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Podcasts / Social issues

Suggest a podcast

Have you uncovered a must-listen Australian podcast of your own? Recommend it to us! We’d love to know more about what you listen to.

(If you’re curious about how we decide which podcasts to include in this guide, read our FAQ here.)

The Guide

All Arts & cultureConversationCrimeCurrent affairsDocumentaryEducationalFictionFoodFunnyHealth & bodyHistoryIndigenousInvestigativeKids & parentingLive storytellingMoneyMusicNarrativeNature & placePoliticsRelationshipsScience & techSocial issuesSound artSound-richSports
  • Braided


    Young people aren’t one-dimensional, nor are they an homogenous grouping of Gen Y or Z individuals. Braided is a podcast…

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    By: Artful Dodgers Studio


    Arts & culture Narrative Social issues Sound art
  • Thin Black Line


    It would be a mistake to assume that Thin Black Line – an investigative documentary into the death of 18-year-old…

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    By: ABC Radio


    Crime Current affairs Documentary History Indigenous Investigative Narrative Politics Social issues Sound-rich
  • The History Listen


    The History Listen is ABC Radio National’s audio time capsule. Taking listeners on a journey through different eras, places, voices,…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Educational Narrative Social issues Sound-rich
  • How Do You Sleep At Night?


    How Do You Sleep At Night? is a six-part documentary series about people deemed ‘bad’ by society. Far from casting…

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    By: ABC


    Conversation Current affairs Documentary Investigative Narrative Social issues
  • Heckin’ Concerned


    In Heckin’ Concerned, charismatic host and member of the South Asian diaspora, Amruta Nargundkar helps listeners make sense of the…

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    By: Lipp Media


    Conversation Current affairs Relationships Social issues
  • Radio National Fictions


    Radio National Fictions is the ABC’s latest home for creative audio fiction.  This podcast opens up a space outside of…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Fiction Narrative Nature & place Relationships Social issues
  • SHADES


    SHADES is a podcast exploring socio-political issues via Australian hip-hop music produced by Indigenous, Black and diverse artists. Producer Beź…

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    By: Beź Zewdie


    Arts & culture Music Politics Social issues
  • Women on the Line


    Women on the Line is a national current-affairs program with an intersectional feminist lens, broadcast out of 3CR in Melbourne. …

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    By: 3CR


    Conversation Current affairs Social issues
  • From the Embers


    During the horrific fires over the 2019 and 2020 summer, Australians came to rely on the reach of the ABC…

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    By: Community Broadcasting Association of Australia


    Current affairs Documentary Educational Investigative Narrative Nature & place Social issues
  • Noir Hear This


    Nordic Noir is a crime-fiction sub-genre that has gone international. Noir Hear This is a podcast dedicated to the sub-genre,…

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    By: SBS


    Arts & culture Conversation Crime Educational Nature & place Politics Social issues
  • Coronacast


    On the release of the first episode of Coronacast on 4 March 2020, Australia had 51 total cases of Covid-19;…

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    By: ABC


    Conversation Current affairs Educational Health & body Science & tech Social issues
  • No Feeling is Final


    Content warning: this series includes discussions of mental illness, hospitals, and suicide. No Feeling Is Final is a complex, multi-layered…

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    By: ABC


    Conversation Documentary Educational Health & body Music Narrative Relationships Social issues
  • Supercast


    Supercast is a podcast about sound, space and listening in the contemporary world. Across four 20-minute episodes, Supercast brings together…

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    By: Assemble Papers and RMIT Design Hub


    Conversation Nature & place Social issues
  • Breathless


    Breathless is hosted by Guardian contributors Taylor Fuller and Miles Herbert, who provide in-depth and investigative reporting into David Dungay…

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    By: Guardian Australia


    Current affairs Investigative Politics Social issues
  • Pill Pop


    Pill Pop takes its listeners on a road trip in an old ambulance – that’s ‘Ambu-Lance Armstrong’ – from Gumtree….

