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Australian newspaper chastised over Moe slur Latrobe City Council has rebuked the Australian newspaper following an article published in its February 21-22 Weekend Australian Magazine. By Latrobe City Council - 16th March 2004 - Back to News In an article written by Stuart Rintoul about defence lawyer Colin Lovitt, Rintoul referred to the ‘rural slum of Moe’.
Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Graeme Middlemiss, said the reference was symbolic of the ignorance and prejudice that some media writers proffered.
"Mr Rintoul has obviously never visited Moe and has a perception in his mind of the town that is not only out of step with reality, but is grossly insulting to Moe residents and the wider Latrobe community," Cr Middlemiss said.
"I have no doubt Mr Rintoul thinks his words witty, but taking cheap shots at a community is no more than gutter journalism substituted for a lack of anything intelligent to say on the matter.
"The people of Moe and Latrobe City are rightly offended by such words, and we are demanding an apology from the editor of the Australian and Mr Rintoul," Cr Middlemiss said.
"On behalf of Latrobe City I have written to the Australian demanding that apology," he said.
Councillor Lisa Price said that an invitation was also being extended to the editor of the Australian to meet members of the Moe community first hand.
"Residents are outraged at the ignorance exposed in the article and the only way to overcome that ignorance is for the perpetrators to experience Moe first-hand," Cr Price said.
"Moe is home to a dynamic, innovative, robust community which is proud of its achievements and constantly strives for betterment.
"To describe Moe as ‘the rural slum’ makes as little sense as suggesting ‘city slum’ status for South Yarra or Manly. The facts simply don’t stack up.
"Anyone who visits Moe is impressed by its vitality. Significant numbers of people live in Moe as a matter of choice having taken their pick of residential areas in the Latrobe region. They value the views afforded over the town and towards Mount Baw Baw from hillside streets, and real estate is constantly in high demand.
"Moe has excellent facilities and attracts visitors to the region through the quality of its sporting infrastructure and recreational venues such as the Moe Racecourse and Lake Narracan. To inflict such a slur upon the town as appeared in the Weekend Australian Magazine, is to promote a lie," Cr Price said.
Cr Price encouraged Moe residents offended by the slur to write to the Australian and other media condemning the affront to the town.
"Residents can obviously display their outrage by cancelling their subscription to the Australian newspaper and letting the publishers know of their decision. They can also raise the issue in other media and reveal the true facts about Moe," Cr Price concluded.
Cr Middlemiss added that the Latrobe community was wearying of negative stories on the region appearing in national media.
"This is the latest affront to the Latrobe Valley based on preconceptions that bear no relation to the truth. It’s time that the national media devoted more of their energies to accurate research and reporting rather than wallowing in trite sensationalism," Cr Middlemiss said.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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