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Feed your mind. Be provoked. One big idea at a time. Your brain will love you for it. Grab your front row seat to the best live forums and festivals with Natasha Mitchell.

Big Ideas

As Bridgerton continues to captivate millions and we just marked the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, the Regency era has never been more thrilling. But how much must you know about corsets and carriages before you can break the rules? What's behind Bridgerton's runaway success? Should we love or loathe what it does with Regency history? Indeed, what would Jane Austen think of it all?

Presented at the History Unbound Historical Novel Festival

Speakers

Alison GoodmanWriter of crime, fantasy and historical fiction; her latest release is The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin, the second book in the Ill-Mannered Ladies series

Kelly GardinerAuthor of historical fiction and co-author of the crime novel Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective

Sharmini KumarFounder and Artistic Director of 24 Carrot Productions; co-author of the crime novel Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective

Elizabeth Leydin (host)Author of Recency romance novels (aka Pamela Hart aka Pamela Freeman)

Dearest Gentle Reader, a very Bridgerton Big Ideas! Australian novelists dissect the regency era

Feeling a little world weary? Is Stoicism the philosophy you need a little more of in your life? Can an introvert be your guide to getting out the front door? Jenny Valentish's latest book is The Introvert's Guide to Leaving the House: Solid advice for introverts, awkwards, sociophobes and stand-offishes. Brigid Delaney is author of The Secret and the Sage: A Stoic Conversation to Hold you Together in a Fractured World. What happens when a self-described introvert prepared to go out on a limb, and a fan of the Stoics share a stage? Tune in for a few life hacks.

Thanks to the Queenscliffe Literary Festival held on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula each year in October.

Speakers

Brigid DelaneyJournalist, author, screenwriter (Wellmania), former ministerial speechwriterFounder, Stoic SolutionsAuthor, The Secret and the Sage: A Stoic Conversation to Hold you Together in a Fractured World.Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic TimesWellmania: Misadventures in the Search for WellnessJenny ValentishJournalist, author, editor, writing teacher and coachAuthor, The Introvert's Guide to Leaving the HouseEverything Harder Than Everyone ElseWoman of Substances: A Journey Into Addiction and Treatment

Tracee HutchisonRadio broadcaster, media and arts leaderChair, Green Music Australia

The Stoic and the introvert — life hacks from Brigid Delaney and Jenny Valentish

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is calling for a braver response to the actions of the Belarusian dictatorship. She explores the impact of the war against Ukraine on her country, on Europe — and the rest of the world. And what are Putin's strategies for Asia? Has Russia been able to advance its economic and geopolitical interests in Southeast Asia? How did regional states react to Russian aggression against Ukraine and what explains their differing responses to the invasion?

"Freedom's Frontier: Belarus and the Battle for Europe's Future" presented by the ANU Centre for European Studies.

"Putin's Asia Strategy" presented by La Trobe Asia

Speakers

Sviatlana TsikhanouskayaNational Leader of Belarus in exile, Head of the United Transition Cabinet, and the President-elect of Belarus

Dr Ian StoreySenior Fellow of ISAES — Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore and co-editor of Contemporary Southeast Asia, one of ISEAS's three academic journalsAuthor of Putin's Russia and Southeast Asia: The Kremlin's Pivot to Asia and the Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War.

Bec Strating (host)Director of the La Trobe Centre for Global Security, Professor of International Relations at La Trobe University

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fights for a free Belarus − and what are Russia's strategies in Southeast Asia?

The hard fought for gains of one generation can pave the way for the next, but the road to equality is never straight. After meaningful progress for LGBTQIA+ people in recent years, that same community is now faced with some setbacks, and a rising hostility, So why are the human rights of LGBTIQA+ people being challenged, curtailed and politicised right now? 

The 2025 Higinbotham Lecture at RMIT University was recorded on 15 October 2025.

Speakers

Joe BallVictorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities

Dr Shelley Marshall (host) Professor of Law, and Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) of the School of Law at RMIT University

Backlash against LGBTIQA+ community — why now? Joe Ball

What is it really like to be an astronaut? How do you even become one? What happens when an argument breaks out on the International Space Station? And why are big fashion brands clamouring to design for space? As NASA prepares to return humans to the moon for the first time in 50 years, we hear from a panel of superstar astronauts about life in space.

This astronauts' forum was recorded at Sydney Science Festival on 2 October 2025, presented by Sydney's Powerhouse Museum.

Speakers

Katherine Bennell-Pegg Director Space Technology, Australian Space Agency, 2026 Australian of the Year

Joseph Acaba NASA's chief astronaut, member of NASA Artemis Mission

Koichi Wakata Chief technology officer, Asia-Pacific region, Axiom Space, first Japanese commander of the International Space Station

Tibor Kapu Astronaut, mechanical engineer, mission specialist for Axiom Mission 4

Rae Johnston (host) Science and technology journalist, presenter, Download This Show ABC Radio National

The life of astronauts — with 2026 Australian of the Year Katherine Bennell-Pegg

Harvard psychologist and bestselling author Steven Pinker is a fierce advocate for intellectual and academic freedom — and one of the world’s most prominent and provocative thinkers about human language, the mind, and how societies work. He joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell with an 800-strong Melbourne audience to discuss his latest book When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge and the Science of Harmony, Hypocrisy and Outrage. Steven Pinker doesn’t shy away from controversy — amidst the Trump administration's attacks on his own university he recently penned a NYT piece titled Harvard Derangement Syndrome — challenging the cancellation, character assassination and censorship of scholars who investigate controversial ideas.

