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Podcasts
“THE RIGHT INFORMATION BRINGS KNOWLEDGE. AND KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. SHARING IT IS EMPOWERMENT.”
― Seth Godin.
Episode 38: Adam Thompson
"Co-Design, Engagement and Communications in the Public Sector"
October 3, 2025
Adam Thompson, Director at Homes NSW, says you can’t bulldoze through Australia’s housing crisis; you need people at the heart of every decision. Homes aren’t just buildings. They hold memories and connections and shape entire communities. That’s why listening to those in social housing is central to his work. Adam’s a proud “social housing kid” and stays connected to his roots—he knows firsthand how often tenants don’t feel heard, and he wants to shift that.
Join Sean and Kuyan along with Sam as they dive into the latest episode of the Impact Policy Podcast.
Episode 37: Kuyan Mitchell & Sean McCarthy
"Understanding Lateral Violence and exploring Anti Racism"
September 26, 2025
Episode 36: Paul O'Reilly
"Systems change and transforming Justice: Sharing Power & Leading with Courage"
July 21, 2025
Recorded on Bidjigal Country, this episode sees Paul O’Reilly (Deputy Secretary, NSW DCJ) join Sam Johnson and Kuyan Mitchell to tackle the big questions around out-of-home care, youth justice, and leadership in the public sector. We dig into the realities of youth justice and out-of-home care, focusing on the systemic overrepresentation of Aboriginal young people. Paul draws on his diverse background—from youth worker to senior leader—to explore what it means to lead with integrity, the necessity of sharing decision-making power, and how genuine reform requires both humility and practical action. Whether you’re a policymaker, community advocate, or practitioner on the ground, this conversation offers hard-won lessons, inspiration, and real hope for change.
Episode 34: Terri Janke
"Protecting Indigenous Knowledge Through ICIP Principles"
May 26, 2025
Sam Johnson sits down with Terri Janke, a celebrated leader in Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP). Terri shares her passion for empowering First Nations people through arts, culture, and business.
Join Sean and Kuyan along with Sam as they dive into the latest episode of the Impact Policy Podcast and together unpack key takeaways from the National Planning Congress in Darwin. Tune in for sharp insights on Aboriginal communities, planning, and community-led change.
Here's what you'll hear about in this episode:
- First-hand reflections on the National Planning Institute of Australia Congress, including the growing presence of Aboriginal voices in the sector.
- The critical role of planning systems in both historical dispossession and empowering future land rights and cultural heritage.
- Real-world legacy issues still felt by Aboriginal communities due to past planning policies—plus examples of ongoing practical challenges.
- The importance of co-design, centring Aboriginal voices, and shifting from tokenistic engagement to genuine power-sharing in policy.
- Standout initiatives, case studies, and award-winning projects leading the way for culturally responsive planning in Australia.
Episode 35: Sean McCarthy & Kuyan Mitchell
"Planning for Change: Aboriginal Voices and Co-Design at Planning Congress"
June 10, 2025
Episode 33: Jared Wheatley
"Sector Insights: Relational Approaches in Social Work and Child Protection"
April 28, 2025
Our guest Jared Wheatley is in this episode of the Impact Policy Podcast as they dive into the complexities of the out-of-home care system. Discover the challenges and potential solutions for creating a more connected and relational approach to care. Exploration of Jared Wheatley's 17-year journey in the social sector and his focus on youth work Discussion on the systemic issues causing relational deprivation for children in care Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on transforming the child protection system into a more supportive and human-centered child connection system.
Episode 32: Kuyan Mitchell
"Justice, Culture and Sharing Power"
April 3, 2025
In this episode of Impact Policy, we sit down with our Senior Consultant, Kuyan, for a rich and reflective conversation on work, life, and culture. With his deep grounding in community and systems thinking, Kuyan shares the values that guide his approach to policy and practice — and how culture, kinship, and connection shape the way he shows up in his work. From early influences to career-defining moments, Kuyan offers powerful insights on navigating complex systems while staying true to who you are. Whether you’re a change-maker, policymaker, or just curious about how culture and identity intersect with leadership, this is a yarn not to miss.
Episode 31: Impact Policy Team
"Quick Yarns: Co-Design Questions"
February 16, 2025
Something different today with a short 20 min episode where three of the Co-Design consultants at Impact Policy did a call-out to our communities on LinkedIn and tackled their questions on the spot. We hope you like the episode and hope we did a good job – if you want more content that's shorter like this, let us know. We hope you get some value out of it, and thank you to all our followers for submitting questions.
