Acting Up!

The Yarra Drug and Health Forum is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year. The Forum was established in 1996, when the Premier’s Drug Advisory Council, chaired by public health expert Professor David Pennington, produced a report which recommended that the “State Government encourage and support coordination of local responses and establish statewide structures to monitor and advise on the future development of Victoria’s drug response”. We’ll hear from Vera Boston, who called the meeting where the Forum was established. Greg Denham, Executive Officer of the Forum from 2010 to 2018 and who continues to be on the executive, and Amanda Stone, the current Executive Officer. They discuss the work of the Forum over the last thirty years: its education and advocacy role; its work for a medically supervised injecting room in Yarra and the championing of the availability of life-saving Naloxone.  Most of all, the Yarra Drug and Health Forum is celebrating thirty years of bringing people together to explore alcohol and other drug issues, learn from each other and propose solutions that are evidence-based and humane.  Yarra Drug and Health Forum websitehttps://ydhf.org.au/ Medically Supervised Injecting Room website.https://nrch.com.au/services/medically-supervised-injecting-room-msir/ Pill-testing service website95 Brunswick St Fitzroyhttps://www.vicpilltesting.org.au/

In 2026 3CR Community Radio Station is celebrating 50 years of Radical Radio. 3CR is widely recognised as the first community owned and community run grassroots radio station in the country. Broadcasters come from 3CR’s diverse local community and the station provides a platform for the many issues and people misrepresented and underrepresented in the mass media.But at the end of January 2020, the emergence of Covid-19 in Victoria changed everything and by March the station had to go into deep lockdown. What would this mean for a small community radio station like 3CR? I put that question to three people who, with the help of their community, guided the station through this difficult time: Pilar Aguilera, Chair of the Board of 3CR during the Covid crisis, Rachel Kirby, Station Manager during the Covid crisis, and Gab Reade, Coordinator of Current Affairs. Together they recall the challenges they had to overcome, the support they received from their community and what kept them going.

Protect our NDIS Rally, State Library of Victoria, 9/5/2026Recorded by Danielle HassallMC: Hannah ThomasSpeakers: Andrew Bretherton, Gi Brown, Naomi Farmer, Anasina Gray-Barberio, Christian Astourian, Ishtar HopeMusic removed from podcast but available through following linksI Care About You - Zig ZagMeltdown in a public place - WashedNuke The Moon - ArboristsA Donk Don't Come For Free - Our Carlson

Tiny Sparks and Turning Points is a monthly selection of protests, strikes and significant dates concerning social change in Australian history. This was the segment for May. It was produced by the Commons Social Change Library, a repository of more than 1500 resources for campaigners, which can be found at commonslibrary.org

Presentations from the Public Forum entitled 'War Or Public Housing: resist the push to defund public services', recorded by 3CR reporter Annie McLoughlin. This presentation was held on Thursday 16th of April, at the City of Melbourne's Multicultural Hub, with speakers: Louisa Bassini, Inner Melbourne Community Legal, Mercedes Zanker, researcher with Renegade Activists & community broadcaster with 3CR's A Friday Rave, Nina Tory-Henderson, architect & member of Building Action Now (B.A.N), and David Shoebridge, NSW Senator & Greens spokesperson for defence.For more information on this topic, you can contact the Save Public Housing Collective ([email protected]), and Stop the Demo ([email protected]).