Nevena and Paul talk to Gavin Macleod, Executive Creative Director, Emotive; Bold New Safe Sex Campaign from Four Seasons Naked Condoms

Sydney, 12th May, 2026. STI rates are rising among young Australians, but the message about safe sex isn’t getting through.

Now, Four Seasons Naked Condoms is taking a radically different approach, launching a bold new campaign that turns the risks of unprotected sex into giant, cinematic monsters designed to be impossible to ignore.

As a heritage brand in Australia for decades, Four Seasons Condoms is on a mission to make the conversation around protection more approachable for Gen Z.

According to data from the Kirby Institute, Australia recorded more than 101,000 chlamydia cases in 2024, with around half among people aged 20–29, alongside rising rates of gonorrhoea. At the same time, research from La Trobe University shows condom use among young Australians is declining, with more than half not using one the last time they had sex.

“In general practice we see young patients presenting with sexually transmitted infections every single day” said Dr Lucy Herron, GP at Coogee Beach Doctors. “Chlamydia is very common and is a particular worry as it often has no symptoms but can cause a serious infection and even infertility if not detected early. Others, like gonorrhoea and syphilis, are unfortunately much more common than they were a few years ago. Really common infections like herpes have no cure at all, and can lead to annoying symptoms like irritation and pain, which can come and go for the rest of your life.”

Instead of traditional health messaging, the campaign uses humour and spectacle to bring those risks to life. The hero film begins with an intimate moment between two young adults, where a decision not to use a condom quickly spirals into chaos. A giant baby crashes through the city, followed by grotesque STI creatures representing gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis tearing through streets and buildings, turning abstract risks into something visible and confronting.

“STI rates are rising, and traditional messaging isn’t cutting through,” said Michael Porter, Director at Four Seasons Condoms. “We wanted to create something people would actually watch and talk about, using entertainment to make the risks feel real.”

Women’s health advocate Grace Toombs and founder of Hey June Health said the approach reflects how younger audiences engage with the topic. “Sexual health shouldn’t feel awkward or taboo, but a lot of messaging still does. When you approach it through humour and culture, it opens the door for more honest conversations.”

AI filmmaking techniques were used to create the cinematic scale and surreal characters, bringing the concept to life in a way that would traditionally require blockbuster-level production.

The campaign rolls out nationally across Snapchat, supported by social and creator-led amplification and was created by independent creative agency Emotive in partnership with AI film production specialists, AiCandy Australia.

The post Sat 16th, May, 2026: Gavin Macleod, Executive Creative Director, Emotive; Bold New Safe Sex Campaign from Four Seasons Naked Condoms appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Nevena and Paul talk to Stephen Bartos, Prof of Economics, Uni. of Canberra, as they discuss whether or not the federal budget has gone far enough to correct generational inequality with changes to Negative Gearing and Capital Gains Tax?

Stephen Bartos is a former deputy secretary of the commonwealth finance department and currently is a professor at the University of Canberra.

The post Sat 16th, May, 2026: Stephen Bartos, Prof of Economics, Uni. of Canberra, Does the Federal Budget go far enough with changes to Negative Gearing and CGT? appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Nevena and Paul talk to Kieran Rooney, from The Age, about the State Budget.

Kieran Rooney is a Victorian state political reporter at The Age.

Image courtesy of the The Age.

What we can expect at the upcoming Victorian election. And with One Nation on a roll and more micro-parties, who should we we watching? And with One Nation on a roll and more micro-parties, who should we be watching?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DX3hq5_jt9O/?img_index=3

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/labor-unveils-election-year-hip-pocket-splurge-despite-debt-soaring-to-199-billion-20260504-p5zti4.html

The post Sat, 16th May, 2026: Kieran Rooney – The Age, SMH, VIC State Budget Analysis, What we can expect at the upcoming Victorian election? appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Nevena and Paul are joined live in the studio by Michael Galea MP State Member for S. E. Metro Region.

Galea holds key roles, including Deputy Chair of the Legal and Social Issues Committee and the Select Committee on the Early Childhood Education and Care Sector. He is also a member of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee and the Select Committee on the 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid, along with being a participating member of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee.

Galea is an LGBTIQA+ Advocacate: Serves as Co-Chair of the Victorian Government’s LGBTIQA+ Ministerial Taskforce, focusing on equality and safety.

Some of the topics discussed in the interview were: as the budget designed for the election? What do you say to small business owners being squeezed out of Melbourne by highest tax burden in Australia and soaring violent crime/fire-bombings?

The post Sat, 16th May, 2026: Michael Galea MP State Member for S. E. Metro Region; is the State Budget designed for the November Election? appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Nevena and Paul speak to Dr David Hayward is Emeritus Prof. Public Policy & the Social Economy at RMIT; Response to Vic State Budget

Dr David Hayward is Emeritus Professor of Public Policy and the Social Economy at RMIT University.

