Daa'ring Yarning - Voices from the Frontline

First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence

The 'Daa'ring Yarning' podcast acknowledges that our communities are diverse, with different ways of doing things, and now more than ever, we need safe spaces to listen, learn, reflect, and grow together. The 'Daa'ring Yarning' podcast is a platform designed to share, connect, and strengthen First Nations communities, and amplify the impactful work of the FVPLS sector by celebrating our successes through good news stories. Specifically, the podcast aims to: • Raise awareness & engagement by showcasing community-led programs, stories of impact, and why they work. • Inform & educate by highlighting legal and policy changes and sharing global First Nations knowledge and practices. • Support healing & reconnection through a safe, respectful space for sharing experiences, reflecting on identity, being a positive influence toward reducing Target 13, and acknowledging the ongoing impacts of colonisation. • Celebrate strength & culture by telling cultural stories, recognising the power of cultural capacity, and honouring the depth of Indigenous knowledge.

  1. Oct 30

    Community Voices, National Change with DFSV Commissioner Micaela Cronin

    How do we ensure the voices of communities are heard in the national response to domestic, family and sexual violence? In the latest episode of Daa'ring Yarning: Voices from the Frontline, FNAAFV CEO Kerry sits down with Micaela Cronin, Australia's first Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, to discuss the role of the Commission, the importance of lived experience, and why community voices must be at the centre of solutions. The conversation explores the implementation of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children, the development of Our Way Strong Ways, and the critical role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations play in creating safer futures for women, children and families. Drawing on four years as Commissioner, Micaela Cronin shares her insights on accountability, collaboration, early intervention, and the need to support and learn from community-led initiatives. As she reflects, "community-led, grassroots work is where we will understand what the problems are and where we will find the solutions." This is an insightful conversation about leadership, partnership, and ensuring the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities help shape the policies and systems designed to support them. To learn more about the work of the DFSV Commission and to read their latest report, head to: https://www.dfsvc.gov.au/resources/yearly-report-parliament-2026

  2. Oct 16

    Truth-Telling, Resistance and Change with Researcher and Author, Marlene Longbottom

    How do we break the silence around violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women? In the latest episode of Daa'ring Yarning: Voices from the Frontline, FNAAFV CEO Kerry sits down with Marlene Longbottom, Associate Professor at James Cook University and author of Defiant Resistance: Shattering the Silence on Violence Against Indigenous Women, to explore the importance of ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's experiences of violence are heard, understood and never reduced to numbers. Drawing on more than a decade of research, lived experience and the stories of victim/survivors, Marlene shares why amplifying the voices of those impacted by violence is so important, challenges harmful stereotypes, and explores the complex realities facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experiencing violence. The conversation also explores accountability, healing, the importance of culturally safe specialist services, and why staying silent about violence only allows it to continue. As Marlene reflects, "silence is not really an option." This is a powerful and thought-provoking episode about truth-telling, resilience, and the collective responsibility we all share in ending violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

  3. Oct 1

    Healing, Advocacy and Community: A Conversation with Yasmin Johnson

    In this episode of Daa'ring Yarning: Voices from the Frontline, proud Wulgurukaba, Ngaro and Gooreng Gooreng woman Yasmin Johnson shares the inspiring story behind Maburra Collective, a community-led organisation dedicated to healing, advocacy and education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, children and families affected by domestic and family violence.  Drawing on her own lived experience and more than two decades working across the social services sector, Yasmin reflects on the importance of culturally safe spaces, community-led solutions, and creating opportunities for women to heal, connect and feel safe. She also shares the vision behind Maburra Collective and why healing must be at the centre of lasting change. This is a powerful and hopeful yarn about resilience, culture, belonging and the strength of community.

  4. Sep 17

    Speaking Truth to Create Change: A Yarn with Cecilia McKenzie

    In our latest episode of Daa'ring Yarning: Voices from the Frontline, we sit down with Cecilia McKenzie, a proud Wiradjuri woman and lived experience advocate as she shares her powerful journey from victim-survivor to changemaker, reflecting on the role of lived experience in shaping policy, supporting healing, and creating meaningful change for women and communities affected by domestic and family violence. With honesty, warmth and deep insight, Cecilia speaks about resilience, culture, connection, and why amplifying lived experience voices is essential to building safer futures.

