Helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. Let's talk! With trusted experts and your stories, Life Matters is all about what matters to you.
Latest episodes
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52 min
Why men struggle to hold onto their friends and calling out a white lie
Australian men are more likely to be more socially disconnected than Australian women, and are less likely to form strong connections with people beyond their partners. So what's g…
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55 min
The rental affordability squeeze and the end of visitor information centres
A new Everybody’s Home survey of more than 1,100 Australians has found most households could not absorb a $20-per-week rise in rent or mortgage repayments without cutting back, and…
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55 min
The nostalgia of hitchhiking and better support for siblings of kids with disability
Hitchhiking used to be an Australian rite of passage, until cases like the Milat backpacker murders made it feel unthinkable. But some people still swear by the spontaneous connect…
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54 min
How everyone — including politicans — can turn down the political temperature and Beau Miles' everyday adventu…
Last night, independent MP Helen Haines was the victim of an attack that has left her hospitalised in a critical condition, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incide…
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54 min
The hidden carers of the sandwich generation and why the kids aren't taking drama anymore
An estimated 2.43 million Australians between the ages of 35 and 70 are caring for a parent at least once a week, while juggling the day-to-day demands of life. While the sandwich…
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54 min
Why animal relationships can be as important as humans and ditching the neighbour's kid
From your beloved family dog to a bollard-bashing elephant seal, all creatures IRL and online can be man's best friend. But for all the beauty that relationship can bring it's not…
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54 min
Richard Glover's advice on ruining your children and why beautiful design matters
Since Dr Spock in the 1940s, parenting "experts" have had us convinced we're all one wrong move away from ruining our kids. Richard Glover's latest book digs into generations of pa…
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54 min
Getting women behind the wheel and why Australia's chasing a Michelin star
From the milk in your coffee to the phone in your pocket, so many things we use every day come off the back of a truck. But Australia is short around 28,000 truck drivers, and that…
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54 min
Judith Lucy on the comedic timing of cancer and why screens aren't the enemy of books
Just weeks after launching a new memoir about her quest for wellness, comedian Judith Lucy received a sobering diagnosis: breast cancer. Now days away from a double mastectomy, she…
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55 min
The elective egg freezing boom and designing cities with native animals in mind
New research shows that around one in four women who freeze their eggs for non-medical reasons end up coming back to use them. Researchers Oisin Fitzgerald, Molly Johnston and Sher…
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54 min
Why we should never give up on boys with Billy Garvey, and when relationship pettiness goes too far
If you've been paying attention to the news, to your social media feeds or to really any and all pop culture lately, you've likely heard that boys are not alright. But if you're on…
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55 min
Li Cunxin on life after Mao's Last Dancer and how to appreciate the night sky
Even if you've never been to the ballet, you're probably familiar with Mao's Last Dancer. It tells the story of how a young boy in rural China was plucked out of poverty to train a…
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53 min
Understanding your pain and why you shouldn't put off death admin
Around the world, the leading cause of disability isn't infection, road injury or stroke — it's pain. A landmark study of 6 million participants has found people experience heighte…
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54 min
Do offset accounts really save you money and the secret politics of time
More than half of Australian households with a mortgage have an offset account attached. It's meant to make your extra savings work for you by reducing the interest you pay on your…
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55 min
Life after losing a limb and what is a good salary in 2026?
There are over 160,000 amputees living in Australia and each one has their own story of loss and having to rebuild their life. James O'Brien's life changed rapidly after going on a…
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53 min
How to navigate a mismatch in sexual satisfaction and reconnecting with a high school flame
Sex positivity has never been more talked about, but that doesn't mean the bedroom has caught up. And the stresses of everyday life can make a big impact, from resentment over the…
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54 min
How families are gearing up for Thriving Kids and the bright side of getting older
The federal government's new Thriving Kids program officially starts today, designed to shift children with mild-to-moderate autism off the NDIS. Researcher Adam Guastella and Auti…
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54 min
Protecting yourself from financial dread how to spot burnout
The RBA has raised interest rates to a 15-year high, and with wages still trailing inflation, cost-of-living pressures are mounting. So if you are struggling, what are the practica…
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54 min
How safe are AI scribes at the doctor's office and why our kids are lonelier than ever
Last week's OpenAI hack of a Medicare website sent shockwaves through the community. While authorities have confirmed no personal information was compromised, it raises questions a…
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54 min
Why DINKs are in the happiest relationships and how technology is stealing our everyday speech
According to the latest HILDA survey, most Australians are pretty satisfied with their relationships. The data suggests couples without kids are among the happiest. Psychologist St…