Making A Difference

Journalism students from RMIT bring us stories of people emerging from tragedy, misadventure and personal angst, and what we learn when our backs are against the wall. 

Host: Dashiel Agar

Stories:

'From The Ashes' - Reporter: Jessica Nguyen

'You Only Have To Ask' - Reporter: Elisha Walker

'Up The Creek' - Reporter: Ella Curry

"Breaking Silence' - Reporter: Keras Marszalek

Production supervision:

Epis...

Murujuga – the sacred rock art site in Western Australia’s Pilbara – has just been listed by UNESCO for World Heritage status. But scientific experts say preservation of the carvings – some dating back 50-thousand years – is still precarious after the federal government’s decision last month to conditionally extend the neighbouring North-West Shelf gas project. We brought you this story in 2024 and because of these very recent deve...

This month’s episode by journalism students at Edith Cowan University features the male ballet dancer, the adult with ADHD, the vision-impaired, the lifesaving nurse, the person seeking connection, the ‘body positive’ woman. And the link between them all? They’re all trying to pave their own way, often against formidable challenges and the expectations of others. 

Hosts: Jack Penniment and Samuel Sparkes

Stories:
‘Men Can Ballet...

It’s a good thing that as a society, we’re more open to discussing mental health and the challenges it poses for many people. University of Sydney reporter Ben Fragiadakis investigated this transformation on what used to be a very taboo topic. What he found were the unintended consequences of such openness. And despite all the attention, serious doubts remain among experts about our approach to treating mental health.

Lifeline 13 11...

It's a story full of compromises, contradictions and unsuspecting victims. The use of rat and mice baits help to keep our home free of rodents. But they also pose a serious threat to native wildlife and ecosystems. A team of journalists at Curtin University investigates how precious owl species are becoming the victims of secondary poisoning from rodent control products. It's also a story of determination as communities b...

We deal with threats – both real and perceived – all the time. In this episode, journalism students at Swinburne University look at how we are confronting some of those threats. From having the right to protest, to supporting the wellbeing of children, to some of life’s basics like driving a car, swimming at the beach and trying to find a job. And we end on an uplifting note with some bogan funk. What is that? Have a listen and get...

Keeping people safe, helping people out, giving people a leg-up, giving people a chance to shine – it’s what a functioning society does.
In this episode of Making a Difference, journalism students at Deakin University bring us stories about looking out for people: keeping apprentices safe on the job, helping those with addiction and incarceration, creating a new world for visually impaired children, supporting emerging musicia...

As Gen Zers become more socially and politically aware, they’re starting to understand the world they inhabit and will inherit. In this episode, journalism students at UNSW Sydney look at the impact of some of those issues such as social media, politics and smoking. And possibly one of the biggest – mental health – is explored through the experience of two autistic sisters who mask their disorder.

Host: Dominique Lakis-Nas...

Representation matters because it helps us imagine our place in the world: our identity, self-worth and sense of belonging. Come on an entertaining and informative ride as journalism students from Griffith University look at representation: how it’s being done well and where it can improve.
*Language warning for this episode.

Hosts: Lucy Ingham, Sophia Thomas and Nicole Symens

Stories:
"It's Her...

In a world of heightened tension and conflict, there is lots to be wary and anxious about. But as the experts say: focus on the things you can control and don’t worry about what you can’t.

This episode is the first appearance on our podcast by students from Western Sydney University. And they look at the things that scare us…and how people deal with those fears.

Host: Claire Brownlie

Stories:
‘Parra-normal’ – ...

This episode by student journalists at Curtin University in Perth makes us think about the concept of trust and the belief in the goodness of people.
The things they say, the way we rely on them…and the potential risk of placing our trust in others.

Hosts:
Madigan Spooner and Camila Egusquiza Santa Cruz

Stories:
‘Man or Bear’ – Reporter: Camila Egusquiza Santa Cruz
‘The Aliens Are Coming’ – Reporter: Andrew...

For many people, food and the simple act of cooking can provide solace and comfort, particularly for those who go through the upheaval of migrating to another country. Cooking reminds them of home – not just the food but the people and places as well.
Nicole Alcantara from the University of Sydney spent an evening with two young men from Nepal. And as they cooked a traditional Nepali curry, the conversation around food reveale...

It’s hard enough for anyone to find a home to rent in Australia. The difficulty factor is multiplied many times more for hundreds-of-thousands of international students who come to the country each year, also needing a rental. In this episode, reporter Gwen Liu reveals the desperate measures many students are turning to that are exposing them to potential scams and exploitation.

Reporter: Gwen Liu
Executive Producer: S...

Our Long Read series continues with a reckoning from Australia's past and the way it might influence our future. Our reporter Sydney Lang looks at the legacy of governor Lachlan Macquarie from the early colonial settlement days. Macquarie was considered a visionary who wanted to turn a penal colony into an egalitarian nation. But there is a dark side to his legacy that has an enduring, as well as painful, lesson.

Repo...

In the next episode of our Long Read series, Tylah Tully from Curtin University reports on the site of two of Australia's greatest riches. The Burrup peninsula in the north of Western Australia is home to more than one million rock carvings by First Nations people that date back tens-of-thousands of years. It's also the site of a multi-billion dollar gas and oil development. Can the two co-exist as neighbours? And what th...

In this episode, Aston Brown from University Technology Sydney – and now a rural and regional reporter at Guardian Australia – takes us inside the world of people who forage through rubbish bins to collect bottles and cans for cash. Are they environmental warriors? Is it a hobby job? Or are they trying to earn precious money to make ends meet? This is the first in our Long Read series where we focus on one, in-depth story each epis...

In this episode, our reporters from Deakin University look at how important health issues – period poverty, loneliness and therapy for young offenders – are being tackled. And there’s some fun in there, as well, with roosters on the loose, the cult following of an anime classic and how AI might be creeping into your music playlists.

If you or someone you know is experiencing loneliness or struggling with mental health:

Shifts in trends and attitudes - some good and some less so - means that at the end of 2023, we are seeing ourselves and our country differently. This episode by students from the University of New South Wales explores the changing identity of Australia.
   
Host: Jade Psihogios
Stories
'The Matilda effect' - Reporter: Maddie Nixon
'On the drink' - Reporter: Jacob Sukiennik
'Whose cr...

In this episode by journalism students at Griffith University in Queensland, we talk to people needing support in difficult times. And for all those people needing support, there are individuals, communities and organisations who are there to provide help.
Hosts
Merced Hernandez and Olivia Schoenauer
Stories
'Youth detention' - Reporter: Merced Hernandez
'Bushfires...again' - Reporter: Olivia...