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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
Willa Janda Indigenous Housing Collaboration

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
NewsSociety & CulturePolitics

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Artwork for Big Ideas

Latest Episodes

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 ho... more

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 th... more

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... more

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... 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

Sean Kelly
Political journalist and author of The Good Fight
Columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
Episode: What does Labor stand for? With Sean Kelly and Misha Ketchell
David McWilliams
Irish economist, podcaster, and author
Episode: The history of money — with Irish economist David McWilliams
Bob Brown
Former leader of the Greens and environmental activist
Greens Party
Episode: Bob Brown on the role of defiance in the climate crisis — with Gardening Australia's Hannah Moloney
Stan Grant
Rajariman, former journalist, theologian, author, and Vice Chancellor's Chair of Australian Indigenous Belonging at Charles Sturt University.
Charles Sturt University
Episode: Stan Grant — when words fail us, reclaiming the language of love
Dwayne Fernandes
Disability Advocate and aspiring astronaut
AstroAccess
Episode: If we can make space accessible, we can make any space accessible
Vanessa Cassin
Educator with the Society of Australian Genealogists
Society of Australian Genealogists
Episode: Finding skeletons in the closet — the ethics of DNA testing in family history research
Claire Aird
Walkley award-winning journalist and podcast host
Secrets We Keep podcast
Episode: Finding skeletons in the closet — the ethics of DNA testing in family history research
Professor Tanya Evans
Director of the Centre for Applied History at Macquarie University and author
Macquarie University
Episode: Finding skeletons in the closet — the ethics of DNA testing in family history research
Nunes Cosbar
A musician and seasonal farm worker from Timor-Leste
Berry Company
Episode: We asked for workers and got people — life on the controversial visa putting food on your plate

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
    Australia5 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
    Australia6 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
    Australia7 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
    Australia7 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 States8 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.

Apple Podcasts
#195
Australia/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#35
Australia/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#190
India/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#192
New Zealand/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The life of astronauts — with 2026 Australian of the Year Katherine Bennell-Pegg
Q: How do astronauts cope with loneliness or being away from Earth for so long?
Communication systems allow astronauts to connect with their families regularly, reducing feelings of loneliness.
The life of astronauts — with 2026 Australian of the Year Katherine Bennell-Pegg
Q: What role do private companies like SpaceX play in assisting international space agencies with future missions?
Private companies help make space missions more efficient due to the need for profitability and swift innovation.
What does liberalism mean today?
Q: How could the Liberal Party has come to this position?
The Liberal Party started as a party with a philosophy brought in energetically by Malcolm Fraser but has struggled with internal differences and a more technocratic political landscape.
Bob Brown on the role of defiance in the climate crisis — with Gardening Australia's Hannah Moloney
Q: What impact do you hope your book has on all its readers?
I hope it'll get people to take action, particularly to fund organizations that are taking action for the environment.
Bob Brown on the role of defiance in the climate crisis — with Gardening Australia's Hannah Moloney
Q: How do you look after your mental health, especially after aggression or confrontation?
Go for a walk in nature. Just take the stroll along the beach, and for goodness sake, folk, if you've got children every week, take them to the bush or to the beach.

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. All In The Mind
5. Health Report

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. Sean Kelly
2. David McWilliams
3. Bob Brown
4. Stan Grant
5. Dwayne Fernandes
6. Vanessa Cassin
7. Claire Aird
8. Professor Tanya Evans

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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