The self-styled gnomish Steve Etwell, The Chronicle’s Editor in Chief, has devoted front page after front page of his paper recently to incite public antagonism to our local government Councillors and respected Parliamentarians – all for the sake of daily circulation sensationalism.
On the principle of what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, we ask Etwell exactly the same questions he flung first at MPs Stuart Copeland, Ray Hopper, and Kerry Shine when their parliamentary superannuation was revealed and then at Councillors of the Toowoomba Regional Council when statutory pay increases occurred.
On the Parliamentarians, The Chronicle’s front page reads: “While the rest of us are worried about our jobs and life savings, three local politicians yesterday qualified for a “sweet” super deal."
This is plainly an incitement to undeserved public antagonism. That super “deal” is ratified by statute. Copeland, Hopper and Shine are honourable men, each having given years of public service.
On the Councillors, the Front Page screamed: “ Huge Pay rises for Councillors ! Are they worth it?" With photographs alongside of two of our most respected and hard-working Councillors, the Mayor Peter Taylor and the former Mayor of Cambooya Cr Carol Taylor (no relation).
This manufactured outrage from a monopoly newspaper which gives scant reporting cover for this, the first complex and difficult year of Council’s amalgamation, and which ignores political scrutiny of any kind of the performance of our Parliamentarians, either in their electorates or in the House.
Etwell has not once attempted to report the complexity of issues confronting the new amalgamataed Council – nor has he attempted to examine the crushing workload Councillors cannot escape.
So again, we ask Editor Etwell: In the public interest, Come clean on your own salary and superannuation benefits … Make clear to your readership the community responsibilities and ideals of your diminished paper …. And explain why it is that while the Toowoomba Region’s population increases, your circulation is going backwards.
It’s no good, Mr Etwell, to claim you are not an elected politician. True. But you ARE the Editor in Chief of the city’s only newspaper upon which the community depends for informed news cover.
You’re not coming close to doing your job in the best newspaper tradition.
Toowoomba and Darling Downs political and social commentary. Print copies of this newsletter may be ordered from Toowoomba's Office Works, phone 4699-5300
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Hugh Bingham
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About Hugh Bingham
Bingham is a career journalist with experience in State and Federal politics. He has been Editor of the Sunday Truth, the Sydney Sunday Mirror, Associate Editor of the Sydney Daily Mirror, and has reported overseas for The Australian.
In retirement he turned farmer in the Felton Valley, near Toowoomba, breeding Appaloosas and winning best foal and filly at the 1992 State championships.
Now 80, Bingham takes a keen interest in current affairs, especially politics and social issues. Bingham has tutored U3A groups as diverse as poetry, memoir writing, and classical music.
In retirement he turned farmer in the Felton Valley, near Toowoomba, breeding Appaloosas and winning best foal and filly at the 1992 State championships.
Now 80, Bingham takes a keen interest in current affairs, especially politics and social issues. Bingham has tutored U3A groups as diverse as poetry, memoir writing, and classical music.
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