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This podcast has
57 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Junction JournalismExplicit
No
Date created
2020/11/25
Latest episode
2026/08/31
Average duration
28 min.
Release period
43 days
Description
Making A Difference is a podcast by The Junction, a collective of journalism schools at universities around Australia. The podcast is produced by student journalists, and episodes are hosted by a different university each month. Our public interest reporting reflects the depth and diversity of the issues that matter to a broad cross-section of society. You can listen on our website, https://junctionjournalism.com/, or subscribe to receive new episodes on your favourite podcast app.
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Check latest episodes from Making A Difference podcast
Episode 56 - The Last Stop (Swinburne)
2026/08/31
It's a ritual we all take part in regardless of our culture or religion or heritage. The funeral, and the wake that follows, is a way to honour the dearly departed and to deal with our own loss. In this episode, Seth Delfin from Swinburne University looks at the tradition from his own Filipino culture and how people of his own generation are questioning its relevance and meaning. But it's also a revelation about how we all navigate, grief, memory and the unseen.
Host/Reporter: Seth Delfin
Episode Executive Producer: Vicki Kerrigan
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Image:
'Flowers' / Kees Luising
More stories from Swinburne University:
The Burne - https://www.theburne.com.au/
More stories from The Junction:
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 55 - Rooms Of Their Own (University of Sydney)
2026/07/01
Women-only spaces have existed for centuries, if only as a response to the way women were excluded from many aspects of society. In this episode, University of Sydney reporter Ella Dungey takes us inside these spaces to explore why they are so necessary for many women.
Production:
Reporter / Producer: Ella Dungey
Episode Executive Producer: Lea Redfern
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Artwork:
Ella Dungey
More stories from University of Sydney:
Salience - https://www.salienceatsydney.org/
More stories from The Junction:
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 54 - Threads of Connection (Edith Cowan Uni)
2026/05/29
There's a growing body of evidence that shows loneliness and isolation is an issue for an increasing number of people. And one of the solutions - connection with others - is often is easier said than done. So, in this episode, student journalists from Edith Cowan University bring us stories about people trying to connect to the world and, just as importantly, helping others to do the same.
Hosts: Isla Tomlinson and Francess Waddell
Stories:
'The Fine Line' - Reporter: Isla Tomlinson
'To The Rescue' - Reporter: Francess Waddell
'Social Beings' - Reporter: Ava Tovalaro
'You’re Not Alone' - Reporter: Ellie Palmer
'Trailblazers' - Reporter: Georgie Cleaver
'More Than Just a Shed' - Reporter: Sophie Minorgan
Audio editor / Sound design: Isla Tomlinson
Episode Executive Producer: Monty Sangar
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Photo (social media):
'Network' / Gerd Altmann
https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/
More stories from The Junction:
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 53 - Lives Between The Lines (Swinburne)
2026/01/31
This episode by journalism students at Swinburne University looks at the spaces where many people live: from workplaces and communities to culture, money, and identity. These are stories about pressure and adaptation, of being overlooked or underestimated, and of finding ways to be seen, heard, and understood. These are lives lived between the lines.
Host: Matthew Parkhill
Mean Testing - Reporter: Brett Lynn
Talk to Me - Reporter: Jasmine Krnjaic
Nowhere is Good to be Homeless - Reporter: Ella Bryson
Stop the Toxic - Reporter: Austin Walsh
The Westall Mystery - Reporter: Ysabelle Aquino
Not In A Hurry - Reporter: Lily Nicolitsopoulos
Shopping Wars - Reporter: Lily Henshaw
The Cost of an Education - Reporter: Farrah Radina
My Own Identity - Reporter: Lucy Borg
Production:
Episode Executive Producer: Peter Marcato
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Image (social media):
Global people / Gerd Altmann on Pixabay
More stories from Swinburne University:
https://www.theburne.com.au/
More stories from The Junction:
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 52 - Who Looks After Us (UNSW)
2025/12/30
In this episode by journalism students at UNSW, we look at care and vulnerability across very different lives. From young people navigating the dating scene, to female athletes facing higher injury risks; from the quiet work of a mortician preparing the dead with dignity, to growing concern about apps that expose children to exploitation; and the life of a refugee who found safety after fleeing persecution.
