Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

Today the nation's best and brightest are taking part in a three day economic roundtable focused on one thing: productivity.

We're basically cling-wrapping the planet in plastic.Since the 1950's production has boomed. Every year another 450 million tonnes of plastic is produced.  Only nine per cent of that is actually recycled. A UN global treaty has failed to reach an agreement on the best way to end plastics pollution. So, with all of this knowledge - why can't we agree on how to best tackle the problem?

It's not just a workplace problem - the gender pay gap extends to pocket money too.Research shows that, on average, boys earn more pocket money than girls, and spend less time doing chores.How do these early inequalities creep in? And what can families do about it?

Can you recall your most vivid nightmare? Are you suffocating, running out of breath? Have you lost your ability to speak?  New research from the UK suggests there's a closer link between regular nightmares and an early death, than there is from smoking or a poor diet.

Pushed in designer strollers, pampered at doggy daycare, fed a hand-made all-organic diet - our pets are gaining status, with many people treating their "fur babies" like real children.An increasing number of pubs, clubs, and cafes have recently become dog-friendly. And by the end of the year, Virgin Australia will welcome small pets in the cabin of selected domestic flights. The move has sparked debate online, with some asking "are we treating our fur babies too much like real babies?"Are the lines getting blurry?

If you were adopted, but didn't know it, would you want the government to tell you?From the 1940s through to the 1970s, it was common for unmarried mothers in Australia to have their babies taken without consent. In the peak years from 1951 to 1975 its estimated 150,000 forced adoptions took place. Some people from that era still don’t know they are adopted. We meet two women calling for the laws to change so every adopted person is told the truth about their identity.

Electric vehicles now make up a record 10 per cent of new vehicle sales in Australia - which not only reduces emissions, it reduces the federal government's revenue from the fuel excise.Is a road user charge for electric vehicle owners the solution?The federal government has flagged it for discussion at this week's productivity roundtable, but experts and EV groups think there's a better way.

Divorce or separation is often framed as one distinct moment that has a domino effect on everything that comes after. But what about 'the before'? When does someone start thinking, "This isn't working anymore?" And what goes on between that initial thought and the final decision that a relationship is definitely over?

We often make compromises for a family holiday. But when it comes to your in-law's holiday traditions, how much compromise is reasonable? 

Outside school hours care is a lifesaver for parents who can't clock off in time for school pick up every day, but access to this kind of service is a postcode lottery.So what would happen if we took outside school hours care seriously and made it an option for all working families across the country?