Best UNSW Podcasts (2025)

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Keynote: Hugh de Kretser, President, Australian Human Rights Commission, 2025 Kaldor Conference 27:58

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10d ago27:58

27:58

In a world fractured by fear and misinformation, how do we rebuild trust and advance refugee protection? Hugh de Kretser delivers a powerful closing keynote on bridging divides, through truth, empathy, and collective action. This is a call to move beyond rhetoric and create systems that work for refugees and communities alike. Closing keynote addre…

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The Power of Light with Dr Alison Goldingay | One Big Idea 27:08

12d ago27:08

27:08

Light has unlocked many technologies over the course of human history. The more we learn about what light is and what it can do, the more applications we find to advance our lives. When we study light at the smallest scale possible, at the atomic level, we can unlock some pretty amazing, pretty weird capabilities. Find out from Dr Alison Goldingay,…

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David Gonski reflects on 20 years as Chancellor of UNSW 19:13

17d ago19:13

19:13

David Gonski is one of Australia's most respected and connected leaders — known as the "chairman of everything". After 20 years at UNSW as its longest serving Chancellor, David Gonski is stepping down. He led the top university through COVID, funding crises and criticism of the sector's reliance on international students. What are his parting thoug…

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How QF32 beat the 'black swan' 51:21

2d ago51:21

51:21

It could have been Australia's worst-ever airline disaster – but it wasn't. When an engine exploded aboard Qantas flight 32 in 2010, its crew were faced with a "black swan" event, one so unthinkable they could not possibly prepare for it. With critical systems in chaos and hundreds of lives at stake, the A380's crew, led by Captain Richard de Cresp…

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All together now: Mobilising whole-of-society responses to international protection 1:22:53

8d ago1:22:53

1:22:53

With governments stepping back, can civil society, businesses, academics—and refugees themselves—fill the protection gap? This session reveals “whole-of-society” strategies driving real change. The panel session was recorded at the 2025 Kaldor Centre Conference, Building bridges: Advancing refugee protection in a divided world.SpeakersChair: Daniel…

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From rhetoric to reality: Centering the meaningful participation of refugees 1:29:43

8d ago1:29:43

1:29:43

Too often, refugee participation is symbolic. This panel flips that script—showcasing real-world leadership by refugees and how inclusive policies make systems stronger. This panel session was recorded at the 2025 Kaldor Centre Conference, Building bridges: Advancing refugee protection in a divided world.SpeakersChair: Frances Voon, Executive Manag…

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Conversations across divides: Fostering constructive dialogue in the public square 1:29:28

8d ago1:29:28

1:29:28

In an era of misinformation, echo chambers, and rising polarisation, how can we bring people together for honest and respectful dialogue on refugee and migration issues? This session shines a light on proven strategies that cut through fear and foster unity, grounded in research, policy, and real-world practice. Recorded at the the 2025 Kaldor Cent…

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The highs and lows of 2025 52:53

8d ago52:53

52:53

A year is a long time in aviation, and 2025 has seemed a longer year than most – what with the long-running Rex administration; Qantas' ongoing travails; Virgin Australia's tie-up with Qatar Airways and subsequent IPO; fleet renewals aplenty; and a deluge of other news. Looking ahead, 2026 looms as what will doubtless be another huge year for the s…

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Geraldine Brooks on love, loss and ghost writing for Kamala Harris 28:59

13d ago28:59

28:59

Geraldine Books is a Pulitzer Prize winning author whose work spans foreign affairs, fiction and politics. Her most recent books bring readers somewhere far more intimate. Memorial Days, released this year, is her deeply affecting meditation on love and loss written as she grieved the loss of her husband. Brooks also takes us behind the scenes of K…

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Behind the scenes of journalist Gary O'Donoghue's exclusive interview with Trump 16:51

17d ago16:51

16:51

Gary O’Donoghue is the BBC's North America correspondent who made headlines due to an sudden, exclusive interview with President Trump. He was also in Butler, Pennsylvania, the day that Donald Trump survived the assassination attempt and led global news with his award winning reports from the scene. Gary, who goes by the social media handle @BlindG…

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Rifts between Europe and America as intense talks on Ukraine war continue 8:48

13d ago8:48

8:48

The struggle between the US and the Europeans over the Ukraine war and the security of the continent is at a historic turning point — for the first time since the end of World War II, there are concerns that America is abandoning its NATO allies. European leaders will meet again this weekend to discuss using Russian assets and cash that have been f…

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Did Saturday Extra fulfil its promises to you? 4:20

