JOY Drive

20 Mar 2025

Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne: Are Shopping Malls Dying?

Business, Consumer Affairs, Popular Culture, Shopping, Society & Culture

It was buzzing if you stepped into an Australian shopping centre in the 1990s. Families were renting movies at Video Ezy, grabbing groceries at Franklins, or browsing gadgets at Australian Geographic.

Fast forward to 2025, and things look very different. Some department stores are ghost towns, cafes are struggling, and empty shopfronts are everywhere.

Ally Fashion, Rivers, and Michel’s Patisserie are just a few of the iconic Australian brands that have collapsed in the past year. And with rising costs and shifting shopping habits, many more could follow.

So, what’s behind the retail downturn? And can anything save the Aussie shopping mall?

Guest: Lauren Rosewarne, Associate Professor in Public Policy, Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne

Presenter: Warren Andrew

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:13 — 15.4MB)

Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

15 Mar 2026

Associate Professor Micah Goldwater: Why Rational People Still Believe in Superstitions

Popular Culture, Social Sciences, Society & Culture

Most of us consider ourselves rational, yet superstitions still shape everyday behaviour. Psychologist Micah Goldwater explains why scientific thinking and ...

15 Mar 2026

Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne: Why Some Gen Z Men Are Returning to Traditional Gender Views

LGBTIQA+ Community, Popular Culture, Social Media, Society & Culture

New research suggests some Gen Z men are expressing more traditional views about gender roles than older generations. Associate Professor ...

15 Mar 2026

Ben Cork: What the Pride in Sport Survey Reveals About Inclusion in Australian Sport

LGBTIQA+ Community, Professional, Society & Culture, Sports & Recreation

New results from the Pride in Sport Index survey reveal how LGBTQIA+ players, coaches and volunteers are experiencing sport across ...