Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

The swear words that used to shock us… don't anymore. They've lost their sting.Researchers have unpacked the words Aussies really cringe at in 2025 - and it turns out slurs are now much more taboo than curse words.Our outrage has moved on to a whole new set of offensive words.

A new report from the Australian Human Rights Commission details the how older people too often feel unseen, unheard, or undervalued in the healthcare system.It found that perceptions of ageism are widespread across all levels of the health system, from how older people are treated by staff to broader systemic and policy issues.So how does ageism impact quality of care for older Australians, and how can we stamp it out? 

In Australia there's a growing chorus of medical professionals and advocates who say harm prevention is more realistic than abstinence when it comes to drugs.What they're alluding to is pill-testing - or drug-checking as it's also known - and it's a relatively new phenomenon here.Pill testing was available at Schoolies on the Gold Coast in 2024, but this year the Queensland government has taken a firm stance against the practice. So what conversations do parents need to have with their kids to stay safe this summer?Statement from a Queensland Health spokesperson:There is no safe way to take drugs.Taking drugs is dangerous and can have dire consequences.We encourage young people going to Schoolies to stay safe and take care of their friends. Ensuring the health and safety of young people at major events is very important.That’s why Queensland Health will continue to deliver alcohol and other drug prevention, early intervention and harm reduction responses as well as a suite of specialist alcohol and other drug treatment services across Queensland. 

This Friday, another generation of school leavers will walk out of the school gates for the last time.Schoolies travel has been a rite of passage for Aussie teenagers since the 1970s, but the event that was synonymous with getting sauced on the sandy shores of the Gold Coast is changing. Many young people are heading overseas to places like Fiji or Vanuatu.So, is it a good thing that today's school leavers are rewriting the script, ditching the binge-drinking and redefining what makes this milestone meaningful in the first place?

What's your average workday look like?Do you come in right at your designated time and leave exactly when the clock strikes knock off?Chances are, you mean to, but the average Australian worker does 3.6 hours of unpaid overtime a week.National Right to Disconnect Laws, which were supposed to tackle work-life imbalance, were phased in last August.So, has anything changed? 

The trailer for the The Devil Wears Prada sequel has dropped - and viewers immediately noticed a huge change in the dynamic between the two main characters.In the original film, magazine editor Miranda Priestly famously terrorised her staff, but also served as an unconventional mentor to Anne Hathaway's character. In the sequel's trailer, the pair look to be on even footing.So, who shapes our careers? And how big a difference can a mentor make? 

If the great Australian dream is owning your own home... it should also come with a caveat: owning it outright and paying off that mortgage.In the United States, there's a new proposal to address their nation's housing crisis. The Trump Administration is working to introduce 50-year mortgage terms for home buyers.Here in Australia, some lenders have recently started offering 40-year mortgages.One-third of Aussie adults polled said they'd take out a 40-year home loan if it reduced their monthly repayments to a more affordable level. 

Protein is added to many products: protein coffee, protein lollies, protein ice cream.But it's not just protein anymore. There's a growing trend of adding supplements and vitamins to every meal and snack.Between vitamin gummies and drinks fortified with this or that, we're constantly being sold "extras" ... even as headlines warn of inconsistent dosages and questionable efficacy.So, what's the consumer psychology behind their appeal?

Australia is on the cusp of welcoming its one millionth refugee visa since the second world war.Behind that statistic are so many stories of upheaval and hardship, but also resilience and hope in starting a new life.

Do you have your eye on a new toaster, a TV, a lap-top, a vacuum... or an outfit for the office Christmas party?Maybe you've already clicked "add to cart" a few times over the last couple of weeks?It's sales season ... Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of every November... this year it's the 28th.... but who are we kidding: It's no longer just a day. It's more like a month-long retail extravaganza.This year, Australians are expected to spend $6.8 billion over the Black Friday-Cyber Monday period.And the nation's consumer watchdog says it's conducting a sweep of retailers' claims. Already the ACCC has fined three major retailers for making false and misleading representations about last year's Black Friday sales.So, how did Black Friday evolve from a US phenomenon... to our biggest sales event?And what impact is this having on our year-round spending?