Big Ideas

ABC Radio National's CITIZEN JURY takes hard, hot-button issues affecting a community — and places citizens at the centre of finding solutions. It's citizen-driven democracy in action!Tasmanian salmon is on dinner plates across Australia. It's a 1.4 billion-dollar industry producing jobs for Tasmanians, and more than 70, 000 tonnes of fish annually — with plans for expansion. But salmon farming has also become a lightning-rod for locals concerned about its environmental impact — on water quality, wild species, and then there was the mass mortality event last summer which saw over 1 million salmon die and smelly fatty fishy globules wash up on local beaches. Join BIG IDEAS host and science journalist Natasha Mitchell in the historic town of Franklin in the Huon Valley with three Citizen jurors, two expert witnesses, and a live audience of passionate locals — including salmon workers and activists — as they listen, debate, and share solutions on this fraught issue.CITIZEN JURORSJohn StanfieldLifelong recreational fisher in Tasmania, former army employee, now works in healthFounder, RecFishTas (Recreational Fishing in Tasmania) Facebook GroupPeter GrahamSculptor, former mining industry geologistSecretary, Port Huon Progress Association Lives near a salmon company's hatchery facilityDr Rayne AllinsonHistorian, former university academic, authorFirst-time environmental campaigner and state election candidate after mass salmon die-off polluted her local beach in 2025. Employed by newly elected MP Peter George's electoral office in 2025.EXPERT WITNESSESProfessor Jeff RossSenior researcherFisheries and Aquaculture CentreInstitute of Marine & Antarctic StudiesUniversity of Tasmania Christine Coughanowr Water quality management consultantCo-chair, Tasmania Independent Science CouncilFounder and former director,  Derwent Estuary Program partnershipINDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVEDr John WittingtonCEO, Salmon TasmaniaFormer CEO, Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC)Former Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks Water and Environment, TasmaniaAUDIENCEMembers of the Huon Valley community and surrounds. The call-out for audience was made on ABC Hobart, ABC Radio National, and The Cygnet. Huon & Channel Classifieds.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThanks to Huon Valley Council for granting the ABC access to The Palais Theatre in Franklin for this event.Thanks to Jo Spargo and the ABC Hobart team for supporting this Citizen Jury event.Thanks to Huon Aquaculture staff for a tour of their hatchery facility and salmon pens for the Citizen Jury members and ABC Citizen Jury team.FURTHER INFORMATIONTasmanian Salmon Farming Data (Salmon Portal)Fin-Fish Farming in Tasmania Legislative Council Inquiry report (2022)How many salmon farms are there in Tasmania — and who owns them? (ABC News, 2025)Massive fish deaths in Tasmanian salmon farms to be investigated (ABC 730, 2025)Tasmanian salmon industry reeling from largest-ever fish deaths event as EPA launches investigation (ABC News, 2025)

In 1975, aged just 29, she wrote a bestselling book that changed Australia. Since then, she's courted controversy and acclaim, but Anne Summers has never given up the fight for gender equality.This conversation was recorded live at the 2025 Sydney Writers' Festival.SpeakersDr Anne SummersAuthor, Damned Whores and God's Police, Ducks on the Pond: An Autobiography 1945-1976, The Misogyny Factor, and many moreProfessor of domestic and family violence, University of Technology SydneyJournalist, editor, political advisor, advocateDr Alecia Simmonds (host)Associate Professor in Law, University of Technology SydneyAuthor, Courting: An Intimate History of Love and the Law, and Wild Man: The True Story of a Police Killing, Mental Illness and the LawFurther information:Tenacity and two squat houses — how an Australian movement was born for women leaving violenceBig Ideas, ABC Radio National, Monday 6 May 2024Baby boycott — the fertility crisis and the big decisionBig Ideas, ABC Radio National, Thursday 26 June 2025

Sue Chrysanthou, a senior defamation barrister and King's Counsel, tackles the pressing issue of cancel culture. She defines it as a form of public shaming that stifles debate and imposes permanent stigmas through repetitive labeling. Drawing parallels to historical ostracism and the Salem witch trials, she emphasizes the importance of structured debate over mob rule. Chrysanthou advocates for civil discourse, protection of free speech at universities, and legal remedies against unjust public humiliation. Her insights challenge the moral fabric of modern accountability.