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    By: The Wheeler Centre


    Conversation Educational Funny Health & body Social issues
  • Ladies, We Need To Talk


    What are the questions that make you blush? The things you only think about alone, in the middle of the…

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    By: ABC Audio Studios


    Health & body Relationships Social issues
  • Bittersweet Podcast


    In Bittersweet Podcast, two African-Australian storytellers, and friends, share their opinions and life experiences. Wintana Kidane and Rahel Davies bring…

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    By: Wintana Kidane and Rahel Davies


    Conversation Relationships Social issues
  • Full Story


    Full Story marks Guardian Australia’s entry into the news podcast fray. Released almost daily, Full Story breaks complex issues and ideas…

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    By: The Guardian Australia


    Current affairs Documentary Investigative Social issues
  • 7am


    7am is a daily narrative news briefing that is sharp and accessible with a clean, slick audio design. Each morning…

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    By: Schwartz Media


    Current affairs Investigative Politics Social issues
  • Pretty for an Aboriginal


    Actor Miranda Tapsell (Love Child, The Sapphires) and writer/actor Nakkiah Lui (Black Comedy, Kiki and Kitty) join forces to present…

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    By: BuzzFeed


    Arts & culture Conversation Current affairs Educational Indigenous Politics Relationships Social issues
  • Is it On?


    BuzzFeed News reporters Alice Workman and Lane Sainty take the week in Australian politics and pack it into an hour(ish)…

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    By: BuzzFeed


    Conversation Current affairs Educational Politics Social issues
  • The Messenger


    The Messenger is expertly crafted, and powerful storytelling. A podcast collaboration between Behind the Wire and the Wheeler Centre, the ten-part…

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    By: The Wheeler Centre and Behind the Wire


    Current affairs Documentary Investigative Narrative Politics Social issues
  • Word Up


    Spun out from ABC RN’s AWAYE! programme, Word Up is a short-form podcast in the best sense – offering a single, clear thought…

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    By: ABC RN


    Arts & culture Documentary Educational Indigenous Nature & place Social issues
  • Connect Learn Share: Life in Australia


    Connect, Learn, Share: Life in Australia is a peer-to-peer resource for newly arrived people to Australia. From language to culture,…

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    By: Australian Red Cross


    Conversation Educational Nature & place Social issues
  • Change Agents


    The Conversation, a website that brings academic commentary and research to a general audience, launched into the podscape (in cahoots with Swinburne…

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    By: The Conversation and Swinburne University


    Conversation Current affairs Politics Social issues
  • Just Words


    Just Words is a seven-part series by Sydney community radio station 2SER 107.3FM. Its focus: to present an in-depth exploration of…

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    By: 2SER


    Current affairs Documentary Narrative Politics Social issues Sound-rich
  • Background Briefing


    RN’s Background Briefing is a rarity in Australian investigative journalism. Podcast (and broadcast) weekly, the programme does current affairs in depth. Airing weekly…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Current affairs Documentary Investigative Narrative Social issues
  • Being Honest With My Ex


    Cheating, resentments, broken penises – there isn’t much Honor Eastly and Peter C. Hayward won’t talk about in Being Honest With My…

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    By: Honor Eastly and Peter C. Hayward


    Conversation Funny Relationships Social issues
  • Sisteria


    Sisteria is a friendly, conversational show about ‘women’s experiences as creators and consumers of arts and culture’. Co-host Stephanie Van Schilt…

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    By: Stephanie Van Schilt, Veronica Sullivan and Izzy Roberts-Orr


    Arts & culture Conversation Social issues
  • Can U Not?