18d ago4:20

4:20

At the start of this year, we said we would bring you the best commentators, the biggest brains, and people with lived experience on the ground. We promised to help make sense of the world and abide by one of the first rules in journalism — never be boring. So how did we do?By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Building bridges: Advancing refugee protection in a divided world 1:12:29

18d ago1:12:29

1:12:29

Join us for the keynote address from the 2025 Kaldor Centre Conference, 'Building bridges: Advancing refugee protection in a divided world' held on 23 October 2025 at UNSW Sydney. Speakers Daniel Ghezelbash, Professor of Law & Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW SydneyMohammed Naeem, Senior Director for Advocacy Strategy, Re…

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Rewiring AI with Dr Charu Maithani | One Big Idea 37:42

19d ago37:42

37:42

Ask any AI image generator to create an image of a garden and you’re likely to receive a very specific type; manicured English or French, colourful plants, geometric forms and a winding pathway made of stone or gravel. Why is this such a big deal? Millions of AI images are generated every week but they only represent a narrow view of real life beca…

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Sky-high demand sends airfares soaring 35:06

15d ago35:06

35:06

If there's one issue that never really goes away for Australia's aviation sector, it's airfares. Massive demand has pushed prices up, according to the ACCC, with October airfares at their highest since 2022, despite both Qantas Group and Virgin Australia adding extra capacity. To make matters worse for those out west, the WA government is set to in…

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Overland from England to Adelaide for the Ashes 11:56

20d ago11:56

11:56

18-year-old Tommy Lamb has been on the road for over 100 days, making his way from Manchester in England through Europe and Asia in the hope of making the start of the third test in Adelaide. He's travelled 16,000 kilometres without taking a plane, relying on trains, buses, boats, motorbikes and hitch-hiking. Along the way he lost and found his pas…

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Australia's biggest social experiment: a ban on social media for under-16s 11:22

20d ago11:22

11:22

Next week, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban social media accounts for users under 16, a rare bipartisan move, with both sides of government backing the legislation in an effort to curb the harmful impacts of social media on young people. Under the new rules, children under 16 will be barred from creating or maintaining ac…

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Governor-General Sam Mostyn "there is so much good in this country." 30:37

22d ago30:37

30:37

Sam Mostyn took up the role of being the Governor-General in Australia in July last year, and she’s only the second woman to perform the role. Nick Bryant caught up with the Governor-General at her official Sydney residence, Admiralty House, to discuss her role at a time of polarisation, the importance of service, accusations that she is "woke" and…

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Mass prisoner release in Myanmar ahead of sham elections this month 8:13

24d ago8:13

8:13

Myanmar's late-December elections are unfolding in what UN rights officials describe as an atmosphere of fear, violence. Ahead of that poll, which has been widely dismissed as an attempt by the military junta to obtain legitimacy, the country has released and dropped charges against more than 8-thousand people, many of them political detainees. But…

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Military build-up off Venezuela as US security strategy pledges "lethal force to defeat drugs cartels" 9:02

20d ago9:02

9:02

The Trump administration has released an updated National Security Strategy, which warned, among other things, that Europe faced what it called "the stark prospect of civilisational erasure." The new strategy document also pledged to use "lethal force to defeat drugs cartels" which it said would replace the failed law enforcement-only strategy of t…

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Tailor-Made Childhood Cancer Treatments with Professor Maria Kavallaris AM | One Big Idea 39:09

26d ago39:09

39:09

More than 400,000 children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer worldwide this year. Many treatments that are meant to save a child can leave them with lifelong side-effects, including heart damage, infertility and cognitive issues. But for the first time, precision medicine is using the tiniest tools – nanoparticles – to design tailor-mad…

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Reflections from the frontlines: 10 years of protecting people displaced in the context of disasters 43:16

25d ago43:16

43:16

10 Years of the Nansen Initiative Protection Agenda (NIPA +10): Reflections from the frontlines of the Envoy of the Chair of the Platform on Disaster Displacement In October 2015, 109 states endorsed the Agenda for the Protection of Cross-Border Displaced Persons in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change ('Nansen Agenda'), providing a toolbox …

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Smarter ageing - how living longer is reshaping how we live and work 23:43

23d ago23:43

23:43

We’re living longer, but not all those years are healthy ones. In Australia, there’s now roughly a 12-year gap between how long we live and how long we live in good health – meaning many of us can expect a decade or more of life with health problems. So, how can we shrink that gap? UNSW Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey is one of the world’s leading…

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A320s eighty-sixed – what's the 411? 44:10

