Big Ideas

One day Ariane Beeston looked at her baby son in his pram and saw a dragon looking back at her. In her memoir Because I am Not Myself You See: A memoir of madness, motherhood and coming back from the brink Ariane takes us inside her visceral experience of postnatal psychosis. Her extraordinary book could save lives — and cleaves open the secrets and stigma around maternal mental health, perfectionism, eating disorders, maternal love, dance school culture, and much more. She joins Natasha Mitchell at the 2024 Williamstown Literature Festival. Speaker:Ariane Beeston Author, I am Not Myself You See: A memoir of madness, motherhood and coming back from the brink (BlackInc Books, 2024)Communications and content manager, COPE: Centre of Perinatal ExcellenceWriter, psychologist, perinatal mental health advocate, dancer, choreographer, motherFurther information:COPE: Centre of Perinatal ExcellenceSupport lines and resources recommended by COPEPANDA National Helpline 1300 726 306 — available Monday to Friday 9am to 7.30pm, Saturday  9am to 4pm AEST/AEDTPANDA: Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia post natal psychosis informationPregnancy Birth Baby information on postpartum psychosis (Australian Government website)Gidget Foundation Australia (focuses on emotional wellbeing of expectant parents)Postpartum psychosis fact sheet from COPEPostpartum psychosis information (Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne)

A vintage ute, a novelty cheque, shearing prize ribbons, a household trunk and blanket – even the simplest of things can tell a powerful story, connect a community and showcase our history.In the ABC TV series 'Extraordinary Things', Tony Armstrong is on a journey to discover and celebrate the things we treasure. And an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia brings together the objects Tony found, the people who cherish them and the extraordinary stories they reveal.The exhibition is running until October 13th, 2024.Presented by the National Museum of AustraliaTony Armstrong's Extra-Ordinary Things on ABC iview.SpeakersTony ArmstrongAward-winning tv presenter, podcaster, writer and creator; Gamilario man from rural NSWDr Martha SearSenior Curator at the National Museum of AustraliaLucy Small'Object owner'; professional surfer, activist, writer and film producer; co-founder of a campaign for gender equality in sport called Equal Pay for Equal PlayDr Liz Killen'Object owner'; Research Director, Social Research Centre and Visiting Fellow, Australian National University; she currently serves as Assistant Manager in the science policy team of the Office of Australia's Chief ScientistDan Bourchier (host)Multi-award winning journalist and broadcaster with the ABC

Jimmy Lai was once considered Hong Kong's quintessential rags to riches success story. But now, the newspaper publisher and democracy supporter is facing a life sentence in jail under China's crackdown on press freedom and opposition in the city. How did it come to this? And what does it mean for Hong Kong?This event was recorded on Thursday July 4 with the Melbourne Press Cub and PEN Melbourne, supported by the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne.SpeakersSebastian Lai Jimmy Lai's son and lead campaigner on the #FreeJimmyLai campaignCaoilfhionn Gallagher KC Lead lawyer, Jimmy Lai's international legal teamCommissioner, Irish Human Rights and Equality CommissionIreland's Special Rapporteur on Child ProtectionAdjunct Full Professor, University College DublinFellow, Royal Society of ArtsJennifer Robinson Human rights lawyerBarrister, Doughty Street Chambers (London)Co-author, How Many More Women? Exposing how the law silences women (Allen & Unwin)Louisa Lim (host) JournalistAssociate Professor in Journalism, University of MelbourneAuthor, Indelible City: Dispossession and defiance in Hong Kong (Text Publishing)

It's only eight years until the torch will be passed on to Brisbane. The countdown is on: Are we prepared? What are the challenges? What is the politics involved? And how important is children participating in sport to ensure that the games have a future?Presented at the Bond Business Leaders Forum, Bond University.SpeakersIan ChestermanPresident of the Australian Olympic CommitteePat HowardFormer rugby international player and coach for the Leicester Tigers; Executive General Manager of Strategy, Insights & Innovation at the Australian Sports CommissionPatrick JohnsonKaanju man from Far North Queensland, Olympian, Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist in the 4x 100 metres relay; board member for the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee; Chair of Australian Olympic Committee Indigenous Advisory CouncilElia HillDirector, Commercial Opportunities and Investment, at the Queensland Department of Tourism and SportWilliam Tuffley (host)Partner, Business Services at the audit and accounting consultancy BDO Australia

