It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege ensuring the stories that matter to Cape York and the Torres Strait get told during my time at the helm of the Cape York Weekly – including the one about two mates who decided to run from Weipa to Cairns as a fundraiser. Photo: Nicole Pritchard.
This is my final missive at the helm of the Cape York Weekly.
I’ve never been big on ostentatious goodbyes, especially when they take the focus away on what should be front and centre – in this case, telling the stories of those who call Cape York and the Torres Strait home.
I’m sure my imminent departure from the editor’s seat will be celebrated in certain political circles, just as it will be heralded by elements of our community who, if the commentary on some of their anonymous social media pages are to be believed, think I’ve been doing a ghastly job for the past 81 editions.
Unfortunately for them, I’m not leaving the Cape. I’ll still have my toes firmly planted in the bauxite-rich soil and antagonising from a different angle to ensure the needs and aspirations of our remote backyards are acknowledged and acted upon by those we’ve elected in Canberra and Brisbane to do just that.
Even though I’m exiting stage right from the land of headlines, bylines and deadlines, nothing will lessen my belief that impassioned, local journalism is more important now than it ever has been. For community newspapers and their digital stepsiblings to be successful community advocates, they must be championed by media companies with a strong presence on the ground and an unwavering commitment to championing the causes you, the community, believe need to be splashed across the front page each week.
We’ve all seen what happens when Cape York’s victories, challenges and tragedies are reported on by media outlets without a foot on the ground and finger on the pulse of our communities. More often than not, the story is twisted into sensationalised clickbait that morphs the facts into whatever will shift the most newspapers or get maximum eyes on screens.
Without a strong media voice to hold our elected leaders to account, many of their remote visits will become nothing more than junkets on the taxpayer’s dollar to visit party donors and political allies before an announcement that – surprise, surprise – directly benefits the very same people. Our politicians work for us, and having local journalists who are prepared to ask the hard questions without fear or favour helps remind them of that.
Without a strong media voice to celebrate the wins in our communities, how do we share the successes and triumphs of our friends, family and neighbours, whether on the sporting field, classroom or in the spotlight of the awards stage? They may not be deemed press-stopping news by the mainstream media but, for many Cape York and Torres Strait residents, these achievements are significant life events that deserve to be applauded from the rooftops.
To our journalist, Chisa, and graphic design guru, Gee – who have been my left and right arms to make the paper look as good as it does every Monday afternoon – thank you for your dedication to not only the masthead, but to every event we cover and story we tell. It’s because of you the reputation of the paper is stronger than it ever has been, and our team is welcomed with open arms in every community we roll into.
Cape York, it’s been an absolute pleasure ensuring your voice has been heard by those who needed to hear it for the best part of the past two years. It’s without doubt been one of the privileges and highlights of my journalism career.
I’ve found “farewell” is never uttered in this captivating part of the world, so all I’ll say is that I look forward to catching up with you all a bit down the road.
