If You're Listening

People don't like wind farms. They say they're bad for wildlife, they affect property values and they create pollution.But are any of these claims true?Today, the wind farm debate and how it nearly tore the small Australian community of King Island apart.This episode of If You're Listening is a live recording from the Newcastle Writers Festival.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ-9hfWk8TI

Delving into the controversial role of Narendra Modi in the Gujarat riots, the podcast uncovers the intense confrontation between Modi and a journalist, the political implications of the Godra train fire tragedy, and the lasting impact of the riots on Modi's legacy and popularity in India.

The Duterte and Marcos families are the Montagues and Capulets of the Philippines.They are, depending on who you ask, the country's most famous statesmen, thieves, murderers or heroes.They have tussled for power for nearly 60 years, and now there are talks of secession splitting the country in two.Could this family feud literally tear the Philippines apart?Want to watch Matt present If You're Listening live from the Newcastle Writers Festival this Sunday, April 7? A stream will be posted to this channel on YouTubeSubscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5pPcV54kiQ

In January 2024, Narendra Modi travelled to the northern Indian town of Ayodhya to attend the consecration of a Hindu temple with a very contested history. The site had previously been occupied by a 500-year-old mosque, and had become a focal point of broader disputes between India's Hindu and Muslim communities.That fight over one hill in Ayodhya resulted in a demolition, mass protests and deadly retaliations across India. It also gave Modi a cause he could champion throughout his rapid political rise.

Australia’s housing market is, like many places in the Western world, in the midst of a crisis that feels like it will never be solved. Owning a property in an Australian city has only drifted further out of reach for most Australians in the last decade, and there are very few practical solutions on offer. Is it possible to actually unpick this situation?Japan offers a useful example. Thirty years ago, property in Tokyo was the most expensive in the world. Today, home ownership in that same city is comparatively affordable, with plenty of available stock on the market. How was this massive turnaround achieved, and how can other countries learn from the Japanese model?

When Narendra Modi left home, it wasn't to begin a career in politics. He wanted to be a monk. Modi's teenaged pilgrimage would take him across India, following the trail of his country's most influential religious leader. It was a journey that would ultimately steer him towards politics, and lay the foundation for some of his most popular and controversial philosophies.

The Princess of Wales has barely been seen since Christmas and everyone is asking, where is Kate?The Royal Family released a photo meant to squash the rumours, but when it became obvious it had been photoshopped, the speculation just got worse.Fake photos are everywhere, and there's a long history of people doctoring them, from photocopying to photoshopping, to straight up AI.But is there a time coming where we won't be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's fake?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihzt5GNfnig

For most politicians, the image of a stable marriage and a happy family is a crucial part of their pitch to voters. But in India, being single is a selling point: leaders want to show that they are dedicated only to their country. Narendra Modi's carefully crafted image of a bachelor was up-ended when it emerged that he had a wife who had been kept secret for decades.Since this scandal broke, Modi's estranged wife has barely been seen or spoken to the media. In this episode, we're going to find her.

Russia is in the midst of an election, but we already know Vladimir Putin will win. He always wins.So why does Russia bother holding elections? What’s the point?Putin learned a lesson many years ago about the illusion of democracy, and it’s one he has never forgotten.

Every Tuesday for the next seven weeks, we'll be dropping an extra episode from a new ABC podcast into the If You're Listening feed. Looking for Modi, hosted by the ABC's South Asia correspondent Avani Dias, examines the life and political career of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. It's a fascinating show that we think you might enjoy. Matt will be back with another episode on Thursday.Narendra Modi's rise from poverty-stricken childhood has been a major appeal throughout his political career. He tells ordinary Indians that he is just like them, and that his life is proof of India's egalitarian democracy. But in truth, some of the central elements of his own biography are disputed. What do we really know about his origin story, and how did his time spent with a volunteer right wing organisation many view as a paramilitary group influence his politics?