Big Ideas

Firstly, make sure you become a grandparent. It apparently adds five years to your life. And it can make you very happy - if you do grandparenting right! Hear about the does and don'ts in this discussion about how to age well. Then add a good diet. With the six secret ingredients provided by one of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dietetics. And lastly, ignore social attitudes and images, that tell you how old you should feel.

'How To Grow Old. It ain't for the faint-hearted' was presented by the Sorrento Writers Festival.

Speakers

Michael Carr-GreggAdolescent psychologist, and one of Australia's leading authorities on teenage behaviourAuthor of Grandparents: A practical guide to navigating grandparenting today Allen & Unwin, 2023

Karen IngeOne of Australia's most recognised leaders in the fields of sports nutrition and dieteticsAuthor of 'Let's Eat Right! for Families', 'Food, Fitness and Feeling Good', Co-author of the award winning book 'Food for Sport' and 'Food for Sport Cookbook'

Bernard SaltAuthor, demographer, social commentator and regular columnist with The Australian

Hannie Rayson (host)Australian playwright and newspaper columnist

Listen to Big Ideas – The ingredients to ageing well

It's often said that democracies can't function well without a strong opposition to hold the government of the day to account. But what does it take to be an effective opposition? This event was recorded at the Centre for Independent Studies on Thursday 16 May 2024.

Speakers

Scott Prasser Co-author with David Clune, The Art of Opposition (Connor Court publishing)Senior Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies

John HowardFormer Prime Minister 1996 – 2007

Tom Switzer Director, Centre for Independent Studies

Andrew Blythe (host)Fellow, Centre for Independent Studies

From stopping the boats to building a wall, countries have gone to great lengths to stop the flow of people migrating across borders in search of a better life. But are these efforts realistic – let alone humane — when there are an estimated 110 million people forcibly displaced by war, persecution, hunger and climate change worldwide?

This event was recorded at the University of Tasmania on May 8, 2024.

Speakers

Dr Tamara Wood Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Tasmania

Sanushka Mudaliar Director, Global Migration Lab, Red Cross and Red Crescent

Arad Nik Iranian refugee, human rights activist and business owner

Humanity faces two existential threats: catastrophic climate change and nuclear annihilation, according to former US Deputy Secretary of Energy turned nuclear industry player Daniel Poneman.Yet, he argues nuclear energy is an essential part of the mix of carbon zero power sources as we transition away from coal. He discusses global developments in nuclear power generation, including new generations of reactor design, and critical issues like cost, safety, and proliferation risks.

Presented at the American Academy in Berlin.

Speakers

Daniel PonemanFormer US Deputy Secretary of Energy; distinguished fellow Atlantic Council's Global Energy CentreFormer President and Chief Executive Officer of Centrus Energy Corp (a nuclear fuel company), 2015-2023

Daniel Benjamin (host)President of the American Academy in Berlin

Laura Tingle delivers the 2024 John Button Oration at the Melbourne Writers Festival, looking at how our public discourse has changed over her 40-year career – and throughout history. She explores what is to blame for the demise in civility in our public debate, and the seeming inability of our media and the political class to solve the intractable problems we face. 

This event was recorded on Saturday 11 May 2024, at the Melbourne Writers Festival, in partnership with University of Melbourne School of Government and the Faculty of Arts, and the Button family.

Speakers

Laura TingleChief Political Correspondent, 730 (ABC)President, National Press ClubStaff-elected director, ABC board

Australians love a drink, or at least, that's a perception that's deeply ingrained in our national identity... but how true is it, these days? This Big Ideas explores the politics, problems, and pleasures of Australia's long and chequered relationship with alcohol.

This event was recorded at Clunes Booktown Festival on Saturday March 23 2024.

Speakers

Alex Ettling Author, Knocking the Top off: A People's History of Alcohol in Australia

Sarah MacLean Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University

Richard Gilbert Author, Thirst for Gold

Bill Garner (host) Writer, actor, academic, author Born in a Tent

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to grapple with some gritty paradoxes about science and religion. In this era of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and existential angst — are they serving the needs they used to?

When you're faced with the reality that your home, livelihoods and culture will be swallowed up by the rising seas of a warming climate, how do you respond?

You might think humans have escaped biology and evolution altogether with our strange and different ways: Women live well past their reproductive years, and we have baffling long childhoods as a species. We display a dazzling mix of selfishness and altruism, and gossiping can in fact be a strategy for survival.

As violence continues in Europe and the Middle East and as positive collective action on urgent global-scale issues seems out of reach, do we need new forms of international cooperation? How can Global South and Global North nations work together more effectively? What roadblocks hinder joint action on crucial issues such as security, development, climate, and AI? How can ethical reflection and engagement pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable multilateralism? A panel of international policy experts believes it's possible: There are shared values and shared interests that can serve as the basis for effective and inclusive forms of cooperation; we merely need to activate them.