    Melbourne-based writer/editor Brodie Lancaster and lawyer/writer Kamna Muddagouni come together to make Can U Not? – a podcast delivering intelligent commentary and feminist…

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    By: Brodie Lancaster and Kamna Muddagouni


    Arts & culture Conversation Funny Politics Social issues
  • Follow the Money


    The Australia Institute is a Canberra-based progressive think tank, and its podcast Follow the Money is intended to clarify economic issues…

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    By: The Australia Institute


    Conversation Current affairs Educational Money Social issues
  • Speaking With…


    Produced sporadically by academia-meets-journalism website The Conversation, Speaking with… is a podcast with a rotating roster of hosts introducing guests experts…

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    By: The Conversation


    Arts & culture Conversation Educational Nature & place Science & tech Social issues
  • The Policy Shop


    Hosted by University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis, The Policy Shop was a podcast that ran between 2016 and 2018, all…

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    By: The University of Melbourne


    Conversation Current affairs Educational Politics Social issues
  • National Features and Documentaries Series


    The National Features and Documentary Series is an annual collection of ten half-hour features and documentaries coming from Australia’s uniquely vast…

    Continue reading >


    By: Community Broadcasting Association of Australia


    Documentary Narrative Social issues Sound-rich
  • Deadly Voices from the House


    Deadly Voices from the House host Rhoda Roberts invites Aboriginal and First Nations leaders from diverse pockets of arts and culture (including…

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    By: Sydney Opera House


    Arts & culture Conversation Music Social issues
  • Ideas at the House


    Ideas at the House collects live recordings from Sydney Opera House’s talks programme – including themed festivals like All About Women…

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    By: Sydney Opera House


    Arts & culture Conversation Educational Social issues
  • Behind the Lines


    Go behind the scenes at the Guardian Australia newsroom, where hosts Bridie Jabour and Miles Martignoni discuss news stories with the journalists who…

    Continue reading >


    By: Guardian Australia


    Conversation Current affairs Politics Social issues
  • Curtain


    Curtain is a true crime podcast hosted by Amy McQuire and Martin Hodgson, and it very much borrows from the Serial…

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    By: BIMA Projects


    Crime Documentary Indigenous Investigative Narrative Social issues Sound-rich
  • Long Story Short


    Long Story Short was a short series produced for ABC Radio National in 2013 with the aim of ‘showcasing real life Australian…

    Continue reading >


    By: ABC Radio National


    Documentary Narrative Nature & place Relationships Social issues
  • Token


    Guardian staff come together to discuss issues of ‘race, culture, sex, gender, and identity’ in the news. Yes, you’ll hear some…

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    By: The Guardian


    Conversation Current affairs Politics Social issues
  • The Outer Sanctum


    The Outer Sanctum is a place for stories about Australian Rules football – told by an all-female team of passionate footy fans not often…

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    By: Emma Race, Kate Seear, Nicole Hayes, Alicia Sometimes, Lucy Race and Felicity Race


    Conversation Social issues Sports
  • Token Skeptic


    Token Skeptic takes a skeptic’s look at current affairs, ‘urban legends, good science, pseudoscience and what makes popular culture pop’….

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    By: Kylie Sturgess


    Conversation Current affairs Documentary Science & tech Social issues
  • Hack


    Hack is a daily current affairs program produced by ABC’s youth radio network Triple j. Hosted by Tom Tilley, Hack covers a vast…

    Continue reading >


    By: ABC Radio


    Conversation Current affairs Investigative Money Politics Relationships Science & tech Social issues
  • SBS True Stories


    Each season of SBS True Stories explores a different theme. From high school survival tales to true stories of untold Australia, this podcast features…

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    By: Special Broadcasting Service


    Arts & culture Crime Documentary Investigative Narrative Social issues Sound-rich
  • AWAYE!


    Presented by Daniel Browning, a Bundjalung and Kullilli man, AWAYE! tells stories about Aboriginal arts and culture from across Australia – as…

    Continue reading >


    By: ABC Radio National


    Arts & culture Conversation Documentary Indigenous Politics Social issues
  • Late Night Live


    Late Night Live is one of ABC Radio National’s most popular podcasts – and the home of some of its…

    Continue reading >


    By: ABC Radio National


    Arts & culture Conversation Current affairs Social issues
  • Health Report


    Radio National’s Health Report, presented by Norman Swan, aims to clarify and make accessible issues of personal and public health…

    Continue reading >


    By: ABC Radio National


    Educational Health & body Science & tech Social issues
  • Big Ideas


    The blurb for this one really says it all: Big Ideas broadcasts recordings of ‘talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in…