Join a full house at the Sydney Opera House with Nobel winning scientist Jennifer Doudna and Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell to discuss the huge social, ethical, and scientific implications of the CRISPR gene editing revolution. From curative therapies to gene edited babies - will we use it to hack our own evolution?This event was presented by the Sydney Opera House, Big Questions Institute (BQI), Sydney Writers’ Festival, UNSW Sydney.Speaker:Professor Jennifer Doudna2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry co-winner Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s ChairProfessor, Departments of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell BiologyFounder, Innovative Genomics InstituteUniversity of California, BerkeleyInvestigator, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteSenior investigator, Gladstone InstitutesFurther information and listens:Doudna LabJennifer Doudna in conversation with Natasha Mitchell at an event in 2018World's first CRISPR gene edited babies born - are we ready?(2018 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)The CRISPR gene-edited babies and the doctor who made them - what really happened? (2019 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Out of jail, is the CRISPR-baby scandal scientist at it again? (2023 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Feral science or solution? Unleashing gene drives (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Making happier animals? Gene editing in the farmyard (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Hear Natasha Mitchell learn how to do CRISPR gene editing (as part of her 4-part Earshot series The Hidden History of Eugenics (2016))The science and ethics of genome editing with Jennifer Doudna and Kevin Esvelt (video of event hosted by Natasha Mitchell in 2018)Natasha Mitchell's review of Siddhartha Mukherjee's The Gene: An Intimate History

Who's watching your local council, keeping you abreast of issues in your neighbourhood, and celebrating your community's achievements? That used to be the role of your local newspaper, but now many of us don't have one.This event was recorded at the Willy Lit Fest on Sunday 16 June 2024.SpeakersMargaret Simons Honorary Professorial Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of MelbourneAuthor, Tanya Plibersek: on her own terms, Penny Wong: Passion and Principle, and othersJosie Vine Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, RMIT UniversityAuthor, Larrikins, Rebels and Journalistic Freedom in AustraliaRates, roads and rubbish reporter, The Westsider community newspaperAlice Pung Author, Unpolished Gem, Her Father's Daughter, Laurinda, Close to HomeEditor, Growing Up Asian in AustraliaAdjunct Professor in the School of Media and Communication at RMITJohn Weldon (host) Associate Professor, Victoria University

Moral philosopher and writer Raimond Gaita wrestles with the moral and ethical dimensions of the Israel-Gaza war to try to make sense of the incomprehensible.The Jim Carlton Integrity Lecture, "The Urgency of Ethical Challenges Facing the World" was recorded at the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne on May 8, 2024.SpeakerRaimond Gaita Honorary professorial fellow, Melbourne Law School, University of MelbourneEmeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy, King's College LondonFellow, Australian Academy of the HumanitiesAuthor, Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other Writings, (and many other books)Editor Gaza: Morality, Law and Politics

Beloved Scottish author Andrew O'Hagan emphasizes the role of writers and readers in defending reality against AI, fake news, and algorithms. He discusses the impact of technology on society, the importance of independent thinking, and the power of literature in promoting truth and human connection. The conversation also touches on fearless writers, controversy, WikiLeaks, and the ethical dilemma surrounding Julian Assange.

A lively chat explores how attachments influence our lives, including cult trauma, space object bonds, method acting effects, and maternal relationships. Touching on personal journeys and scientific connections, the conversation delves into the complexities of forming and breaking bonds.

Indigenous performers Barkaa, Steph Tisdell, and Rudi Bremer discuss the pressure of being role models and breaking stereotypes. They touch on challenges faced in the entertainment industry, the importance of authenticity, and the struggles of overcoming societal expectations. The podcast highlights the need for better representation and empowerment for Indigenous artists.