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
S02-E24: Inside the Koorie Heritage Trust with CEO Tom Mosby
There’s a hell of a lot more to the Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) than typically meets the eye. We sit down and discuss the inner workings of this important organisation with its Chief Ex…
S02-E23: Dja Dja Wurrung and land set to benefit from new agreement with gold miners
In this exclusive interview with Djaara CEO Uncle Rodney Carter, we explore a first-of-its-kind (for Victoria) agreement between a Traditional Owner group and a gold mining operation.
S02-E22: Bringing Aboriginal content and relevancy into the curriculum
We speak with Gunditjmara academic and education advocate Professor Mark Rose about bringing Aboriginal content and relevancy into the education system at all levels.
S02-E21: Practising cultural art on another mob’s Country
In this interview, VAN’s Charles Pakana catches up with Gurrin Gurrin artist Phillip Howe, to discuss the challenges and obligations facing Aboriginal artists practising on Country that…
S02-E20: Reconciliation Perspective - Wotjobaluk woman Aunty Janine Coombs
As we commence our series of interviews with Victorian Traditional owners about what true reconciliation means to them, we sit down with Wotjobaluk woman, Aunty Janine Coombs.
S02-E19: Victorian Treaty - sharing political decision making and embracing allies
Gunditjmara man and co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, Rueben Berg, returns to the VAN Talks podcast, discussing one of the key aspirations of a statewide treaty in Vi…
S02-E18: Seeking to identify and recognise all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel
From his office deep within the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Michael Bell devotes his life to identifying and gaining recognition for all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island…
S02-E17: Fighting to recognise the service and sacrifice of First Nations service personnel
For nearly 20 years an Egyptian born retired Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant has fought for greater recognition of the service and sacrifice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait I…
S02-E16: 50 Aboriginal trackers left behind after Boer War? Busting the myth.
For several decades there has been a story that has gained popularity, about the Australian Military Forces leaving behind in South Africa 50 Aboriginal Trackers. In this interview we s…
S02-E15: Coranderrk truth-telling with Uncle Dave Wandin (Part 2)
We continue our truth-telling podcast with Wurundjeri woi-wurrung Elder Uncle Dave Wandin about the true history of the Coranderrk mission, taking it up to current times.
S02-E14: Coranderrk truth-telling with Uncle Dave Wandin (Part 1)
In this extended episode of VAN Talks, Charles speaks with Wurundjeri woi-wurrung Elder Uncle Dave Wandin about the true history of the Coranderrk mission.
S02-E13: Aboriginal business - the realities, the challenges and the way forward
In this far-reaching interview, VAN’s Charles Pakana speaks with Dr Michelle Evans, the Director of the Dilin Duwa Center for Indigenous Business Leadersip at the University of Melbourn…
S02-E12: Thomas Mayo discusses ways forward post referendum
VAN’s Charles Pakana catches up with Thomas Mayo nearly four months after the referendum. They discuss a wide range of topics, from “where to from here?” to two new books coming out soo…
S02-E11: Sky News’ Andrew Bolt launches attack on Wurundjeri Elder and traditional medicine
After delivering a speech on 26 Jan this year, Victorian Aboriginal News founder and editor Charles Pakana was approach by Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elder Aunty Diane Kerr. She mentioned t…
S02-E10: Racism, RAPs and Substantive Reconciliation. A yarn with Professor Andrew Gunstone.
Following the October 2023 referendum, many have claimed that anti-Aboriginal sentiments have become increasingly prevalent. International reconciliation academic Professor Andrew Gunst…
S02-E09: Cultural Safety and a new way forward post referendum
In this episode we talk about cultural safety and cultural load int he workplace - issues that are often bandied around in the Australian workforce yet all too often left unaddressed. W…
S02-E08: Treaty in Victoria - the government prepares for Treaty negotiations
Our first podcast for the year kicks off with Natalie Hutchins MP, Minister for Treaty and First Nations, talking about the government's treaty preparation; and Uncle Rodney Carter, one…
S02-E07: William Barak cultural artwork returns home to Wurundjeri Country
Recorded at the State Library of Victoria, and celebrating the return of two culturally important artworks by William Barak, this episode has Charles speaking with Wurundjeri Elder Uncl…
S02 E06: A Visit to the Willum Warrain Gathering Place
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Gathering Places play a huge role for community across Victoria, and at VAN Talks our goal is to visit and report from all of them over the next 12…
S02-E05: Discussing the Victorian Aboriginal and Local Government Strategy
In 2021, the Victorian Government launched the 2021-2026 Victorian Aboriginal and Local Government Strategy. We interviewed one of its key architects, Peek Whurrong man Jason Mifsud, sh…