Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps

Parnell Palme McGuinness, columnist and policy fellow who studied young Australians’ wellbeing, explains her six “tribes” of youth. She maps groups from far-left identitarians to family‑oriented nationalists and affluent “nepo” kids. They all want security, homes and agency. The conversation covers welfare cliffs, housing, integration and how perceived agency shapes political discontent.

Evan Pivonka, community manager and university professor, jumps into a live Q&A. They tackle reports of Ozempic apathy and addiction drugs, debate pandemic risk management, unpack insider trading whispers around oil bets, and explore how city design and simple habits can revive real conversation and community.

Stephen Biegun, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State who led U.S. talks with North Korea, shares behind-the-scenes tales. He recounts the surprise DMZ meeting, rapid crisis logistics, and leader-level diplomacy experiments. He reflects on negotiating with closed systems, interactions with Kim, and how U.S. strategy shaped responses to Putin, Ukraine, and Iran.

Eamon Waterford, chief executive of the Committee for Sydney and urban policy expert, breaks down what separates thriving cities from failing ones. He explores density versus suburbia, walkability and local amenities, planning trade-offs, congestion pricing, and how funding and coordination shape real urban outcomes.

A calm counterpoint to doomscrolling that urges stepping back, touching grass and rediscovering wonder. Conversations range from reclaiming youthful freedom and admiring mathematical awe to simulation thinking versus religion. There is concern about AI's psychological risks and suggestions for building resilience through nature and contemplation. Stories include a transcendent Easter Island sunrise and a bipartisan dinner reflection.

Adam Spencer, maths communicator and former radio host, brings playful wonder to big mathematical ideas. He explores infinity and its different sizes, prime-number hunts and Mersenne mysteries, Monty Hall’s counterintuitive switch, fractals and paradoxes, and how AI might augment mathematical discovery. Short, curious, and delightfully brain-tickling.

A plea to step back from media hot takes and think bigger about Iran. A critique of reflexive left and right reactions and partisan scoring. A call to center empathy for ordinary Iranians over geopolitics. Questions about legality, international norms, and the risks of foreign intervention. A reminder to stay calm, humble, and focused on long-term consequences for the region.

Joel Jammal, national director of Turning Point Australia and activist who rose to fame during COVID protests, discusses the new nationalist right. He covers culture-war symbols, immigration and integration, Christianity's role in national identity, debates over lockdowns and vaccines, and how populist movements translate into policy. Sharp, confrontational conversation about democracy and political strategy.

David Frum, former Bush speechwriter and conservative commentator, reflects on Iraq, Iran and how past foreign policy choices shape today. He discusses the rationale for intervention, coalition-building, legal and congressional limits, reconstruction challenges, and the domestic risks of wartime powers. Short, sharp conversations about strategy, credibility and the high stakes of U.S. action.

Toby Walsh, Chief Scientist at the UNSW AI Institute and leading voice on AI and autonomous weapons, joins briefly before a UN trip. He discusses drones, precision munitions and how AI is reshaping targeting and wargaming. They cover Pentagon-AI contractor clashes, autonomy in navigation and vision, risks of faster escalation, proliferation of cheap drones, and calls for bans on weapons that target humans.