Big Ideas
736 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsBig Ideas brings you the best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world, casting light on the major social, cultural, scientific and political issues
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Episodes
Jess Hill-urgent action needed to tackle domestic abuse
July 12, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe statistics are overwhelming. One woman in four has experienced violence from an intimate partner according to national surveys. And there’s a campaign to introduce laws which deal with the insidious nature of coercive control. Journalist Jess Hill has spent many years investigating domestic violence. She speaks to Kerry O'Brien about our failure to adequately deal with the causes or the crime.
Reasonable robot and AI hype
July 08, 2021 10:05 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MBArtificial intelligence is being applied to almost every activity and profession. So will humans continue to set the standard in skills like surgery or driving cars or will robots be the benchmark? We look at how laws might have to change to judge fault in accidents or in deciding intellectual property rights. And how AI is revolutionizing drug development and diagnostics.
Death penalty - and Captain Moonlite
July 06, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWhether you are for or against the death penalty, you would at least expect that that decision is based on a sound legal process. But death penalty law expert Marc Bookman reveals the foibles of the system in practice. And - the true and epic story of Captain Moonlite. He was one of Australia’s most notorious bushrangers and in all probability the first openly gay one.
How history may yet be the death of us
July 05, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThere’s a famous quote about learning the lessons of history: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. But perhaps the reverse is also true. Too much memory, too much focus on injustice and grievances, can make us captives of the past . Stan Grant looks at the uses and abuses of history either as a foundation for justice or as a way to promote an endless cycle of revenge and retribution..
The rise of e-commerce and conscious consumerism
July 01, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBThe pandemic has ruined many businesses. But it has also accelerated the digital transformation of the economy. Despite lockdowns, and covid restrictions, consumers have continued to spend and shop. And online traders have been the beneficiary. However, this has also led to more parcels, more packaging and more waste. What are e-commerce businesses doing to address this?
Uluru, frontier violence, and the Statement from the Heart
June 30, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBUluru is a spiritual place for indigenous people and it looms large in the national imagination. Historian Mark McKenna uncovered a hidden truth about an infamous frontier killing at Uluru in the 1930’s. Indigenous campaigner, Thomas Mayor, believes the “Statement from the Heart” could only have come from Uluru. Paul Barclay speaks to Mark and Thomas about Uluru, history, truth telling, and the importance of the Uluru statement. ...
Cities 2060
June 29, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MBA sea-change or tree change has its appeal but you’re running against a global trend. Over half of the world’s population now live in towns and cities and there’s no sign of it slowing down. It’s a headache for city planners who are trying to keep up with demand. The World Science Festival asked urban planners to imagine the future of Australian cities in 2060.
Green electricity
June 24, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBCoal, oil and gas currently drive most of our electricity generation, manufacturing and transport systems. If we’re to achieve zero emissions then green alternatives are vital. And we need green energy at scale. Solar panels on your roof will only go part of the way to producing enough electricity . This discussion, from the World Science Festival, tackles the challenge of making the transition to green energy.
Health for all
June 23, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe pandemic has opened a window of opportunity for us to "build back better", and create a healthy, sustainable and equitable future, according to public health expert, Dr Sandro Demaio. He says we have a once-in-a-lifetime shot at achieving "health for all". Sandro joins Cassandra Goldie and Professor Sharon Friel for a discussion about health equity.
Not for profits and anthropology in the office
June 21, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBAfter Covid do we need to invest more in the not-for-profit sector which has demonstrated its vital role in keeping communities together? And a financial journalist puts her anthropology training to good use as she maps the tribal norms which shape how teams operate in different workplaces.
The serious side of the game
June 17, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBStop playing around and start playing seriously. Our deep drive to play has shaped our cultures and our philosophies, our working lives, and our civilizations since we first started playing. AND – women’s soccer in Australia. Fighting for more equality on and off the field, women's football is a story of community, endurance and success. A celebration of the sport and The Matildas.
The decline of the British Army
June 16, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBJournalist, Simon Akam, investigates the failures of the British Army, including alleged war crimes, in his provocative book, The Changing of the Guard. He examines what has gone wrong with the British Army since 9/11, how it has changed, and what it has learnt from unsuccessful campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The anxiety of parenting and happiness
June 15, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBModern parents juggle work and home and try to meet high expectations about each child reaching their potential. Two parenting experts talk about the particular demands of raising teenage girls and raising boys with a healthy masculinity. And is striving for personal happiness a worthwhile goal or does trying to be happy all the time create more anxiety?
