Big Ideas

Folk legend Eric Bogle is opening up and talks about his life, his thoughts about death, friendship and love and why having a deeper message for writing songs is so much more important than money and fame. It's a rare opportunity to share a conversation with one of the best and most prolific songwriters of the last several decades. His songs have become Australian classics – like The Band Played Waltzing Matilda or No Man's Land. And as a very special treat – you'll hear the world premiere of his latest song … finished on the way to this event. A Heartland Conversation presented at the Blue Mountains Music Festival. March 17, 2024 Original broadcast on April 15, 2024 Speakers Eric Bogle Scottish-born Australian folk singer-songwriter Gregg Borschmann (host) Writer, radio producer and oral historian for the National Library of Australia

They use of shark nets to protect us from sharks is highly controversial.  Do they work, what do they do to marine life, are there alternatives, and why are sharks so political? This is an issue that ignites passions. Join Big Ideas' host Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival for a robust interrogation of the harms and benefits​​. Original broadcast April 17, 2024. Speakers Lawrence Chlebeck  Marine biologist and campaigner Humane Society International   Dr Chris Pepin-Neff  Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Sydney  Author, Flaws: Shark Bites and Emotional Public Policymaking (2019)  Steven Pearce  Chief Executive Officer, Surf Life Saving NSW     Hannah Tait CEO, Action for Dolphins  Further information:  Australian UAV Service    NSW Shark meshing program  NSW Shark Management Strategy and Shark Program Review (2022)  Rebranding Sharks project  Australian Shark Incident Database  Yearly Worldwide “Shark Attack Summary” (Florida Museum)  Shark nets information (Action for Dolphins) 

At a time when family violence wasn't even recognised by the law, a group of women broke into two vacant houses in Sydney and claimed squatters' rights, changing lives and attitudes to family violence forever. This event was recorded at the Elsie Conference on 15 March 2024. Original Big Ideas broadcast on 6 May 2024. Speakers Professor Di Otto Halfway House Victoria Bobbie Townsend Former resident and worker, Elsie Women's Refuge Vivien Johnson Founding member of Marrickville Women's Refuge Collective Ludo McFerrin (host) Elsie Women's Refuge

Australia's unique biodiversity, a product of almost 50 million years of glorious evolutionary isolation, is in freefall. The threats are not just the rabbits, the cane toads, the cats and foxes – the common culprits. Let's not forget the small but impactful smooth newt or the fierce red fire ants, and the many invasive weeds. Twenty new weeds will establish in the wild in Australia this year – and every year to come … unless things change. But is it possible to stop this ongoing invasion? How do we go about it? Heartlands Conversations was presented as part of the Blue Mountain Music Festival Original broadcast on May 16, 2024 Speakers Costa Georgiadis Host of ABC TVs Gardening Australia and landscape architect Andrew Cox CEO of the Invasive Species Council Gregg Borschmann (host) Writer, radio producer and oral historian for the National Library of Australia

From Vincent Namatjira's painting of Gina Rinehart, to Jonathan Yeo's take on King Charles, what do portraits say about those they represent, those who create them, and the broader context of the time? The Andrew Sayers Memorial Lecture was recorded at the National Portrait Gallery on 31 July 2024. The National Gallery of Australia's annual lecture with Lindy Lee was recorded on 24 October 2024. Speakers Benjamin Law Writer, broadcaster and cultural commentator Sarah Oakes (host) Director, External Relations, National Portrait Gallery Lindy Lee Artist Further information Watch LIndy Lee's full lecture "A Life of Spirit" here Catch Lindy Lee at the NGA for Ouroboros (permanent) and her retrospective until 1 June 2025. Read more about Jordan Richardson's Venus here