READERS' COMMENTS |
Keep it #$%@!!*& nice
January 25, 2020
My repertoire of wise old sayings includes “give them an inch and they take a mile”, along with something about people in glass houses, and “if you have nothing nice to say it is best to say nothing”.
It would be appalling if your Post and all the energy that has gone into it was to be corrupted to ruin by a few bad apples.
Dear Catherine, stay the course !
Tim Shannon
Thankyou Catherine for your journalistic experience and I support your decision to erase the personal criticism.
I appreciate the literature and variety of topics you attract to The Post.
Marjorie Scott
Thank you for your perseverance and all the time you put into the Post. We always look forward to reading all the interesting articles and agree with your decision. Happy New Year Catherine.
Alison Ribush
Enjoyed every article as usual. Keep up the great work!
Michelle Graham
Not living "down there:" anymore, but keep up the good work Catherine,Love reading the (constructive) comments on things happening in Bass Coast
Kevin Chambers
Love the Bass Coast Post.
Thank you Catherine.
Jan Fleming
Gorgeous Catherine!
Without you people like me would not have a voice - we would be less informed - we would not be able to share in a safe environment.
Bullies can be awfully devious - and so destructive - so thank you for not allowing them to have a voice.
Liane Arno
Good decision - i fully support you and thanks for doing such a great job on the Post
Lesley Bretherton
Thank you Catherine for gifting us the Bass Coast Post. Respect is vital and support your decision to stop abuse. Just love reading the articles in the Post and whilst you may not always agree with some views, one often gains knowledge of the reasons for differing views in the written article. Thank you for all that you do.
Joy Button
I totally agree with Catherine and thank her for the outstanding development of a Post with principles
It is indeed unfortunate that journalism as an industry has deteriorated to sensationalism and distortion of the truth to the detriment of the profession.
Informed articles are the source of knowledge shared, with the Post leading in the dissemination of views and opinions without acrimony
Keep up the good work
Ian Samuel
I agree, civil discussion is desperately needed at a time when we seem to becoming more polarised. But abusive retorts achieve nothing but further separation. Keep up the good work Catherine, I so enjoy the Post.
Lorrie Read
Catherine, whilst your intentions are admirable, beware! I used to subscribe to a large national newspaper that permitted what I called "vigorous" debate (which were, to be honest, horrific during the SSM debate) then belatedly decided that they needed moderation. I had several comments (favourable mostly) "rejected" and there was to be no discussing the reasons why. Other readers of the newspaper made similar observations. Eventually it appeared that the rejections were more personal than ethical, so I decided to pull the plug. There will be no political correctness in my house! It is yet another form of censorship.
Everyone views a topic differently, so I believe it would be quite difficult to be impartial and eventually what one considers offensive, others would not.
Pamela Jacka
Hi Pamela. I certainly don’t want to censor readers’ views. The more the merrier! However, the Post has picked up a few trolls along the way and I need to deal with them. The personal criticism and abuse are a diversion from genuine debate. They also deter others from entering the discussion. Let’s see how we go!
Catherine Watson, editor
I'm with you on this one Pamela, You cannot write about topics in Bass Coast Post in a joking, entertaining manner at the expense of people who are working so hard to save their own environment and are struggling with potential unbearable loss (Newhaven Skate Park article) and expect people who are so distraught and emotionally devastated about that topic that is being joked about and not expect a reaction that is pure raw emotion and spelling out nothing but raw facts. The truth hurts unfortunately and the truth should not be deleted or edited. If that raw emotion is taken out then its just not genuine or real and the writing lacks soul of the person who is hurting and who put their real feelings into words.
Min Beaumont
I have so enjoyed reading bass coast post articles for many years, I would be disappointed if a few trolls ruined it for all.
Catherine, she's your baby & I fully support your editorial rights 💞
Kim Veness
This kind of has to work both ways and what has happened to freedom of speech as a reaction to a writers actions, that's what you are after isn't it, a reaction?
Min Beaumont
I totally agree with your right to edit the Post Catherine as you see fit.
