Modern medicine can do remarkable things to prolong our bodies, but is it giving us a better quality of life? Andrew Denton has come out of his three-year hiatus to push for a re-think on assisted dying laws in his podcast series, Better Off Dead, co-produced with the Wheeler Centre. He has interviewed people around the world on all sides of the debate – the elderly and disabled, doctors, lawyers, ethicists, academics, people for and against. Whatever your point of view, the conversation is certainly one worth having. Andrew speaks with David Leser.

Modern medicine can do remarkable things to prolong our bodies, but is it giving us a better quality of life? Andrew Denton has come out of his three-year hiatus to push for a re-think on assisted dying laws in his podcast series, <a href="http://www.wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better-off-dead">Better Off Dead</a>, co-produced with the Wheeler Centre. He has interviewed people around the world on all sides of the debate &ndash; the elderly and disabled, doctors, lawyers, ethicists, academics, people for and against. Whatever your point of view, the conversation is certainly one worth having. Andrew speaks with David Leser.

Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Bringing together the world's best authors, leading public intellectuals, scientists, journalists and more. Subscribe to our channel for new releases.

Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Bringing together the world's best authors, leading public intellectuals, scientists, journalists and more. Subscribe to our channel for new releases.

Australia's largest celebration of writing and ideas.

Sydney Writers' Festival

Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Bringing together the world's best authors, leading public intellectuals, scientists, journalists and more.

Andrew Denton: Better Off Dead

Translation allows a writer to reach readers around the world but what is the experience of having your words altered like?

Video game translator Matt Alt, speculative fiction writer Bora Chung (The Midnight Timetable), who writes in Korean and translates from contemporary Russian and Polish, and Mariana Enriquez, (Somebody is Walking on Your Grave), who writes in Spanish and has had her work translated into more than 20 languages, discuss the nitty-gritty of translation from both sides of the exchange. 

Hear Matt, Bora and Mariana share their experiences and insights in conversation with award-winning translator Daniel Hahn.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel. Sydney Writers’ Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms. 

After more? Follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on social media:

Instagram: @sydwritersfest
Facebook: @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Translation allows a writer to reach readers around the world but what is the experience of having your words altered like? Video game translator Matt Alt, speculative fiction writer Bora Chung (The Midnight Timetable), who writes in Korean and translates from contemporary Russian and Polish, and Mariana Enriquez, (Somebody is Walking on Your Grave), who writes in Spanish and has had her work translated into more than 20 languages, discuss the nitty-gritty of translation from both sides of the exchange. Hear Matt, Bora and Mariana share their experiences and insights in conversation with award-winning translator Daniel Hahn.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel.&nbsp;Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.&nbsp;
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media: Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Found in Translation

You can take the kid off the stage, but you can’t take the stage off the kid.

These writers are theatre kids through-and-through but they’re trying their hands at another, quieter, form with their debut books. 

In this panel discussion, actor and playwright George Kemp (Soft Serve), playwright of acclaimed Counting and Cracking S. Shakthidharan (Gather Up Your World in One Long Breath) and actor Zoe Terakes (Eros) discuss the influence of their theatrical sensibilities on their writing and share a reading of their work. Hosted by theatremaker, music director and cabaret artist, Victoria Falconer.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel. Sydney Writers’ Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms. 

After more? Follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on social media:
Instagram: @sydwritersfest
Facebook: @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

You can take the kid off the stage, but you can&rsquo;t take the stage off the kid. These writers are theatre kids through-and-through but they&rsquo;re trying their hands at another, quieter, form with their debut books. In this panel discussion, actor and playwright George Kemp (Soft Serve), playwright of acclaimed Counting and Cracking S. Shakthidharan (Gather Up Your World in One Long Breath) and actor Zoe Terakes (Eros) discuss the influence of their theatrical sensibilities on their writing and share a reading of their work. Hosted by theatremaker, music director and cabaret artist, Victoria Falconer.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel.&nbsp;Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.&nbsp;
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media: Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Theatre Kids

Professor of Philosophy and author A.C. Grayling outlines the fragility of democracy and the freedoms we take for granted and risk losing in For The People: Fighting Authoritarianism, Saving Democracy.

In recent years, the democratic foundations and civil liberties of Western nations that once seemed unshakeable have been shown to be remarkably fragile – vulnerable to authoritarianism, the whims of the wealthy and powerful and the erosion of civil liberties. As with previous works like Who Owns the Moon? and Discriminations, A.C. interrogates complex political realities and offers bold solutions.

Hear from a Festival favourite as he asks the critical questions of our time, followed by a discussion chaired by Nick Bryant (The Forever War) and Rosalind Dixon (The People's Guide to the Australian Constitution).

The Future of Democracy series, hosted by Nick Bryant and Rosalind Dixon, is a collaboration between Sydney Writers’ Festival and the Resilient Democracy Lab at UNSW Sydney.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel. Sydney Writers’ Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms. 

After more? Follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on social media:

Instagram: @sydwritersfest
Facebook: @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Professor of Philosophy and author A.C. Grayling outlines the fragility of democracy and the freedoms we take for granted and risk losing in For The People: Fighting Authoritarianism, Saving Democracy.
In recent years, the democratic foundations and civil liberties of Western nations that once seemed unshakeable have been shown to be remarkably fragile &ndash; vulnerable to authoritarianism, the whims of the wealthy and powerful and the erosion of civil liberties. As with previous works like Who Owns the Moon? and Discriminations, A.C. interrogates complex political realities and offers bold solutions.
Hear from a Festival favourite as he asks the critical questions of our time, followed by a discussion chaired by Nick Bryant (The Forever War) and Rosalind Dixon (The People's Guide to the Australian Constitution).
The Future of Democracy series, hosted by Nick Bryant and Rosalind Dixon, is a collaboration between Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival and the Resilient Democracy Lab at UNSW Sydney.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel.&nbsp;Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.&nbsp;
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media: Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Andrew Denton: Better Off Dead

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