Life Matters - Full program podcast

Nearly 50 years after the first Mardi Gras march lit up the streets of Sydney, demanding an end to discrimination, so much has changed. But for many LGBTQIA+ Australians, conversations about their identity are still filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Headspace's Vicki Ryall and Lay Laupama discuss what coming out means in 2026, and how we can make it easier.
And Ask Aunty tackles how to navigate delicate family dynamics after divorce — Jane Caro and ethicist Simon Kennedy-Jewell weigh in on whether you can ever be truly honest with your grandkids about what you really think of their parents.

We talk about good hair days — and bad ones — as if they're small things. But for people who are losing their hair, it can feel like losing a part of yourself. Michelle Law and Julian Morgans share their own experiences with hair loss, while researcher Hannah McCann helps untangle why hair is so deeply linked with our sense of identity. 
Two Winter Olympic events ended in a tie this week, with competitors stepping up to stand on the podium side by side. So what can we learn from athletes about the satisfaction that comes from sharing our successes? Australian pole vaulter Nina Kennedy revisits her own dual medal win and Hugh Van Cuylenburg shares how teamwork can make success even sweeter than a solo pursuit.
William Golding's seminal novel Lord of the Flies is being adapted for the screen, more than 70 years after its debut. So what do these stories reveal about us, and why do we keep returning to them?

Running rarely feels easy, even for people who love it. Your legs ache, lungs burn, and then there's the nagging voice in your head telling you to walk the rest of the way. And yet, despite that discomfort, run clubs are booming and marathons are selling out. Author Konrad Marshall and Parkrun Australia founder Tim Oberg discuss our love-hate relationship with running and why we keep coming back to it. 
Tiny homes are booming, and some in the sector argue they could be part of the solution to our housing shortfalls. Travel writer and tiny house advocate Louise Southerden explains what it's like to live in a tiny home for the long haul, while Paul Burton, an emeritus professor of planning, explores whether they could really help to address Australia's housing crisis. 
Scientists are turning to optical atomic clocks to measure time with unprecedented precision. Though, that still won’t explain what “be there in a sec” really means. Hinze Hogendoorn, a professor of visual time perception, unpacks how our sense of time is deeply personal, why it shifts as we age and whether there’s any way to slow it down.

From its beginnings as a protest march in Sydney's inner city, Mardi Gras has become an internationally renowned celebration of LGBTQIA+ life. But this year festival organisers  have announced the huge post-parade party has been cancelled. Historian Scott McKinnon and queer club owner Tim Brown ponder the question: how important is the party?
Family businesses are often treated like heirlooms — they carry a legacy and an expectation that they'll be passed down through generations. But when it's time for the founders to step back, things get complicated. Ombudsman Bruce Billson and Gina Dang, who runs a strawberry empire alongside her six siblings, chat through all the challenges that come with succession planning.
Psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones explains how to say now without hurting people's feelings or damaging relationships, and what we can learn from letting someone down gently.

As the national skills shortage bites, the trades are attracting more people looking for a new career. Australia's jobs and skills commissioner Barney Glover AO and Melbourne carpenter Tristan Santoro discuss what it takes to make a long-term career in the trades. 
Whether it's lofi beats, hard rock or classical, research suggests that listening to music while we work can improve productivity. Professor of music Emery Schubert and AFLW footballer Darcy Vescio chat through their optimal performance-enhancing playlists.
More and more Australians are choosing cycling for their daily commute, skipping the traffic congestion and squeezing in some exercise. But the way our cities are designed shapes how we get around, and research shows there's a gender imbalance when it comes to cycling accessibility.