Ideas at the House

From the Matilda’s Effect to the AFL commitment to close the gender pay gap, cross-code support for female athletes is at an all-time high. With record attendance, huge broadcast viewership and glass ceilings shattering, elite players are finally being taken seriously. None of this happened overnight. How far off is something that looks like parity?

Join Kirby Bentley, Bec Goddard, Ann Odong, Lydia Williams and Tracey Holmes fro...

After spending their early years together in conflict zones as foreign correspondents, Geraldine Brooks and her husband Tony Horwitz settled down for a quiet life. This came to an abrupt end on Memorial Day 2019 with the sudden death of Brooks' beloved husband. Without space to grieve, her loss became a yawning gulf. 

Her profoundly moving memoir, Memorial Days, is a portrait of a larger-than-life man and a timeless love be...

Despite decades of legislative reform and workplace protections in other industries, some claim there is a persistent shadowy underbelly in Australian music, with female artists alleging bullying, harassment as well as sexist and racist abuse. Speaking from lived experience, Australian artists BARKAA and Jaguar Jonze argue for their rights at work and challenge the lack of accountability from those at the top.

This event was rec...

Embracing her misfit nature early on, Gina Chick found grounding in the rhythms of the natural world. With an innate ability to bring barefoot wisdom into her daily life, Gina has dedicated her time to help others be guided by their internal authority.

Her extraordinary journey includes surviving cancer, losing her only child to the same illness, and spending 67 days alone in the Tasmanian wilderness and ultimately becoming the ...

Acclaimed science journalist and author Lucy Jones (UK), explores the emerging concept of matrescence and how motherhood causes more physiological and psychological changes than we have been led to believe. 

Part memoir and part journalism, her latest book – named ‘Book of the Year’ by The New Yorker, the New Statesman and the Daily Mail – is an urgent examination of motherhood and mental health. Join Jones in conversation ...

Journalist and survivor Lucia Osborne-Crowley goes beyond the headlines in this gripping podcast, sharing the untold stories of the women victimised by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Drawing from her acclaimed book The Lasting Harm, she reveals the emotional toll of the trial, the strength of survivor testimony, and the systemic failures that continue to persist, even after countless convictions. A powerful exploration of j...

What happens when a natural phase of life becomes a trending topic—and a business opportunity? In this sharp, funny, and deeply insightful conversation, our panel dives into the realities of perimenopause and menopause. From mood swings to hot flushes, hormone therapy to healthcare ‘goopification’, they unpack the confusion, stigma, and skyrocketing market around women’s health. With personal stories and expert insights, this podca...

The Ladies, We Need to Talk podcast goes deep on the personal stuff that's hard to talk about, even with your closest mates. With sensitivity, hilarity, personal stories and serious smarts, it tries to work out what normal is by talking to real women about their real experiences.  

Relive Yumi Stynes bringing her hit ABC podcast to the Opera House, with a panel of frank and funny women answering the question: is everyo...

Human rights lawyer Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts brings her fight for justice for First Nations people and children to this powerful episode. Drawing from her own childhood trauma, forcibly removed at the tender age of ten and only began to heal when she fled the out-of-home care system to reconnect with kin and return to country.

Her unflinching exposé uncovers the ongoing violence institutions are inflicting on children and their ...

Deciding whether to have kids is more complex than ever. This thoughtful conversation unpacks the deeply personal choice of parenthood alongside its broader political, financial, and environmental implications. With birth rates falling and uncertainty rising, more women are choosing not to have children. Plug in and hear candid conversations about climate anxiety, economic pressures, and social expectations—and why opting out of pa...

Wondering what’s behind ballerina farms, #mormonmoms and the simple life? As the Trad Wife phenomenon rises up the algorithm, clips of women collecting newly laid eggs and baking bread are finding their way into “For You” pages everywhere. Jump down the rabbit hole as this conversation examines how these influencers perform the roles of wife and mother for public consumption and how feminism fits into this story.

This event was ...

An urgent panel discussion on Australia’s escalating crisis of violence against women. Experts share personal accounts and professional insights into the rise in partner homicides, tech-enabled abuse, and the disproportionate impact on First Nations women. As governments acknowledge the issue but fail to act effectively, this conversation asks: why is the danger increasing, and what must be done to protect women and children across...

Co-Medical Director of the Melanoma Institute Australia, Professor Richard Scolyer AO is a world-leading clinician and researcher who has spent years alongside his colleagues transforming melanoma treatment, Australia’s deadliest cancer. At the peak of his career, his world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with an incurable Grade 4 glioblastoma.

Refusing to accept the status quo—where treatment options had remained u...

From humble beginnings in the remote Pilbara, Dr Tracy Westerman was the first Aboriginal person in Australia to complete a PhD in Clinical Psychology and has risen to become one of the country’s leading psychologists.

In an event that marked the publication of her powerful memoir Jilya, Westerman spoke to journalist and Wiradjuri man Stan Grant, and drew on decades of client stories of trauma and heartbreak, explaining how...

A future where artificial intelligence intersects with human cognition, consciousness, and even life itself couldn’t actually become a reality anytime soon…right?

Esteemed experts including renowned quantum physicist and cosmologist Paul Davies AM, cognitive scientist Inês Hipólito and neuroscientist Brett Kagan sat down with University of Sydney's AI expert Sandra Peter to unveil life-altering developments that will reshape our...

He’s a global household name who needs no introduction - from the famous moment of discovery at London’s River Café to selling 50 million books 24 years later, Jamie Oliver popped into Sydney for an Australian exclusive conversation covering the breadth of his career.

Moderated by former Masterchef Australia judge Melissa Leong, hear Jamie’s insights into his triumphs and challenges, the meaning of family and being a dad, and hi...

The world is on the cusp of extraordinary changes - from cures for intractable illnesses to dramatic reductions in greenhouse gasses - thanks to Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna. Listen to her thoughts in this fascinating discussion with Natasha Mitchell and learn about the benefits and threats in the revolution of gene editing.

This event was recorded live at Sydney Opera House on 21 May 2024.

In this Australian exclusive event, psychiatrist and trauma research pioneer Bessel van der Kolk, MD, sat down with Sarah Kanowski and discussed his New York Times best selling book The Body Keeps The Score.

Hear his insights into how traumatic experiences can disconnect our body and mind leaving us with a physical imprint of our psychic wounds, and explore the treatments proving effective, including MDMA-assisted therapy, ...

For a long time, the word 'influencer' conjured stereotypes of activewear and dubious hot takes. But it's 2024 and social media has well-and-truly revolutionised the public square. Today, the word influencer can refer to an activist or academic who shares short videos on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram to explain complex concepts on niche subjects for a global audience. 

From Substack to Twitter threads, podcasting to...