Editor’s view: Sometimes our pollies need push to do right thing

Politicians might complain about the media, but The Courier-Mail has been a guiding light for many state initiatives, writes the editor.

It is no new thing for politicians to complain about the journalists and the newspapers that cover their activities.

But in the age of social media and the algorithms that create echo chambers of like-minded cheer squads, it is easier than ever for cocooned politicians to convince themselves that there is no need for traditional media – and that journalists are just out to get them.

But that is to ignore the fact that the role played by real journalism in keeping a watch on the activities of those few the voting public put their trust in is not only critical to a well-functioning democracy, but often actually ends up helping ministers arrive at better decisions.

A case in point came this year when The Courier-Mail spent a week telling the stories of those Queenslanders caught in what is a very real housing crisis. The government went from denying there was a problem – and indeed spruiking its “record investment” in social housing after an auditor-general’s report slammed its lack of focus – to convening a housing summit that was well received.

Or how about our Through the Cracks campaign last year that exposed the crisis in our mental health system. That campaign resulted in Treasurer Cameron Dick setting aside an additional $425m a year in this year’s budget to fund mental health services. Unveiling the “biggest ever investment in mental health services” in the state’s history, Mr Dick paid tribute to The Courier-Mail’s “advocacy journalism”. He said: “I don’t agree with everything The Courier-Mail says ... but they were very clear in their advocacy ... and that’s why we delivered a dedicated stream of funding for mental health.”

Another example came on Thursday with the welcome announcement by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk that 2023 will be the “Year of Accessible Tourism” in Queensland – an acknowledgment of the fact that one in five people have a disability, and their access to the tourism adventures the other 80 per cent of us take for granted is often limited.

Ms Palaszczuk said: “Dedicating 2023 to The Year of Accessible Tourism will drive change and create opportunities for both industry and travellers and create a legacy our state can be proud of.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk addresses the Destination Queensland conference at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday. Picture: Sarah Marshall/NCA NewsWire

She backed it with the unveiling of a new $10m Accessible Tourism Fund that will help small to medium tourism businesses build the infrastructure and install the technology that will assist those visitors who have an impairment. It is a decision that will have a real impact – and the government deserves credit for it.

Now, Ms Palaszczuk denied the move was in any way related to her recent embarrassing decision to belatedly add “Paralympics” to her title of Olympics Minister after a string of athletes with a disability told The Courier-Mail they had been ignored for months when requesting Ms Palaszczuk make the change. Ms Palaszczuk said the announcement she made yesterday had in fact been in the works “for months” before she was forced into the Paralympics decision when the courageous and frustrated athletes used the media to go public with their concerns.

But let’s face it; it is indeed an incredibly fortuitous coincidence that just five weeks after Ms Palaszczuk agreed to add Paralympics to her ministerial title – a decision she made less than an hour after the open letter to her from frustrated athletes was published by The Courier-Mail – that she yesterday announced her government had decided the Year of the Outback and the Year of Indigenous Tourism would be followed by the Year of Accessible Tourism.

At the very least, the controversy in the media that Ms Palaszczuk no doubt thought was unfair at the time has now served as a reminder to her of the importance to always consider and advocate for those who have a disability – in every context.

There is an old saying that goes: “Politicians complaining about the newspapers is like a sailor complaining about the sea.” It is an acknowledgment that not only is there nothing they can do about it, but that the two are bound in a symbiotic relationship.

There is no doubt that for politicians, whinging behind closed doors and on Twitter about the media and its apparent bias and failings is as cathartic as it is for sailors to complain when in port about the weather while at sea.

But the best sailors – it turns out – are those who learn to work with the ocean, rather than just standing in the tavern and complaining.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here