That’s your job.
I also totally agree in using reasoned arguments which are based on facts.
Emotional language does not fix the issues.
Frank W Schooneveldt
There are comments on this post that certainly break the rules under which I operate several organisations' popular Facebook pages. Our rules are: No personal attacking of others or name calling in the post or in the comments. No comments which do not pertain to the principles of whichever group's FB page it is, as clearly set out on their websites, e.g. constitutions and forward planning documents agreed to by the members. No swearing - even mild swearing - under any circumstances. There is so much vitriol on the internet these days and it is totally unhelpful. All it does is make people angrier, and in fact curtails rational debate. Catherine your readers may have 'ownership' of your wonderful website, but it is actually YOUR website, and you are perfectly entitled to make your rules, especially after several years of operation have taught you the hard way that some people seriously need to be given clear firm rules to abide by. It is a waste of your valuable time having to moderate everything, but stay firm and eventually everyone will get the message and all behave in a civilised manner.
Christine Grayden
Forged by fire
January 25, 2020
Thank you Laura for your personal experience of the recent fires- such tragic and dramatic disasters continue to ripple long beyond the proverbial splash; the upheaval is unimaginable but then it happens. I hope this unparalleled summer of fire shifts the nation's focus and clarifies priorities. So pleased you and yours are safe.
Jeannie Haughton
Thank you Laura for sharing your story. And thank goodness you are all safe.
Your story certainly brings home what is important.
Caring for Country, caring for people, caring for community, caring for one and another and caring about the World we leave to our Grandchildren.
Frank & Mary Schooneveldt
Laura and Terry, we are very glad your family is safe. Best wishes,
Jan Fleming and John Adam
Thanks so much for sharing, Laura. When I saw and heard you at 'Heads in the Sand' I didn't get to talk to you. I had no idea about your family. I had no idea that the climate refugees I saw from Mallacoota were your grandchildren.
I'm glad that the family is safe. They will be scarred by their experience, but on the day I noted that they seemed such brave people, and from what you say, that is true. They may also become stronger people.
Much was learnt during the Black Saturday fires about safe behaviour at times of fires. If only the media and government could learn all the lessons about climate change that the world should have been acting on many years ago. I hope that the majority of people have learnt enough to insist that we change how we act. If not now, when? If not now, who will be left to decide? If not now, will anyone have any choice?
Bron Dahlstrom
Thanks for this piece Laura. So glad your family survived, and also that the house was saved. I believe Bob and I stayed in their airbnb last year, such a nice spot. We had no idea of their connection to you.
Jenny Skewes
Thank you so much for your kind words and for your understanding. They are truly appreciated.
Terry has just finished making a short film about the Climate Action held at Inverloch that I mention in the article.
Here is the link ... https://vimeo.com/387580606
I'm really grateful to be part of a community that is awake to the importance of climate justice and the need for action.
Laura Brearley
So moving to read your personal account especially after your Black Saturday experiences. Thank you. I am so pleased they can return home already even tho it is so shocking and the smoke and ash seems to stay for a long time.
It's a long haul cleaning up and rebuilding and a community that can put forward what it wants from agerncies and govt often fairs better in the long term reconstruction.
You and Terry are truly fantastic and such a wonderful support. These events call on all our resources and more.
I love the grandchildren taking action with their posters, a positive sign amongst the aftermath.
(Re climate refugees - I'm caring for three of the family 's non laying old chooks ! )
Neri Melsmith
Thank you for your story. My Niece's Fiance Nikolai Handsjuk's Mother's house burnt down at Mallacoota and his Grandmother's was about the only one left in the street.
Caroline Giles
Weighty words
January 25, 2020
Thank you all three for your wonderful work. There certainly seems to be much talent in Gippsland. I very much look forward to reading the winning entry.
Felicia Di Stefano
Sounds like there were many fabulous entries and a challenge Catherine just to establish a short list. Looking forward to the announcement on February 9. Will this announcement be open to the public as I cannot see time that it starts.
