Big Ideas

Steven Pinker, Harvard psychologist and bestselling author, discusses common knowledge, cancel culture and how public beliefs drive coordination. He talks about progress measured by data, tribalism and media fractionation, the psychology of punishment over argument, and how common knowledge shapes hoarding, markets, protest and authoritarian power.

Sean Kelly, political journalist and author of Quarterly Essay 100, probes what Labor truly stands for. He questions whether beliefs show through actions. He traces Labor’s shift from idealism to pragmatism, the impact of past traumas on caution, and whether bold promises could revive politics. He also considers how rhetoric, social media bans, inequality and a fragmented electorate shape Australia’s political moment.

James Paterson, Liberal Senator and shadow minister, outlines the need for clear party philosophy. Alexandre Lefebvre, politics and philosophy professor, offers a philosophical reading of liberalism as a way of life. Sarah Henderson, senator and former minister, discusses values, education and policy. David Kemp, former education minister and historian, reflects on liberal leaders, social policy and economic caution.

David McWilliams, Irish economist and author of The History of Money, explains money as a social technology. He traces money’s rise with writing, maths and cities. He links coinage to Greek thought, explores zero and bookkeeping, critiques crypto, and celebrates innovations like M-Pesa — ending with a playful take on dance clubs as signs of advanced civilization.

Henry Reynolds, eminent historian who revealed frontier violence in landmark works, and Rachel Perkins, filmmaker and Blackfella Films founder, discuss their new book and film project. They explore calling colonial conflict the Australian Wars. They reflect on memorial recognition, contested place names and statues, audience stories of massacre sites, and the push to make the national memorial a pilgrimage for truth-telling.

Bob Brown, long-time Tasmanian environmental campaigner and former Greens leader, reflects on defiance as a tool in the climate and extinction crises. He recounts tree-hugging legacies, frontline blockades and legal wins. Conversations touch on rising protest penalties, just transitions for forest communities, Indigenous land rights, and sustaining quiet resilience for long fights.

Oona Hathaway, Yale professor of international law and founder of the Center for Global Legal Challenges, discusses how rules meant to shield civilians are breaking down. She traces the history of humanitarian law, examines how technology and 9/11 reshaped who can be targeted, and explores dual-use infrastructure and crowdsourced targeting risks. She closes with ideas for rebuilding protections and limiting the scope of wartime force.

Stan Grant, Wiradjuri academic, theologian and former journalist, reflects on language, silence and human value. He connects Simone Weil, music and compassion. He links affliction to Indigenous history and warns against performative outrage. He explores how music and silence can speak where words cannot and how technology risks silencing human voices.

Tracey Kirkland, ABC News managing editor focused on trust and misinformation. Cam Wilson, journalist on tech and internet culture who co-wrote Conspiracy Nation. Ariel Bogle, investigations reporter into tech, internet and law and co-author of Conspiracy Nation. They discuss how conspiratorial thinking spreads online and offline. They explore community appeal, Australia’s specific narratives like Port Arthur, declining institutional trust, and practical ways to respond.

A deep look at how the Challenger disaster unfolded and why the world demanded answers. A focused exploration of a teacher chosen to fly and how that changed public attention. Eyewitness recollections from mission control bring the event to life. A discussion of organizational culture and how past failures still shape current lunar and Artemis planning.