A MILESTONE passed at this great newspaper recently with no fanfare.
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This column chalked up its 20th anniversary. We didn’t expect too much would be made to the moment – perhaps a front page photo featuring an eternally grateful editor, flanked by former mayor Hogan and ex-Premier Kristina Keneally (sigh), congratulating the writer. Twenty years? That’s longer than the total length of our two marriages combined, and multiplied by two.
But as was the case with the 10th anniversary, there was no mention. We recall back in 1996 when the first effort went to press. It’s a tale we’ve told before – ex-Editor Manusu noted this correspondent loitering in the newsroom. She suggested we do something a tad more useful: ‘clean your desk or write a column or something.’
So we wrote a column. It appeared on May 8, 1996. “What do you think?’’ we asked a colleague. “You’d have been better off cleaning your desk,’’ came the response.
Of course much has changed in the last 20 years. This newspaper, in fact, enters a brave new world from today, for example. So some of the great and not-so-great events we’ve noted in the past 20 years include:
Australia still isn’t a republic. We still cling to Mother England, Betty Windsor and her dysfunctional brood.
It’s a shame Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios don’t hail from Greater Taree. When we export our sporting superstars to the world, they enhance the area’s reputation. Ever heard anyone say anything negative about Johnny Martin, Troy Bayliss, Danny Buderus or Kasey Brown? Of course not and you won’t.
The parkrun is the best thing to happen to Taree since Willy the Whale. It’s on every Saturday from 8am starting at Endeavour Place. Just remember those who only complete one lap shouldn’t get their time recorded, Laura.
The Jack Neal Oval is no longer an embarrassment. We hope we live long enough to see a grandstand.
So that’s the best we can do after 20 years, which we conceded, isn’t great. We promise to do better on the 40th anniversary.. Yeah, like that’ll happen.