From the editor's desk: meet the team

Meet the QT's newest recruit

Dear Valued Subscriber,

Australia Day is approaching and while the conversation about the date and what it means to our indigenous Australians remains a topic of debate, there's no doubt it is still a day that people love to gather with family and friends.

If you are looking for a way to spend the Australia Day long weekend with the family, we have plenty of suggestions of local events happening in the city.

Make sure you check out our list here and please let us know if you have anything to add by emailing [e-mail].

Last week I promised I would start introducing you to The Queensland Times team.

I have been the editor here for the past three years and it has given me so much satisfaction to grow the number of local faces in the newsroom. We're incredibly lucky to have wonderful local people who have entered the industry and decided to come home to work in Ipswich at the QT - a paper many of them grew up reading.

Today you get to meet Samtui Selave. Samtui started with us last week as a cadet reporter so he's learning the ropes.

Here's what Samtui had to say:

Samtui Selave. Picture: Cordell Richardson

I've lived in Ipswich most of my life, specifically in the Greater Springfield Area, schooling, living and working locally.

I started developing a keen interest in tracking the growth of the Ipswich region during my second year of university in 2015 when development was booming in the Greater Springfield Area.

Originally enrolled to study business and law, after two years I, fortunately, fell out of interest with it. Inspired by watching the Ipswich region grow and wanting to one day write about it I decided to swap out my business degree for a journalism one and It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

During my last year of university, I was very fortunate to secure an internship with the QT where I got my first real taste working as a journalist.

When it came time to look for a job after completing my Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) and Bachelor of Laws at the University of Southern Queensland at Springfield I was again ecstatic to be offered a position as a cadet journalist at the QT.

I'm very excited to be back with the QT reporting on all things Ipswich and I look forward to perfecting my skills as a journalist. When I'm not working, I enjoy reading and cooking.

I also enjoy checking out all the great places to eat in our great city - I'd recommend Heisenberg Haus for the pork knuckle - it's amazing.

If you would like to get in contact with Samtui with a story idea or just to say hi, email him at [e-mail].

Next week I'll introduce you to another member of the QT team. Stay tuned.

Shannon Newley