Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

Volunteer numbers have been in steady decline in Australia recently, but the amount of work those volunteers need to do has stayed roughly the same.The result? Volunteer burnout.While the volunteering load is falling disproportionately on the older generations, don't write off the young ones just yet — the full picture isn't that simple.

Weight loss drugs are in high demand across Australia, and it'll soon be a lot easier to get your hands on them. Changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme are set to allow more people to access GLP-1s at a subsidised price, specifically to manage obesity.So if the popularity of weight loss drugs means we're eating less, where does that leave the beauty of connecting over food? Will we see a cultural shift away from the shared table or will the menu just be a little different?

When comedian Craig Quartermaine applied for an arts grant to do a stand-up comedy project, the application was "deemed ineligible" because comedy wasn't on the list of accepted performing arts.Dance? Yes. Theatre? Yes. Opera? Definitely. Comedy? No.But if the purpose of art is to act as a mirror to society – to make us see ourselves, laugh at ourselves, think about ourselves – does comedy deserve a ticket to the show?

Multi-level marketing schemes have been around for decades — but things have shifted since the days of Tupperware parties and door-to-door Avon ladies.

Doctor Google is dead, AI has taken its place.Around 230 million people already turn to ChatGPT for medical advice — so they've created a whole new platform just for health searches.Will it actually make us healthier?

As if our phones weren't enough, it can feel like so much of our lives are mediated by touchscreens – and one of the worst offenders would have to be new cars.But that could be about to change, with Australia's independent car safety assessor now requiring physical controls for key features if new vehicles are to receive the highest safety rating.So are buttons making a comeback?

Have you ever thought about quitting your job to do something totally different? Most of us will change careers at least once or twice in our working lives, but as we get closer to retirement, the idea of starting again can be terrifying. And if that career shift requires further study, the financial and logistical burden can be significant. But for those who do decide to take the plunge, the pay-off can be life-changing.

The Bondi terrorist attack has left the Jewish community and the nation at large reeling.We're in a time of profound grief, and even if you're nowhere near Bondi you can probably feel it.So how do you create space for grief — from memorials to days of mourning — to heal and move through tragedy? 

The first question that often gets asked when you re-emerge after the summer holidays is what you got up to during the break?If you spent the time with extended family, you may need to decompress from the kinds of relationship dynamics that only come up during compressed periods of intense family time. So how can you do that as you move into the new year?

Hook-ups, no strings attached, and one night stands: descriptions for casual sexual encounters imply zero obligations. But what happens when your expectations and your hook up's expectations are totally misaligned?