Life Matters

Australian households have seen significant societal change since Life Matters first began in 1992. From roles within families, to work and relationships, and big shifts in housing, we look at the trends that have shaped the lives of Australians over the last 30 years.

Rural health practitioners argue that staff shortages have reached such a crisis point that patients’ lives are being put at risk. How did things get so bad, and what, if anything, can be done to fix a broken regional health system? From the Life Matters archives, a 2004 interview with Shirley MacLaine, and an apparent snub from a neighbour in this week’s Too Hard Basket.

It's 26 years to the day since the Port Arthur Massacre. So where is gun control in 2022? From our 30th birthday archives, the late Tasmanian poet Margaret Scott reflects on the impact of the tragedy, and two brothers share the joy and love that comes with food passed over the fence by their neighbour in the wake of loss.

Is Twitter really the best place for global public debate, or could we design a better way to discuss important issues and build community? Plus tips to manage your debt levels as the cost of living increases, and for Life Matters 30th birthday celebrations, an interview with Jess Thom, who manages her Tourette Syndrome by using humour.

We’re in the middle of an election campaign right now, but how engaged are we in the political process? Some figures suggest Australians are increasingly disengaged from politics. And Richard Aedy shares his memories of hosting Life Matters for six years.

Gary McKay MC reflects on the physical and emotional scars left by war and why we should do more to support veterans and serving members of the defence forces. Plus for Life Matters 30th birthday, we revisit an interview about redemption. And former Life Matters book reviewer Jon Appleton on pen friends.

Author Susan Cain explains why it’s important to feel sadness, melancholy and heartache in a world of ‘toxic positivity’. From the Life Matters archives, the late John Hinde, beloved film critic, chats to Geraldine Doogue in 2002. And in The Too Hard Basket, what to do when you feel excluded by your partner’s family.

How intertwined is men's body hair and how they're perceived as public and private figures? We examine the ability of our education systems to play to the strengths of individual students, and whether anything has changed between 2009 and 2022.

What are the pros and cons of casting your vote for a micro-party at the next election? Plus a Life Matters interview from 2013 about open relationships, and some tips on preparing meals in advance.

Not long ago, COVID daily case numbers in double figures were a cause for alarm, but these days cases are in the thousands. So, how are we all feeling about this new experience of life with COVID, and what might lie ahead, as winter approaches?