Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week, Meet the Mob celebrated its 100th interview in a live broadcast on 1233 ABC Newcastle from the Wollotuka Institute at the University of Newcastle. In the words of its creator, 1233 Mornings' presenter Jill Emberson, Meet the Mob is:

… an original record of a thriving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island community making its way in an urban setting better known for its natural resources than its Indigenous peoples.

The series started in 2012, following an intriguing interview with Sean Gordon of Darkinjung Land Council, when we learned that the Darkinjung was in fact the biggest private land developer on the Central Coast. Presenter Jill was unaware of this status and so was the 1233 audience. With surely many more stories to be shared, Jill started her out-of-studio series of interviews and Meet the Mob was born.

Three years on, we have heard from Indigenous land council CEOs, authors, students, surf life-savers, academics, artists, publicans, surgeons, dancers and musicians. Newcastle's Indigenous culture is diverse and rich. I congratulate Jill and the 1233 ABC team for facilitating and sharing this wonderful series of interviews in a way that only a strong, locally-embedded public broadcaster can.

And finally, I want to pay tribute to the 100 Aboriginal men and women who have shared their personal stories with us all. It is an extraordinarily generous gift to our community, which enriches our lived experience of Newcastle and, indeed, the nation. And for that we remain forever thankful.

See this speech in context