Acknowledgement of Country//
News Headlines
In a conversation from Saturday 25th July, Yaraan Couzins Bundle spoke with Leila about the process of grounding back in Djab Wurrung country after visiting Mparntwe desert country the week before to stand in solidarity with Aunty Felicity and the Hayes family, demanding Sacred Arrernte Land Back at the Pine Gap Convergence. Yaraan describes how her old girls - ancestors living through Country - received her return to sacred Country with pride, and unpacks how the decolonial work on her ancestral lands is interwoven with work of liberatory justice for kin across the continent and expanding globally. You will hear waterways, land, animals and sky joining in the conversation along the way.//
Rodrigo Acuña is a Spanish teacher, documentary filmmaker, and independent specialist in Latin American affairs. Rodrigo has been writing on Latin American politics for more than 20 years and in 2024 completed his first documentary film, 'Venezuela: The Cost of Challenging an Empire". After attending and speaking at the Independent and Peaceful Australian Network's national conference, themed 'Time to Break Free from the US', Rodrigo joined us to talk about key topics addressed at the conference, including AUKUS, the minimal coverage of Latin America in the Australian press, whether Australia's relationship with the US impacts this coverage, and projects he is currently working on. Rodrigo’s work, including a bi-montly newsletter he publishes on political updates throughout Latin America, can be found on his website.//
Tom Cooper, Chair of the 44FU 150 Inkerman Street Residents Committee, speaks with us about an action planned by residents across at least four of the older persons' high rise public housing buildings slated for demolition by the Victorian Government to bring their concerns to the office of Housing Minister Nick Staikos next Wednesday. Residents aged between 55 and 100 are inviting Minister Staikos to receive their petitions against the planned demolition of their homes, and will be bringing the message directly to the Minister at 1 Spring Street at 1PM on Wednesday the 5th of August.//
Chris Christoforou, CEO of VAADA, Victoria Alcohol and Drug Association, joined us to outline what the association would like to see from political parties as we approach state elections. We discussed blowout wait times for current alcohol and drug treatment services, gaps in the Victorian Government's current drug and alcohol strategy, and VAADA’s recommended multi-pronged approach to AOD services that prioritises evidence-based policies focusing on service expansion, harm reduction, and decriminalisation.
*This conversation touches on drug and alcohol use. If you or anyone you know needs support, contact the national hotline for confidential counselling and referral on 1800 250 015.//
Kelly and Dani from the Homeless Persons Union of Victoria joined us to discuss the group's recent publication of a jointly-authored statement alongside some of Victoria's leading health and justice organisations urging the Australian Press Council to adopt ethical guidelines for journalists and commentators reporting on homelessness. The statement was issued following the recent publication of an opinion piece by commentator and former shock-jock Steve Price in the Herald Sun featuring harmful representations of people experiencing homelessness and poor health in Melbourne's CBD. The Homeless Persons Union of Victoria is calling for the Australian Press Council to adopt the Council to Homeless Persons' Media Messaging Guide, which you can read here. If you wish to make your own complaint to the Australian Press Council about derogatory representations of homelessness by commercial mastheads, you can do so here.//
Emily, Inez, Leila, Priya, River, Candy
