Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

Multi-level marketing schemes have been around for decades — but things have shifted since the days of Tupperware parties and door-to-door Avon ladies.

When comedian Craig Quartermaine applied for an arts grant to do a stand-up comedy project, the application was "deemed ineligible" because comedy wasn't on the list of accepted performing arts.Dance? Yes. Theatre? Yes. Opera? Definitely. Comedy? No.But if the purpose of art is to act as a mirror to society – to make us see ourselves, laugh at ourselves, think about ourselves – does comedy deserve a ticket to the show?

Doctor Google is dead, AI has taken its place.Around 230 million people already turn to ChatGPT for medical advice — so they've created a whole new platform just for health searches.Will it actually make us healthier?

Have you ever thought about quitting your job to do something totally different? Most of us will change careers at least once or twice in our working lives, but as we get closer to retirement, the idea of starting again can be terrifying. And if that career shift requires further study, the financial and logistical burden can be significant. But for those who do decide to take the plunge, the pay-off can be life-changing.

As if our phones weren't enough, it can feel like so much of our lives are mediated by touchscreens – and one of the worst offenders would have to be new cars.But that could be about to change, with Australia's independent car safety assessor now requiring physical controls for key features if new vehicles are to receive the highest safety rating.So are buttons making a comeback?

The Bondi terrorist attack has left the Jewish community and the nation at large reeling.We're in a time of profound grief, and even if you're nowhere near Bondi you can probably feel it.So how do you create space for grief — from memorials to days of mourning — to heal and move through tragedy? 

The first question that often gets asked when you re-emerge after the summer holidays is what you got up to during the break?If you spent the time with extended family, you may need to decompress from the kinds of relationship dynamics that only come up during compressed periods of intense family time. So how can you do that as you move into the new year?

Hook-ups, no strings attached, and one night stands: descriptions for casual sexual encounters imply zero obligations. But what happens when your expectations and your hook up's expectations are totally misaligned? 

In Australian primary schools, many tuckshops are struggling, teachers are paying for kids' lunches out of their own pockets, and some public primary schools are hiring chefs.And yet, many kids are still going to school hungry and without lunch.So, why is lunch a growing challenge for Australian schools?

We trust the aged care system to care for our loved ones as if they were family. That's why the stories of abuse and neglect uncovered during the Aged Care Royal Commission were so heartbreaking.One of the Commission's cornerstone reforms is a new federal Aged Care Act.It's meant to streamline legislation and processes, and includes a new Statement of Rights designed to put people at the centre of the aged care system.So what are your rights in aged care? And do these changes bring us closer to a system we can trust to care for our parents ... and ourselves?