A tragic event in our hometown of Newcastle has sparked a much bigger conversation about the world we are living in.

In this episode of Hey Soul Sista, host, Mel Histon, is joined by writer and social commentator Alex Morris to explore one of the most complex questions of our time:

Are we becoming safer… or slowly giving away our freedom?

After the devastating loss of a young man on Beaumont Street, calls for increased CCTV surveillance have divided the community — raising deeper questions about safety, control, and how societies respond to fear.

Together, Alex and Mel explore:

• The emotional impact of violence in close-knit communities
• Why fear often drives calls for more surveillance and control
• Whether CCTV actually prevents crime or simply records it
• The “slippery slope” between protection and overreach
• How technology is reshaping privacy and human behaviour
• What books like Nineteen Eighty-Four reveal about surveillance, power, and control
• And whether it’s possible to build a society based on trust rather than fear

This is not a black-and-white conversation.

It’s a human one.

A reflection on how we respond to tragedy, how fear shapes policy, and what it really means to feel free in today’s world.