Author Archives: Geoff Vivian

About Geoff Vivian

Geoff Vivian is a freelance journalist based in Perth, Western Australia with a particular interest in the Kimberley and Australia's north. He has worked at various times as an art and theatre reviewer, science writer, and general rounds journalist for several local newspapers. He has managed an Indigenous radio station where he was breakfast announcer, and more recently completed a university degree with a journalism major. He is a regular contributor to Science Network WA and The Koori Mail, and maintains the news digest KimberleyPage.com.au

Explorer charts plan for Gully projects, March 19, 2015

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TEXT BY GEOFF VIVIAN

MORE than a billion years ago two tectonic plates collided and fused to form a continent.

From The Great Southern Weekender, March 19, 2015 p5

From The Great Southern Weekender, March 19, 2015 p5

They also formed a mountain range whose worn-down remnants stretch across most of southern Western Australia.

Gold and nickel has been found at one end of the former mountain range, and a small company has bought leases near the other extremity in the hope of finding payable nickel and copper.

The Weekender, March 19, 2015 p5.

According to Bloomberg the Managing Director left the company soon after this interview.

Is manufacturing the key to the region’s future? 20/10/2016

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A local businessman came to me with this story idea many months before the paper changed style. The then editor told me not to proceed as we were not doing features of this type and it was not “hard news”.

Great Southern Weekender, October 20, 2016, pp 8 and 9.

Great Southern Weekender, October 20, 2016, pp 8 and 9.

After a change of management we were required to produce a two-page feature in every edition, and suddenly this story became newsworthy.X20ALB_008-9P

As a journalist it is important to be able to tailor your writing to a publication’s subject matter. There is no merit in producing work that does not get published.

NB: I did not write the side panel.

 

Sporting tax thwarted 1/12/2016

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It is tricky to explain the workings of a local council to newspaper readers when the issue is complex and councillors are deciding how to vote.

From The Great Southern Weekender, Thursday, December 1, 2016 p1 and 2.

From The Great Southern Weekender, Thursday, December 1, 2016 p1 and 2.

I think I was able to pull it off this time.X01ALB_002P

However this was not the end of the matter. One councillor decided to table a motion at the next meeting to reverse the decision, which is having an effect on the conduct of the current State Election. I will post the story when time permits.

 

Authorities unlikely to get any fire restitution 11/8/2016

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This is an example of a story lead changing right on deadline.

X11ALB_003P

I had written about a judgement made against a young man who had started a bushfire and was ordered to pay a six-figure sum in damages.

I interviewed the fire control officer who was pleased with this result.

My editor had already put the story “on the page” when the man’s lawyer contacted me telling me his client could not be jailed for non-payment as it was a civil matter.

From The Great Southern Weekender Thursday, August 11, 2016.