Episode 30: Elle Davidson
"Planning with Country, Design, Engagement and Cultural Responsibility"
February 16, 2025
Elle Davidson, Managing Director at Zion Engagement, and Sam explore the complexities around connecting with Country, as a framework and in practice. Elle shares her professional journey and the impact she has had through her organisation and consulting work. We unpack what great work looks like in this space, including access to her upcoming training platform. This is a valuable episode for anyone working in planning, design, public spaces, environment and Aboriginal Affairs.
Episode 29: Jessie Robinson
"Co-Design Collaboration and Community Engagement"
February 16, 2025
Jessie Robinson, a proud Wiradjuri man, and Sam explore Jessie's journey to now. Jessie's extensive on-the-ground and community experience and a deep dive into Co-Design in practice, Jessie's personal and Cultural approach and unpacking what this looks like in our communities.
Episode 28: Jarin Baignet
"Understanding Aboriginal Procurement Policy: Insights, Issues and Opportunity"
February 16, 2025
Join Sam Johnson on this insightful episode of the Impact Policy Podcast as he sits down with Jarren, an inspiring Wiradjuri woman. Dive deep into the challenges and triumphs faced in the world of Aboriginal business and cultural identity.
Episode 27: Scott Hawkins
"Understanding Youth Crime, Placed Based Co-Design and the age of criminal responsibility in NSW"
January 31, 2025
Sam Johnson, Sean McCarthy, and guest Scott Hawkins explore the complexities of youth justice policy and the Raise the Age campaign in New South Wales and Australia. They delve into current issues, systemic challenges, and possible solutions. Topics discussed:
- Overview of the Raise the Age campaign and current policies around youth justice in Australia
- Statistics and evidence against the current age of criminal responsibility
- The impacts of cognitive development and trauma on youth offending
- Effectiveness of diversion programs and the need for therapeutic responses
- The role of community care and successful examples of justice reinvestment programs.
Episode 26: Gulwanyang Moran
"Impact of Language Revitalisation: Sustainability and Community Involvement"
January 10, 2025
Sam Johnson and guest Vanessa dive deep into the complexities of language revitalisation and cultural preservation. Vanessa shares her nearly 20 years of experience in public service, discussing both the challenges and the necessary steps to ensure Aboriginal languages are respectfully and sustainably integrated into public spaces. Organising an all-Black team for the first language gathering and the cultural responsibility involved. Tackling high demand and lack of guidelines for Aboriginal language use in the public sector. Navigating translation requests and maintaining cultural values. Indigenous-led language work and the shift of non-Indigenous linguists to supportive roles. Advocating for legislative support and the future of language revitalisation in everyday life.
Episode 25: Kieran Satour
"Storytelling, Community Impact and Empowering Indigenous Voices"
December 8, 2024
Episode 24: Ed Wensing
"Reflections on Native Title and Indigenous Planning Policy"
November 27, 2024
In the episode featuring Ed Wensing, the conversation delves deeply into the topic of Indigenous planning. This involves integrating Aboriginal knowledge and cultural heritage into urban planning and policy-making processes to address historical inequalities and envision more inclusive future developments. Both Sam and Ed emphasise the importance of incorporating Aboriginal knowledge into contemporary planning. This involves acknowledging Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP) rights and working closely with traditional owners to ensure respectful and informed use of cultural knowledge. Indigenous planning as discussed in this episode involves recognising and integrating the rich planning traditions of Aboriginal communities into modern urban planning practices. It calls for respectful, informed engagement, robust educational efforts, and policy work that upholds Indigenous rights and self-determination. This comprehensive approach aims for a generational shift towards more inclusive and effective planning practices that honour the contributions and rights of Indigenous people.
Episode 23: Kiersten Fishburn
"Planning, Housing, Design and Country: A Country and community centred lens"
November 4, 2024
Episode 22: Sean McCarthy
"Co-Design at Impact"
August 28, 2024
Sam Johnson and Sean McCarthy, both from Impact Policy, dive deep into the principles and challenges of co-design in policy-making. Together they take a deep dive into some of the following themes:
- Building flexibility, trust, and rapport for better outcomes
- Avoiding consultation fatigue and ensuring meaningful community interaction
- Evaluating co-design based on community-defined success parameters
- Navigating power imbalances and promoting community control
- The importance of ongoing learning and community-led approaches in co-design.
