The Wheeler Centre

In a speech not for the faint-heart, playwright Patricia Cornelius makes a case for coarse language – 'a wild thing, ugly, maddening, hilarious, inarticulate, rude, profane' – and against 'cleaning up' the voices of young actors in the theatre.

In this episode, writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay reminds us of how language – particularly ableist language, often used disparagingly in online debates – affects disabled people. 'Disability is the forgotten part of diversity,' she says, urging progressive causes not to forget to include (and pay) disabled people.

Ali Alizadeh, Odette Kelada and Sarah Goldman join Gabrielle Ryan to discuss narrative approaches to writing and re-writing women’s history, including experimental fiction, academic writing and biography. What are the responsibilities, and the occupational hazards, of writing about female historical figures? Is there a difference between facts and the truth? And how hard is it to change collective memory and mythology when writing about people from the past?

Canadian activist, editor, journalist and novelist Cory Doctorow joins author C.S. Pacat for an expansive conversation about the imperfect present and foreseeable future.

Following the 2018 AFLW Grand Final weekend, Karen Lyon, Sam Lane and Angela Pippos – all experienced Australian Rules journalists (and fans) – unpack the highs and lows of the year in women’s footy. They’ll share their insights and predictions on the future of the game.

In the first event in our Dead Calm series, we delve into the detail of the process of dying. Host Hilary Harper is joined by Sarah Winch, Efterpi Soropos and Denise Love – people who witness, ease or facilitate the transition from life to death in a professional capacity – to discuss definitions of death, the best environments for death and how medical practitioners can work with spiritual and religious people to make deaths as peaceful as possible.

In this special event, hosted by Andi Horvath, we hear about the real, tangible and human effects of climate change – and ways people are adapting – through moving words and performances from Marshall Islands spoken-word artist Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner and activist Ursula Rakova from Papua New Guinea as well as New York Times science writer Jim Robbins and Melbourne-based author and environmentalist Tony Birch.

Science journalist, bird enthusiast and celebrated author Jim Robbins joins host Sean Dooley for a soaring discussion on the role of birds in the future of our planet.

In this year’s Hazel Rowley Memorial Lecture, Jenny Hocking explores a matter that goes to the heart of questions of power and sovereignty in Australia, the secret role of the Palace in the dismissal of the Whitlam government, and her latest book, The Dismissal Dossier: Everything You Were Never Meant to Know About November 1975 – the Palace Connection.

In conversation with Sophie Black, Francesca Donner and Matilda Dixon-Smith discuss failure, achievement and ambition in reporting gender in the #MeToo era.