La Trobe University has academic experts available to talk to the media on a range of topics during the Christmas/summer period.
Please contact experts directly during this period. Availability is noted under their contact information.
SUMMER LIFESTYLE AND WELLBEING
Summer body confidence
Professor of Advanced Practice at La Trobe University's School of Psychology and Public Health and clinical psychologist.
Areas of expertise: eating, weight and body image and promotion of best-practice psychology treatment.
Contact: [email protected] or 0419 884 956
Topics to discuss:
- Why 'summer body' messaging reinforces weight stigma and unrealistic appearance ideals, increasing body dissatisfaction and risk for disordered eating
- Why New Years' resolutions focusing on dieting, weight loss are unhelpful and can be harmful
- Health and wellbeing are not determined by body size or shape - people can pursue health at any size through balanced eating, movement for enjoyment, adequate rest and self-care
- Small acts of self-compassion, media literacy and body neutrality help buffer seasonal body image pressures
Quotes attributable to Professor Leah Brennan:
"Summer should be about enjoying life, connection and movement - not about avoiding activities because of your body. The 'summer body' ideal is unrealistic and damaging for most people.
"Health is not a look. You can support your wellbeing at any size by eating regularly, moving in ways you enjoy and treating your body with respect.
"We need to shift the conversation from appearance to wellbeing - focusing on what our bodies allow us to do, not how they look."
Beach rescues and safety
Research Fellow at La Trobe Business School's Centre for Sport and Social Impact
Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
Not available between 29 December to January 4.
Topics to discuss:
- The critical contribution surfers make to beach safety in Victoria
- Why all surfers should be offered first aid and board rescue training
Quotes attributable to Kiera Staley:
"Surfers are an underrecognised layer in the beach safety system. They are already in the break, they see trouble early, and they are often first to reach someone in distress. With high ocean literacy and board-rescue know-how, they provide rapid response capability.
"Recognising surfers as a community safety resource isn't about replacing lifeguards; it's about acknowledging and supporting what's already happening on our beaches.
"Training turns willing helpers into confident responders. Basic first aid and board-based rescue skills can make the difference between a close call and a tragedy.
"If we equip willing surfers with board rescue techniques and first aid, we amplify an existing safety asset across Victoria's coastline.
"Offering free training to all surfers is a force multiplier. A few hours of instruction can translate to safer outcomes across countless beach visits.
"A funded statewide training pathway would professionalise what many surfers already do: lifting safety outcomes across patrolled and unpatrolled beaches."
How to successfully switch off over holidays
Associate Dean Research and Industry Engagement at the La Trobe Business School
Contact: [email protected] or 0400 166 058
Topics to discuss:
- How we can switch off and embrace rest as a form of digital wellbeing in an always-on world
- How AI can help families stay connected this festive season
- How we can make more sustainable digital choices this Christmas
Quotes attributable to Dr Sophia Duan
"The summer break offers a rare chance to slow down and reconnect with life beyond the screen. In an always-on world, taking time for a digital reset has become a new form of resilience.
"AI can help us stay connected across distance, but it should never replace the warmth of real human presence.
"Every click leaves a footprint. The holidays are a good time to choose convenience with conscience."
VOLUNTEERING
Senior Lecturer in Sport and Recreation Management
Contact: [email protected] or 0437 686 946
Availability: Not available between 27 December to 4 January
Areas of expertise include volunteer management, sport participation and inclusion of minority groups, community engagement and the impact of participation and in sport, health and recreation.
Topics to discuss:
- The faces behind major summer event volunteering, including at the Australian Open, Grand Prix, Surf Lifesaving
- Why it's harder to find everyday volunteers
- How to turn one-off volunteers into lifelong givers
Quotes attributable to Dr Pam Kappelides on the faces behind major event volunteering:
"We see students seeking experience, retirees giving back, newcomers wanting connections - all united by pride and purpose.
"Volunteers at major events represent every generation and background; they're a snapshot of the community.
"Good volunteer management starts with understanding who they are.
"When we match people's motivations with meaningful roles, everyone wins."
Quotes attributable to Dr Pam Kappelides on why it harder to find everyday volunteers:
"People are willing to help, but they want flexible, short-term, and purposeful roles - not long-term committee commitments.
