Vision Australia Radio

01/06/2026

This week on LEISURE LINK with Peter Greco:

• Ben Tudhope, four-time Winter-Paralympian shared his inspirational winning of a silver and bronze medal at the 2026 winter Paralympics; and had an empowering message for any person or family member with a disability.
• Chris Edwards, Chief Mission Officer at Vision Australia, explained why the AM signal for radio stations in Adelaide; Melbourne; and Perth are shutting down from 1st July and how you can access the station via a digital radio; online or through the Community Radio app.
• Melanie Kieley, CEO for MS WA, spoke about World MS Day events in Western Australia; South Australia; and the Northen Territory, and updated us on services in SA and NT are progressing.
• Allison Davies, music therapist; is a devotee of music festivals, what are/were some of the good; bad and; indifferent about such events.
• Chris Tanti, CEO for the Leukaemia Foundation, had research about “scanxiety” where people diagnosed with cancer worry about living from scan to scan, and encouraged giving to the foundation so they can continue their services.
• Reeva Brice conducted Reeva's popular Yoga on the Radio.
• Adjunct Professor Denise Wood, from USC, had some highlights from Global Accessibility Awareness Day and Pope Leo XIV's encyclical.

Podcast Notes available Monday

01/06/2026

There are so many wonderful offerings at this year's Rising festival in Melbourne. Don't miss out!

Get your tickets now, and keep listening to Vision Australia Radio for more on shows that are available to choose from.

30/05/2026

Content warning: This post contains the names of First Nations people who have passed away.
This week’s episode of People in Profile honours the legacy of Galarrwuy Yunupingu, recently recognised as a Companion of the Order of Australia, alongside Vincent Lingiari, the Gurindji elder whose leadership helped shape the fight for land rights.
We first shared this program after Galarrwuy’s passing in 2023. It remains a powerful and meaningful listen.

Visit varadio(dot)org for program times.

29/05/2026

Wack it in your calendar. The Adelaide WorkAbility and Disability Expo is back in June, and Vision Australia Radio Adelaide will be exhibiting to share our range of audio, radio, and podcast offerings to support the information needs of South Australians living with print disability. Keep listening to Vision Australia Radio for more on this great event, and remeber to grab your tickets, come to the event and hang out with us.

29/05/2026

Look who just popped by our Melbourne studios. Its Karan Nagrani, aka That Blind Guy. Karan dropped by to chat about this years Blind Australian of the Year Awards and to share that the nomination period is now open. If you know someone well deserving of recogniation in the blind community, get that nomination through! And dont forget to puchase your tickets to this years Gala Dinner in October. Keep listening to Vision Australia Radio for more info. We're a proud access and inclusion partner to this years Blind Australian of the Year Awards.

29/05/2026

On FOCAL POINT:

Annette Sutherland is this year's very worthy recipient of the Tammy Axelsen's Lifetime Achievement Award from the Round Table on information Access for People with a Print Disability. Annette's vast array of contributions include guidelines for producing accessible graphics and being part of the Sydney Braille Forum - enabling students who are blind or have low vision access to information in braille,

Maureen O'Reilly, from the Vision Australia Library, with information on the Melbourne Writers Festival, accessible tools for writing workshop and audio described shows at the Sydney Film Festival.

Chenturan Aran, playwright, inviting all to a season of "The Supposed To Be" at the Footscray Community Arts Centre.

Phil Vandepeer, co-founder and co-presenter for Focal Point, paying tribute to Neile Daniher. Phil shared his thoughts about the Federal Budget and the Budget in Reply - and a suggestion to use the accessible Community Radio Plus app when Vision Australia Radio ceases to broadcast on 1197am in Adelaide 1st July.,

On FOCAL POINT: Annette Sutherland is this year's very worthy recipient of the Tammy Axelsen's Lifetime Achievement Award from the Round Table on information Access for People with a Print Disability. Annette's vast array of contributions include guidelines for producing accessible graphics and bein...

29/05/2026

Vision Australia Radio is proud to return as a media partner for the 2026 Blind Australian of the Year Awards.
These awards recognise and celebrate the incredible achievements of people who are blind or have low vision, highlighting their impact across communities right around Australia.

As part of the partnership, Vision Australia Radio will help share these powerful stories through interviews, coverage and national broadcasts, ensuring more people can hear and celebrate the voices behind the achievements.

Know someone making a difference? Nominations are now open and it’s a great opportunity to recognise their contribution.
Find out more and nominate here: https://radio.visionaustralia.org/about-us/radio-news/vision-australia-radio-returns-media-partner-blind-australian-of-the-year-awards-2026

28/05/2026

As part of Rising, coming up from 27 May - 6 June at Footscray Community Arts, The Supposed To Be, is a play written by Chenturan Aran. Chenturan talks with Peter Greco about this work and his background. The play is a tale of generational ghosts, migrant compromises, and the dangerous chase to become who we think we are supposed to be.

https://omny.fm/shows/interview-highlights/interview-highlight-chenturan-aran-the-supposed-to-be

28/05/2026

We’ve loved celebrating National Volunteer Week across our Vision Australia Radio network, and we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined in.

In Perth, our volunteers came together and shared a wonderfully diverse spread of food, a great example of the collaboration and community spirit that defines our network. They were joined by VAR Manager Conrad Browne, who travelled from our Kooyong studios to personally thank them for their contribution.

Across the country, teams gathered to recognise the work they do each day in supporting people who are blind, have low vision, or live with print disability.

In Melbourne, our volunteers enjoyed a week of great snacks and quality coffee from a local business. Across regional Victoria and southern New South Wales, celebrations were just as strong, with our Regional Coordinator of Volunteers Patz Black visiting teams in Geelong, Shepparton, Bendigo and Albury, certainly clocking up some miles!

Our Community Engagement Coordinator, Jason, joined the Geelong event, while broadcast technician Dale Simpson and wife Tammy (also a dedicated volunteer) took part in Bendigo celebrations.

It was a fantastic week of connection, appreciation and community.
Thank you to every one of our volunteers. Your work makes our essential service possible, and we are so grateful.

Pictured below: our Belmont based Vision Australia Radio Geelong volunteers gather to celebrate National Volunteer Week.

28/05/2026

At Vision Australia Radio, we recognise National Reconciliation Week as a time to reflect, listen, and learn.
Storytelling sits at the heart of what we do. Every day, we share voices, perspectives, and lived experiences from communities across Australia. Through this, we aim to promote understanding, respect, and inclusion.
We value the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and acknowledge the importance of truth-telling in building stronger relationships and a more inclusive future.
This week, we encourage our listeners, volunteers, and partners to take time to explore the stories that shape our shared history and future.
Learn more about National Reconciliation Week here:
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/