Acknowledgement of Country//
Headlines:
Physiotherapy researcher and health science communicator Dr Joshua Pate joined us to unpack the impacts of chronic pain on young peoples' lives, and the consequences of failing to believe young people and adequately resource paediatric pain care in Australia. Joshua co-authored the 2025 National Kids in Pain Report commissioned by Chronic Pain Australia, released in September 2025, which details the scale and impact of chronic pain for young people in Australia. The report documents how these experiences shape young peoples' worlds and have flow-on effects in all parts of their lives, and you can read it here.//
Artist, creative director and producer Grace Dlabik spoke with us about a fundraising campaign to purchase an accessible vehicle for her 22-year-old son Elijah so that he can expand his independence and freedom. Grace discussed the challenges of navigating the administrative burden of the NDIS to secure transport and mobility devices and modifications, and the relationship between mobility, transport and the agency and independence of people with disability. Donate to the fundraiser here.//
We hear an excerpt of an address by author and historian Professor Jenny Hocking on the history of Gough Whitlam’s Prime Ministership and his dismissal in 1975, as well as revelations from her successful High Court bid to release palace correspondence.//
Jake McGuinnes from the Health Workers Union joined us to discuss the Union's first protected industrial action in 25 years.Thousands of Victorian healthcare workers will walk off the job today, furious about a threatened pay cut amid heavy workloads and staff shortages. Join them from 12PM as they rally at the Victorian Parliament steps, Spring Street.//
Lucinda Thorpe, Privacy Campaigner for Digital Rights Watch, spoke with us about the federal government's National AI Plan released on Tuesday the 2nd of December, which is backed by a $30 million commitment to set up the AI Safety Institute in early 2026. The thin plan is managed under the former industry minister's "mandatory guardrails" to protect against Al's worst harms. While experts have called for greater and targeted regulations for Big Tech, the government is opting to use existing frameworks instead. Read Digital Rights Watch’s media release on the plan here, and head to their website for further information to equip you to write to your local MP about it.//
Emily, Inez, Leila, Priya, River, Alice
