There’s no doubt that Australians are afforded an incredible array of opportunities that many others around the world sadly won’t experience in their lifetime.
Despite being a country united on many fronts, there is still much work to be done when it comes to understanding the profound and lasting trauma felt by our First Nations People.

Ultimately, more awareness over the years in this space has led to many of the next generation of young Australians, deeply acknowledging the damage that has been done, and showing genuine support through allyship and actively seeking more education.

Proud Gurindji man, John Burgess joins us for episode 6.
From a young age, John was unconsciously navigating a childhood underpinned by intergenerational trauma. His mum was forcibly taken from her mother and sister in 1942, at the age of two.

As in most children’s cases of the stolen generation, her personal records were destroyed, leading her on a lifelong quest to rediscover who she really was. A journey that John and his sisters would eventually join her on, connecting their family back to her country in Kalkaringi, Northern Territory. And taking them on an emotional road to the very location where so many of these atrocities were committed, Wave Hill Station.

In this episode, John opens up about his gratitude in being able to turn intergenerational trauma, into intergenerational change, through the inception of Little Rocket. Little Rocket is a 100% Indigenous owned and operated creative marketing agency which was founded by John 14 years ago, and now consists of over 20 passionate creatives, who are just as committed to social change as he is.

We felt strongly about using this episode as an opportunity to deconstruct some of the misconceptions around Australia’s First Nations history, particularly in regards to January 26 and the referendum that took place earlier this year for an Aboriginal voice to parliament. John takes a light hearted approach to some of these heavy topics, but is very matter of fact in answering our questions.

We believe that more education and awareness in this space is one positive way forward. This episode is purely that, and can hopefully provide a little more insight into the history of Indigenous Australia, through the lived experience of an amazing First Nations man, and someone we are lucky enough to call a good friend.

This is In Depth & In Focus, with John Burgess.

WARNING:
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander listeners are warned that the following episode contains the stories of First Nations people who are deceased. This episode also discusses some heavy subject matter, which some people may find triggering. If you or someone you know is struggling, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup changed the landscape of women’s sport forever, with the level of support for female athletes skyrocketing, especially in spaces that were once considered ‘male dominated’. Unfortunately, the same level of support is not reflected in many community sport settings across Australia, and women and girls are still fighting for fair access and basic necessities. Despite having a way to go, things are slowly changing.

In Episode 5, we sat down with Dr Aish Ravi, who is at the forefront of this change. Having played sport for most of her life, Aish has experienced some of these barriers firsthand and has made it her mission to create positive change in a system she believes isn’t built for women and girls to progress, as players or in positions of leadership.

Aish opens up about her unconditional love for sport, and recalls a number of experiences where sport ‘hasn’t loved her back’ including a crushing incident that left her returning to the footy field a completely different person.

However, even in the face of negativity and hate, she has continued to play, coach and inspire young women, so it’s not surprising she’s been described as a pioneer for women’s leadership and gender equality in sport. Aish not only gave us a front row seat into her world as a woman of colour in community sport, but also a valuable insight into her research on female coaching experiences, which has proven that community sport must lift its game, fast…before more talented women and girls leave the sports they once loved, for good.

This is In Depth & In Focus, with Dr. Aish Ravi.

What does it mean to be a good man? Is it to provide for your family? Or maybe it’s being true to your word. It’s a big, complex question, because masculinity can take shape in many different forms.

Growing up for William, his masculinity was very much defined by his ability to live up to his father’s stature, AFL legend Neil Balme, as a talented footballer.

The internalised pressure to be someone he wasn’t, continued into adulthood, manifesting into crippling anxiety and depression, and a diagnosis of Generalised Anxiety Disorder saw William’s whole world fall apart.

After finding solace in writing a series of intimate letters to his anxiety, he made the brave decision to release them publicly as part of an online blog. The response and amount of people that resonated with his experience was overwhelming.

Releasing his letters has since led him to starting his own mental health initiative and podcast, The Ebbs & the Flows, and the production of our own documentary, Letters To Anxiety. If you’ve seen the doco, you’ll already know that William wears his heart on his sleeve, and this episode was no exception. Whether you've experienced your own battle with mental health or not, this is well worth a listen.

William has completely redefined his own version of masculinity through softness, vulnerability and showing raw emotion. He lays everything bare in this episode, as he recounts his extraordinary journey from being his own worst critic, to embracing the fact that he’s just a work in progress, as we all are.

This In Depth & In Focus, with William Balme.