"The challenge isn't a lack of goodwill, but outdated structures that no longer fit modern lives. If we make volunteering easier, more inclusive and more meaningful, people will step forward.
"We don't have a volunteer shortage, we have a flexibility shortage.
"Community volunteering must evolve to match how people live and work today.
"Major events offer buzz and recognition; local clubs need to offer belonging and meaning."
Quotes attributable to Dr Pam Kappelides on turning volunteers into lifelong givers:
"We often lose that energy after the closing ceremony. With the right follow-up and local engagement, we can turn short-term volunteers into long-term community volunteers.
"We need to think of major events as the beginning of a volunteer journey, not the end.
"Post-event connection is key, don't just thank them, invite them to keep volunteering"
COST OF LIVING AND PUBLIC SERVICES
Will Victoria's free, weekend public transport ease hip-pocket pressure?
Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Sport, Tourism, Hospitality and Events at La Trobe University
Contact: [email protected] or 0408 834 727
Not available between 25 December to 5 January.
Topics to discuss:
- Victoria will offer free weekend public transport for December 2025 and January 2026.
- What is the cost to the community compared to benefits to hospitality, the city?
- Is this a government publicity stunt to gain popularity?
- Victoria will also offer free public transport for children under the age of 18 from 1 January 2026.
- Are we teaching the next generation not to pay for public services?
Background
- The free travel period between December and January equates to an estimated lost fare revenue of $15 million.
- Free travel for children under 18 results in an estimated $318 million loss over four years, with a saving of $755 annually on a student pass. It's expected to benefit one million young Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Dr Paul Strickland:
"Free public transport is a political stunt as children under 18 will be voting soon and Liberals will reverse the decision.
"The move is conditioning children to not pay for public transport."
HEALTH, FOOD AND HABITS
The impact of alcohol over Christmas and New Year
Deputy Director of the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University
Contact: [email protected] or 0400 105 614
Topics to discuss:
- Why young people are drinking less but middle and older age groups are still drinking alcohol at high levels
- The social, cultural factors influencing drinking practices at Christmas time
- Why alcohol use increases for all groups during key celebratory periods
Quotes attributable to Dr Amy Pennay:
"Alcohol has become less of a normative practice for young people, but habitual alcohol use is still common for middle aged and older Australians.
"We know that events around the holidays, such as Christmas and New Year's Eve, are associated with high levels of alcohol use and corresponding high levels of emergency service presentations."
Director of the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research
Contact E: [email protected], M: 0477 190 655
Topics include:
- Why is alcohol part and parcel of celebrations?
- Why is it so hard to change drinking habits, even if we experience the negative consequences of excessive alcohol use again and again?
- Why is it so hard to stick to New Year's resolutions to drink less?
- How alcohol and hangovers affect swimming and drowning
- What happens the next day after celebrations with a lot of alcohol?
- How to avoid a hangover
Quotes attributable to Professor Emmanuel Kuntsche:
"At the end of the day, alcohol consumption is often a habit. For most, it may not be as addictive as nicotine, but the conditioned psychological effects are also very resistant to change. In this sense, a lot more people are 'addicted' to alcohol than we would think.
"Alcohol is one of the main reasons why someone's more likely to die due to drowning. Australians consume a lot of it, including around the water. The risk of drowning and injury, including incidents involving alcohol, dramatically increases over the summer festive period - particularly on public holidays and long weekends.
"The problem is that from the first drink onwards, alcohol changes the perception. Drinkers often feel more capable or attractive while at the same time less capable, less attractive.
"Getting alcohol out of your body is a relatively slow process. On average, alcohol is metabolised at a rate of 0.015 per cent per hour. So, if someone stops drinking at 2am with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.20 per cent, their alcohol levels don't drop to zero until 4pm the next day.
"To avoid excessive drinking and hangovers the next day, apply harm-reduction strategies such as alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, avoiding drinking in rounds with friends and staying within low-risk drinking of no more than four standard drinks in one day."