For all of human history, space has been a place of mystery, awe and fascination. But unless you're an astronaut, a billionaire, or a pop star, most of us will never have the opportunity to travel there — except in our minds. This conversation features two writers who've used the perspective of space to explore our humanity, Earth's place in the universe, and the meaning of it all.The conversation, Out of this World was recorded live at the 2025 Sydney Writers' Festival.SpeakersSamantha Harvey Author, Orbital (2024 Booker Prize winner) and many moreCeridwen Dovey Writer of fiction, creative non-fiction and science, filmmaker, author of Only the Astronauts and many moreAshley Hay (host) Writer, editor, facilitator, mentor, author of A Hundred Small Lessons, and many more

Join award-winning arts writer Quentin Sprague, known for his insightful essays and the 2021 Prime Minister's Literary Award, as he dives into the heart of contemporary Australian art. He discusses his childhood influences and the transformative power of Philip Guston’s work. Sprague argues for a more intuitive approach to art criticism, prioritizing personal stories over judgment. Examining artists like Sally Gabori and Stuart Ringholt, he highlights the interplay between obsession, recovery, and the complex narratives shaping today's art.

In this insightful conversation, British science journalist Lucy Jones, author of *Matrescence*, explores the transformative journey of motherhood. She delves into the neuroscience behind the parental brain and discusses the phenomenon of microchimerism, where cells exchange between mother and child. Lucy also critiques societal expectations of intensive motherhood, linking them to broader themes of patriarchy and capitalism. Through personal anecdotes, she highlights the importance of community, self-discovery, and addressing maternal mental health.

Stephen Harrison, a Lecturer in Ancient History and author, dives deep into the intriguing complexities of Alexander the Great's life. They discuss the various conflicting portrayals of Alexander, examining tensions with his father, Philip II, and the historical motives behind significant events, like the burning of Persepolis. Harrison highlights the importance of local politics in Alexander's campaigns and reflects on his wide cultural legacy, challenging romanticized narratives with a fresh perspective on the man behind the legend.

She became the third ever woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, and the first in 50 years. This is the story of how Donna Strickland became a "Laser Jock", and why she's now on a mission to restore trust in science.This event was recorded at the Centre for Ideas at the University of New South Wales.SpeakersDonna StricklandProfessor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo, Canada2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics (with Gérard Mourou)Tegan Taylor (host) Presenter, Life Matters and What's that Rash? ABC Radio NationalFurther information:About Donna Strickland, 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics

Ziggy Ramo is an award-winning musician and author whose latest book titled Human?: A lie that has been killing us since 1788 weaves song, visual art and personal history to present a new way of looking at this country’s past.  Led by Mparntwe and Alice Springs-based poet Laurie May, Ziggy reflects on the project and where it took him at the Byron Writers Festival.Each chapter of Human? is a multi-media journey, the richness of the art forms matches the depth of the topics covered – both personal and political to Ziggy. SpeakersZiggy Ramo Wik and Solomon Islander artist and author of Human?: A lie that has been killing us since 1788Laurie May Mparntwe and Alice Springs-based poet and spoken word performer 

2025 is a landmark year for Australian privacy law. The new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy came into effect in June this year. This could be a breakthrough providing you with a better way to protect your privacy interests through the court system. Big Ideas digs deep into its origins, its inspirations, and its potential future.Presented at the Queensland University of Technology.SpeakersEmeritus Professor Barbara McDonaldProfessor of Law, University of Sydney Law School; led the 2014 Australian Law Reform Commission Inquiry on Serious Invasions of Privacy in the Digital Era.The Hon Justice Peter Applegarth AM KCFormer barrister and Judge of the Supreme Court of QueenslandMark Burdon (host)Professor of Law, Queensland University of Technology, QUT's Digital Media Research CentreFurther informationNew statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy