VAN Talks Podcast

Send us Fan Mail With Fire Rescue Victoria recognising the need for a more culturally appropriate workspace and overall operational environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander firefighters, VAN's Charles Pakana meets up with two active FRV First Nations firefighters.

Send us Fan Mail One of the fundamental cornerstones of First Nations self-determination is economic independence; and the Kinaway Chamber of Commerce in Victoria is fundamental to that. VAN's Charles Pakana catches up with Kinaway Chair, Palawa/Tommeginne man, Trent Brickle.

Send us Fan Mail With the music industry becoming increasingly competitive and difficult for young artists, VAN's Charles Pakana catches up with the General Manager of Songlines, a Blak-led organisation focused entirely on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers in Victoria.

Send us Fan Mail As we continue to explore the importance of Blak media in Australia, VAN's Charles Pakana catches up for a yarn with the editor of Koori Mail, Todd Condie.

Send us Fan Mail With the announcement made for the next elections to be held for the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria - 3.0 - we're looking at significant moves forward in the Victorian Treaty landscape. For a closer view, VAN's Charles Pakana, chats with Assembly co-Chair Ngarra Murray

Send us Fan Mail As ex-Yoorrook Commissioner Travis Lovett works on his next Walk for Truth - this time at a national level - he joins VAN's Charles Pakana to discuss the need for this, as well as how ordinary Australians can join in and support this initiative

Send us Fan Mail Just three days before her resignation from Cabinet comes into effect, the Minister for Treaty and First Nations, Natalie Hutchins MP, speaks with VAN's Charles Pakana about her experiences holding that portfolio during what can arguably be described as Australia's most positive decade in the First Nations space.

Send us Fan Mail Increasingly - and fortunately - a new age of "digital" story-telling professionals are emerging to ensure stories are protected from the ravages of time. VAN catches up with one such story-teller, Yorta Yorta and Woi-wurrung man Mark Thomson.

Send us Fan Mail As the need and demand for critical minerals increases, we catch up with the CEO of the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owners Cooperation, Kaley Nicholson, about the state government dragging its heels on reaching agreements with Traditional Owners across the state.  

Send us Fan Mail In an apparent age of misinformation and disinformation, particularly evident during the 2023 Referendum on a First Nations Voice to Parliament, VAN's Charles Pakana catches up with NITV's John Paul (JP) Janke, to discuss the realities and implications of this moving forward, with a focus also on its potential impact of the Victorian Treaty Process.

Send us Fan Mail Regarded by many as a fairly "redneck" area, Shepparton is home to one of the longest-serving and effective local reconciliation efforts - the Shepparton Region Reconciliation Group. VAN's Charles Pakana travels to the area and meets up for a yarn with one of the group's co-conveners, Dierdre Robertson.

Send us Fan Mail Treaty Authority member, Biripi woman Duean White talks with Victorian Aboriginal News about local Treaties, and what local governments and organisations can do to better understand and prepare for them

Send us Fan Mail Featuring three great tracks from the band's latest album, Solar Eclipse, this interview has VAN's Charles Pakana yarning with Blackfire co-founder, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Grant Hanson about the album and the history of this iconic Naarm-based Aboriginal rock band.

Send us Fan Mail We catch up with Austrade's first Head of Indigenous Engagement and Export, Yuin woman Melanie Harris, to discuss First Nations businesses making headway in international trade

Send us Fan Mail From being taken from her home and family in 1969 by Victoria Police, Stolen Generations survivor Aunty Evajo Edwards now works as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer with that same organisation...and shares positive perspectives.

Send us Fan Mail We conclude our extended interview with Gunditjmara man and co-Chair of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, Rueben Berg, deep-diving into Treaty legislation and the Treaty itself.

Send us Fan Mail We continue out deep-dive into the Victorian Treaty Legislation and proposed Treaty with Gunditjmara man and co-Chair of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, Rueben Berg.

Send us Fan Mail We're rapt that Victorian Aboriginal News was chosen by the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria to interview co-Chair Rueben Berg for a deep dive into the Victorian Treaty Legislation and proposed Treaty. This is part one of a three-part extended exclusive interview, recorded just days before the legislation was passed in the Victorian Parliament's lower house. 

Send us Fan Mail Gunditjmara woman and co-founder of Clothing the Gaps, Laura Thompson, joins VAN's Charles Pakana to talk about the importance of clothing as a means of sparking change and conversation.

Send us Fan Mail Somewhat off our normal track, in this episode I speak with Tahlia Azaria from the Foundation for Young Australians about that organisation's Young Mayors program. 

Send us Fan Mail Ex-Victorian Treaty Advancement Commissioner, Aunty Jill Gallagher, looks back at the challenges facing the Treaty process during the formation of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.

Send us Fan Mail Led by Gunditjmara woman Aunty Lisa Briggs, NgaweeyanMaar-oo (voice of and from the people) is working with local governments to help them achieve their Closing the Gaps obligations

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of VAN Talks, I catch up with the leader and founder of Victoria's only Blak- and queer-led first aid service provider, Nic Radoll. He leads an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation (ACCO) that's another clear demonstration of the value to ALL community of self-determination.

Send us Fan Mail With the Victorian Treaty legislation now tabled in the State's Parliament, grassroots level support is on the rise. A key player in this is First Nations-led Common Threads. We speak with one of the organisation's founders, Larissa Baldwin-Roberts.

Send us Fan Mail Despite being underfunded by the Federal Government, First Nations media across Australia plays a critical role in dispelling myths and misinformation. We speak with First Nations Media Australia CEO, Wally Tallis.