Joy Button
Fabulous! can't wait to find out who is the winner.
Clare Le Serve
Looks great Catherine; and I wonder, might it be worth publishing the best 10 or 15 as a book?
Max Richter
A blazing star
Jan 25, 2020
Far too young to leave us - I still try not to think about this but it was a life well lived and my friend for so much of his time in the Wonthaggi area. Ricardo entered some photographs in the Show that I help organise just before he passed. Thank you Merle for encouraging him. Well anyway he did very well and was so happy with his prizes That was the last I heard about him when Merle contacted me that fateful night.To me his joy of achieving something that I was part of made me smile as well as make me cry - Loved you Ricardo - A joy to know and call a friend
Rosemary Loughnan
Ricardo, Ricardo, Ricardo !!
My elderly mother used to say when she visited Garnham House in Wonthaggi once a week.
Then some years later, she was stunned when she and a few of the residents of Griffiths Point Lodge (in San Remo) were driven to his exhibition.
What a wonderful artist, photographer, writer and very special person who gave warmth to so many people who had the privilege of meeting you and being with you.
Vale, Ricardo, may you rest in peace
Phyllis Papps
Thrills and spills
Jan 25, 2020 –
This story deserves support and reflection.
Near death experiences - all survived - mostly cherished - by those who were lucky enough to have a childhood before helicopter parenting.
We learned a confidence and love of the wild parts of our world.
Peter Brown
I enjoyed this story and did similar stuff in the 70s and 80s
Caroline Giles
Oh my goodness Liz, what you write about climbing a tree is in exact detail of what the children of Newhaven at Phillip Island did in the Grayden's Memorial Park in the 70's. The cypress trees which still stand there today as part of Newhaven's unique history and green environment and were planted in a similar fashion as the ones down Thompson Avenue in Cowes are still the main characteristics of our much loved park and township. The cypress in the park was a haven for play when children were free to roam. We too could climb up the trunk by firstly pulling ourselves up via forked branches like monkey bars. I look at the tree now and wonder how we managed to pull ourselves up
Min Beaumont
January 25, 2020
My repertoire of wise old sayings includes “give them an inch and they take a mile”, along with something about people in glass houses, and “if you have nothing nice to say it is best to say nothing”.
It would be appalling if your Post and all the energy that has gone into it was to be corrupted to ruin by a few bad apples.
Dear Catherine, stay the course !
Tim Shannon
Thankyou Catherine for your journalistic experience and I support your decision to erase the personal criticism.
I appreciate the literature and variety of topics you attract to The Post.
Marjorie Scott
Thank you for your perseverance and all the time you put into the Post. We always look forward to reading all the interesting articles and agree with your decision. Happy New Year Catherine.
Alison Ribush
Enjoyed every article as usual. Keep up the great work!
Michelle Graham
Not living "down there:" anymore, but keep up the good work Catherine,Love reading the (constructive) comments on things happening in Bass Coast
Kevin Chambers
Love the Bass Coast Post.
Thank you Catherine.
Jan Fleming
Gorgeous Catherine!
Without you people like me would not have a voice - we would be less informed - we would not be able to share in a safe environment.
Bullies can be awfully devious - and so destructive - so thank you for not allowing them to have a voice.
Liane Arno
Good decision - i fully support you and thanks for doing such a great job on the Post
Lesley Bretherton
Thank you Catherine for gifting us the Bass Coast Post. Respect is vital and support your decision to stop abuse. Just love reading the articles in the Post and whilst you may not always agree with some views, one often gains knowledge of the reasons for differing views in the written article. Thank you for all that you do.
Joy Button
I totally agree with Catherine and thank her for the outstanding development of a Post with principles
It is indeed unfortunate that journalism as an industry has deteriorated to sensationalism and distortion of the truth to the detriment of the profession.
Informed articles are the source of knowledge shared, with the Post leading in the dissemination of views and opinions without acrimony
Keep up the good work
Ian Samuel
I agree, civil discussion is desperately needed at a time when we seem to becoming more polarised. But abusive retorts achieve nothing but further separation. Keep up the good work Catherine, I so enjoy the Post.