    Continue reading >


    By: ABC Radio National


    Arts & culture Conversation Educational Science & tech Social issues
  • The Law Report


    The Law Report tries to make legal matters accessible and listenable through ‘informative, jargon-free stories about law reform, legal education, test…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Crime Current affairs Politics Social issues
  • The Minefield


    Hosted by Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens, Radio National ethics podcast The Minefield invites listeners into each episode with a question:…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Conversation Crime Educational Investigative Politics Relationships Social issues
  • The Philosopher’s Zone


    The Philosopher’s Zone, hosted by Joe Gelonesi, takes philosophy into much broader territory than the name might suggest – in…

    Continue reading >


    By: ABC Radio National


    Arts & culture Conversation Educational Health & body Social issues
  • The Body Sphere


    The Body Sphere is all about … you guessed it. It’s radio that gets physical, delving into the many ways…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Conversation Health & body Social issues
  • All in The Mind


    All in The Mind explores all things mental. It’s about the brain and behaviour, and the fascinating connections between them. In each…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Conversation Health & body Science & tech Social issues
  • Human/Ordinary


    In his independent podcast Human/Ordinary, Sam Loy tackles ‘stories about our culture, our relationships, and the extraordinary feat of being alive’….

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    By: Sam Loy


    Documentary Investigative Narrative Social issues
  • The Dumbo Feather Podcast


    The Dumbo Feather Podcast features conversations with extraordinary people. Mostly recordings from their live conversation events, Dumbo Feather‘s guests are often compelling…

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    By: Dumbo Feather


    Arts & culture Conversation Relationships Social issues
  • Conversations


    Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. It’s longform…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Arts & culture Conversation Relationships Social issues
  • The Real Thing


    From longtime collaborators Timothy Nicastri and Mike Williams comes The Real Thing – a lively, dynamic bunch of features delving into…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Documentary Funny Investigative Narrative Relationships Social issues Sound-rich
  • Not What You Think


    Not What You Think is a Sydney-made podcast that hoovers up an eclectic field of subject matter, and has been slowly…

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    By: FBi Radio


    Arts & culture Documentary Narrative Relationships Social issues Sound-rich
  • This Is About


    This Is About was an ABC Radio National podcast which focussed on one true story per episode, as told by the…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Documentary Narrative Relationships Social issues Sound-rich
  • The Rule Book


    The Rule Book is an ambitious undertaking by producer James Milsom to tell stories about the law – ‘the rules…

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    By: James Milsom


    Crime Documentary Money Narrative Social issues Sound-rich
  • Bowraville


    ‘You’ve got three children who all disappeared. All from the same street? What could have happened?’ Dan Box is the…

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    By: The Australian


    Crime Documentary Investigative Narrative Social issues
  • The Party Room


    Hosted by RN Breakfast’s Fran Kelly and RN Drive’s Patricia Karvelas, and produced by Jess O’Callaghan, The Party Room pulls apart…

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    By: ABC Radio National


    Conversation Current affairs Educational Politics Social issues
  • Private Parts


    Private Parts is a podcast that unfastens social taboos. A collaboration between digital designers Irit Pollak and Elin Andersson, this podcast isn’t…

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    By: Irit Pollak and Elin Andersson


    Conversation Health & body Relationships Social issues
  • The Wheeler Centre


    The Wheeler Centre podcast showcases their best talks, spanning all corners of the world of books, writing and ideas. In…

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    By: The Wheeler Centre


    Arts & culture Conversation Educational Fiction Health & body Live storytelling Politics Relationships Science & tech Social issues Sports
  • Better Off Dead


    Well-loved tv personality Andrew Denton shrank from public life for a couple of years, and re-emerged with Better Off Dead –…

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    By: The Wheeler Centre and Thought Fox Productions


    Crime Documentary Health & body Investigative Narrative Politics Social issues Sound-rich
  • Short & Curly


    Short & Curly is a fast-paced fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents, with questions and ideas to really get you thinking. It asks curly questions like about animals, technology, school, pop culture and the future.


    By: ABC Radio


    Conversation Kids & parenting Social issues

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