery, trauma, and recovery from crime and abuse.
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A podcast exploring Social Work practice through stories & critical reflection.
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What makes us conscious beings and why does it matter that we are? In his first ever podcast, Deepak Chopra welcomes a far-ranging group of guests, including Jane Goodall, Russell Brand, Dan Savage, Christopher Wylie, Jean Houston, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and many more, who have paved new paths for understanding our present and future. How do we define, harness, and elevate our minds? How can we live creatively and purposefully? What makes you…you? Join Deepak as he delves into this moment of great transformation to answer these questions…and explore our infinite potential.
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When Brian Dowling lost his mum Rosie two years ago, it changed his outlook on life.
Grief is a complicated journey, and one that Brian now endeavours to explore with the help of his friends and family. Join Brian and his nearest and dearest as they grow to understand death through open conversation, humour and honesty. -
We’ve all had wardrobe malfunctions – moments when our clothes badly let us down. Susannah Constantine has had many. Like the time her dress straps snapped during a Windsor Castle supper, releasing her breasts into the soup. Clothes and how they define us have fascinated Susannah for years – and were famously explored in her seminal 'What Not To Wear' TV series and bestselling books. Now, she returns to her first and true love in 'My Wardrobe Malfunction', a revealing podcast about our relationship with the items we wear. The ups, downs and a lot more besides… This series began in January 2020 and continued over Zoom throughout lockdown, so please forgive any sound malfunctions. Promise we get our acts together eventually!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Gays Are Revolting is a dissection of social and cultural issues relevant to gay men. We put the G in LGBTQIA+, and we’re here to help you be the best G you can be.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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