Eating well, avoiding food wastage
Melanie Lionello
Lecturer in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics at La Trobe University
Contact: [email protected] / [email protected] or 0433 909 220
Topics to discuss:
- Getting accurate nutrition information for New Year's resolutions
- Who to trust when it comes to supplements, dietary advice
- Why food wastage over Christmas is so high
- What to do with Christmas leftovers, including safe food storage
- How to reimagine festive feasts and keep the holiday spirit alive in the kitchen
Quotes attributable to Mrs Melanie Lionello:
"Accurate nutrition information has become cloudy at the best of times with the onslaught of social media experts muddying the waters of evidence-based advice. It's critical people check the qualifications of the person they're taking advice from.
"Most everyday Australians do not require protein or collagen supplements to live a 'healthy' life. The marketing of these products would lead you to believe otherwise. If you're unsure whether a supplement is for you, consult with a GP or dietitian to assess your personal dietary needs and potential deficiencies.
"There's often a fear at Christmas time of not having enough food which causes people to over-cater, leading to higher levels of food wastage. People can avoid this by planning meals and portion sizes ahead of time and, on the day, storing leftovers within safe timeframes.
"Leftovers, particularly meat, poultry and seafood, should be refrigerated or put in the freezer within two hours to prevent any bacterial growth from occurring. Food that is refrigerated should be consumed within two to three days."
New Year resolutions
Adjunct lecturer, School of Public Health and Psychology, La Trobe University Melbourne
Areas of expertise: laughter, positivity, humour, resilience
Contact E: [email protected], M: 0413 592 030
Topics to discuss:
- Starting 2026 with a positive mindset: why it's important and how to achieve it
- How effective are New Year's resolutions? Do we need them and how many people actually stick to them?
- What are the most common New Year's resolutions?
- How can we craft more sustainable and meaningful New Year's resolutions?
- The psychology of optimism in uncertain times
Quotes attributable to Ros Ben-Moshe:
"Starting the year with a positive mindset isn't about ignoring challenges, it's about choosing how we meet them. Positivity helps us approach the New Year with a sense of possibility, joy and hope.
"In times of global unrest and personal challenges, laughter can feel out of reach - yet that's when we need it most. A laughter mindset builds connection, perspective and resilience, reminding us of our shared humanity.
"New Year's resolutions stick when they're realistic, intentional and meaningful. It's less about sweeping change and more about small, conscious choices - because whatever we practice, we get good at it.
"Optimism is a form of mental fitness. It doesn't deny hardship; it helps us see possibility beyond it - a vital mindset to navigate life."
MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Recovering from trauma, sudden loss
Researcher and Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the La Trobe Rural Health School
Contact: 0400 396 961 (call or text)
Topics to discuss:
- How trauma can resurface at Christmas and how to cope when it does
- How to support people experiencing trauma, including services available
- Health and emergency services workers often experience secondary trauma, while feeling a need to "stay strong" and "hold it together" for others
- The benefits of physical activity in aiding recovery
Quotes attributable to Dr Kylie McIntyre:
"Traumatic events can cause strong emotional and physical reactions in both directly and indirectly affected individuals, including family, friends, witnesses, community members, and health and emergency service workers.
"These reactions may include intense feelings of fear, sadness, guilt, anger, grief, and emotional distress; sleeplessness; physical symptoms; difficulty concentrating, and changes in behaviours and daily routines.
"Ensuring support, by listening without judgement, providing practical assistance, and ensuring space to process difficult emotions, is critical.
"Providing compassionate support and accessing professional help when needed-such as through Lifeline, Beyond Blue, Headspace, or workplace services like EAP and Responder Assist-is essential for recovery and wellbeing. Physical activity can also be used to support recovery through heightened physiological responses and processing of emotional experiences."
Director of the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research and Associate Professor and Discipline Lead for Paramedicine at the La Trobe Rural Health School
Contact: 0408 148 749
Topics to discuss:
- Impact of responding to disasters on first responders (e.g., during a bushfire or cyclone)
- Impact of natural disasters (e.g., bushfires and cyclones) on communities
- Re-traumatisation and vicarious trauma related to disaster
Quotes attributable to Dr Erin Smith:
"First responders often experience lasting emotional trauma well beyond the immediate aftermath of disasters. For examples, in my 20-study of 9/11 first responders, nearly half still required mental health support two decades later, indicating the chronic nature of trauma from such events.
