Life Matters

How much does your credit score really matter? There's been an uptick in Australians checking their score monthly. We look at how credit scores are actually used in Australia and whether rising credit score anxiety is warranted. 

Plus, body horror film 'The Substance' has more women thinking about the pressure to remain beautiful as we age. Former Vogue editor Kirstie Clements comments on the state of age and beauty. 

And learn about the animal shelter picking up pets whose have had to relinquish them in family crises.

Being vulnerable with others can lead to stronger connections, but it can fly in the face of our instincts. After all, you wouldn't want to expose your soft gooey centre to just anyone. We look at what it means to live with vulnerability and how it can boost your mental health. Plus, we ask aunty how to deal with a chaotic friend who kicks up a fuss about returning your keys.

Australia is one of the most bushfire-prone places on the Earth, and yet a large proportion of Australians in at-risk areas are not concerned about bushfire safety. How can imagining disaster improve our psychological preparedness ahead of bushfire season? 

Plus, techniques to balance out stress in your relationship, and food guru Stephanie Alexander's words of wisdom.

A new report showing that some schools are outsourcing and, as a result, charging extra for physical education is causing concern for parents and researchers alike. How important is PE for kids' development? Is it really 'an extra'? Plus, the extraordinary world of synesthetes.

Specific issue telehealth services are popping up and delivering prescriptions of drugs like cannabis, as well as drugs for weight loss and ADHD, often after just one quick consult. It's left concern from the medical community that there's not enough consideration being made for the appropriateness of prescriptions for every instance. Plus, meet poetry slam champion Jo GIles who puts words to the experience of cystic fibrosis.

A growing cohort of younger couples are feeling like marriage isn't for them, but they still want to celebrate their love with some kind of ritual. We meet a couple who opted for a non-legally binding love ceremony and learn about how people build new rituals. Plus, we look at the phenomenon of gender disappointment and parents' expectations about gender in their kids, and journalist and author Johann Hari discusses his new book about the next generation of weight loss drugs.

Work friends are almost inevitable, and while there are many benefits to having allies in the workplace, there are also potential pitfalls. We look at how to best navigate friendships at work. And for Ask Aunty, a drama over bridesmaids' dresses.

In 2021, Shaun Resnik became the first single man to be approved to have a child through surrogacy. His son Eli is now a toddler, and has a unique family patchwork. We meet some of the parent figures in Eli's life and take a look at the possibilities of alternative family structures. Plus, as Year 12s around the country sit their final exams, we ask what are exams good for?

Many of us are happy to have left our sharehouse days behind, but in a cost of living crunch, more older Australians are reopening their doors to housemates. We hear some success stories and find out whether it's right for you. Plus, almost all of us aren't getting our daily serve of vegetables, which is hurting our health and our farmers. So, how do we get more plants on plates?

Gathering a group of abuse survivors in a boxing class might sound like a cagey exercise, but the Left Write Hook program proves that powerful movement and writing can help process trauma. We meet the people behind the program and a new feature documentary telling its story. We also take a look at the specific difficulties new fathers face, and the story of The Cubbies, the 1970s adventure playground made for children, by children.