Different stories…but they all ask the same question: when it matters most, who looks after us?
Host: Anoushka Israni
Stories:
Gen Z dating - Reporter: Ben Tresno Turner
The Gender Gap in Sports Injuries - Reporter: Kate Arellano
The Mortician - Reporter: Eva Matthews
Nudify apps - Reporter: Raahat Shaik
Escape from Afghanistan - Reporter: Salvatore Franco
Production:
Sound design: Britta Jorgensen
Episode Executive Producer: Peter R. R. White
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Image (social media):
'Pedestrian crowd' - Brian Merrill
More stories from UNSW:
https://www.newsworthy.org.au/
More stories from The Junction:
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 51 - Friend or Foe (Deakin University)
2025/11/30
Flying foxes, war veterans, AI chatbots, women in journalism, Halloween, rural communities. In this episode, student reporters at Deakin University bring us stories about people trying to work out who's on their side.
Hosts: Leigh Lule and Alex Kratofil
Stories:
Who gives a flying fox - Reporter: Evie Nguyen
The Mad Snake - Reporter: Ruby Vella
My Therapist, the Chatbot - Reporter: Nhu Phan
Trick or Treat - Reporters: Mel Di Donato, Kaitlin Crosbie and Brandy Dixon
Anger in the Bush - Reporter: George Nicol
Women in the News - Reporter: Ali Turner, Brooke Williams and Malya Torrance
AI: workmate or biggest rival? - Reporter: Farah Hawi
Production:
Sound design and mixing: Chris Scanlon
Episode Executive Producer: Alison McAdam
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
'Freaky Halloween' / Alex Productions
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Image (social media):
'Touch finger' / Gerd Altmann
More stories from Deakin University:
https://www.dscribe.net.au/
More stories from The Junction:
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 50 - Threads of Time (Griffith University)
2025/10/30
For our 50th episode, journalism students from Griffith University look back…and forward. They take us back to events in 1975 to report on the enduring influence of The Dismissal and the land rights movement in Australia. And we trace the echoes of those stories through our 50 episodes to present day issues about food security and sustainable fashion. From old fabric to new futures, how the past is stitched into the present.
Hosts: Mayabi Aziz and Princess Brown
Stories:
'1975: The Ballads of the Whitlam Dismissal' - Reporter: Mayabi Aziz
'What’s in a Name?' - Reporter: Nahri Forde
'From thrift to thriving: the rise of op shops' - Reporter: Azzen Ramathan
'Funky foods' - Reporter: Mayabi Aziz
Production supervision:
Sound design: Heather Anderson and Bridget Backhaus
Episode Executive Producers: Bridget Backhaus and Heather Anderson
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
More stories from Griffith University:
https://thesourcenews.com/
More stories from The Junction
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Social media image:
Urban pavement - pen_ash
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Episode 49 - Out of the Shadows (Curtin University)
2025/10/02
Sex work is legal and it's in-demand. So, why are those who do sex work feeling unsafe and isolated? Sex workers rarely speak publicly but Curtin University reporter Camila Equsquiza Santa Cruz spent months interviewing some of these workers in Western Australia on a campaign they say is all about basic human rights.
Host / Reporter: Camila Equsquiza Santa Cruz
Supervising Producer: Kayt Davies
Episode Executive Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Drifting Thoughts’ / Free Sound Server
‘Coniferous Forest’ / Orangery
‘Checkmate’ / Nathan Smith
Image:
'Red Umbrella' - Aline de Nadai / Unsplash
More stories from Curtin University:
Western Independent
More stories from The Junction
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 48 - Journey of Discovery (RMIT)
2025/08/28
Journalism students from RMIT bring us stories of people emerging from tragedy, misadventure and personal angst, and what we learn when our backs are against the wall.
