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I am regularly asked what makes a story newsworthy.
By definition, news is information not previously known. It can be serious information or light-hearted, it can be happy or sad but have a wide appeal. As a former editor once told me, 'make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, tell 'em something they don't know'.
Now, just what people do and don't know is not easy to know. No, this isn't a line from Dr Seuss, but I hope you know what I mean.
Broadly, there's news stories and human interest stories.
It's human nature to focus on the bad news. We rarely start a conversation with 'I ran into Mary the other day and she's well'. It's more like 'Did you hear about Maggie, she's been in hospital'.
It's easy for readers and critics to say we only report bad news. Yes, we report bad news. And we do it because people want to know what's happening, they want to know if governments or councils are using public funds appropriately, why are so many people homeless now, why crime is up, why were armed police surrounding a bank etc.
This week we highlighted, after considerable time asking questions, the state government is preparing to merge hospitals and health services in the south-west. No details will emerge until a draft is released in April and the government has no plan to cut the number of hospitals. The government says its work is aimed at giving patients the smoothest access to care. But will it mean services are consolidated at bigger hospitals or cities? Will it take the local out of your health service? These are questions we will be pursuing. This story is important because it will likely have broad impacts but until now, it wouldn't have been a topic at the dinner table.
But we don't just report bad news, contrary to popular belief, because it is important we give a broader representation of our community. This week we told you about well-known Ten Pound Poms, Warrnambool couple Ron and Carlyn Sproston, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. But because they were married on February 29, it was only the 15th time they had actually marked the anniversary on the day because of the leap year.
A couple of weeks ago we told you about four sets of twins in the one class at Merrivale Primary School. One person commented on our Facebook page "why report this? This isn't news". Someone responded "why not?"
Indeed.
And this week we revealed, amid the doom and gloom of rising cost of living pressures and a housing crisis there is light at the end of the tunnel in the construction industry.
The Cally Hotel has lodged plans with Warrnambool City Council for a $4 million expansion to the historic pub in Fairy Street.
Under the plan, a new building to the south of the hotel would be created on what is now a car park. An alley between the old and new building would be transformed into a garden bar and the new building would feature a brand new bowling alley with an entertainment arcade next. The tenpin bowling alley would replace the city's much-loved but ageing lanes in Timor Street.
As The Cally's Lucas Reid said, "it is really exciting".
On the city's eastern fringe, Country Life accommodation village has lodged plans for a $5m expansion to cater for workers. Up to 29 two and three-bedroom units would be added to the site opposite Warrnambool's Deakin University campus, housing workers who would be taken by bus to Midfield Meat.
These developments are on top of the $384m redevelopment of Warrnambool Base Hospital which is due to get underway in earnest later this year.
These projects are good news not only for the construction industry but the city's economy. Workers need jobs and jobs put dollars into their hands, which is in turn invested in other sectors across the region.
While some regional centres are experiencing a sharp down turn in housing activity, the south-west, while not booming like it was three years ago, is holding its own.
We reported in January tourism was down and so too spending because of cost of living pressures.
But major developments like The Cally and Country Life expansions, the new apartments under construction on the former Criterion Hotel site in Kepler Street and hospital redevelopment help maintain a positive vibe and create confidence. They also help regenerate the look of the city, which is so important for future investment, attracting workers, retaining existing residents and the region's overall economic health.
This is good news.
Without your support as a subscriber, we wouldn't be able to tell these stories. Thank you. If you have a story idea, please drop me a line at grbest@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
The pic above from photographer Sean McKenna shows the view from Camperdown's Mount Leura.
Until next week,
Greg Best
Editor, The Standard