Life Matters

Australia uses 1.3 million tonnes of plastic packaging every year — and the majority of that packaging ends up in landfill. Exemptions that allow some companies to export certain types of plastic waste are being wound back. So does Australia have the capacity — and the market — to make recycling work?

Dyslexia can make everyday tasks really difficult, and take a huge toll on self esteem and confidence over time. British actor Tom Holland recently revealed he's turned down big opportunities over his discomfort reading cue cards. Advocates Will Wheeler and Jodi Clements explain what it's like to live and work with dyslexia.

It's hard to make any purchase these days without being offered a special discount or deal if you sign up to a customer loyalty program. But are the perks worth it? Consumer behaviour expert Paul Harrison weighs up the pros and cons.

Childhood development expert Billy Garvey has worked with thousands of families over the last two decades, helping anxious, angry, withdrawn boys and parents who don't know where to begin. He joins Life Matters to talk about his new book, Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Raising Boys.

Bringing a pet into your family is supposed to be a love-at-first-sight moment signalling a life ahead with your new best friend, but the day-to-day reality can be a lot harder. So what happens when that initial excitement wears off, and the stress of pet ownership sets in? 

Richard Scolyer, the leading melanoma pathologist and former Australian of the Year, has died at age 59. Scolyer was the first in the world to receive immunotherapy before having a brain tumour removed, a radical approach based on research he and his colleagues developed. Writer Garry Maddox, who co-authored Scolyer's biography, reflects on his incredible legacy.

In an era where we have access to the technology, surgery and drugs to modify every aspect of our appearance, how can we build a relationship with our selves based on compassion and acceptance? Clinical psychologists Louise Adams and Zac Seidler explore the world of looksmaxxing and what's behind the human desire to feel attractive.

This week, Aunties Michelle Law and James Findlay share their advice for a listener with a doggy dilemma. How do you know when loyalty to a beloved pet is no longer enough? And what do you do when every option feels heartbreaking?

Ten years ago, Facebook updated its platform to introduce new ways to interact with posts you see in your feed. Alongside a range of smiley face emojis sat a one-click shortcut to the most powerful emotion of all: anger. In the years since, it seems our online appetite for anger has only grown, with algorithms amplifying 60-second rants and spicy hot takes. Ed Coper, author of Angertainment, and Cheek Media founder Hannah Ferguson unpack whether there is an alternative to the ragebait economy.

According to Beyond Blue, 1 in 2 Australians are facing burnout in the workplace. And we're so used to it we just accept this as a natural state of feeling awful all the time, feeling like there's never enough time to rest. Organisational psychologist Amantha Imber road tested strategies to fix her burnout without totally changing her life, with lessons for us all.

Plus this week we Ask Aristotle to unpack the ethics of whistleblowing. 

Most of us make friends with people around our own age, and we bond over the things we're all navigating at the same stage of life. But there's something valuable in friendships that span generations, too. Reporter Alice Angeloni and her friend Clive share how they bonded after a chance meeting in a cafe, and researcher Ruth Peters explains the health benefits of intergenerational connections.

From pop culture milestones to forgotten parts of the city you love — there's a Facebook page for that. These pages are little pockets of nice in an online world that can get pretty ugly, but they're also performing a deeper function of documenting sub-cultures and histories that might not make it to a bricks and mortar museum.

Have you ever heard of the "thoughtload"? It's those work tasks you need to complete to do your job, but in reality become complete distractions and lead to time wasting. This Working Life's Lisa Leong helps you recognise your 'thoughtload' and process it so you can get the most out of your day.

Lawyer and educator Adair Donaldson is navigating a kind of grief that no parent should ever have to go through. Earlier this year, his son Oliver, the youngest of four boys, died suddenly. He was 19. In the midst of processing the enormity of this loss, he has been reflecting on what it means to be a good dad to boys, and turning these reflections into a series of letters — Dear Fathers of Sons.

The federal government has announced plans to claw back money for people who have fallen victim to small-scale scams, introducing an automatic reimbursement scheme for scam victims with verified losses up to $3,000. Could this help stop cyber criminals from taking off with your hard-earned cash?

In Head and Heart our resident psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones dives into the sticky question of whether it's ever ok to tell a friend they need therapy. 

Australia's social media ban has been in place for six months — with mixed reports on its success. For teens managing to bypass the ban, they're still swimming in the same addictive stream of harmful content. But could we change the way these algorithms work, and make social media a better place for everyone? Consent campaigner Chanel Contos and AI tech reporter Cam Wilson explain what it would take to fix our feeds.

NASA is planning to build a home base for astronauts on the Moon as part of the Artemis program. It raises some big questions: are we any closer to a scenario where everyday humans are living somewhere other than Earth? And if we are, what would the ideal space city look like? Futurist Bridgette Engeler and Craig McCormack, who researches the possibilities of architecture in space, dive into the unknown.

If you're looking for inspiration on where to take your next hike, the internet is full of visually stunning recommendations. But some of the most beautiful treks can be seriously dangerous. So how do we encourage people to visit these pristine locations without obscuring the risks?

The odds are, gambling is part of your life or the life of someone you know. It's a national pastime woven into Australian culture, so talking about the harms it brings can be tricky. Advocate Kate Seselja and clinical psychologist Kate Fennessy explain when it's time to seek help, and why there's still such serious stigma around gambling addiction.

This week, Aunties Nate Byrne and Diana Nguyen give some advice to a listener who's suss on her friend's latest romantic suitor. How do you know when something really is too good to be true, and what can you do to support someone unlucky in love?

Each year up to 190 tonnes of coral is allowed to be harvested from the Great Barrier Reef, making Australia the second-largest exporter in the world. While those in the industry say it's a highly regulated space, conservationists are calling for an end to the trade. Third-generation coral farmer Lyle Squire Jr, conservation campaigner Simon Miller and conservation biologist Jon Daly discuss whether it's time for a rethink on the sustainability of coral harvesting.

The federal government has announced a major overhaul of the unemployment system that it says is ill-equipped to support many of the people who rely on it. Job seeker Kerry Forrest, Australian Council of Social Service acting CEO Edwina MacDonald and National Employment Services Association CEO Kathryn Mandla explain the proposed changes and what they could mean for people looking for more meaningful work.

New data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority shows that in 2025, only 37 per cent of year 10 students were proficient in digital skills. So if the kids can't even keep up with this newfangled techy world — what hope do the rest of us have?

From the dunny derby to the championship tuna toss, some of Australia's most iconic events sound almost completely made up. But these quirky festivals tell us something deeper about regional Australia. Often times, the novelty comes from a community finding creative ways to bring people in, keep their towns thriving, and show off a part of the country most of us would otherwise drive straight past.

Sustainability has been a fashion buzzword for well over a decade. But the controversial sale of Everlane to a fast-fashion giant has left many shoppers wondering what this means for the future of ethical consumption. Author and podcaster Clare Press and ethical fashion co-founder Eric Phu explore whether sustainable clothing can truly make for financially sustainable businesses. 

The average person spends around 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime. That's a lot of time to spend somewhere if you're not happy. This Working Life host Lisa Leong explains the classiest way to quit your job, and what to consider before you pull the trigger.