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VAN Talks Podcast

Victorian Aboriginal News

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.

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24 episodes
a few times a week
Avg 20 min
English

Episodes 24

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S5 · E38
Sunday · 19 min
S05-E39: Start exploring First Nations' cultures and put aside the fear of offending
Send us Fan Mail Cultural educator Thane Garvey explores the complexities of shared Australian culture, addressing non-Indigenous fears, the importance of respectful engagement, and the vital role of education in preserving First Nations heritage.
S5 · E37
October 4 · 22 min
S05-E37: The revival of cultural burning practices to remediate Country and help mitigate disasters
Send us Fan Mail Traditional Owners in Victoria are reawakening ancient cultural burning practices to restore landscape health, protect biodiversity, and mitigate wildfire risks through community-led land management and self-determination.
S5 · E36
September 30 · 17 min
S05-E36: Implementing First Nations knowledge to heal country
Send us Fan Mail Holmesglen Institute and Trust for Nature offer a First Nations-led Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management, empowering mob to care for Country, restore native biodiversity, and lead environmental self-determination.
S5 · E35
September 28 · 21 min
S05-E35: It's time for Australia to acknowledge historic atrocities
Send us Fan Mail New research shows over two million people lived across Australia pre-invasion, shattering colonial myths and underscoring the urgent need for genuine truth-telling and historical accountability.
- Transcript
September 24 · 22 min
S05-E34: First Nations star knowledge predates Western astrophysics by millennia
Send us Fan Mail Astrophysicist Professor Duane Hamacher explores First Nations development and use of astronomy, revealing tens of thousands of years of sophisticated science well outdating Western astrophysics.
- Transcript
S5 · E33
September 21 · 21 min
S05-E33: Reclaiming cultural heritage through proper consent frameworks
Send us Fan Mail Existing Australian intellectual property laws fail to safeguard Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property. Dr Terri Janke outlines why true consultation, consent, and True Tracks principles are vital for protecting Blak knowledge.
- Transcript
S5 · E32
September 16 · 18 min
S05-E32 - Media leader urges all Australians to engage with Blak media
Send us Fan Mail National Indigenous Times COO Alexander Wolf discusses expanding into Victoria, combatting online misinformation, protecting First Nations journalists, and why mainstream engagement with Blak media is vital for community self-determination.
S5 · E31
September 11 · 19 min
S05-E31: First Nations creatives given safe spaces through Blak and Bright
Send us Fan Mail Skye Cusack discusses how Blak and Bright supports First Nations storytellers year-round through publishing partnerships, digital commissions, education initiatives, and industry advocacy to ensure cultural safety and fair remuneration.
S5 · E30
September 3 · 20 min
S05-E30: Ipsos Indigenous Issues 2026 report reveals shift in public focus
Send us Fan Mail New data shows that while mainstream interest in First Nations issues has dropped, majority support for Treaty and truth-telling remains firm, led strongly by younger generations across Australia.
- Transcript
S5 · E29
September 2 · 21 min
S05-E29: Long term economic independence at the heart of Victoria Treaty process
Send us Fan Mail Self Determination Fund co-chair Leanne Miller explains how building capital and supporting Traditional Owner unity is driving long-term economic independence and equity across Victoria’s ongoing Treaty process.
- Transcript
S5 · E28
August 29 · 31 min
S05-E28: Marcia Langton talks about truth-telling, culture in education...and racism
Send us Fan Mail Laureate Professor Marcia Langton AO discusses navigating everyday racism, moving beyond deficit models, and embedding 65,000 years of Indigenous scientific innovation—from astronomy to fire—into the national curriculum.
- Transcript
S5 · E27
August 24 · 14 min
S05-E27: Standing up for Mob through reporting racism and demanding real accountability
Send us Fan Mail Cathy Austin from the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission talks about a new podcast series created in partnership with VALS, providing education on the legal tools available to First Nations people who face discrimination in any form.
S5 · E26
August 19 · 19 min
S05-E26: Building self-determination on air through independent Aboriginal media
Send us Fan Mail 3KND General Manager Grant Hansen has a yarn with us about spending 25 years building independent Aboriginal radio in Melbourne, amplifying community voices, championing local music, and driving genuine self-determination across the airwaves.
S5 · E25
August 15 · 20 min
S05-E25: New study highlights connection between harmful misinformation and online hate targeting Mob
Send us Fan Mail Groundbreaking research reveals a tenfold rise in online hate targeting First Nations people. Discover how digital algorithms fuel racism against Mob and what must be done to protect our community.
S5 · E24
August 11 · 21 min
S05:E24 - Reconciliation Action Plans at a crossroads: Jason Mifsud on the future of RAPs
Send us Fan Mail Are Reconciliation Action Plans still delivering for Mob? Eastern Maar leader Jason Mifsud explores why organisations must shift from symbolic gestures to structural accountability, embedded governance, and genuine self-determination.
S5 · E23
August 6 · 20 min
S05-E23: "Systems aren't broken, they're working by design": Prof. Emma-Jaye Gavin on the future of truth-telling
Send us Fan Mail
S5 · E22
August 3 · 21 min
S05-E22: Sixteen-year-old student challenges leaders to turn promises into progress
Send us Fan Mail Sixteen-year-old Lola Wood-Sharples speaks out on VAN Talks, calling for real accountability on Closing the Gap targets and demanding meaningful action over empty government promises.
July 31 · 18 min
S05-E21: Uncle Joel Wright speaks out about the genesis of First Nations radio
Send us Fan Mail We sit down with First Nations radio pioneer Uncle Joel Wright, discussing the past, present and future of Blak voices on Australian radio.
July 26 · 20 min
S05-E20: Highlighting culture through art without compromise
Send us Fan Mail An acclaimed Victorian Aboriginal artist, Bayley Mifsud, discusses navigating major corporate collaborations while safeguarding cultural integrity. She highlights the vital importance of connection to Country, honouring Southeastern artistic identity, and inspiring the next generation to proudly celebrate First Nations cultural heritage everywhere.
S5 · E19
July 23 · 21 min
S05-E19: Youth taking leadership in the Victorian Treaty process
Send us Fan Mail First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria members Tarni Morris and Levi Power discuss how First Nations youth are stepping up to lead Victoria’s historic Treaty,

Showing 1–20 of 24 episodes