Big Ideas

Writer, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, came to Australia from Canada intending to stay a year, but never went home. Nearly a decade later, she is now a citizen, but remains bewildered by some of our cultural quirks. Paul Barclay talks to Ashley about identity, the challenges of moving to a new country, and how to be "Australian".

Australia recently boosted its defence spending with the Prime Minister warning that, after Covid,  we need to prepare for a world that is "poorer, more dangerous and more disorderly”. In particular,  the risk of being caught in a conflict between the United States and an assertive China.  China is also extending its presence in the Pacific which is a traditional sphere of influence for Australia.

What do climate deniers, anti-vaccination activists and COVID-19 conspiracy theorists have in common? Why are they so resistant to ‘facts’? When the truth has no currency anymore and rational arguments don’t count for anything, it seems like there is no winning against conspiracy theories. But that’s not quite right. On Big Ideas, a panel of experts looks behind the concept of a conspiracy theory: what feeds them and what can kill them.

As humans travel to new parts of the natural environment, we are exposed to viruses our bodies have never seen before. Enter COVID-19, which animals can manage but humans cannot. Scientists are working furiously to contain and treat this coronavirus, but the task is made harder by the lack of precedent. While we wait for a vaccine, how can we reduce the damage?

COVID 19 may have physically cut Australia off from Europe - for the time being - but we have a long and deep history of cultural exchange with the countries of the European continent. European migrants and refugees have helped shape modern Australia, and the European gap year has long been a rite of passage for younger Australians. In this wide ranging discussion, Paul Barclay talks to three Australians, with a connection to Europe, about the 'European exchange': politics, art, food Brexit, immigration, and a whole lot more.

2020 has brought with it fires, floods, protests and a pandemic. Enough for adults to bear, more than enough for younger generations. And while lockdown and online schooling has challenged the engagement of students, syllabus subjects need to be more nimble to reflect the world around us. Can we get over our cultural cringe enough to teach more relevant literature to help students navigate their future?

Despite recent COVID-19 developments, Australia and New Zealand may become the world-first safe international travel option. But only between themselves. Neither country wants to go backwards, but both want to revive a sector that provides thousands of jobs. What are the challenges that come with the trans-Tasman travel bubble?

'It seems that every generation needs to be told why Black Lives Matter. Here we are again.' Marcia Langton describes the worsening of the justice system for indigenous Australians. Also, is impartiality over-rated when it comes to gender oppression in the Middle East? Journalist turned activist explains the meaning behind the title of her book, We can't say we didn't know.

Australia has been blessed with vast reserves of natural resources. Our enviable standard of living has been bankrolled by agriculture and, more recently, by mining.  But what was once a blessing, may be turning into a curse, according to writer and academic, Judith Brett.

Do you think your family is one of the weirdest? Three prominent Australian authors say that they do, and that it has shaped them as both people and writers. 

Also, the coronavirus has forced other global emergencies to be side-lined but are extremists using the opportunity to strengthen their hold on vulnerable societies through terrorism and radicalisation? When resources are scarce, how can governments make decisions about how to spend their money, health or security?