GLENN DORMAND AND TONY WHITTAKER

Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown) (19:45): Charlestown local songwriter, musician, producer, television presenter, broadcaster, podcaster and director, Glenn Dormand is perhaps better known by the alias "Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab" as part of the sadly split alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio and co‑writer of The Whitlams' hitNo Aphrodisiac. Glenn has teamed up with local Tony Whittaker to produce a dozen short films documenting the history of Newcastle calledStories of our Town. They have made films about the murder of Awabakal leader Burigon and the trial of his murderer, the first trial and conviction relating to the murder of a First Nations person; the Star Hotel riot; naturalist sisters Harriet and Helena Scott of Ash Island; and Newcastle's BHP. I thank Mr Dormand and Mr Whittaker for sharing some of our region's rich past. In Glenn's case, live Aussie music's sad loss is our local history's gain.