He is the Chair of the Victorian Government’s Social Housing Regulation Review. He is also Chair of Fire Rescue Victoria’s Strategic Advisory Board.

He is a former Dean of Business at Swinburne University (2004-2009), Dean of Social Science at RMIT University (2004-2016), and member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Melbourne Hospital (he Chaired the Finance Committee) (2008-2013). He is a life member of the Victorian Council of Social Service and in 2015 was invited to become a seconded member of its governing board (resigned in June 2018). In 2013, he was elected (twice re-elected unopposed) as Chair of RMIT’s Academic Board (the University’s principal academic committee), retiring in December 2018, during which time he also served on University Council and its Infrastructure and Information Technology sub-committee.

David’s research interests are the funding of social policy, with a focus on the State Governments.

The post Sat, 16th May, 2026: Dr David Hayward is Emeritus Prof. Public Policy & the Social Economy at RMIT; Response to Vic State Budget appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Nevena and Paul are joined live on air by Son Vivienne, CEO Transgender Victoria, as they discuss the priorities for the rest of the year as CEO of Victoria’s leading body for transgender, gender diverse and non-binary (TGD) people.

Son is the CEO at Transgender Victoria, a lead advocacy, education and peer support community led organisation and not-for-profit.

Informing this role, Son has a background in academia and over 30 years experience in media-production and research across digital self-representation, online activism, queer identities, and rhetorical strategies/feminist practices for speaking and listening across difference. Their work on digital storytelling is published as ‘Digital Identity and Everyday Activism: Sharing Private Stories with Networked Publics’ (Palgrave, 2016).

Their latest 2023 book is called ‘Queering Safe Spaces: Being Brave Beyond Binaries’ available here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793618849/Queering-Safe-Spaces-Being-Brave-beyond-Binaries

The post Sat, 16th May, 2026: Son Vivienne, CEO Transgender Victoria, Priorities for the rest of the Year Facing Transgender Victoria appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Nevena and Paul talk to Joe Ball – Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, Update on IDAHOBIT Weekend

May 17 marks the date in 1990 that homosexuality was removed from the WHO Classification of Diseases. Over three decades later, LGBTQIA+ communities still face discrimination – but every one of us can make a difference. Will you stand against discrimination?

A worldwide celebration of gender and sexual diversities and a call to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community to fight discrimination.

The first Mardi Gras pride march was held in Sydney in 1978, which was met with violence from police. Those who marched were beaten inside police cells and had their names published by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Tasmania was the last jurisdiction in Australia to decriminalise homosexuality in May 1997. The majority of Australians today were alive during a time when it was illegal to be gay.

The Marriage Equality plebiscite was held in 2017. While marriage equality was passed, 38.4% of Australians who voted (4.8 million people) voted against it.

The first IDAHOBIT was held in 2005 and is today acknowledged by millions of people globally. While IDAHOBIT has evolved over these years, the purpose remains the same – celebrate the progress we have made while also raising awareness for the discrimination that LGBTQIA+ people still face today.

Joe Ball was appointed as Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities on 23 September 2024 for a three-year term.

Commissioner Ball (he/him) is a proud transgender man. He is a longstanding LGBTIQA+ advocate with a 25-year career in disability, housing and homelessness, and social services.

Commissioner Ball is a member of the Expert Advisory Group for the Federal Government’s 10-Year LGBTIQ+ Health and Wellbeing Plan. He has previously participated in several leading social service advisory committees and boards. This includes the Victorian Family Violence peak body Safe and Equal, the Community Advisory Committee for 1800RESPECT, the Victorian LGBTIQA+ Taskforce, the Victorian Family Violence Reform Advisory Group, and the National Suicide Prevention Governance Committee.

Joe was previously CEO of Switchboard Victoria for eight years, where he led the establishment of Rainbow Door, the statewide LGBTIQA+ family violence and mental health helpline.

Throughout his expansive career, Joe has drawn upon the strength and guidance of LGBTIQA+ history and most importantly, the work of activists who have paved the way, the courageous voices with lived experience and the wisdom of LGBTIQA+ elders.

In 2020, Joe was honoured as an award recipient in the 50 Outstanding LGBTI+ Leaders in Australia.

The post Sat, 16th May, 2026: Joe Ball – Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, Update on IDAHOBIT Weekend appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

For the first time ever Nevena and Paul are co-hosting together, Macca is a way and our executive producer Kenny is down on the coast. Nevena and Paul discuss the week that was, what’s happening this week on the show everything happening at the Pride Centre and Delta’s Eurovision campaign.

The post Sat, 16th May, 2026: Weekly Wrap Up with Nevena and Paul appeared first on Saturday Magazine.