Category Archives: Uncategorized

Episode 5: Renee Thomson – Making Her Mark in Western Sydney and Beyond



Welcome back to our podcast “A Cuppa and A Yarn” brought to you by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. Our guest this week is a young woman from a strong Wiradjuri family, who’s intent on making her mark in Western Sydney and beyond.

Renee Thomson is part of NSW Aboriginal Land Councils’ Youth Advisory Committee and recently travelled to Geneva with Councillors and other Youth Committee members, to represent at the United Nations’ Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In Episode 5 of A Cuppa and Yarn, Renee talks with host Michelle Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove about her experiences there, and her new Indigenous Youth Leadership Network.


Episode 4: Yorta Yorta woman Summer Finlay: A strong Aboriginal voice in public health



Yaama and welcome back to our podcast “A Cuppa and A Yarn” brought to you by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. Our guest this week is a woman who’s passionate about improving Aboriginal people’s health and has made it her life’s vocation.

Yorta Yorta woman Summer May Finlay says health underpins everything we do, and believes strong Aboriginal input into improving physical, emotional and cultural health is a major key to self-determination.

In Episode 4 of A Cuppa and Yarn, Summer talks with host Michelle Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove about the need for expert Aboriginal voices in public health, academic life and her five tips to staying culturally healthy.


Episode 3: George Rose about lessons learned from league & why he’s still gorgeous!



Yaama and welcome back to our podcast “A Cuppa and A Yarn” brought to you by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. Our guest this week is a man who’s one of rugby league’s biggest and most loved characters. The former Indigenous All Stars prop has a stellar career behind him spanning stints with the Roosters, Storm and the Dragons and his long-time home with the Sea Eagles, While “Gorgeous George’s” life has moved forward from professional rugby league, he hasn’t hung up his boots by any means.

In Episode 3 of A Cuppa and Yarn, George talks with host Michelle Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove about life in Walgett and Bathurst, the lessons he’s learned from league, his current work in media and event management, and why he’s still gorgeous!


Episode 2: Anne Martin AM – NAIDOC 2019: Voice. Treaty. Truth.



Yaama and welcome back to our podcast “A Cuppa and A Yarn” brought to you by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. Our guest this week is the inspiring Anne Martin AM, a Yuin woman who’s spent her life working for her mob. Anne was Co-Chair of the National NAIDOC Committee for 13 years, work she says is incredibly important for Australia as a nation. She shares her observations on how NAIDOC has grown, and the celebrations of survival that sustain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Anne talks with host Michelle Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove about her work as Director of the Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre at Australian National University, and her boundless love for her large family and her home community of La Perouse.


Episode 1: Mark Ella on fishing, family and the future of Australian Rugby



Yaama and welcome to our brand new podcast “A Cuppa and A Yarn” brought to you by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. Our first guest is the inspiring doyen of Australian rugby union through a golden era in the early 80’s when the Wallabies were just about unbeatable. His name is Mark Ella and in many ways his reputation speaks for itself. He captained the Wallabies 10 times and most agreed he was the World’s best player of his generation. Mark Ella’s led an interesting life but never lost his sense of community and his connection to his mob.

Mark talks with host Michelle Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove about the joys of being 1 of 12 children, his lifelong passion for fishing, breakneck times at Randwick Rugby Club, his record-breaking Grand Slam and his assessment of Australian Rugby heading into the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.