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    EDITOR’S NOTE – DECEMBER 2014

    Date:

    There’s a new voice in the west!

    Welcome to The Westsider! I’m excited to present you with our first edition and hope you find plenty of enjoyment between these covers.

    Melbourne’s western suburbs are as diverse as the collection of people who live in them, a place that cultures from all over the world call home. You don’t have to listen too carefully to notice that many languages are in use in our streets, shops and parks, and The Westsider will be a paper where people from all backgrounds can be heard – whether singularly or as one – words that resonate a spirit of inclusion, fairness and a celebration of diversity.

    As a local publication and advocate of citizen journalism, the shape and direction of each edition will be determined by you, and whether you’d like to contribute a story, comment on a local issue or raise awareness about any matter important to you or those around you, I urge you to become involved in whichever way you see fit.

    In our first issue we talk to one of the west’s most visible, yet anonymous artists, Baby Guerrilla, prominent Green MP Senator Colleen Hartland, and capturer of a fading west, “Westographer” Warren Kirk. Our series “A conversation with…” kicks off with a look into the world of top local chef Mark Briggs, and we introduce some of the sections that will become a staple of the paper going forward, featuring local news, events, activities and opinion. If all that leaves your head in a spin, the answers are near – our resident know-it-all Pete will solve your first world problems.

    Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, each month will feature contributions from the community, and reading, editing and presenting these has proved a most enjoyable task in the lead up to our much anticipated debut.

    So we will listen to the people of the west, and perhaps in time one of the voices in these pages will be yours.

    Read it, share it, spread the word.

    Derek Green
    Managing Editor – The Westsider
    email: editor@thewestsider.com.au

    Contributor
    Contributor
    Our content is a labour of love, crafted by dedicated volunteers who are passionate about the west. We encourage submissions from our community, particularly stories about your own experiences, family history, local issues, your suburb, community events, local history, human interest stories, food, the arts, and environmental matters. Below are articles created by community contributors. You can find their names in the bylines.

    Did you know?

    It's hard to find local stories because major news suppliers have economised by cutting local journalism. In addition, social media algorithms mean we have to work doubly hard to be seen.

    If you loved reading this article please consider donating to the Westsider. Support from you gives local writers an outlet and ensures an independent voice can be found in the west.

    If you're a business or community group, consider advertising in print or online, or becoming a community partner.

    2 COMMENTS

    1. When will you be interviewing the Labor MP’s for whom the western suburbs have overwhelmingly voted for yet again? Please feel free to select any one of them in either of the parliaments.

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