General News
7 September, 2022
‘The Terrier’ runs
AN investigative journalist who broke a number of the south west’s major stories in recent years has declared her candidacy for the upcoming Victorian Election.
AN investigative journalist who broke a number of the south west’s major stories in recent years has declared her candidacy for the upcoming Victorian Election.
Carol Altmann will stand as an independent candidate for the South West Coast after more than three decades in newsrooms.
The Warrnambool-based journalist cut her teeth with stints with The Australian and Adelaide Advertiser before moving in to teaching.
It was her return to the south west coast which saw the creation of an independent website for which local residents know her best: what started as Bluestone morphed in to The Terrier.
“I hoped I would be an alternative voice, much like a terrier – a small little unignorable voice,” Ms Altmann said.
She would go on to break some of the biggest stories in south west Victoria in recent years.
Ms Atlmann’s reporting on inappropriate spending on taxpayer-funded corporate credit cards within Warrnambool City Council and circumstances surrounding the attempted sacking of chief executive officer Peter Schneider was cited by voters as a catalyst for the eventual casting out of all incumbentcouncillors at the 2020 ballot box.
In the following year her attention further shifted to allegations of a toxic culture and financial mismanagement at Lyndoch Living.
The terriermoniker became a symbol of the doggedness of Ms Altmann’s won’t-back-down brand of reporting, which quickly garnered a large online following.
Through the process of her reporting on the alleged issues at Lyndoch Living, Ms Altmann said she began to see a need in the community beyond journalism.
“I realised there was an absolute thirst for grassroots activism and advocacy,” she said.
“Journalists are not supposed to do those things, we’re supposed to be on the outside, but I realised unless I took an advocate role my impact would be less.
“People wanted someone to essentially speak for them, and lead in directions the community could go towards solving the problems.
“Not only did I report on Lyndoch Living, I became involved in the Keep Lyndoch Living group and supported in them organising rallies and petitions. What’s the point of me sitting on the sidelines if people actually need help?”
After years spent developing a body of reporting on Lyndoch Living, Ms Altmann said she grew frustrated with the feeling nobody in power “seemed to be able to do anything”.
It was the Fight4Lyndoch rally in June, which Ms Altmann helped organise, where the lines between journalist and activist stirred her interest in a tilt at politics.
“We had about 400 people turn up in the freezing cold and say we want to stand up for our elderly,” she said.
“I thought if nobody else was going to stand up and speak for the small people, then I’m going to do it.
“That’s when I decided I would formulate the idea of running.”
As an independent candidate Ms Altmann hopes to shake up the major parties in the footsteps of federal independent candidate Alex Dyson.
Mr Dyson narrowly lost to Liberal incumbent Dan Tehan by less than four per cent on preference count, sending shockwaves through the division which has been a Liberal stronghold since 1955.
Ms Altmann said her approach to politics would not stray far from her approach to journalism.
“My principles as The Terrier will be my principles as a candidate; community, integrity, action,” she said.
“The transition hasn’t been that great. Though The Terrier, I feel like I was doing an apprenticeship I didn’t even realise Iwas doing.
“That’s just speaking up on behalf of the community, and really fighting for them.
“Here I am ready to take that a level higher.”
Ms Altmann visited Terang last week to touch base with the community, and hear residents’ thoughts on what they wanted ina candidate.
The area is not unfamiliar territory. Having grown up in Warrnambool, Ms Altmann recounted her visits to Terang when learning to drive or spending time with friends.
“I love Terang,” she said.
“What I’m loving about our little towns in the area is that there is a new vibrancy starting to come out.
“We’ve had that period when things were difficult and there was a lot of empty shops, but things like the shops filling Johnstone Court is exciting to me.
“I’ve got great faith and trust in little towns like Terang.”