24d ago44:10

44:10

If you were looking to fly anywhere in Australia this past weekend: we're so sorry to hear it. Between a fire at Melbourne Airport, the grounding of half of Jetstar's A320 fleet, and a nationwide passport processing outage, delays and cancellations plagued travellers for three days straight. Now that everything has (thankfully) returned to normal, …

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The Rest Is History podcast back in Australia 24:38

1M ago24:38

24:38

It’s a chart topping podcast with millions of downloads around the world. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland are distinguished historians — Oxford and Cambridge scholars, and bestselling authors. But their global fame comes from hosting the smash-hit podcast The Rest Is History which brings the past to life with gripping storytelling and expert anal…

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What political trends are revealed in the 2025 Australian Election Study? 14:21

27d ago14:21

14:21

This week saw the eagerly anticipated release of the Australian Election Study (AES), compiled by academics at the Australian National University and Griffith University. The survey offers one of the most comprehensive snapshots of voter attitudes in the country. It digs into what drives Australians to vote the way they do — across parties, demogra…

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Rising death toll in Hong Kong’s ‘avoidable’ fire 5:56

1M ago5:56

5:56

At least 128 people have died and 200 people are still missing. It's the city's deadliest fire in 70 years, and it ripped through a housing complex with 8 tower blocks and about 2000 apartments. An early theory is that construction materials used for a renovation fuelled the blaze.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Washington attack and Trump's America with David Frum 14:59

1M ago14:59

14:59

To discuss the Washington attack and the broader trajectory of the Trump presidency we’re joined by one of the most influential observers of American politics.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Is peace possible? Ukraine war negotiations explained 13:06

1M ago13:06

13:06

As US negotiators head to Moscow next week, doubts are mounting over what - if anything - Russia is willing to concede in a Ukraine peace deal. New reporting suggests Washington’s proposal clashes with core Kremlin demands, and a leaked call in which envoy Steve Witkoff is heard advising a senior Russian official has ignited political fury in Washi…

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Smashing the aviation data silos 28:29

30d ago28:29

28:29

With outdated and confusing systems and processes common across the aviation industry, safety and compliance can be a thorny problem for many businesses, with "data silos" holding up procedures. OneReg, a New Zealand-based company, aims to change all that, moving businesses away from cluttered folders of Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PDFs…

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SWF Great Debate: True Friends Stab You in the Front 1:17:59

1M ago1:17:59

1:17:59

The scintillating chronicler of human weakness, Oscar Wilde, once said, “True friends stab you in the front”.  In this popular event, writer and presenter Annabel Crabb and writer David Marr lead opposing teams in a rollicking debate on the legitimacy of this aphorism about friends who betray each other.   Featuring debaters Matilda Boseley, Rhys N…

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Major airlines charged with assault on batteries 40:09

1M ago40:09

40:09

After months in the works, it's official – from December, you'll be banned from using or charging your portable power bank on flights with any major airline in Australia. Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin, which already require power banks to be carried in cabin baggage and kept within easy reach, will now prohibit passengers from using them entirely – in…

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What makes a good air incident investigator, with UNSW 58:10

1M ago58:10

58:10

It's said that every accident makes aviation safer – but that doesn't happen on its own. Across the globe, air incident investigators are on the scene whenever something goes wrong with an aircraft, finding out the root of the problem and making sure it doesn't happen again. But what skills are most important to investigators: aviation experience, …

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How China is ruled by engineers and America is run by lawyers 24:19

1M ago24:19

24:19

China is an engineering state, obsessed with building megaprojects, while America is a lawyerly society, reflexively blocking everything, good and bad. That’s the framework for a new book by Dan Wang which explores the merits and madness of Beijing’s engineering state – and how it compares with Washington. Through personal insights from living in b…

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Australia and India seal major film Industry pact as Bollywood booms down under 9:34

1M ago9:34

9:34

As the popularity of Indian films surge in Australia, a new era of bilateral film collaboration is being cemented through a cultural trade deal in India. The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is on in Goa, and filmmaker Rachel Griffiths is part of an Australian delegation there to sign a historic agreement that will open up new, reciproca…

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Jamal Khashoggi's widow devastated by President Trump's defence of Saudi Crown Prince 7:34

1M ago7:34

7:34

The widow of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi says she is hurt and disappointed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a warm welcome at the White House this week. US President Donald Trump fiercely defended the Crown Prince saying he wasn't aware of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, effectively contradicting CIA assessments that the …

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One Nation surges in the polls as the Liberal Party searches for meaning 14:04

1M ago14:04

14:04

As we enter the final parliamentary sitting week of the year Sussan Ley seems to have just survived the political killing season. The Liberal Party leader's climbdown over net zero by 2050 has quelled a mutinous party room, for now at least. With the Coalition in disarray, and One Nation surging in the polls, the centre has been left wide open for …