    Speaking Truth to Create Change: A Yarn with Cecilia McKenzie

  5. Sep 2

    From Community Need to Community-led Change: A Conversation with Julie Perkins

    In the first episode of Season 2 of Daa'ring Yarning: Voices from the Frontline, Julie Perkins, CEO of Gurehlgam - Many Rivers and a proud Gumbaynggirr woman, shares the story of how one of the first Family Violence Prevention Legal Service pilot programs came to life through community leadership and self-determination, while reflecting on her own journey of advocacy, the strength of culture and connection to Country, and the enduring role of Elders, families and community in creating safer futures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

  6. Mar 5

    The Power of Reciprocity: How Indigenous-Led Research Drives Real Change Featuring Professor Kyllie Cripps

    In the latest episode of Daa'ring Yarning, we ask the question - what does research actually do for our mob? Host Kerry Staines sits down with Professor Kyllie Cripps, a Palawa woman and Chief Investigator at CEVAW (the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women), to shed a light on this issue by bridging the gap between academic data and community reality. Kyllie shares her journey from a PhD student motivated by her own lived experiences to a leading researcher at Monash University. She challenges the traditional "extractive" model of research, advocating instead for a model built on reciprocity and deep relationship-building. Key highlights from this episode include: Why stats alone aren't enough to capture the true experiences of our people. How research can celebrate our self-determination and push back against negative media narratives. The importance of MOUs in ensuring communities own and control their own information. A moving story of how a simple whiteboard session with elders created a powerful tool for victims of violence.

    The Power of Reciprocity: How Indigenous-Led Research Drives Real Change Featuring Professor Kyllie Cripps

  7. Feb 16

    Leading the Way: An Holistic Approach to Family Wellbeing with Manngoor Dja Aboriginal Health Service

    In our latest episode of Daa'ring Yarning, Kerry speaks with Sharelle Eggmolesse, CEO of Manngoor Dja Aboriginal Health Service (operating under the North Coast Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health) about Aboriginal-led responses to family violence, community leadership, and culturally grounded healthcare. Manngoor Dja — meaning "place of doctors" in the Kabi Kabi language — delivers a hybrid brokerage model, partnering with mainstream providers to expand access to culturally safe, holistic care that spans physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. In this conversation, Sharelle reflects on: ✨ Why responses to family violence must be led by community ✨ Embedding cultural context and intergenerational trauma awareness in service design ✨ Supporting women, children and men through structured, trauma-informed approaches ✨ Programs like Hope and Healing, combining cultural practice with clinical oversight ✨ The importance of respectful partnerships and cultural protocol in mainstream collaboration A proud Torres Strait and South Sea Islander woman with strong ties to Kabi Kabi and Dyirbal Country, Sharelle shares her perspective on leadership that is grounded in community, accountability and self-determination. Learn more about their services: www.ncacch.org.au

    Leading the Way: An Holistic Approach to Family Wellbeing with Manngoor Dja Aboriginal Health Service

  8. Feb 3

    Before the Papers Arrive: Tyne McConnan on Trust, Community & Early Intervention

    In this episode of Daa'ring Yarning, we sit down with Tyne McConnan, Principal Lawyer (Family and Child Safety) at SiS in Tasmania (SiSTas), to explore why early intervention and prevention are so critical in the legal sector. Tyne explains that the most effective legal support often happens before court dates are set or papers are served — reducing stress, minimising harm, and protecting families. Through genuine community engagement, SiSTas builds the trust needed for people to reach out early, before a crisis hits. In this episode, we discuss: ·       Why having a yarn with a lawyer early can change outcomes ·       How community presence builds trust and supports early intervention ·       Using lived experience to drive systemic change and specialist courts ·       Holistic support — including housing advocacy — to strengthen legal outcomes ·       A powerful story of a 7-year-old child who can now "sleep without being scared anymore" From advocating for safe housing to keeping mothers and babies together, SiSTas' work is about walking alongside community to create safety, stability, and lasting change.

    Before the Papers Arrive: Tyne McConnan on Trust, Community & Early Intervention
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About

The 'Daa'ring Yarning' podcast acknowledges that our communities are diverse, with different ways of doing things, and now more than ever, we need safe spaces to listen, learn, reflect, and grow together. The 'Daa'ring Yarning' podcast is a platform designed to share, connect, and strengthen First Nations communities, and amplify the impactful work of the FVPLS sector by celebrating our successes through good news stories. Specifically, the podcast aims to: • Raise awareness & engagement by showcasing community-led programs, stories of impact, and why they work. • Inform & educate by highlighting legal and policy changes and sharing global First Nations knowledge and practices. • Support healing & reconnection through a safe, respectful space for sharing experiences, reflecting on identity, being a positive influence toward reducing Target 13, and acknowledging the ongoing impacts of colonisation. • Celebrate strength & culture by telling cultural stories, recognising the power of cultural capacity, and honouring the depth of Indigenous knowledge.

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