"In Australia, almost 30 per cent of paramedics report high levels of psychological distress during typical periods, with rates increasing significantly during prolonged disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires.
Suicide rates among emergency services personnel have reportedly increased by 450 to 800 per cent annually, with a first responder dying by suicide approximately every six weeks in Australia.
"I advocate for a shift from placing the burden on individuals to seek help, to a model where organisations 'reach in' to support those who may be silently struggling. My work emphasises the need for early, ongoing and post-retirement mental health support, and for breaking down stigma around mental health in emergency services.
"Effective strategies include normalising mental health conversations, building resilience and implementing structured support systems throughout a responder's career and into retirement."
Supporting loved ones
Director of The Bouverie Centre at La Trobe and Professor of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice
Contact: [email protected] or 0402 160 260
Topics to discuss:
- Helping separated/divorced parents with added stress of 'end of year festivities'
- Supporting families for whom Christmas is not a happy time, for whatever reason.
Quotes attributable to Professor Jennifer McIntosh
"Family separation, especially when accompanied by ongoing conflict between parents, is a tough time for all. With care and support to reflect, parents can innovate new ways of going about family gathering that help children rather than create added tension and serve the family gathering purpose they are designed for.
"With recent loss or other trauma, Christmas can be a sad time which many want or choose to avoid. With care and support to reflect, family members can support each other to create useful time together that honours, remembers, acknowledges the challenges and celebrates what remains."
Associate Professor Rachel Winterton
Deputy Director of the John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research
Available after 13 January 2026.
Contact: [email protected] or (03) 5444 7934
Topics to discuss:
- Why summer can be an isolating time for older people
- How communities can help provide and circulate information on cool spaces for older people to meet, hold events and activities outside the hottest part of the day
- Why it's important to check in on older family members and neighbours
Quotes attributable to Dr Rachel Winterton:
"Extreme heat can be socially isolating for older people as it can prevent them from getting out and about in their communities.
"When it's hot, having social spaces that are cool and accessible is really important in providing opportunities for social connection among older people."
HEALTH SYSTEM AND RECOVERY
How will Victoria's regional health workforce cope over summer?
Professor of Rural Health in the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research
Contact: 0474 053 734
Topics to discuss:
- Could paramedics be the answer to easing workforce shortages and strain on regional and rural health systems over summer and holiday periods?
- How community paramedicines are reshaping the delivery of healthcare to traditionally underserved regional communities
Quotes attributable to Professor Evelien Spelten:
"In rural Australia, access to quality health care is often a daily challenge. Clinics and doctors can be hours away, leaving many residents with limited options for managing ongoing health issues.
"There is an opportunity to use paramedics - a large, skilled but underutilised workforce - to ease pressure on hospitals and clinics while delivering care designed for the unique needs of rural communities.
"This approach is already making a difference in towns where clinics offer free, accessible health services to people who might otherwise go without."
Exercise and cancer recovery
NHMRC Research Fellow - Senior Lecturer (Physiotherapy) at La Trobe University and a physiotherapist based at Eastern Health.
Amy is passionate about improving access to exercise-based cancer rehabilitation and has led the development of numerous rehabilitation programs in Victoria including at Eastern Health, St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne and Peter Macallum Cancer Centre.
Contact: [email protected]
Issues to discuss:
- Tips for cancer survivors on exercising at home during the festive season?
- Why is exercise important for cancer survivors' treatment and recovery?
- Why cancer rehabilitation programs lag cardiac rehab in number right across in Australia?
Quotes attributable to Dr Amy Dennett:
"My main piece of advice is to take pressure off yourself and do what you can, and what you enjoy. Even small amounts of exercise add up in the long term.
"If people are asking for gift suggestions, you might suggest a smart watch to start monitoring your steps or some exercise bands to start strength training at home on days when you feel well.
"Work out a time that works for you and put it in your diary. Many people are also on holidays so get your friends or family together and try some nice local day walks that you can manage or another activity you enjoy.
"And finally remember to pace yourself. Try not to exercise on a day you already know is going to be busy with family events or appointments.
"We all know exercise is good for us but there are particular benefits after a cancer diagnosis. This includes being able to tolerate treatment better. In some cancer settings, exercise after diagnosis can reduce the risk of cancer returning and improve long-term survival."
