Thank you, to all our loyal readers, supporters and volunteers. And to all the fans, friends and whistleblowers who write and email this paper. 

However, we are not universally respected. 

Some senior staff at MidCoast Council, including the Mayor, have told certain businesses not to display or distribute this newspaper.

Now the General Manager, Mr Adrian Panuccio, has told staff… verbally… they are not to display or read this paper on Council premises during their breaks. And has banned the Manning Community News from all Council premises. 

Not sure if that means we’re doing a good job. But it certainly smacks of censorship and a sensitive ego. 

This paper will be missed in libraries!

15,000  copies are printed and distributed up and down the mid North Coast from Bellingen to Nabiac and all settlements in between on mountains and the coast. 

And it is online. It is read in government offices and by influential media. 

As we are all aware, the media is under threat all over the world. Media is becoming maginalised.  I was taught that you tell both sides of the story.  The facts. Now, media organisations are staking their ground as rightwing, leftist or radical, with an agenda, be it driven by money influence, power and corruption.

Where do we ordinary folk turn for the truth and the real story? We don’t believe our politicians any more, big business seems to control our lives by power of money, influence and corruption. 

We are trolled and eavesdropped and manipulated and conned by cyber space zillionaires most of us do not know how to control, or how it works to influence our decisions, our children, our lives. 

Suddenly friends and neighbours, even family, are influenced and manipulated into believing things we would never have considered remotely possible or factual. 

We are beginning to question our own judgement, knowledge and common sense. 

So to whom do we look for guidance, for a sensible explanation, for comfort and reassurance? The Church? Neighbours who now seem a bit nutty? Our government?  When all we see are a bunch of privileged, money grubbing, entitled, bullies, phonies, trouser dropping mysoginists in it for the pension, gold card and what they can sock away or a walk into a cruisy corporate mining job minutes after leaving parliament.

C’mon you think we don’t notice? And is it any wonder we don’t want to hear more bad news and watch and read a lot of phoney spin. 

So where do we turn for the truth, the terrible reality of what is happening to our world? We can’t believe what we find on the net or the newspapers or cable and commercial TV. 

The real truth is out there … in science labs, and traditional universities, in (some) charitable organisations, human rights groups, in the honest old fashioned media – Yes, our ABC ( I worked with Ita and she’s a friend and I know her to be true blue, honest, tough and smart.) So look for independent and self funded media.. watch out for the work of the estimable John B Fairfax and Eric Beecher, The Monthly, The Saturday Paper, and the ole John Pilger who fights on.  

This is my tribe. I know them, worked with them. And in my own small way, at my own expense, because I care, and I think it’s important, I publish this paper.

Find it. Read it. Share it. Talk about issues, talk about ideas you might  not have considered. An open mind, an honest heart and the bravery to speak up might, just might, get us over the line so we can leave something halfway peaceful, decent, safe, productive and protected for our kids and theirs.    

DM

With your help and support, (and advertising!) we will continue to grow and make a difference.

Di Morrissey. Editor/Publisher.