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G20 leaders meeting in South Africa 8:21

1M ago8:21

8:21

South Africa is hosting the G20 this weekend and it should be the country's big moment, a chance to showcase its diplomatic and economic potential. But Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and the leaders of Argentina and Mexico are skipping the meeting. Without the participation of major powers, is the G20's ability to function as a credible forum fundamenta…

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Putin backs US plan for ending Ukraine war as Zelensky faces "difficult" choice 8:44

1M ago8:44

8:44

A US proposal to end the war with Russia has been widely leaked and interpreted as favouring Moscow's peace terms. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has backed the US plan for ending the Ukraine war, saying it can form the "basis of a final peace settlement." In an address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine faced one of the mo…

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Ivan Coyote: Playlist 32:39

1M ago32:39

32:39

Ivan Coyote doesn’t fit neatly into one of two gender boxes, they never have. From an early age in the Canadian Yukon, they can remember discovering a coded but very possible queer future hidden in the music coming out of the AM radio in the kitchen, lurking in their parent’s record collection, and leaking out of the lyrics in their elementary scho…

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Pampering our pets – Inside one of Australia's fastest-growing industries 27:41

1M ago27:41

27:41

Pet ownership is booming – and so is the business behind it. From birthday parties for pets to organic food and premium grooming, consumers are spending big to keep their animals healthy and happy. So why are people so invested in their pets? AGSM @ UNSW Business School MBA alumna Anneke van den Broek is the CEO and founder of premium pet-care bran…

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Jetstar's Singapore fling 43:47

1M ago43:47

43:47

It's only been a few months since the end of Jetstar Asia, but now Jetstar is looking to make a bigger push back into the Singapore market. Starting next March, the low-cost carrier will fly between the Lion City and Bali … but that won't be the end of the journey. In an interesting twist, the Singapore–Bali services will only be one leg on direct …

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The life and architecture of Lord Norman Foster 23:50

2M ago23:50

23:50

From an office boy in 1950s Manchester, Norman Foster has become one the world’s most admired and influential architects. He’s designed Apple stores and the company's circular headquarters in California, the Reichstag Building in Berlin, Wembley Stadium, the so-called Gherkin Tower in London and two buildings in Sydney; Parkline Place and the Deuts…

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The untold story of grandparenting in Australia 8:52

2M ago8:52

8:52

Grandparenting has been an overlooked role in Australian history, and so researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) are conducting a large scale research study looking at their role post WW2.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Is the future of university campuses all about collaboration? 11:58

2M ago11:58

11:58

Are universities vending machines for degrees, or are they the a breeding ground for community and collaboration? The University of Sydney's project, Campus Collaboration is facilitating conversations around the value, purpose and identity of universities. The project is lead by English literature academic Sophie Gee, who has 25 years' experience t…

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Calls grow to release all Epstein files 12:54

2M ago12:54

12:54

More than 20,000 files from the estate of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released this week by Democrat and Republican US lawmakers. Several of the emails added some details about Trump’s past relationship with Epstein but the White House has dismissed the significance of these files, with deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson say…

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BBC refuses to pay President Trump compensation 15:26

2M ago15:26

15:26

The UK's public broadcaster was mired in a major scandal this week, leading to the resignation of two senior executives, its head of news Deborah Turness and its director general, Tim Davie. The debacle follows accusations of "serious and systemic" bias in news coverage. At the centre of the controversy was misleading editing of a speech by Donald …

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Nila Ibrahimi: Song of Rebellion 1:00:08

2M ago1:00:08

1:00:08

When Nila Ibrahimi posted a video of herself online, singing proudly in protest of the ban on girls over 12 singing in public, she hoped the music would inspire young girls to continue their education. It was 2021 and the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan had come down swiftly on women's freedom. The video went viral and the ban was reversed, sending…

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A big step towards Project Sunrise 41:59

2M ago41:59

41:59

A few short years ago, Project Sunrise – Qantas' plan to fly non-stop from the east coast to London and New York – was a mere gleam in Alan Joyce's eye. Now, however, as the first A350-1000ULR gets ready to have its engines fitted, those marathon flights are looking closer than ever. While there's still a lot of work to be done, including extensive…

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Conspiracy Nation: book discussion with authors Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson 1:11:03

2M ago1:11:03

1:11:03

Media Futures Hub hosted a live conversation at UNSW with the authors Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson about their recently launched book, Conspiracy Nation. The technology and internet culture reporters discuss the history of local conspiracies and how the media and online platforms feed into these ideas, as well as advice for journalism students on the…