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-E04: Sky News' Peta Credlin and Senator Jacinta Price mislead on Treaty event and Victorian Treaty
Once again Sky News commentator Peta Credlin and the Federal Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Jacinta Price, have been proven wrong in commentary. This time, it's all…
S03-E03: When the multicultural communities take the lead in reconciliation across Victoria
Throughout 2023 and 2024, two research leads at the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth and Justice undertook an innovative project to build reconciliation capabilities, strengths…
S03-E02: The changing Blak face of Ballarat and the need for local truth-telling
In this incredibly candid interview, VAN’s Charles Pakana talks with local Ballarat elder, Noongar man Uncle Al Harris, to discuss the state of reconciliation within the Victorian regio…
S03-E01: Time closing in on community's dispute window regarding the Assembly and a statewide Treaty
On the 17th of September this year, the opportunity closes for the lodgement of either a comment or dispute regarding the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria meeting minimum standards t…
S02-E40: Despite colonial efforts, the Woi-wurrung language is alive and growing
During a recent visit to Coranderrk, VAN’s Charles Pakana caught up for a yarn about the Woi-wurrung language with advocate, speaker and teacher Brooke Wandin. Without any doubt, the Wo…
S02-E39: Bruce Pascoe - at 77 he’s nowhere near ready to sit back and take it easy
Discussing everything from the referendum and cultural responsibilities right through to conservative media and "what's next", we engage in an in-depth interview with Bruce Pascoe.
S02-E38: City of Merri-Bek Mayor’s ambitions to enter into Treaty negotiations
Taking a position of leadership, the Mayor of Merri-Bek (formerly Moreland) talks openly about his and the city’s aspirations to enter into Treaty negotiations with the Wurundjeri Woi-w…
S02-E37: Yoorrook Commission Truth Receives speak out on challenges and goals
We hear all the time from the Commissioners of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, but what about those few people who are working every day with community to receive the truth about syste…
S02-E36: Victorian Treaty - the Framework, treaty readiness and ongoing truth-telling
In a far-reaching interview with Victorian Aboriginal News, co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, Rueben Berg, responds to questions covering nuances of the Treaty Negoti…
S02-E35: Wurundjeri Elder and lore man Uncle Bill Nicholson speaks out about education
All Australia bore witness to the obscene tagline of “If you don’t know, vote NO” that was used by anti-Voice campaigners in 2023. Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elder and lore man Uncle Bill N…
S02-E34: Aunty Esme Bamblett on Reconciliation - it's the role of every Australian
If you listen to just one of our podcast episodes this year...this is the one. CEO of the Aborigines' Advancement League, member of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, academic and…
S02-E33: Aboriginal singer/songwriter Pirritu (Brett Lee) talks of music as a social tool
VAN host Charles Pakana catches up with singer/songwriter Pirritu, also known as Brett Lee, to discuss the musician’s background story and the role he plays in bringing about social cha…
S02-E32: Victoria's Anglican church moves forward with commitment to Reconciliation, Recognition and Treaty
On the 30th of June 2024, Anglican priest Uncle Glenn Loughrey, a Wiradjuri man who campaigned strongly for the Voice to Parliament, was collated at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne as …
S02-E31: The Torch - Empowering Victorian Aboriginal prison inmates through art
In a highly thought-provoking interview, we speak with founder and creative director of Torch program, Uncle Kent Morris, and Stacey Edwards, an inspirational woman who, with dedicatio…
S02-E30: A Victorian Treaty process that benefits all Victorians
Uncle Andrew Jackomos and Thelma Austin from the Treaty Authority speak about the importance of ensuring treaty negotiations are impartial and of benefit to all
S02-E29: Inside Fire Rescue Victoria - a 44-year Aboriginal veteran's perspective
While Fire Rescue Victoria embarks upon a recruiting campaign with an eye towards bringing in more First Nations recruit firefighters, we speak with Uncle Owen Butler, a Wiradjuri man w…
S02-E28: Taungurung wins first legal round against Goulburn Murray Water
Charles speaks with the CEO of the Taungurung Land and Waters Council, Matthew Burns, about the recent ruling from VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal), which overturned a…
S02-E27: Inside the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Corporation
For this episode, Charles travels to Bendigo and meets up with Nicola Perry, Chair of the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Corporation (BDAC), and BDAC CEO, Dallas Widdocombe.
S02-E26: The First 1,000 Days Australia Project with Kerry Arabena
In this episode Charles speaks with the lead researcher and managing director of the First 1,000 Days Australia Project, Kerry Arabena. Together, they discuss the evidence-based model t…
S02-E25: In Conversation with Activist Artist Uncle Richard Bell
We caught up with Uncle Richard Bell just before his June presentation at the Koorie Heritage Trust in Melbourne. Over the course of the interview we spoke about art as a form of activi…