Sudan's humanitarian catastrophe extends far beyond immediate malnutrition. Over 13.6 million children need urgent assistance, while 10.8 million people have fled their homes. 

The crisis encompasses destroyed healthcare systems, compromised water supplies, educational collapse, and widespread psychological trauma. 

Famine conditions now exist in multiple locations across Darfur and beyond. International funding shortfalls are crippling response efforts. The conflict has created a perfect storm of displacement, disease, and deprivation that threatens to devastate an entire generation of Sudanese children with consequences lasting decades.

In this episode of The Discussion I speak with international aid advocate, Tim Costello.

Join me for a crucial conversation about the devastating humanitarian situation unfolding in Gaza. 

In this episode of The Discussion I speak with a Tony Stuart, the CEO of UNICEF Australia about the urgent food crisis affecting thousands of children, the challenges of delivering aid in an active conflict zone, and what immediate action is needed to prevent famine. 

This episode examines the human cost of the crisis and explores how international support can make a difference for Gaza's most vulnerable residents.

There’s a growing issue of religious intolerance in society. Not just in Australia, but around the world. Religious communities are coming under attack for doing nothing other than – seemingly – existing.

In this episode of The Discussion host Bill Crews examines what’s driving the rise of religious intolerance and what the solutions might be, with Simon Smart from the Centre for Public Christianity?

Voluntary assisted dying is legal across Australia, much of Europe, Canada, and several US states, with dramatically varying implementations. 

Some countries permit advance directives for dementia cases, and AI is being developed to replace psychiatrist in the assisted dying process.

While some jurisdictions focus on terminal illness with strict safeguards, others expand access to mental illness. 

In this episode of The Discussion, host Bill Crews examines these complex ethical, medical, and legal issues with Dr. Philip Nitschke, a prominent advocate who offers insights into global approaches and lessons from this evolution in human autonomy.

Society worships wealth like never before, but at the same time the gap between the rich and everyone else has widened. Indeed, vast numbers of people have been left behind. Even the middle class struggle to make ends meet.

It’s breeding a sense of envy and resentment - the effects of which are already on display in the USA and Europe.

So how has wealth inequality changed society and how is it likely to fragment the social balance in years to come.

In this episode of The Discussion I talk with Hugh Mackay who is one of Australia’s foremost social researchers and one of the world’s leading thinkers on social cohesion.

Across Australia, and indeed the western world, people are demanding tougher action on youth crime.

Residents in certain communities don’t feel safe.

It’s led to rising rates of youth detention. In some places, governments have even adopted so-called ‘adult crime, adult time’ policies. 

Will it work, or does locking up young offenders only create bigger social problems?

My guest on this episode of The Discussion is Anne Hollonds, the National Children's Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission. 

Health authorities report the death toll in Gaza has reached 40 thousand. Meanwhile a deal to bring home the remaining Israeli hostages remains elusive.

Peace talks continue in hopes of securing a ceasefire and averting an escalation of the crisis in the wake of the assassination of Hamas’s political leader. 

So what is the outlook for the Middle East? This week on The Discussion I talk with former Australian Foreign Minister, Bob Carr.

Blood products designed to save lives in the 1970s and 80s did the very opposite. They were contaminated with HIV and hepatitis. 

It left over 30,000 people infected. 

An enquiry in the U.K. has recommended a large-scale compensation scheme, but will it deliver justice to victims? And what lessons can be learned to ensure it never happens again?

In this episode of The Discussion I talk with Mark Ward, a lead-advocate for victims of Infected Blood products.

Children are suffering in conflicts across the globe.

Globally, over 43 million children have been forced to flee their homes. Wars in places like Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and Haiti - just to name a few - are having a devastating impact on young lives.

So how safe is the world for children? What’s being done to help those in need? And is there a political will to prevent the suffering?

In this episode of The Discussion I talk with Tony Stuart who leads global relief agency UNICEF in Australia. 

More than a decade of abuse scandals have rocked the Catholic Church, and shifting social values have alienated its flock.

In the west, Catholicism is in decline. Just 17.5-percent of Americans identify as Catholic. In Australia young people are abandoning the church.

So why are people seemingly losing faith? Is it all bad news, or does the church have a future? And might a reforming Pope Francis turn the ship around?

In this episode of The Discussion I talk with Paul Collins. He is a former priest, broadcaster and Catholic scholar whose books include “Absolute Power - How the Pope Became the Most Influential Man in the World”.