June 19th, 2026Just sayin’…

I love being a journo but sometimes reporting is hard work. And hard to do properly. And especially hard to do as an independent publisher with not a lot of financial backing.

People have sometimes said I used to go harder when I was employed at The Advocate in Daylesford. Or The Courier in Ballarat. I probably did. But I had the backing of some pretty big media organisations – like Fairfax and Rural Press – who had money for lawyers.
Kyle and I don’t have money for lawyers. We are lucky to have enough for a fantastic accountant – who has helped us so many times – including during the pandemic. There were grants around if you knew where to look – and our accountant did. We also had a great group of friends who all kept in touch at the time asking if we had seen this or that.
I know of a few businesses who missed out entirely and others who actually made bank during Covid thanks to grants from both the state and federal governments. Which probably hasn’t helped the state of play now, but at the time…
Anyway, back to hard work being a reporter. At the moment there is a lot swirling around the Hepburn Shire Council. Court cases, coronial inquests, claims and accusations – much of it hearsay – which would not stand up in a court of law.
The old media rule was that if you were not in the court, you could not report on it. That seems to have gone down the gurgler a bit and you can also say another media outlet has reported on something.
So with the coronial inquest into the crash I have done that a little with the ABC but I have also tuned in with a live recording available to media. There is also a very important thing called sub judice – which means something is before the courts and not to be reported on randomly.
Some media outlets seem to think you can get around that by peppering stories with “alleged” and “allegedly” but it wouldn’t really save you. The whole idea is that with your media reporting you do not influence a trial – including not tainting a jury. All part and parcel of our judiciary.
But once something is in court, you can mostly go for it. I remember reporting something about a car crash when I was working in Alice Springs, or was it Hervey Bay? Anyway, the mother of the young bloke who crashed his car – from memory he was pissed – came into the office and had a huge go at me.
Told me I was a gutter journalist and should think twice about ruining the lives of young people. After a few minutes I told her she was barking up the wrong tree. She needed to talk to the Attorney-General who allows the media to be part of the system and not only report crimes, but maybe make others think about not being a part of the criminal system.
It didn’t really work. I think it was her, although a few people along the way have told me more than once, they hoped I got cancer, and left. I had another person once, court related, email and ask me if I wanted to die. I politely wrote back saying: “No, but thank you for asking.” Probably not a smart reply – but you know what it’s like when you are young and full of smart-arse fun.
Anyway, the Hepburn Shire Council draft budget has been out for public input but by the time you read this it’s almost too late to have your say. Unless you are reading this online on Sunday, June 14. Then you have until midnight. Or the community hearing on June 24. (Read about that further down.)
It will be interesting. The budget. I don’t think there is much left in the coffers and without money it is hard to gain co-contributions from the state and federal governments. The council is also in charge of a lot of ageing infrastructure that needs a shot in the arm. Hello, public swimming pools. So far pool entry remains free for another year – but who knows how long we will have the pools.
I joined the pool goers one year. It was a cheap rate and you could only swim early in the mornings. I was a swimmer in my teenage years so decided to give it a try. But even in summer the Daylesford pool is cold enough to freeze your…well, something off. Even at speed I could never warm up – blue has never been a great skin colour for me.
But back to the budget and perhaps the most puzzling thing this month is that the 2026/27 draft budget community hearing is on June 24 from 6pm at the council chambers. (Residents can register to present for three minutes via the Participate Hepburn page.) The final budget will then be considered at a Special Meeting on June 30 after it is prepared on June 25 to 26 before an embargo period from June 27 to 29.
Hmmm. Why hold a community hearing when all is done and dusted? Why would anyone pop their name up to chat for up to three minutes when it is all a fait accompli? We will see. Maybe the council gained some money when DEECA sold off all that storm wood in May? I wonder who bought it? Just sayin’…