Caste and mission songs
June 10, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBHow do different societies decide who is on the top, and who is at the bottom , of the social hierarchy? African American journalist Isabel Wilkerson compares the racial ideology of America’s deep South with Nazi Germany and the caste system in India. And indigenous musician Jessie Lloyd talks about her quest to collect and preserve the songs written by the indigenous Australians moved off country to live on Christian missions, government reserves or ...
The rare metals war
June 09, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThere is a dark side to clean energy and digital technologies Solar panels, wind turbines, mobile phones, and electric cars all depend on rare metals, But there are big problems with how these metals are mined, processed and traded. And there are profound economic and geopolitical impacts resulting from China’s dominance of the rare metals industry.
Revolutionary science of the French Revolution
June 08, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe French Revolution hasn’t only shaped our political ideologies to this day. It’s also been extremely influence in the field of science. Steve Jones explores the scientific advances made during this time and how they shape modern science. Many French scientists of that time literally devoted their lives to science with many of them being executed – for their new insights as much as for their involvement in politics. ...
Indigenous history and the history of fire
June 03, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBAustralian history stretches back 60,000 years but our written history is only 250 years old. Historians are restoring indigenous people to their proper place in the story of Australia but there’s much we still don’t know. An indigenous historian is leading an international team to discover how communities responded to other seafarers who arrived on our shores long before the British. And can indigenous fire management help contain contemporary bushfi...
Can sanctions restore democracy in Myanmar?
June 02, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBPro-democracy activists are urging Australia to impose sanctions on the military leaders in Myanmar. In February the Myanmar military suspended democratic government. They blocked the National League for Democracy from forming a government despite a landslide election victory. Protests are on-going but can they succeed without tough sanctions from the international community?
Ross Garnaut on economic reform and greening the economy
June 01, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MBThe Australian economy has taken a big hit from Covid. We’re now on the road to recovery but what should that look like? Is it enough to go back to the way we were or is it time for something different? In these final two Reset Lectures, economist Ross Garnaut says the time is right for major economic reform. He proposes changes to corporate tax, the introduction of a universal basic income scheme and fast tracking the transition to a zero carbon econ...
Ross Garnaut on restoring the economy after the pandemic
May 31, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBCompared to many other countries, the Australian economy is in a better place as far as Covid is concerned. Yet we know uncertain times are ahead. You don’t emerge unscathed from a global shock of this magnitude. Economist Ross Garnaut says now is the time for bold policy to achieve full employment and incomes growth. In the Reset Lectures, he sets out his plan for restoring Australia after the pandemic recession.
Mikhail Gorbachev and the collapse of the Soviet Union
May 27, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIt’s 30 years since the fall of the Iron Curtain and the end of the Soviet Union. Mikhail Gorbachev inherited a country that had many problems but was not on the verge of collapse. Six years later, he ended the Cold War and allowed the break-up of the USSR. What were the social, political and global forces that led this result? And how did the hero of glasnost end up being regarded a traitor by so many in his home country? ...
Can we be free in an era of constant surveillance?
May 26, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBBy tracking purchasing habits, online retailers can discover a teenager is pregnant, before her parents do. US police are rolling out intrusive surveillance technologies, in the name of crime fighting, with little oversight. Virtually every online activity is subject to some form of surveillance. In real life, too, cameras film us as we walk down the street and enter buildings. Can we be free in an era of constant surveillance? ...
How human evolution has made us unfit for the modern world
May 25, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIn a modern world of our own making, we find ourselves 'unfit for purpose'. Human evolution that’s created us as an extraordinary functioning species, has at the same time set us up to fail. Big Ideas explores the health and social implications of living a modern-day life in a stone-age body. Many of our current woes like obesity, stress or violence have evolutionary causes.
China-Australia tensions and Taiwan
May 24, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBAustralia is on thin ice with China and struggling to rebuild the relationship. We disagree over many issues and China is pushing back against, what it sees , as unfair criticism and hostility to its national interest. So how are Chinese Australians responding to the tensions between the two countries? And how does Taiwan see its future as China restates its commitment to reunification?
