The Conversation Hour

Local community groups are calling for large tourist buses to be banned in certain pockets of the Great Ocean Road in an effort to protect local wildlife, in this edition of The Conversation Hour we look at just how serious the issue is becoming and discuss the broader issue of the impact of over-tourism on the environment.We also debrief on the ACCC report into supermarkets, discover how video games are helping neurodivergent children and discuss why men need to cry.

From Fatboy Slim's DJ set a fish and chip shop, to Robbie Williams at Fed Square, Melbourne has been treated to some very exciting pop up style gigs — but just how spontaneous are these performances and what's in it for the artist? Also a new filter trending on TikTok called the 'chubby filter' has been criticised for perpetuating fatphobia and body shaming — so just how damaging can trends like this be. Plus, we learn about a new campaign that seeks to combat youth homelessness.

A powerful new Netflix series titled Adolescence has shone a light on the dangers of incel culture and the manosphere, so just how much will it shift the dial early detection of problematic behaviour in teens particularly in the online space?  Plus, affordable dental is back on the agenda with The Australian Dental Association calling for a scheme that would give eligible seniors free access to dental work, in this edition of The Conversation Hour we look at how much money is a barrier to dental health. And Eating Disorders Victoria have introduced a new workplace program which aims to break the stigma of eating disorders in the workplace – so how far could a corporate wellbeing program  go in supporting people with eating disorders?

As an altercation between parents occurred at a junior basketball game in Reservoir on the weekend, in this edition of The Conversation Hour we ask what's underpinning this aggressive behaviour and whether we are loosing sight of what kids sport is really about. Plus, as White Lotus star Lou Wood has spoken about feeling rebellious for not changing her teeth we discuss the connection between teeth and identity. And new research from Royal Life Saving Australia reveals that young people are not meeting the water safety benchmarks, so whose responsibly is it to make sure kids know how to swim?

You may have seen reports in the papers today about how the amount of new parking spots in suburbs with suburban rail loop stations would be capped, as the state government moves towards these so called 'car lite' zones. In this edition of The Conversation Hour we look at whether living in a bigger apartment could trump having a car park.Also, new data reveals that teens are still tanning, and while there has been a decline in recent decades, some say social media trends are encouraging young people to tan. Plus, From the Golden Girls to White Lotus — what does what we are seeing on our screens tell us about the tricky business of friendship groups.

Illegal rubbish dumping has doubled over the past five years in Victoria according to The Environment Protection Authority. In this edition of The Conversation Hour we look at why this is happening and what the next steps should be in curbing it.We also look at the role martial arts could play in building confidence to combat bullying at school and get all the latest from the Grand Prix.

As the Victorian Government is set to introduce tougher bail laws,  this edition of the Conversation Hour includes a chat with a former incarcerated person about his experience of being in prison and his views on what these reforms might mean for young people in justice system.Also, as vintage real fur is seen on the catwalks of Paris we look at the moral conundrum around wearing fur. Plus, why the new frontier of fine dining is not for everyone

Should it be harder for people to have committed serious crime to be granted bail? That is what I being debated today in cabinet, but some are concerned that this measure could inadvertently perpetuate youth crime and suggest that there needs to be a greater emphasis on prevention and support instead. Also in this edition of The Conversation Hour we look at why struggling young students don't repeat a year as much as in previous decades. Plus, a big win for a small frog.

Stacey Wagner was a victim of an elaborate ticket scam that affected several people. 

St Vincent de Paul saw a 34 per cent increase in customers in the last year compared with 2023.