Episode 21: Sam Johnson
"A journey from passion to purpose: Reflecting on the IP Podcast and what's next"
August 8, 2024
Episode 20: Kobie Duncan
"'Keeping the fire burning': Navigating purpose impact and overcoming trauma"
July 15, 2024
Our powerful conversation with the inspiring Kobie Duncan will leave you with insight, hope, and a deeper understanding of the challenges many young people face today. What You'll Learn:
1. Interconnectedness of Mental Health Issues:
Sam and Kobie talk about how mental health, addiction, and suicide are all connected and why we need a collective approach to tackle these issues.
2. The Importance of a Support System:
Hear Kobie's heartfelt journey of reaching out for help and how his support network played a crucial role in his recovery.
3. Navigating Fatherhood Amid Addiction:
Kobie opens up about the guilt and struggles of being a young father battling addiction and how it led him to seek treatment.
4. Power of Storytelling in Music:
Discover how Kobie's music, including his impactful track "Statistic", reflects his healing journey and sparks important conversations.
5. Need for Accessible Mental Health Services:
Sam and Kobie discuss the critical need for more accessible community spaces and mental health support for young people.
Episode 19: Regan Mitchell
"Cultural lens into the National Crisis of Violence against Women"
June 4, 2024
Episode 18: Dixie Crawford
"Strategies for Effective Reconciliation and Organisational Transformation"
May 10, 2024
Join Dixie Crawford and Sam Johnson in this impactful session of the Impact Policy Podcast, where they delve into the profound necessities and strategies within organisational cultural changes. They discuss the intricacies of building long-term effective relationships and the importance of cultural capability in corporate settings.
Episode 16: Brendan Thomas
"Transforming Aboriginal Outcomes, the road to reform and decolonising systems"
Dec 22, 2023
Joined by Brendan Thomas, Deputy Secretary 'Transforming Aboriginal Outcomes', we take a deep dive into systemic reform of a broken system. A system that has been publicly acknowledged by current Ministers as broken and in urgent need of reform. We explore what it takes to see systemic shifts and what we need from leadership to make it happen. Further, we explore the impact of decolonising justice, the impact of this in practice and the hope that it brings for all people coming into the justice system in terms of reducing recidivism by understanding and addressing the factors leading to offending. Thank you to Brendan for taking the time out to share his journey; his leadership and influence do not go unnoticed, and it is a testament at that level as to the impact he has been able to achieve in his time in Transforming Aboriginal Outcomes. I am proud to know the man.
Episode 14: BARKAA
"Justice, Prison, Policy and Healing. Rise of Barkaa from prison to the world stage."
Dec 8, 2023
Trauma #prison #addiction
Our next #youtubepodcast guest I met when she was in #prison as a kid; she was deep in #addiction, #trauma and a #cycle of #crime. Today though, Barkaa is a powerhouse artist, having just performed at the ARIAs, who has crawled her way out of the dark. With so much #traumainformed #livedexpertise and insight into her #journey, this is a yarn that is not to be missed for #changemakers and #allies. Barkaa reflects at many stages from a #policy perspective into #justice, forced child removal and out-of-home care and the power of Aboriginal language revitalisation in #healing. It is the power of her insight that many of us need to hear more of. This is an episode that will inspire many, no matter where they are from, that may be dealing with cycles or disadvantage that they feel like they can't escape. This podcast provides visibility to the opportunity to change your life despite the challenges in your way. We hope leaders and policymakers hear the stories of lived experience and take the wisdom from this to inform how they consider prison policy, particularly post-release and thoroughfare support for people in custody. We hope that the justice and community sector sees the critical need for education and community pathways to keep young people engaged that, for whatever reason, are falling through the gaps in mainstream education settings. Finally, I hope we all get to continue to support and witness the rise of Barkaa – a journey and impact that will transcend music for many years to come.
Episode 13: Impact Policy turns 1
"Surviving our first year as an organisation, the highs, the lows and purpose"
Nov 2023
Join members from the Impact Policy team reflect on the year that has been. It is a great insight into some of the behind-the-scenes of Impact Policy, the breadth of work the team has been across and what the future looks like for an organisation that prides itself on having a social impact. It is also a valuable lesson for other entrepreneurs or business owners on their own journey that might want to understand the learnings of other people on their journey.