Changing minds on climate change
May 20, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIt’s difficult to initiate social change - not only to make people understand that change is needed, but to get them to alter their behaviour and maybe even to get them to give up some things. Two young activists discuss strategies of how to motivate crowds and the power of taking action.
Can crises trigger positive change?
May 19, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBShelter was found for the homeless, the unemployed were paid a living wage, banks offered loan repayment holidays, and we rediscovered our local communities. The pandemic seemed to have a silver lining. But can a major crisis deliver long term social change? How do we achieve a change in how we think, and act?
Marshalling the troops for change
May 17, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIt’s difficult to initiate social change - not only to make people understand that change is needed, but to get them to alter their behaviour and maybe even to get them to give up some things. Two young activists discuss strategies of how to motivate crowds and the power of taking action.
Career reinvention and a longer working life
May 13, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIs a pandemic the right time to change careers or extend your working life? A career change expert talks about the way to reinvent yourself, business analysts discuss career change over an extended working life and gender equity advocates outline the special needs of working women in the economic recovery after the pandemic.
Rick Morton discusses trauma and his Complex PTSD diagnosis
May 12, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe fallout from one dreadful day when he seven years old, and the realisation his father was incapable of loving him, traumatised writer Rick Morton in a way he’s never truly understood. Rick discusses his Complex PTSD diagnosis, and how, as a result, he’s decided to live life as he has never lived it before: openly and vulnerably.
The birth of the universe
May 11, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBFollowing the first light to the dawn of the cosmos. New technology allows us to glimpse more of the earliest beginnings of the universe and with that it helps us to predict the future. Join a constellation of astrophysicists as they explore what the first stars looked like, the nature of dark energy and how the acceleration of the universe might end.
Human trafficking and modern slavery in Asia
May 10, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBModern slavery takes many forms. There's forced marriage , child labour and workers toiling in sweatshop conditions. Poorly paid workers are often behind the cheap consumer goods we buy and some of those workers will be in bondage to traffickers. Human trafficking is a feature of many global industries and we know that the victims we find are just the tip of the iceberg.
Evil witches – what their role in fairy tales tells us about society
May 06, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBHow do you feel about the Evil Queen in Snow White? Yes - she tried to kill her stepdaughter three times, but is she really the villain? The evil witches in fairy tales reflect cultural anxieties and they fight against set norms of society. The aging witch against the virgin beauty – did it ever occur to you that the Evil Queen and Snow White might be the same person?
Voluntary Assisted Dying: how are Victorian laws working?
May 05, 2021 10:05 - 55 minutes - 51 MBVictoria was the first state in Australia to legalise Voluntary Assisted Dying. The law came into effect in 2019. Western Australian and Tasmania have now passed similar laws, but they are yet to take effect. After nearly two years of operation in Victoria, how are the laws working, and where is the debate at?
Grace Tame and the campaign against sexual abuse
May 04, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe extent of sexual abuse in our society has been laid bare in recent months. Survivors of abuse have courageously stepped forward to tell their stories in the media and on social media. One of those people is Australian of the Year, Grace Tame , recognized for her campaign to shine a light on the way we deal with sexual assault. Grace speaks to Kerry O'Brien about her personal experience and her call for a national taskforce to deal with this issue....
The science of stress
May 03, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBStress is one of the big health and wellbeing problems of modern life. It seems there is no way to escape it: too many work demands, social tensions, juggling all the tasks in your day done, financial pressures - even your leisure time can get too busy. On Big Ideas, three experts explain the science of stress: How our bodies and brains react to it and how we can improve coping with it.
Legacy of the Treaty of Versailles
April 29, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe Treaty of Versailles was supposed to bring ‘peace without victory’ and end all wars. Far from it, most conflicts of the past century can be traced back to that unprecedented peace conference in Paris. Big Ideas a panel of historians discusses the shortcomings of the Treaty of Versailles and explain how it more or less laid out the roadmap for the 20th century.
Leaving Catholicism
April 28, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWriter, Monica Dux, grew up a devout Catholic, once telling a high school friend she wanted to be a nun. But, over time, she lost her religion, and eventually became so disillusioned with the Catholic Church she decided to quit. She discovered, “you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave”.
