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6 days ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Matthew Crawford |David Le May
Gina Chick made her name as the inaugural winner of Alone Australia, but her story begins a long time before that. It involves unimaginable hardship, death grief, illness and injury. How has she learnt to sit with all that life has thrown at her, and remain joyful and true to herself, in the face of adversity? This event was recorded at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne, with thanks to Readings Books.
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1 week ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Tim Jenkins |David Le May
At the time of colonisation, there were more than 250 Indigenous languages spoken in Australia, but these days, all are considered endangered. Many First Nations people are working hard to revive and reclaim their mother tongues. In the anthology, Words to Sing the World Alive: Celebrating First Nations Languages, 40 Indigenous Australians share words and phrases that are meaningful to them. This event was recorded at the Clunes Booktown Festival on on Dja Dja Wurrung Country on 22 March 2025.
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1 week ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Bethany Stewart |David Le May
Music has been around for at least as long as humans, and possibly even back to the Neanderthals. How have forces like religion, the economy, society and technology, shaped music over time? And why, in lullabies and concert halls, songlines and streaming services, have humans always been irresistibly drawn to making it? This event was recorded at Sydney's Gleebooks.
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2 weeks ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |David Le May
It's been 60 years since then Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies sent Australians to fight in the Vietnam War. Since that time, the defence force has been involved in many armed conflicts and peace keeping missions around the world — but with varying degrees of public support. So how have successive Australian governments managed public consensus around military engagements? And with war once again a threat to global security, might they have to do so again?
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2 weeks ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Ross Richardson |David Le May
If democracy is the will of the people, what does this federal election result say about Australia? In his election night victory speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australians had voted for Australian values, claiming these were fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all. But is this right message we should take from the election result? This conversation was recorded live at the 2025 Melbourne Writers Festival in partnership with The Wheeler Centre.
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3 weeks ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Timothy Jenkins |David Le May
When you hear politicians talk about a future made in Australia, or trade tariffs, or sovereign capability, you might picture steel or aluminium, or beef or beer, or even (since the pandemic) pharmaceuticals. But do you think about the clothes on your back? Australians are now the biggest consumers per capita of clothes in the world. But just three per cent of clothing is made here in Australia. So is it time for a fashion rethink?
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3 weeks ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Simon Rose |David Le May
Democracies in retreat, attacks on science, border disputes, death and destruction. It can feel like we are living in unprecedented times - but here's the thing: world history has a habit of repeating itself. So what lessons does history teach us about this moment in which we find ourselves? Do we humans learn anything from the past, or are we destined to repeat the same mistakes? This event was recorded at Adelaide Writers' Week on 5 May 2025.
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1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Brendan O'Neill |David Le May
The exiled founder of Russia's only independent television news channel, Mikhail Zygar, takes us inside Vladimir Putin's Russia, with a firsthand account of how the President has successfully silenced the media, opposition and Kremlin critics, to cement his hold on power. The 2025 AN Smith Lecture: Journalism against autocracy: Putin, Trump and the future of news was recorded at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Advancing Journalism on 31 March 2025.
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1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |David Le May
What can a mosquito teach us about time? Noone likes a mosquito bite — but for a brief moment when it stings you, you know you are alive. This idea is based on a traditional song of the Indigenous Sami peoples of the northern Arctic region. For long periods, they live in complete darkness or sunlight — how does this shape their experience and understanding of time? Humans are by nature temporal beings — it's what makes us different from other animals.
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1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Natasha Mitchell |Claire Slattery |Richard Girvan |David Le May
It's not long now until Australians find out what their next government will look like. The election has been described as a boring campaign, but a fascinating contest. So just what is going on in the minds of voters as Australia heads to the polls this weekend? This event was recorded at the Sorrento Writers Festival on 27 May 2025.
