Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

Life Matters is your guide to contemporary Australian life. Be part of rich conversations on relationships, family, parenting, education, work, health and consumer issues.

Episodes

Julie Peters: trans activist and archivist

July 12, 2022 • 14 mins
Julie Peters thought she was a hoarder, but it turns out what she is holding on to was of great historical value. Growing up and trying to make sense of herself, Julie inadvertently amassed Australia's most comprehensive archive of transgender representation.
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Can bright colours lift your mood?

July 12, 2022 • 14 mins
'Dopamine dressing' and 'dopamine travel' are two recent trends touting the power of colour to lift our spirits. But do colours really have the power to change our minds and emotions?
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Planning to minimise climate risk

July 12, 2022 • 20 mins
People in communities who've seen repeated flooding and bushfires in recent years are calling for new thinking on how to plan safer towns and suburbs, as the threat from climate change increases. So what might this look like and whose responsibility is it to make sure residents aren't at risk?
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Talkback — do you need a winter COVID-19 booster?

July 11, 2022 • 47 mins
Australia has had more deaths from COVID-19 in the last six months than in the entire pandemic prior. Concern is now around two sub-variants, BA.4 and BA.5, which prompted ATAGI to give new advice about who should get a fourth booster and when.
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Too Hard Basket: My best friend has ditched me, how do I get over it?

July 8, 2022 • 12 mins
After spending four years supporting your incarcerated best friend, and a year living together right after they were granted parole, you've found myself seriously mistreated and cut-off. Despite the hurt and heartbreak, you've decided you need to let go. How do you find closure in these circumstances?
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Talkback — navigating love and money

July 8, 2022 • 36 mins
Money can be a point of difference or even conflict when it comes to romantic relationships. So how do you and your partner deal with that? How do you negotiate joint responsibilities, savings and cash-splash vs frugal-finance styles when it comes to managing money? Tips from you and a relationship expert about how to create financial harmony in your relationship.
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Can psychedelics really change your mind, for good?

July 7, 2022 • 20 mins
MDMA and psilocybin are just some of the psychoactive drugs that are being tested out here in Australia and overseas to see if they can be used to treat psychological disorders and improve mental health. Michael Pollan's new documentary explores the possibilities in a new television series, based on his best-selling book.
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Life in 500 Words: Andrew's crystal set

July 7, 2022 • 5 mins
Remember when you were a kid, and you'd spend hours listening to the radio? Maybe you still do! Andrew West tells us about a listening device that became a very precious object for him in his childhood.
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How should truth-telling happen?

July 7, 2022 • 24 mins
Voice, treaty, truth. The Uluru Statement from the Heart underlined these three steps to reconciliation with First Nations people. So what's the best form of truth-telling? And what is non Indigenous people's role in the process?
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Pooches in small places: a guide to apartment living with dogs

July 6, 2022 • 11 mins
More Australians are becoming dog owners – and opting for apartment living. So, what's the winning formula for a harmonious life with a four-legged friend in a smaller space, both for your dog and your neighbours?
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Teaching First Nations cultures through children's stories

July 6, 2022 • 16 mins
Children have endless curiosity, and more importantly, they don't have lifetime of baggage and learnt prejudices to overcome when trying to absorb a new story. This may explain why more and more Indigenous authors are turning to children's books.
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Is recycled fashion actually good for the planet?

July 6, 2022 • 21 mins
Using ocean plastic to make jackets and shoes sounds like a win for the environment, and consumers are on the trend, but 'recycled' fabrics might not be very sustainable. We look at recycling and sustainability in fashion and how to minimise the impact of your wardrobe on the planet.
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Shanna Whan on changing your drinking habits in later life

July 5, 2022 • 13 mins
Many Australians are pressing pause on drinking for Dry July, but cutting back long-term can be tough. Shanna Whan shares the joys and consequences of cutting down your alcohol intake in later life when drinking is treated as the social nucleus of where you live.
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How to support preschool children to become bilingual

July 5, 2022 • 15 mins
In many cultures, being bilingual or multilingual is commonplace. In Australia, while some schools are implementing language lessons and bilingual programs, this is not as common in early childhood educational settings. But some childcare centres are bucking the trend and embedding additional languages into their everyday programming.
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Patients like talking to their doctor on the phone, but access is now limited

July 5, 2022 • 20 mins
During the past two years, video and telephone consults were funded through Medicare telehealth services, in many cases for the first time ever, with many of you accessing your GP in this way. But now telephone consultations longer than 20 minutes are no longer funded, worrying some doctors and patients.
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Life in 500 Words: Anne's pearl earrings

July 4, 2022 • 4 mins
Anne Merkel's mother passed away recently and, in the rush to get to the funeral, she realised she'd forgotten to wear earrings. In stepped a couple of good friends to help her out.
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Talkback — NAIDOC Week, showing up and allyship

July 4, 2022 • 43 mins
Get Up! Stand up! Show up! That's the theme for this year's NAIDOC Week, calling for systemic change. How can non-Indigenous Australians be better allies? Plus, Life Matters takes your questions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history.
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Too Hard Basket: Mum's 80th, downsizing and the overly friendly neighbour

July 1, 2022 • 54 mins
ABC Chair Ita Buttrose and other special guests reflect on the ABC's role as Agony Aunt. Too Hard Basketeers tackle three dilemmas sent in by the audience. What to do about family members who are not willing to attend your mum's 80th birthday party; how to handle a partner who isn't willing to downsize and declutter from a large property; and when a neighbour you've known for a long time asks you to have a drink wit...
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Why op-shopping is so much harder if you're plus-size

June 30, 2022 • 11 mins
For larger people, shopping, in general, is difficult. Finding plus-size vintage clothing is even more so. Why does pre-loved clothing rarely come in bigger sizes?
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Life in 500 Words: the book that belonged to Pat's dad

June 30, 2022 • 5 mins
In this story from Pat Walsh, he shares a passage from a book that was given to his father 70 years ago, and speculates about the wider meaning of a dog-eared page.
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