History of the computer
April 27, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIn just over 100 years the computer has come a long way. Early devices were huge, clunky machines; a 1000-word memory was considered a lot; and the capacity of doing 29 equations simultaneously was a break-through. Despite its limitations, a lot of the old technology is still at the basis of today’s ubiquitous high-tech computers. Big Ideas takes you on a journey through the history of the modern computer.
China and its relationship with the US and the world
April 22, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBUS president Joe Biden has pledged a reformed approach to China and the United States’ relationship with the outside world. So, what would a changing US-China relationship mean for the rest of the world? And does the US look for more cooperation with Europe on dealings with China? A panel of China and international security experts explores the complex geopolitics connecting America and China.
Alan Finkel on Australia's energy transition
April 21, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBAlan Finkel, Australia's former Chief Scientist, plots a course for moving away from carbon emitting fossil fuels, towards a zero emissions world. Solar, wind, as well as battery storage of renewables, will meet more of energy needs. But the great hope, down the track, is hydrogen power.
Mind-altering medicines and anti-virals
April 20, 2021 10:05 - 55 minutes - 50.9 MBPsychedelic drugs were a feature of 1960s counter-culture and the subject of serious medical research from the 1940s onwards. Research was halted after psychedelics were declared dangerous and banned but new research is finding them to be powerful medicine. And, with the coronavirus pandemic in full swing, why are there so few drugs to treat viruses?
Workplace Gender Equality
April 15, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBIt’s over 50 years since the equal pay decision when the Arbitration Commission endorsed the principle of equal pay for equal work. But 50 years on there’s still a gender pay gap. Despite campaigns for gender equality Australian women earn , on average , 13.4 percent less than men. So why is there this persistent gap and how can we fix it? The Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency wants employers to be agents of change. ...
Kevin Rudd on the Murdoch media, China, and how Labor can win government.
April 14, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBFormer Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, talks to Paul Barclay about how to diversify the news media, the dominance of the Murdoch papers, why Australian needs a big population and larger defence force, China, and how Labor can win government, nationally.
Mata Hari – and the concept of the ‘evil’ female spy
April 13, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBMata Hari - the erotic dancer was executed during World War I as one of several ‘evil female spies’. The ‘spy-mania’ at the time was influenced by the assumption that women were innately deceptive. It was also believed that women exploited the war to gain social and economic privileges that belonged previously for men only. Historian Joanne Bourke explains what made Mata Hari the perfect scape goat.
Democracy under threat
April 12, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBEuropeans well know the risks of ultra nationalism and authoritarian leaders. So why is populism making a comeback? That’s what American historian Anne Applebaum sets out to discover. Living for a time in Poland she witnessed first-hand conservative friends moving further to the right to embrace populist politics. Why are these movements so seductive and how can we protect democracy?
Ideas to draw us closer in the Covid era
April 08, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe Covid pandemic has been a lonely time for many people. Physically distanced we’ve reached out to each other online but it’s not the same as being together in the same space. The Night of Ideas is a global conversation where speakers on arts, science and culture propose ways to bring us closer together.
What makes a great city?
April 07, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWhat makes a city great, and how do we conserve it? Paul Barclay asks architect and writer, Elizabeth Farrelly, what it was she fell in love with, when she first arrived in Sydney in the late 1970s, and what concerns she has about the city's future. They are in conversation about Elizabeth's book, Killing Sydney
Journalism crisis in the Asia Pacific
April 06, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBRecent events in Hong Kong, the Philippines and also Australia suggest media freedom in the Asia-Pacific region is declining. Despite intimidation, trolling on social media, detention and even death, journalists and publishers continue to report stories and publish news. On Big Ideas a panel of prominent journalists and academics analyse the crisis of journalism in the Asia-Pacific region, ask why it matters and what might be done to try and safeguard...
Should the law be more forgiving?
April 05, 2021 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBAre you able to forgive and forget or are there some things that are simply unforgiveable? Almost all religious teachings preach the power of forgiveness and Mahatma Gandhi said that the strong person is the one able to forgive. So should the law be more forgiving? Two eminent lawyers discuss the law, justice and forgiveness in the annual Gandhi Lecture.
Black holes and meteorites
April 01, 2021 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBThe 2020 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded for research into black holes and divided between Roger Penrose for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity and Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy. So what does this reveal about our universe? And the story of our solar system contained within the Murchison meteorite. ...