Episode 12: KA McKercher
"Co-Design: Community and Championing Participation"
Aug 28, 2023
KA McKercher from Beyond Sticky Notes® joins us on the next episode of the Impact Policy Podcast as we dive deep into Co-Design with one of the practice experts in the space right now. KA takes us on a deep dive into Co-Design, its origins and some of the complexities when navigating its mass adoption as a term or reference point often associated with best practice. Together with Sam, they unpack some of the complexities of what meaningful co-design looks like, including when working with Aboriginal communities or others who experience a diverse set of needs. They also explore the context of the referendum and the voice to parliament if successful as one of the most significant codesign projects of our generation. If you're interested and passionate about engaging with and working alongside our communities and want to understand codesign clearly, this is not to be missed!
Episode 11: Nellie Pollard-Wharton
"Co-Design & or Community led and origins of First Nations Response"
Jul 11, 2023
EP 11 with Nellie Pollard-Wharton yarning about all things 'Co-Design', Community Development and the impact of community-led initiatives such as the origin story of the rise of @first_nations_response together with @coral lever during the height of Lockdown - it is one not to be missed! If you are not already following the work of FNR, check it out and look at how you can support the amazing food security work they are doing across Sydney. Shout out to the City of Sydney council, who, since this episode was filmed, announced FNR as a successful grant recipient that has contributed some funding towards payment for this critical community service. Impact Policy was proud to sponsor the recent Elders morning tea coordinated and provided by FNR for the Glebe NAIDOC 2023 event. Thanks to our project sponsors at @amanakistudios for producing first-class video and storytelling content every time.
Episode 10: Jioji Ravulo
"Decolonising, Deconstructing & Disrupting Dominant Discourses"
March 14th, 2023
The #criminaljusticesystem is not full of what the papers lead you to believe. Tough on Crime is a failed public policy that rears its head again and again, often around election time. That continues to see little shift in the risk of reoffending. What I know, from what I have seen, lived and learned graduating with honours in #criminology from UNSW, is that there is an epidemic of untreated #childhoodtrauma, undiagnosed or untreated #mentalhealth and #addiction. Deconstructing Dominant Discourses across Disciplines with Professor Jioji Ravulo, Head of Social Work and Policy at the University of Sydney, explores a range of different theories in the social work, policy and community development space, including the work in the field of critical whiteness. Jioji unpacks recent work in this field and shares key learnings about understanding what we can learn about this thinking. This is an absolute game-changing episode; we tackle so much, from decolonisation, critical whiteness, social work theory, the criminalisation of trauma, youth engagement and service delivery, how to make services more appropriate for Indigenous young people, the Manly Sea Eagle Pride Week Jersey scandel and what we can learn through that discourse, and even the overpolicing and banning of Western Sydney Pasifika Drill Group One Four and the recent research coming out of the School of Criminology at the University of Sydney, and then some!
Episode 9: Dylan Voller
"No Justice, No Peace"
Apr 26, 2023
5 years on from the Royal Commission, surviving Don Dale, the impact of childhood abuse and incarceration and advice and guidance for services working with young people with complex needs. Dylan Voller takes us on a deep dive into life post Don Dale, trauma and his healing journey. Dylan shares some critical insights into a broken system through the lens of his lived experience. We talk about abuse, systemic violence, crime, deaths in custody and addiction and mental health. Thank you so much to Dylan for giving up his time to share his story. Viewers are to be advised that the following podcast may contain content that some viewers and listeners find triggering or disturbing. This includes a warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers that there is reference to names of Aboriginal people who have died, including sensitive issues such as Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, child abuse, drug use and suicidal ideation. For some people this content can be overwhelming; please consider reaching out to Lifeline at 13 11 14 or for mob 13 YARN.
Episode 8: Osher Günsberg
"Debunking the stigma and face of complex mental illness and addiction"
March 27, 2023
#recovery #healing #power
Much #power in this #storytelling for #professionals and #highperformers who continue to show up every day, still batting the darkest of demons. There is a way out, but like Osher said, "You can't be what you can't see," so we hope someone out there finds this story of #livedexperience valuable. Season 2 of the Impact Policy AU Policy Podcast drops Monday with Osher Günsberg talking to the power of #livedexperience in #recovery and #healing. “It’s hard because I had to let go of resentment. Resentment is a reason to behave badly. We can often use resentment as a justification to make poor choices, but the only person who pays the price is you.” So much power in the insight of Osher Günsberg #livedexperience 1 in 5 people are impacted by complex mental illness either personally or through someone you know and love. Thanks to all our supporters of these episodes and this journey and to our podcast sponsors, Amanaki Studios, for always showing up and producing first-class footage. Every time.
