VAN Talks Podcast
Heading back to our roots and building on the work we undertook in the leadup to the 2023 Referendum, Victorian Aboriginal News (VAN) Talks focuses on the positivity that is Aboriginal Victoria. Covering everything from Voice, Treaty and Truth and Reconciliation through to Aboriginal businesses and Traditional Owner initiatives, the VAN Talks podcast is the only podcast that travels across the State to deliver interviews and stories that are the truth of Aboriginal Victoria.
- Update frequency
- every 4 days
- Average duration
- 20 minutes
- Episodes
- 124
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
S03-E24: Welcome to Country - a cultural and contemporary perspective
VAN’s Charles Pakana speaks with Wurundjeri Elder and lore man Uncle Bill Nicholson, gaining an insight into the important role that a Welcome to Country has in the broader Australian s…
S03-E23: Deep diving into the current Victorian Treaty negotiations
With the Victorian State Government and First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria having agreed to an agenda of items for the first round of Treaty negotiations, VAN’s Charles Pakana catches …
S03-E22: Summing up a catastrophic year for the Victorian dingo population
In this end-of-year episode, VAN's Charles Pakana brings together key points from two months of investigation and interviews focused on the Victorian Government's questionably-motivated…
S03-E21: “Sham consultation” claim on government from Victorian Farmers Federation
As we commence our closing off of the Victorian Government’s “dingo death warrant” across much of Australia, VAN’s Charles Pakana catches up with President of the Victorian Farmers Fede…
S03-E20: Yoorrook Commissioner Sue-Anne Hunter reflects on Victoria’s truth-telling process
As submissions and evidence-giving closes for Victoria’s groundbreaking Yoorrook Royal Commission into truth-telling, VAN’s Charles Pakana catches up with Commissioner and Deputy Chair …
S03-E19: Dja Dja Wurrung barely considered in Victorian Government’s dingo planning
As we continue our investigation into the State Government’s blatant disregard of First Nations’ advice on the matter of dingo protection in Victoria, VAN’s Charles Pakana speaks with t…
S03-E18: A yarn by the mighty Murray River with Uncle Col Clark
On a recent trip up to Latje Latje Country, specifically Mildura, VAN's Charles Pakana caught up with Barkindji Elder, Uncle Col Clark. Sitting by the southern bank of the mighty Murray…
S03-E17: Victorian Government continues to ignore First Nations on cultural matter
In this episode of the VAN Talks podcast, VAN’s Charles Pakana talks with CEO of the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations, Paul Paton. They discuss the clear lack of c…
S03-E16: Reflecting on five years of Treaty work with Assembly co-chair Rueben Berg
Nearly six years ago, I traveled across Victoria shadowing Aunty Jill Gallagher, then the Victorian Treaty Advancement Commissioner, and catching up with numerous traditional owners who…
S03-E15: Bringing Aboriginal cultural safety and influences into the education system
In this episode VAN's Charles Pakana sits down for a yarn with Aboriginal reform advocate and activist, Bunurong woman Zoe Upton. Together they discuss topics ranging from engaging with…
S03-E14: Victoria's dingoes barely protected under legislation
As we continue our deep dive into the Victorian Government's decision to extend the unprotection order on dingoes up until 2028, VAN's Charles Pakana travels to Apollo Bay to speak to Y…
S03-E13: The science and facts supporting the need to protect Victorian dingo populations
As we continue pursuing the facts behind the Victorian Government's strange decision to extend an Order in Council, taking unprotection of dingoes across much of the state through to 20…
S03-E12: Bringing Aboriginal culture into our daily lives
In this episode VAN’s Charles Pakana sits down with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung cultural educator Thane Garvey to discuss ways in which Aboriginal culture - language, caring for country, etc…
S03-E11: The harsh reality of "black-cladding" of businesses
While a growing number of people and businesses seek to support Blak businesses, there is an unfortunate prevalence of businesses following a practice of "black cladding" to rip off the…
S03-E10: One year on from the referendum - a yarn with Thomas Mayo
Ever the optimist and activist, exactly one year on from the failed referendum to achieve a First Nations Voice in our Constitution, Thomas Mayo speaks about his book Always Was Always …
S03-E09: Victorian Government signs dingo death warrant
In a move many describe as primarily politically motivated, the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has extended a dingo UNprotection order across are…
S03-E08: We visit Budj Bim on Gunditjmara Country and learn more about the story behind this cultural site
Sitting at Tae Rak on Gunditjmara Country in the state's South-West, VAN's Charles Pakana catches up with the Budj Bim General Manager Joseph Saunders, discussing the story behind the p…
S03-E07: Talking Treaty - Reconciliation Victoria turns the table on Charles Pakana from Victorian Aboriginal News
In a bit of a change, it's Charles' turn to be interviewed about Treaty as he is joined by Reconciliation Victoria's Communications lead, Anna Van Vliet. They explore various questions …
S03-E06: "Treaty". A fairly generic word that can either be weaponised or seen as an amazing opportunity
A simple interview with Constitutional law expert Professor Cheryl Saunders about the legal meaning of "treaty" evolves to embrace a broad range of important related matters.
S03-E05: Putting Blak into philanthropy through decolonisation of attitudes and practices
OK, so it may seem a bit of a dry subject - philanthropy - but when you start to explore how, through its decolonisation, it can deliver major benefits to the broader community, the lig…