Our Opinion – And now – the news

What do you think of when you hear the phrase ‘good news’ – or ‘bad news’?These are terms that I frequently hear, usually in a sentence that goes something like: “we like hearing about positive things that happen in the community, not the negative stuff”.

One thing I’ve learned for sure during my time as a journalist and editor of Hibiscus Matters is that whether something is considered positive or negative, is totally subjective and depends on who is reading about it. To journalists, it’s all simply ‘news’.We love publishing stories about the achievements of locals – their milestones, creativity, their businesses and challenges overcome. We tell you about the fun stuff – events, shows, sport and fundraisers.

To reflect a community, though, you cannot shy away from the meatier topics – issues relating to Auckland Council (including the fraud case, on p1), health services, poverty and homelessness, transport, the pressures on our environment and how rapid growth is affecting residents. To ignore those things would be truly to have your head in the sand.

These are also the stories that spark the most interest and debate, which takes place via our website or Facebook page, as well as in the paper. What is more, there are many examples in this paper’s nine-year history when stories we have published have been a catalyst for change. There are a few examples of that in this very issue, including one where Red Beach residents were beset by a mountainous pile of soil on their back boundaries, put there by developers of the former golf club. Several residents approached Hibiscus Matters and another local paper because they had had nothing but empty promises that the problem would be sorted. There is no doubt that the involvement of media was key to a satisfactory resolution.

The Hibiscus Matters team wishes all our readers, advertisers, columnists and delivery people a happy and safe Christmas. We look forward to a further year of bringing you the news (both ‘good’ and ‘bad’!). See you in February.