This event and Steven Pinker's Australian tour was organised by Thinkable.Events

This event and Steven Pinker's Australian tour was organised by Thinkable.Events

Speaker

Steven PinkerJohnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard UniversityCo-founder, Council on Academic Freedom at HarvardAuthor of 13 books includingWhen Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge and the Science of Harmony, Hypocrisy and Outrage (2025).The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature.The Language Instinct.Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress .Rationality: What It Is, Why it Seems Scarce, and Why It Matters.

Harvard firebrand on intellectual freedom Steven Pinker with Natasha Mitchell

In its second term, the Albanese Government enjoys a large majority in parliament and an opposition in disarray. But faced with a fragmented, fractious electorate, ever more entrenched inequality at home and volatility abroad, and with an emphasis on a stable and moderate governing style, is this government making the most of its political advantages? Does Labor still have the courage to take on the good fight?

This event was recorded at the Hawke Centre at the University of Adelaide on 4 December 2025.

Speakers

Sean Kelly Journalist, columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, author, Quarterly Essay 100 — The Good Fight: What does Labor stand for? And The Game: A portrait of Scott Morrison

Misha Ketchell (host) Editor-in-Chief, The Conversation

What does Labor stand for? With Sean Kelly and Misha Ketchell

Liberalism is one of the most influential — and contested — political philosophies of the modern age. But what does it actually mean in contemporary Australia? Is it a philosophy of individual freedom and limited government? A cultural attitude toward diversity and change? Or has it become something else entirely? A panel of practitioners and philosophers, current politicians and historical scholars explores liberalism as a set of political and cultural ideas, as a practical governing philosophy and as the ideological foundation of one of Australia's major political parties.

Presented at the Malcolm Fraser Symposium by the Trinity College, University of Melbourne.

Speakers

David KempFormer minister for education in the Howard government, author of The Land of Dreams, a history of liberal and democratic ideas in Australia

Sarah HendersonLiberal Senator for Victoria; former Shadow Minister for Education and Communications

Alexandre LefebvreProfessor of politics and philosophy, University of Sydney. Author of the book Liberalism as a Way of Life

James PatersonLiberal Senator for Victoria and Shadow Minister for Finance, Government Services and the Public Service

What does liberalism mean today?

It makes the world go round, but it's also the root of all evil. It hasn't always had a great rap, yet most of us would like more of it. From clay tablets to coins, credit cards to crypto, for 5000 years, money has shaped our world.

This podcast episode was originally recorded on 8 October 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. Discover more talks and bold conversations by following The Wheeler Centre wherever you get your podcasts or at wheelercentre.com.

Speakers

David McWilliams Economist, author, The History of Money: A story of humanity, host, The David McWilliams Podcast, and co-founder of the world's only economics and stand-up comedy festival Kilkenomics

Jacinta Parsons (host) Co-host (with Brian Nankervis), The Friday Revue, ABC Radio Melbourne, author, A Wisdom Of Age: Lessons on living from our wise elder women and more

The history of money — with Irish economist David McWilliams

For decades, a debate has been waged over whether the colonial massacre and resistance of First Nations Australians should be recognised and memorialised by Australia's most important war museum. Don't miss this watershed event at the Australian War Memorial with trailblazing filmmaker Rachel Perkins and eminent historian Henry Reynolds for the launch of their groundbreaking new book The Australian Wars: The truth about the bloody battles fought to establish the nation.

This conversation hosted by the Australian War Memorial in Kamberra/Canberra on Ngunnawal and Ngambri country.

Speakers

Rachel PerkinsCo-editor, The Australian Wars: The truth about the bloody battles fought to establish the nation (with Henry Reynolds, Stephen Gapps, Mina Murray; Allen and Unwin 2026)Multi-award-winning filmmaker, writer, producer and founder, Blackfella FilmsDirector and presenter, The Australian Wars, First Australians (both viewable on SBS On Demand), and Blood Brothers. Other films and TV series include Total Control, Mystery Road , Redfern Now , Jasper Jones, Mabo, Bran Nue Dae, One Night the Moon, and Radiance.

Emeritus Professor Henry ReynoldsAdjunct Professor, University of Tasmania Co-editor, The Australian Wars: The truth about the bloody battles fought to establish the nation (with Rachel Perkins, Stephen Gapps, Mina Murray; Allen and Unwin, 2026)Historian and award-winning author of over 20 books including The Other Side of the Frontier, The Law of the Land, Forgotten War, Truth-Telling, and Looking from the North Australian history from the top down (UNSW, 2025).

Further information

Australian War Memorial's Indigenous Service

Defending country campaign

What does liberalism mean today?

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