Host: Dashiel Agar
Stories:
'From The Ashes' - Reporter: Jessica Nguyen
'You Only Have To Ask' - Reporter: Elisha Walker
'Up The Creek' - Reporter: Ella Curry
"Breaking Silence' - Reporter: Keras Marszalek
Production supervision:
Episode Executive Producer: Dylan Bird
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
More stories from RMIT:
https://thecityjournal.net/
More stories from The Junction
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 47 - A Rock and a Hard Place (Curtin University)
2025/07/01
Murujuga – the sacred rock art site in Western Australia’s Pilbara – has just been listed by UNESCO for World Heritage status. But scientific experts say preservation of the carvings – some dating back 50-thousand years – is still precarious after the federal government’s decision last month to conditionally extend the neighbouring North-West Shelf gas project. We brought you this story in 2024 and because of these very recent developments, we’re re-running the investigation by Tylah Tully from Curtin University to help you understand a story entwined in history, culture, science and politics.
Host: Andrew Dodd
Reporter/Producer: Tylah Tully
Episode Executive Producer: Simon Brady
Statement by Raelene Cooper, Traditional Owner, on Federal Court application
Statement by Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt
Report on Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program
Statement by Woodside Energy
Joint statement by Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, Federal and Wa Governments on World Heritage listing
For more stories from the best student journalism in Australia:
The Junction
Episode images
Social media and web: Robin Chapple, Tylah Tully
Music
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
'Spirituality' by Maximus Sound
'Anxious' by Oleksii Kaplunskyi
'Desert Orchid' by Alisha Studio
'So Many Memories' by Myton Music
'Just a Light Secret' by MooveKa
'Come Back Home' by Olexy
Episode 46 - Running Your Own Race (Edith Cowan University)
2025/05/31
This month’s episode by journalism students at Edith Cowan University features the male ballet dancer, the adult with ADHD, the vision-impaired, the lifesaving nurse, the person seeking connection, the ‘body positive’ woman. And the link between them all? They’re all trying to pave their own way, often against formidable challenges and the expectations of others.
Hosts: Jack Penniment and Samuel Sparkes
Stories:
‘Men Can Ballet’ - Reporter: Oli Pike
‘A Brain Wired Differently’ - Reporter: Taya Cicanese
‘Through Dogs’ Eyes’ - Reporter: Toby Crestani
‘Saving Lives’ - Reporter: Clare Perrot
‘Solitude and the Stage’ - Reporter: CJ Russell
‘Sunrise Dip’ - Reporter: Chloe Nolasco
Production:
Sound design: Robyn Ogle and Samuel Sparkes
Episode Executive Producers: Monty Sangar and Robyn Ogle
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
More stories from ECU Vanguard News
http://ecuvanguardnews.com/
More stories from The Junction
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 45 - Mind The Gap (University of Sydney)
2025/05/01
It’s a good thing that as a society, we’re more open to discussing mental health and the challenges it poses for many people. University of Sydney reporter Ben Fragiadakis investigated this transformation on what used to be a very taboo topic. What he found were the unintended consequences of such openness. And despite all the attention, serious doubts remain among experts about our approach to treating mental health.
Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyond 1300 22 46 36
Host/Reporter: Ben Fragiadakis
Episode Executive Producer: Lea Redfern
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Images
'Contemplation' / Janusz Walczak
More stories from University of Sydney:
Salience - https://www.salienceatsydney.org/
More stories from The Junction
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 44 - Hoo Gives A Hoot (Curtin University)
2025/04/01
It's a story full of compromises, contradictions and unsuspecting victims. The use of rat and mice baits help to keep our home free of rodents. But they also pose a serious threat to native wildlife and ecosystems. A team of journalists at Curtin University investigates how precious owl species are becoming the victims of secondary poisoning from rodent control products. It's also a story of determination as communities battle the bureaucracy, manufacturers and public indifference to try to protect the owls.
