Big Ideas

In October 2023, Australians voted no to a Voice to Parliament for First Nations people. In this panel from the 2025 Melbourne Writers Festival, four speakers who saw the campaign up close discuss what went wrong, and even whether the whole endeavour was worth it. Ultimately they’re all trying to answer the question, where do we go from here? Speakers Thomas MayoKaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait  Islander, author, activist and 'yes' campaignerBen AbbatangeloGunaikurnai and Wotjobaluk journalist  Nardi SimpsonYuwaalaraay artist, musician and author  Daniel Browning (host)Bundjalung and Kullilli man, Professor of Indigenous Cultural and Creative Industries at University of Sydney and former ABC arts journalist 

In this thought-provoking discussion, Kate Devlin, a leading professor of AI and author, teams up with Chine McDonald, an acclaimed author and director at Theos. They dive into the vision of a feminist utopia that redefines work, parenting, and technology. The duo explores emotional bonds with AI companions, critiques the tech industry's gender biases, and examines Gen Z's growing interest in religion post-pandemic. They challenge traditional gender roles, advocating for nurturing behaviors while addressing the environmental cost of AI. Envisioning genuine community, they emphasize the importance of real-world human connections.

Dark tourism is increasingly popular. Sites of suffering like old gaols, asylums, orphanages hold a certain allure. Can we honour their dark heart and histories, whilst also re-imagining their future? Should some 'traumascapes' be left untouched so the scars of the past are never forgotten, or can we turn them into happier settings with sensitivity? How do designers, developers, and historians tread such tricky terrain? This event was organised by Open House Melbourne and held in the Old Melbourne Gaol during Melbourne Design Week 2025.SpeakersDr Sue HodgesHeritage interpretations specialistManaging director, international consultancy SHP (Sue Hodges Productions Pty Ltd)Erwin TaalSenior AssociateInternational landscape architect and urban design studio ASPECT Studios

Language is always evolving, and reflecting back to us our society, politics and identity. From profanity, to personal pronouns, to the politics of translation and cultural appropriation, why do we use the words we do?This event was recorded at the University of Sydney.SpeakersJohn McWhorterAssociate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Colombia UniversityAuthor, Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words, Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter, Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America and moreColumnist, New York TimesHost, Lexicon Valley podcastNick EnfieldProfessor of Linguistics, University of SydneyFurther information:How a Plane to Australia Took Me to '90s Oakland - New York Times, 20 March, 2025

Hugh White, an esteemed Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies, and Allan Behm, a Senior Advisor on International Affairs, dive deep into the shifting global powers. They discuss America's declining influence under Trump and the rapid rise of China and India. The duo explores how Australia must rethink its alliances amidst escalating tensions with Russia. They also tackle the complexities of nuclear discussions and the historical lessons on resource control. Ethical considerations in global conflicts, like Ukraine, add another layer to their intriguing conversation.

Join Laura Henshaw, CEO of wellness platform Kik, Liz Allen, a demographer at ANU, and Gina Rushton, reproductive rights journalist, as they tackle the multifaceted decision of parenthood. They explore modern pressures from society and the personal challenges of motherhood. Hear how climate anxiety and economic factors influence millennial choices, alongside insights into fertility myths and the emotional toll of the decision-making process. Together, they advocate for improved support systems and a redefinition of family in today's world.

Are fermented foods really good for us? Do antibiotics destroy our gut flora? And have you heard about poo transplants?Our gut is teeming with trillions of microbial cells, and we are learning more all the time about how this affects everything from our digestion, to immunity, to mental health.So crack open your kombucha, because these leading researchers will cut through the noise with some hard facts and pioneering science about the microbiome.This event was recorded at the World Science Festival Brisbane 30 March 2025.SpeakersPaul GriffinProfessor of Medicine, Clinical Unit Head and Director of Infectious Diseases, University of Queensland and Mater HospitalFelice JackaDistinguished Professor in Nutritional PsychiatryFounder and director, Food and Mood Centre Deakin UniversityAuthor, There's a Zoo in my PooGene TysonMicrobial ecologist, bioinformatician, and founder, Centre for Microbiome research, Queensland University of TechnologyDr Norman Swan (host)Presenter, Health Report and What's That Rash? ABC Radio National

Do humans really have what it takes to change our lives – our world – to arrest climate collapse?It might be the defining question we face as a society, and the panellists from this WOMADelaide Festival discussion are throwing everything they’ve got at this intractable issue, drawing on knowledge from the oldest continuing culture in the world and the fields of architecture, urban planning and of course, community organising to avoid collapse.   This episode was recorded live at the annual 2025 WOMADelaide festival, produced and presented as part of their Planet Talks program, held on the traditional lands of the Kuarna people. SpeakersBhiamie WilliamsonLeader of the National Indigenous Disaster Resilience research program and a senior lecturer at Monash University  Elizabeth MossopDean of the UTS School of Design, Architecture and Building Emma BaconFounder and Executive Director of Sweltering Cities Julia LesterFormer ABC journalist and broadcaster (host) 

Murderers, fraudsters, mobsters, dodgy doctors, and corrupt politicians. Kate McClymont has exposed all manner of shady characters, and lives to tell the tale. Here, she reveals some of the perils of investigative journalism over her career, and what she sees are the threats and promises for its future.The 2025 Brian Johns Lecture, in partnership with the Copyright Agency and Macquarie University, was recorded at the State Library of NSW on 1 May 2025.SpeakersKate McClymontChief investigative journalist, Sydney Morning HeraldAuthor, Dead Man Walking: The murky world of Michael McGurk and Ron Medich and He Who Must Be Obeid (with co-author Linton Besser)John Potts (host)Professor of Media, Macquarie University

There are some leaps in science and technology that change everything. Scientists say we’re living through the second quantum revolution, so we're going deep into the quantum world with leaders at the forefront of this field. If you think quantum is all about computers think again – like how could this vast science help female athletes reach their peak?  Thanks to the World Science Festival for this talk “Welcome to the Second Quantum Revolution”. Speakers Belinda SmithABC Science host  Associate Professor Chris FerrieLecturer in quantum sciences at the University of Technology in SydneyDr. Clare MinahanAssociate Professor of Exercise and Sport at Griffith University Geoff PrydeChief Technical Director for PsiQuantumAssociate Professor Tim GouldInternational leader and researcher in the quantum theory of chemistry at Griffith University