Afghanistan is our longest war and it tested Australian soldiers who juggled the three different roles of fighter, peace-keeper and aid worker rebuilding schools, roads and clinics. To what extent does the community understand the demands on the modern soldier?

Prior to 1992 the Australian military banned gay and lesbian recruits and openly gay defence personnel faced harassment and potentially a dishonourable discharge. A new book documents the personal experiences of LGBT people who served in the defence forces before and after the ban was lifted.

From the second world war to the present day, LGBT serving in the defence force tell their stories of discrimination and acceptance and how Australian soldiers responded to the demands of the war in Afghanistan.

Under what conditions can and should threats of force be used effectively to accomplish different types of foreign policy objectives, and are there ever justifiable reasons for issuing threats?

When it comes to reading books, time is short and competition from digital offerings, like Netflix and social media, is fierce

The information you willingly give online and every search or action is recorded. This data is a bonanza for business and governments who want to know more about you. But who knows if they'll play by the rules and only use it for the purpose intended? Or if your personal information will be absolutely secure from the prying eyes of hackers?

Critics say it’s punitive. Supporters argue it moves people from welfare into employment. Does conditional welfare work?

Advances in artificial intelligence, genomics or cyborg-like brain implants challenge religious faith and also our notion of what makes us human. Denis Alexander says that religious thinking can relate to science and shouldn’t be excluded.

Seeing food waste first hand , events manager Ronnie Kahn decided to give her excess food to people in need. Fourteen years later, her food rescue charity OzHarvest has delivered millions of meals. Born in South Africa, inspired by Nelson Mandela, Ronnie Kahn talks of her drive to help those in need.

President Trump wants to build a wall with Mexico, rescind the citizenship rights of children born to illegal immigrants and ban travel from certain Muslim countries. Historian Erika Lee says this anti-immigration stance is not unique to Trump but part of the long history of American xenophobia.