Hosts: Madigan Landry and Kimberley Putland
Stories:
Taking the Bait - Reporter: Madigan Landry
The Decision Makers - Reporter: Yousuf Shameel
Owl Communities - Reporter: Kimberley Putland
Night Calling - Reporter: Camila Egusquiza Santa Cruz
Episode Executive Producers: Kayt Davies and Simon Brady
Investigative project:
Owls on Deathwatch
APVMA rodenticide review submissions:
https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20231218062421/https://www.apvma.gov.au/node/93291 (Part 1)
https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20231218062442/https://www.apvma.gov.au/node/93296 (Part 2)
https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20231218062447/https://www.apvma.gov.au/node/93301 (Part 3)
https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20231218062451/https://www.apvma.gov.au/node/93306 (Part 4)
'Night Calling' documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/@owlfriendly
Music
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
More stories from Curtin University:
Western Independent
More stories from the best student journalism in Australia:
The Junction
Episode 43 - Confronting Threats (Swinburne University)
2025/02/18
We deal with threats – both real and perceived – all the time. In this episode, journalism students at Swinburne University look at how we are confronting some of those threats. From having the right to protest, to supporting the wellbeing of children, to some of life’s basics like driving a car, swimming at the beach and trying to find a job. And we end on an uplifting note with some bogan funk. What is that? Have a listen and get onboard.
*Content warning* This episode includes references to mental health and suicide.
Host: Matthew Parkhill
Stories
'The Right to Protest' - Reporter: Star Despotellis
'Short Stay Tax' - Reporter: Elke De Smet
'Mental Health in the Classroom' - Reporter: Miah Foster
'Behind The Wheel' - Reporter: Mitch Davis
'Swim Safe' - Reporter: Stella McErwin
'Finding Work' - Reporter: Ethan Lonsdale
'Switching Off' - Reporter: Keenan D’Souza
'Bogan Funk' - Reporter: Louie Cina
Episode Executive Producer: Peter Marcato
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
Music
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Photos
'Protest' - Matthew Parkhill
'Classroom' - WOKANDAPIX
'Traffic' - Curious Collectibles
More stories from Swinburne University:
The Burne - https://www.theburne.com.au/
More stories from The Junction
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Episode 42 - Looking Out (Deakin University)
2025/01/19
Keeping people safe, helping people out, giving people a leg-up, giving people a chance to shine – it’s what a functioning society does.
In this episode of Making a Difference, journalism students at Deakin University bring us stories about looking out for people: keeping apprentices safe on the job, helping those with addiction and incarceration, creating a new world for visually impaired children, supporting emerging musicians, and encouraging artists to live their fantasy through their idol.
Hosts: Piers Van Der Heide and Alissa Schleebs
Stories:
"Safe Apprentices" - Reporter: Shaelyn Harris
"Beating Addiction: The Power in You" - Reporter: Cooper Watkins
"Spotified" - Reporter: Aidan Knight
"Reaching For The Stars" - Reporter: Cat Quash
"There’s a Podcast For That" - Reporter: Ben Cashin
"Impersonator" - Reporters: Emily Wunhym and Ruben De Franceschi
"Brat Summer" - Reporter: Bella McGreevy
"Penguin Parade" - Reporter: Nicolas Thurn-Valsassina
Sound Design: Chris Scanlon
Episode Executive Producer: Alison McAdam
Supervising Producer: Simon Brady
More stories from Deakin University:
https://www.dscribe.net.au/
More stories from The Junction:
https://junctionjournalism.com/
Music:
‘Betelgeuse’ / Kunal Shingade
‘Come Back Home’ / Olexy
Images:
'Weld' - Mike Linderer / Pixabay
'Jail' - Simone Gatterwe / Pixabay
'Sonification' - Joel Filipe / Unsplash
'Elvis' - ARC fotos / Pixabay
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