Lorrie Read
Catherine, whilst your intentions are admirable, beware! I used to subscribe to a large national newspaper that permitted what I called "vigorous" debate (which were, to be honest, horrific during the SSM debate) then belatedly decided that they needed moderation. I had several comments (favourable mostly) "rejected" and there was to be no discussing the reasons why. Other readers of the newspaper made similar observations. Eventually it appeared that the rejections were more personal than ethical, so I decided to pull the plug. There will be no political correctness in my house! It is yet another form of censorship.
Everyone views a topic differently, so I believe it would be quite difficult to be impartial and eventually what one considers offensive, others would not.
Pamela Jacka
Hi Pamela. I certainly don’t want to censor readers’ views. The more the merrier! However, the Post has picked up a few trolls along the way and I need to deal with them. The personal criticism and abuse are a diversion from genuine debate. They also deter others from entering the discussion. Let’s see how we go!
Catherine Watson, editor
I'm with you on this one Pamela, You cannot write about topics in Bass Coast Post in a joking, entertaining manner at the expense of people who are working so hard to save their own environment and are struggling with potential unbearable loss (Newhaven Skate Park article) and expect people who are so distraught and emotionally devastated about that topic that is being joked about and not expect a reaction that is pure raw emotion and spelling out nothing but raw facts. The truth hurts unfortunately and the truth should not be deleted or edited. If that raw emotion is taken out then its just not genuine or real and the writing lacks soul of the person who is hurting and who put their real feelings into words.
Min Beaumont
I have so enjoyed reading bass coast post articles for many years, I would be disappointed if a few trolls ruined it for all.
Catherine, she's your baby & I fully support your editorial rights 💞
Kim Veness
This kind of has to work both ways and what has happened to freedom of speech as a reaction to a writers actions, that's what you are after isn't it, a reaction?
Min Beaumont
I totally agree with your right to edit the Post Catherine as you see fit.
That’s your job.
I also totally agree in using reasoned arguments which are based on facts.
Emotional language does not fix the issues.
Frank W Schooneveldt
There are comments on this post that certainly break the rules under which I operate several organisations' popular Facebook pages. Our rules are: No personal attacking of others or name calling in the post or in the comments. No comments which do not pertain to the principles of whichever group's FB page it is, as clearly set out on their websites, e.g. constitutions and forward planning documents agreed to by the members. No swearing - even mild swearing - under any circumstances. There is so much vitriol on the internet these days and it is totally unhelpful. All it does is make people angrier, and in fact curtails rational debate. Catherine your readers may have 'ownership' of your wonderful website, but it is actually YOUR website, and you are perfectly entitled to make your rules, especially after several years of operation have taught you the hard way that some people seriously need to be given clear firm rules to abide by. It is a waste of your valuable time having to moderate everything, but stay firm and eventually everyone will get the message and all behave in a civilised manner.
Christine Grayden
Forged by fire
January 25, 2020
Thank you Laura for your personal experience of the recent fires- such tragic and dramatic disasters continue to ripple long beyond the proverbial splash; the upheaval is unimaginable but then it happens. I hope this unparalleled summer of fire shifts the nation's focus and clarifies priorities. So pleased you and yours are safe.
Jeannie Haughton
Thank you Laura for sharing your story. And thank goodness you are all safe.
Your story certainly brings home what is important.
Caring for Country, caring for people, caring for community, caring for one and another and caring about the World we leave to our Grandchildren.
Frank & Mary Schooneveldt
Laura and Terry, we are very glad your family is safe. Best wishes,
Jan Fleming and John Adam
Thanks so much for sharing, Laura. When I saw and heard you at 'Heads in the Sand' I didn't get to talk to you. I had no idea about your family. I had no idea that the climate refugees I saw from Mallacoota were your grandchildren.
I'm glad that the family is safe. They will be scarred by their experience, but on the day I noted that they seemed such brave people, and from what you say, that is true. They may also become stronger people.
