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Big Ideas

ABC
Mental Health
Climate Change
Aging
Ageism
Intergenerational Relationships
Tiger Parents
Tennant Creek
Gerontology
Treatment-Resistant Depression
Northern Territory Emergency Response
Human Rights
Community Services
Social Work
PTSD
Psychedelics
Aboriginal People
Domestic Violence
Cultural Stigmas
Clinical Trials
Kidney Disease

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1385Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsSociety & CultureNews

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Artwork for Big Ideas

Latest Episodes

How has the fossil fuel industry wielded influence over Australian governments and their policies? What does it take to make ambitious change in the public interest, without vested interests getting in way? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaid... more

A workforce we rarely hear about, lives in limbo, and stories from the coalface. From economic gains and cultural exchanges to exploitation and absconding, what are the successes and problems of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme? Wh... more

At face value, collaboration sounds like a good thing: collaboration in the classroom, with colleagues, or between nations. But throughout history, collaboration was not always considered a virtuous act, and those who were identified as collaborators... more

Your personal safety is big business, so much so that it’s given rise to “security capitalism”, a phenomenon where attempts to buy personal safety shape the world around us.

As security becomes just another status symbol, do these gadgets make us s... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Dr. Simon Longstaff
Philosopher and Director of The Ethics Centre
The Ethics Centre
Episode: When thinking together goes wrong — exploring the dark side of collaboration
Jem Bendell
A sustainability professor and author of 'Breaking Together, A Freedom-Loving Response to Collapse'
Episode: Jem Bendell, the fake green fairytale, and how to survive civilisational collapse
Jess Huon
Meditation teacher and writer
Episode: Meditation and mindfulness in the digital age
Nicholas Van Dam
Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre and Associate Professor in the School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
Episode: Meditation and mindfulness in the digital age
Dr. Lynne Kelly
Author of The Knowledge Gene and an Australian senior memory champion
La Trobe University, University of Melbourne
Episode: The Knowledge Gene — an incredible story of the origins of human creativity
Hilary Blackshaw
Multi-instrumentalist and music educator
Episode: The Knowledge Gene — an incredible story of the origins of human creativity
Jane Rusden
Artist with a focus on environmental themes and an understanding of species, particularly birds
Episode: The Knowledge Gene — an incredible story of the origins of human creativity
Ruthie Foster
American blues folk and gospel singer-songwriter
Episode: 2025 Grammy winner Ruthie Foster talks about her life and music
Liz Allen
Demographer and social researcher at the ANU
Australian National University
Episode: Childless on purpose — the fertility crisis and the big decision

Host

Natasha Mitchell
Host known for engaging discussions that provoke thought and explore significant cultural and social issues.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Big Ideas Spotify episode

    This should have been an interesting program, but any “investigative journalist” who uses the word “like” as every fifth word needs some coaching on public speaking before the ABC gives them a platform.

    I gave up a few minutes in - too tedious to keep listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    LizAnne S
    Australia4 months ago
  • Always stimulating!

    Excellent podcast among my short-list of #podrecs - the programming is excellent, interviewers and chairs great, guests always invigorating and stimulating. Worth tuning in, following and sharing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Anthony Zwi
    Australia5 months ago
  • Adam Liaw

    Big ideas is always good but I was so stimulated by this show as Adam traversed issues of politics, culture, science and food. We are so blessed to have our Aunty sharing her sage advice through such interesting people.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    digit2021
    Australia6 months ago
  • 21 July 2025 Dr Who episode

    LOL “We all love Dr Who so much” - that it’s looking likely there’ll be no further episodes produced: Disney is backing out; viewer numbers are way down. It’s the problem, isn’t it, when a dearly loved production gets all lecture-ish instead of just being plain old fun.

    Of course the ABC doesn’t like facts to stand in the way of a good ol’ puff piece. Viewers are sick of it.

    The ABC is increasingly dull, dull, dull.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    LizAnne S
    Australia6 months ago
  • Insightful

    Some really insightful interviews and analyses of issues. I especially enjoy the ones I don’t agree with because they are presented without vitriol and so I am challenged to defend the way I perceive things.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bilas Peles
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners criticize perceived biases in content and guest selection.
Considered thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating with a diverse range of topics.
Many enjoy the depth of discussions, appreciating the insights from various guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

We asked for workers and got people — life on the controversial visa putting food on your plate
Q: What difference does that income make to you and your wife's life, but also your family back home?
Nunes mentioned that their income allowed them to build their parents a house and plan to construct rental apartments for additional income.
We asked for workers and got people — life on the controversial visa putting food on your plate
Q: What does your job involve doing?
Nunes Cosbar shared that he supervises and assists in different roles like driving and berry picking at the farm.
When thinking together goes wrong — exploring the dark side of collaboration
Q: What is constructive subversion?
It's the act of questioning and challenging unethical practices to promote a better understanding of shared values.
When thinking together goes wrong — exploring the dark side of collaboration
Q: What do we do about the censorship in social media?
We should demand that institutions declare their values and act consistently with them.
The relationship between brain and machine
Q: What happens if we give AI the key to our brains?
Critical thinking skills are necessary to navigate potential misinformation and the ethical implications of brain-influencing technologies.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Big Ideas

What is Big Ideas about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content frequently tackles a wide range of topics that engage with the complexities of society and culture, such as education, human rights, climate change, art, and political philosophy. Each episode features in-depth discussions with thought leaders and experts who provide varied insights, allowing listeners to grapple with big ideas and contemporary issues. The conversational format and the inclusion of diverse perspectives are noteworthy, as they invite a broad audience into thoughtful dialogues that challenge conventional thinking and inspire civic engagement.

Where can I find podcast stats for Big Ideas?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Big Ideas. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Big Ideas and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Big Ideas get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Big Ideas, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Big Ideas?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Big Ideas, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Big Ideas have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Big Ideas has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Big Ideas?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Big Ideas:

1. Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today
2. Late Night Live — Full program podcast
3. The Minefield
4. Future Tense
5. All In The Mind

How many episodes of Big Ideas are there?

Big Ideas launched 20 years ago and published 1385 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Big Ideas?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Big Ideas?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Big Ideas from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Big Ideas?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Big Ideas. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Big Ideas?

Recent guests on Big Ideas include:

1. Dr. Simon Longstaff
2. Jem Bendell
3. Jess Huon
4. Nicholas Van Dam
5. Dr. Lynne Kelly
6. Hilary Blackshaw
7. Jane Rusden
8. Ruthie Foster

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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