Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

A cancelled flight, lost bags, a lengthy delay forcing you to spend hours at an airport, and the stress of trying to rebook the family's holiday at the last minute. Travel has its delights... but it also has its challenges.The Federal Government has released a proposed aviation consumer protection scheme.The aim is to establish reasonable standards for airlines and airports ... like when refunds should be issued and when food and drink vouchers are appropriate.So, what protections would you like to make your airline travel smoother? 

In 2016, Peter Drew's posters became some of the most recognisable art in the country. He made the posters at a time of great distress about rising racism and anti-immigration sentiment.You could say not much has changed in 2025. So little has changed in fact, that at last month's "March for Australia" rally in Adelaide, protesters tore down one of Peter Drew's posters.He's decided 10 years from the first poster going up, it's time to relaunch the project.

MasterChef judge, food critic, and writer under the handle Fooderati, Melissa Leong is many things. She is also an author - she's just released her new book Guts: A memoir of food, failure and taking impossible chances. Her new book also explores themes of abuse in the hospitality industry, racism, and mental health. She also reveals how her career in food was an accident. 

A seemingly never-ending list of work projects is piling up... meanwhile family and personal commitments have never been more demanding. You feel like every ounce of energy has drained from your body... and you're beyond worn out. The deep exhaustion of burnout makes it feel like you'll never emerge at the other end. A 2023 report found 80% of the Australian workforce struggles with burnout. So, what are the signs you are headed for a crash? How do you course-correct? 

Imagine watching the footy - whatever your code - with no gambling ads.Can you even picture it? They're are all-pervasive - on jerseys, on the TV between tackles and even on the field itself.One advocacy group wants 2026 to be the first year where you can watch the finals without the gambling ads. Statement from Responsible Wagering Australia CEO Kai Cantwell: The industry has already reduced TV advertising by 71% over the past five years. Banning advertising won’t stop people from gambling - it will simply hand the market to illegal offshore operators who aggressively target vulnerable Australians and children online, refuse to pay out winnings, contribute nothing to Australian sport, racing or tax revenue, and operate without any of the safeguards licensed providers must follow.That’s why a balanced, middle-ground approach is needed - one that reduces children’s exposure to ads while keeping gambling within the regulated system, which polling shows is what Australians want.

When's the last time you read a poem?Perhaps you were at a wedding, a funeral, or another special occasion. Or maybe you're the one who has written a sonnet for a special someone.In the age of algorithms and distraction – what's the role of poetry?

"Betrayed. Undermined. And let down."This is how students and staff at Australia's universities feel... according to the chair of a senate inquiry examining governance at our higher education institutions.Meanwhile, new research at one uni - Deakin - found one third of Australians do not trust universities and two in five agree university managers "are more focused on revenue than quality."All round, it's a pretty dire assessment.Deakin University's vice chancellor Iain Martin says whether this is perception or reality makes little difference now.

School's out! And a lot of lucky families are at the beach, or somewhere exotic or far-flung.But if you're not posting postcard-perfect pics on Instagram, it's easy to feel a strong sense of FOMO - fear of missing out.So, how can you put the green-eyed monster in its place? 

ABC Radio National has launched its Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Over the next few weeks, you can vote for the books that you believe belong on the list.We're asking some notable readers to tell me about the book that changed their life, and sat down with host of The Assembly Leigh Sales.

Tesla's latest software upgrade has arrived on our shores. A software update just dropped... and it upgrades your car, to take a ton of driving tasks off your hands.But experts say driverless technology can be fraught with issues.