V.A.N. operates pretty well entirely from a 2019 Ford Transit van, called “Violet” – Charles Pakana’s Aboriginal grandmother.

It has been Charles’ workplace and home since February 2021. Why? Simple!

When Charles was Treaty Correspondent on radio, he was chastised by a Station Manager for traveling out to Regional Victoria and interviewing people. He was told that all future interviews had to be done by telephone.

It was at that precise time that Charles made the decision to go fully independent and report on stories from right across Victoria.

Now, as a fully self-funded and not-profit organisation, V.A.N. (yes, we totally get the fortuitous coincidence) is a small Aboriginal-owned and -focused new service that works without absurd constraints and withVictorian Traditional Owner groups and organisations to share positive stories from across our state.