While not a usual Labor voter, I take issue with The Echo’s front page report on the prime minister opening the Beacon laundry in Bangalow last week.
The Echo used a negative slant about the visit, calling it ‘the Anthony Albanese show’ and describing ‘a carefully curated event’ in which the PM was ‘whisked through the facility’.
Unlike his predecessor, Mr Albanese has frequented our region many times. During the floods, when he was opposition leader, and post floods as PM he‘s visited Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads, Ballina and Lismore to name a few.
Rather than whisk through, he met people on the ground and seemed very gracious, personable and genuine. Indeed, when meeting the kids at Murwillumbah East Public School he joked around and displayed something rare in a modern leader, self-deprecating humour.
One shopkeeper in Murwillumbah even joked that Albo has spent more time in the town than any leader since Doug Anthony (who lived there).
Whatever you think of his politics, let’s not slander our PM with disingenuous reporting designed to make him appear phoney. If he’s here showing an interest in our region and making some positive changes, such as the Beacon laundry, please give him some credit when credit is due.
We’re not asking for The Echo to endorse his policies (I disagree with him on some issues too), just for some fair reporting, free of political bias.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
