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.
Episodes
163 episodes
S05-E03: Removal of the whitewash over Australia's military history
We catch up with historian Peter Bakker and explore the truth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in military service. Listen in to this discussion on how the Australian military provided a rare space of racal equality where m...
S05-E02: Taungurung signifies intent to commence local Treaty negotiations
Charles Pakana yarns with Taungurang CEO, Matt Burns, to discuss the historic steps being taken by the Taungurung people toward Treaty negotiations with the state government. Matt talks about the community’s journey toward independence through ...
S05-E01: Travis Lovett on the National Walk for Truth
Charles Pakana has a yarn with Travis Lovett, a Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man and former Yoorrook Justice Commissioner, 18 hours before he leaves to leads the 2026 National Walk for Truth. This 800km journey from Naarm to Canberra advocates for a ...
S04-E40: Ensuring the legacy of the Yoorrook evidence and submissions
In this episode VAN's Charles Pakana sits with Professor Peter Radoll, the man responsible for ensuring that all the evidence and submissions received by the Yoorrook Justice Commission is protected and - importantly - is made available to all ...
S04-E38: The $1 Billion benefit: Why investing in Traditional Owners pays off
With the passage of the Treaty Act of 2025, many believe the work is finished—but for Victoria’s Traditional Owners, the journey is just beginning. In this episode, host Charles Pakana sits down with Kaley Nicholson, CEO of the Federation of Vi...
S04-E37: A new era of shared governance for Dja Dja Wurrung and Bendigo
Djaara and the City of Greater Bendigo move beyond transactional MOUs with Yilingga Marna, a groundbreaking agreement embedding self-determination and shared governance into local decision-making. VAN's Charles Pakana talks with DJAARA CEO Cass...
S04-E36: Simple executive decision: The fix for Australia Day
James Woods from the Australian Long Weekend Initiative proposes moving Australia Day to the second-last Monday in January. This shift promises a long weekend every year, boosts business productivity, and fosters national unity for all Australi...
S04-E35: Unlocking the potential of the Indigenous business sector with Paul Paton
There's no doubt that a strong Australian First Nations business sector results in a strengthening of the Australian economy. To discuss this, VAN catches up with Dilin Duwa ("Everlasting Flow" [Woi-wurrung]) Centre for Indigenous Business Lead...
S04-E34: The rise of reform - tracking the shift toward Treaty and Truth
With new survey figures demonstrating a clear shift towards support for Treaty, Truth and reconciliation across Victoria, VAN catches up with the survey's commissioning academics, Professor Andrew Gunstone and Professor Emma-Jay Gavin, Australi...
S04-E33: Self-determination in the Aboriginal legal service space
With the recent publication of his book Defending the Defenceless, Eddie Cubillo joins VAN's Charles Pakana to discuss the critical importance - and all too often, lack - of self-determination and true community control in the Aboriginal and To...
S04-E32: Federal advocacy at last for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people
With legislation before Parliament to cement the powers of the Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, we catch up with country's first Commissioner under that legislation, Sue-Anne Hunter
S04-E31: Election 2026 - The future of Treaty in Victoria
Arguably one of the most important Assembly elections, the 2026 election for "Assembly 3.0" kicks off on the 21st of March. We catch up with the people responsible for running and overseeing the process
S04-E30: Blak firefighters taking prominence across Victoria
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 Natio...
S04-E29: Supporting growth in the Victorian Blak business space
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,...
S04-E28: Advocating for a strong Victorian Blak music industry
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 Strai...
S04-E27: Blak media - Koori Mail editor Todd Condie
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.
S04-E26: Elections 2026 - Setting the stage for the future of Treaty in Victoria
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 A...
S04-E25: Join the 2026 Walk for national truth-telling
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...
S04-E24: The path to Treaty from the Minister's perspective
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 des...
S04-E23: First Nations story-telling carries culture and lore
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.
S04-E22: Victorian Traditional Owners speak out on Victoria's critical minerals mining
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 Tradition...
S04-E21: The realities and implications of misinformation and disinformation
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 impl...
S04-E20: Honest allyship with reconciliation groups in regional Victoria
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 y...