Life Matters - Full program podcast

Last week a woman in the US successfully sued Meta and Google, arguing their platforms were addictive. She said she was spending up to 16 hours a day online, starting from just six years old. It raises some big questions around the concept of social media addiction. Psychology researchers Deon Tullett-Prado and Sharon Horwood explain what the research says about how social media is changing our brains.Even if you're not technically addicted, ignoring the notifications on your phone and paying attention to your top priority tasks can feel impossible. So what can you do about it? Neuroscientist Lila Landowski shares why she decided to put pen to paper and write the dummies' guide to focus.When it comes to life admin, the more boxes to tick or steps to click through, the less likely you are to complete that boring task. And in some cases companies are embedding "digital friction" or "sludge" to keep us from cancelling that membership or ending the free trial. Consumer behaviour expert Paul Harrison digs into why this has become such a profitable and common model.

As petrol prices continue to soar, the only way to reduce your bowser bill is to go electric or get rid of your car altogether. But could you realistically do that where you live? Researcher Dorina Pojani from the University of Queensland shares what she learned from an experiment in Brisbane asking 10 people to totally ditch their cars for three weeks.Getting to gigs and immersing yourself in the atmosphere of live music is a rite of passage for many young Australians, but there are significant barriers holding some people back. Kate Duncan and Jamison Kelh from youth music charity The Push have just launched the National Plan for Young Australians and Music, to provide equal access for all young Australians — no matter where they live, what their budget is, or what kind of music they're into.Anyone who lived through the toilet paper saga of the COVID pandemic era can attest that Australians have a tendency towards panic buying. With fuel prices rising, consumers are being warned not to start stockpiling, with concerns that mass hysteria at the petrol pump could soon lead to shortages. So what are the ethics of panic buying? Do we have a moral responsibility not to buy what we don't really need?

There's an longstanding rule that it's not polite to talk about politics at the dinner table. But in times of global turmoil, where freedom of expression is under threat, it can be harder to keep the peace. Psychotherapist Andrew Sloan talks through how to navigate relationships when we vehemently disagree, and what we stand to lose as a community if we can no longer hold space for different opinions.After a friend goes through a break-up, often the real feelings their besties had about their ex come out into the open. But what do you do if they decide to reunite with the person you just declared as public enemy number one? 

Luke Bateman, former NRL player turned writer who speaks on healthy masculinity; Professor James Smith, adolescent health expert focused on positive masculinities; Catherine Bennell-Pegg, astronaut-trained director advocating STEM and Australian space efforts. They discuss reimagining boyhood, strengths-based approaches and community roles. Conversations then shift to astronaut pathways, training, national space involvement and inspiring kids toward STEM.

The looming fuel crisis is starting to bite, with service stations running out of petrol and prices soaring past $2.50 per litre. If you're in the middle of planning a trip, whether it's up the coast for Easter or hitting Greek Islands for European summer, the new reality is throwing travel plans into disarray.In Australia, the average kitchen lifespan is about 15 to 20 years. Interior designer Caroline Cumberbatch and author Kate Legge contend that we risk losing the heart of the home in the modern bid to replace and renovate these spaces that hold our family history.If you could delegate all the boring work-related tasks to an AI version of yourself, would you do it? This is the idea behind Identic AI, an assistant trained to mimic your tone and correspond on your behalf. This Working Life host Lisa Leong shares what she learned from chatting with researcher Don Tapscott and his AI agent, Digital Don.

A recent Senate inquiry report has found capital gains tax discounts and negative gearing have historically benefited investors over owner-occupiers — so is it time to tweak the system? Independent MP Allegra Spender and the Australian Urban and Housing Research Institute's Michael Fotheringham discuss how these changes might work and whether it would be enough to address housing affordability for the next generation.From mood swing tea to moisture-wicking pyjamas, marketing to menopausal women has become so lucrative it's been dubbed the hot flush gold rush. But experts argue it could be preventing women from getting the health advice they actually need.Everyone needs a break from the daily grind from time to time. The idea of a sabbatical might sound appealing — what if it wasn't your job, but your marriage, that you needed some reprieve from?

As our cities grow, there's a push to build up, not out — including in our suburbs. For more families, that means home will be an apartment rather than a house. Kate Longley, who lives in an apartment with her two children, joins architect Natalia Krysiak to discuss how to make higher density living more family-friendly.University is a big leap for any young person. But for country students who have to move away to study, it comes with the added expense of relocating and living away from home. Wendy Mason from the Country Education Foundation says the rising cost of living is making it even harder. Author, columnist, and screenwriter Kathy Lette has written dozens of books — but she credits just one as the spark that set her on the path to becoming a writer."Leisure sickness" refers to the idea that people are more likely to get sick on the holidays than during the working week. There's little science to back it up, but there are some theories as to why it might happen — and what you can do about it.

Zoe Krupka, psychotherapist and senior lecturer, explores the mother wound and how cultural expectations shape mother-daughter tension. She discusses healing steps, curiosity-driven repair, and navigating generational differences. The conversation also tackles workplace gossip ethics, weighing loyalty, harm and when to escalate concerns.

Dr Deborah Graves, dementia support advocate and author who cared for her husband; Jim Rogers, dementia advocate who chased a travel bucket list after an early diagnosis. They talk about travelling with dementia, practical planning and routines, being open with communities and making meaningful local memories. Short, honest stories about preserving life and connection while navigating diagnosis.

Kate Colvin, CEO tackling homelessness policy and Housing First implementation. Leeson Timms, former manosphere member turned youth mental health facilitator sharing lived experience of leaving online extremism. Gillian Sandstrom, psychology of kindness researcher and author exploring the social perks of casual chats. They discuss small talk’s social benefits, exiting toxic online communities, and lessons from Finland’s Housing First approach.