Episode 07: Jo Gaines
"Purpose, Leadership and Surviving DFV"
March 14th, 2023
Alongside going from strength to strength as a #leader in her Salesforce career, now that #livedexperience of her childhood experiences of domestic and family violence inspires her to champion diversity and inclusion professionally as well as purpose within the office and outside through the advocacy and community work she does. It was an absolute privilege to share space with Jo and for her to feel safe that she could bring her whole self to the yarn. As a survivor of DFV, it was a challenging yarn to hold, but one I think we did with integrity. Alongside that, we also take a deep dive into the significance of #valuesbasedleadership as part of building your brand and its significance in today's market in building meaningful and long-term consumer relationships. Some yarns you will never forget; this upcoming #podcast with Jo Gaines is one of them. Coming off the back of the United Nations Global #16daysofactivism against gender-based violence. Both as survivors of childhood domestic and family violence, we reflect on #livedexperience, Jo's advocacy work with Women's Community Shelters, purpose, values, and equity and diversity entry pathways in Salesforce. I cannot thank Jo enough for sharing space and her story with me. It was an emotional one that struck a few chords for both of us at different stages. I know it is important to share this episode because there may be just one person who views it and takes strength from it. And that could be the difference for them.
Episode 6: Katelyn Clarke
"Media Bias and Misrepresentation of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal people"
November 22nd, 2022
Katelyn is a year 11 student at International Grammar School in Sydney. She is a current HSC Aboriginal studies student and recently completed her major work on the media bias and misrepresentation of missing and murdered First Nations people. Katelyn's in-depth and critical piece was submitted for the senate enquiry into missing and murdered First Nations people. Katelyn reflects on the significance of studying Aboriginal studies in the HSC and the benefit of embedding Aboriginal Culture and knowledge throughout the education and learning experience.
October 11th, 2022
Nat takes us on a deep dive into his own journey, Aboriginal education, language revitalisation and early childhood education. We talk about Aboriginal outcomes and some challenges around complex social policy, such as Closing the Gap and redefining measures of success for our people.
Alongside sharing his own personal journey, which has spanned his entire adult career working in Aboriginal education, Nat has achieved some amazing outcomes for young people at the grass roots as a mentor and over the past few years has embedded those experiences and knowledge into the Public Sector with a lead role in language revitalisation in early learning.
Nat is also the founder of TriMob, an Aboriginal Tri-Athlon organisation that is already making a significant impact. He leads the provision of programs weekly for Aboriginal young people and their families to access the sport of Tri-Athlon. It's a great yarn with exciting things to come.
Episode 5: Nat Heath
"Aboriginal Engagement, Language, Strategy and the rise of #TriMob"
Episode 4: Jim Betts
"Vision, Values and Vulnerability - Transforming Aboriginal Outcomes"
September 12, 2022
A must watch for leaders! What a privilege to sit down with Jim again after some time to reflect on his journey. It's a deep, real and raw look into what it takes to truly transform systems.
Episode 3: Adam Thompson
"Finding your purpose, sabbatical, service and social impact"
August 4, 2022
An inspiring yarn with local legend Adam Thompson. We explore the power of giving back to community and the ingredients for authentic and impactful programming.
Episode 2: Zoey Kennedy
"Driving Systematic change through peer led inclusion"
June 30th, 2022
Zoey is a trailblazer in the critical field of workplace equity, diversity and inclusion. Zoey is the founder of Spark & Co Consulting and is having a huge impact on inspiring staff to create more inclusive, informed and safer workspaces.
Episode 1: Adam Hansen
"Finding Purpose Against the Odds"
May 20th, 2022
So great to kick off the Impact Policy podcast series with my oldest friend, Adam Hansen. We’ve been through so much together as kids, so it was a nice place to go back to and reflect as we move forward with this project.
Reflecting on our challenges and insights from growing up and finding ourselves in a society that had the odds stacked against us. Can’t wait to get him back on to hear all about what he’s doing in the training and education space and to talk all things Cultural capability, community capacity and social change.
Let's talk: #ACCESS #EQUITY #INCLUSION #JUSTICE
Are you interested in joining the podcast to share your story and experiences? We'd love to hear from you!