Much was learnt during the Black Saturday fires about safe behaviour at times of fires. If only the media and government could learn all the lessons about climate change that the world should have been acting on many years ago. I hope that the majority of people have learnt enough to insist that we change how we act. If not now, when? If not now, who will be left to decide? If not now, will anyone have any choice?
Bron Dahlstrom
Thanks for this piece Laura. So glad your family survived, and also that the house was saved. I believe Bob and I stayed in their airbnb last year, such a nice spot. We had no idea of their connection to you.
Jenny Skewes
Thank you so much for your kind words and for your understanding. They are truly appreciated.
Terry has just finished making a short film about the Climate Action held at Inverloch that I mention in the article.
Here is the link ... https://vimeo.com/387580606
I'm really grateful to be part of a community that is awake to the importance of climate justice and the need for action.
Laura Brearley
So moving to read your personal account especially after your Black Saturday experiences. Thank you. I am so pleased they can return home already even tho it is so shocking and the smoke and ash seems to stay for a long time.
It's a long haul cleaning up and rebuilding and a community that can put forward what it wants from agerncies and govt often fairs better in the long term reconstruction.
You and Terry are truly fantastic and such a wonderful support. These events call on all our resources and more.
I love the grandchildren taking action with their posters, a positive sign amongst the aftermath.
(Re climate refugees - I'm caring for three of the family 's non laying old chooks ! )
Neri Melsmith
Thank you for your story. My Niece's Fiance Nikolai Handsjuk's Mother's house burnt down at Mallacoota and his Grandmother's was about the only one left in the street.
Caroline Giles
Weighty words
January 25, 2020
Thank you all three for your wonderful work. There certainly seems to be much talent in Gippsland. I very much look forward to reading the winning entry.
Felicia Di Stefano
Sounds like there were many fabulous entries and a challenge Catherine just to establish a short list. Looking forward to the announcement on February 9. Will this announcement be open to the public as I cannot see time that it starts.
Joy Button
Fabulous! can't wait to find out who is the winner.
Clare Le Serve
Looks great Catherine; and I wonder, might it be worth publishing the best 10 or 15 as a book?
Max Richter
A blazing star
Jan 25, 2020
Far too young to leave us - I still try not to think about this but it was a life well lived and my friend for so much of his time in the Wonthaggi area. Ricardo entered some photographs in the Show that I help organise just before he passed. Thank you Merle for encouraging him. Well anyway he did very well and was so happy with his prizes That was the last I heard about him when Merle contacted me that fateful night.To me his joy of achieving something that I was part of made me smile as well as make me cry - Loved you Ricardo - A joy to know and call a friend
Rosemary Loughnan
Ricardo, Ricardo, Ricardo !!
My elderly mother used to say when she visited Garnham House in Wonthaggi once a week.
Then some years later, she was stunned when she and a few of the residents of Griffiths Point Lodge (in San Remo) were driven to his exhibition.
What a wonderful artist, photographer, writer and very special person who gave warmth to so many people who had the privilege of meeting you and being with you.
Vale, Ricardo, may you rest in peace
Phyllis Papps
Thrills and spills
Jan 25, 2020 –
This story deserves support and reflection.
Near death experiences - all survived - mostly cherished - by those who were lucky enough to have a childhood before helicopter parenting.
We learned a confidence and love of the wild parts of our world.
Peter Brown
I enjoyed this story and did similar stuff in the 70s and 80s
Caroline Giles
Oh my goodness Liz, what you write about climbing a tree is in exact detail of what the children of Newhaven at Phillip Island did in the Grayden's Memorial Park in the 70's. The cypress trees which still stand there today as part of Newhaven's unique history and green environment and were planted in a similar fashion as the ones down Thompson Avenue in Cowes are still the main characteristics of our much loved park and township. The cypress in the park was a haven for play when children were free to roam. We too could climb up the trunk by firstly pulling ourselves up via forked branches like monkey bars. I look at the tree now and wonder how we managed to pull ourselves up
Min Beaumont