Australia's 'unfinished business': Canberra's John Paul Janke to host Sunrise Ceremony

It's at this time that Janke will also be co-hosting NITV's Sunrise Ceremony with Studio 10's Narelda Jacobs. The two-hour television event, which will be simulcasted between NITV, SBS and Network 10/WIN, will invite the audience to tune in and experience unique Indigenous perspectives, cultural performances and entertainment, presented live from North Head in Sydney.

"It's such a spiritual experience," Janke says.

"Watching the sun come up over Sydney, the smell of eucalyptus leaves burning, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancers painted up and the sounds of didgeridoos.

"It's iconically Australian and I think for me it's the only place to be on that dawn.

"It's a fantastic spiritual ceremony and then we role into a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their resilience, but we tell that through dialogue and discussion, as well as ceremony and performance."

The discussion which Janke refers to is one which will take on issues that face First Nations people, and also aims to bring together a range of different perspectives to help inform all Australians, so they can make up their minds on certain topics.

This approach is also taken in Janke's show, The Point, which will have a special edition on Wednesday evening titled Aussie, Aussie, Aussie? (Who the Bloody Hell Are We?). The special edition panel show will explore Australian identity and where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories currently sit within the national psyche.

"This nation has got a lot of unfinished business to handle in terms of its First Nations people," Janke says.

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people weren't necessarily written into the real history of this country, so it's asking how has that informed our education system, how has that informed our identity, and what was the missed opportunity in doing that?

"If the real history of this country was talked about from day one then would we be where we are today? Could all Australians named the Aboriginal nation's country that they live on? Could Aboriginal languages be taught in schools? What would it mean for non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?

"My view about the last 20 years is that I think we potentially missed some great opportunities to move forward but it doesn't mean that those opportunities are gone forever. I think each year we grow as a nation and are able to challenge some of the perspectives of the past."