Andrew Smith

FREMANTLE’s mighty Chook yearns once again to be the theme of the vintage nursery rhyme’s Golden Goose: always doing most good for the world around.

So we’re calling out to all our wonderful readers to hop on board and give the Rooster a mighty post-pandemic financial boost for the next year or two.

We have a great plan for a Reader Revolution to help ‘Feed the Chook’ each and every week. 

We are champing at the beak for a much faster recovery from our pandemic battering amidst ongoing economic uncertainty and turmoil, to get back to doing what we do best. 

Just like we used to with big fat papers bursting with a host of great news, promotions and advertisements about the goings on of our region.

It’s a plan to provide the Fremantle, Melville and Cockburn Herald with a separate source of revenue from our discerning readers with a few bucks to spare, in support of responsible journalism. 

It’s about our experienced journos, our host of amazing young students doing a whole lot more, ferreting out the most interesting people, including the baddies, for the very best stories of the week; and always using the highest news standards to bring a regular, informed and interesting look at the world. 

It’s also about nurturing and developing our other vital staff who help make this happen. 

Truly, we’re done with the constant threat to the jobs of our wonderful staff every time the economy belches badly. 

For 33 years the iconic Rooster has always relied on local business and other advertisers to fund the unique service we provide: an independent, free local newspaper every week. 

For any community to actually have a news medium not owned by the globally dominant Rupert Murdoch, or Kerry Stokes’ 7West Media is such a privilege – it’s as rare as hens’ teeth. 

Many local businesses were smashed by the pandemic (just as we were). Lots died. Others have yet to recover. They will, one day. In the meantime we’d love your help to give us the means to pursue the best in local journalism, and also help promote local businesses so all our wonderful readers can go and support them to get back on their feet.

If you value the Rooster, and are mightily moved by our story and our ambition to get out and do our greatest good again, your contribution, your gift – one off or recurring, large or small –  can be easily made. 

Simply send it to: Herald Reserve, nab, BSB 086 217, Account 63-951-0124. Or you can mail it to Fremantle Herald, PO Box 85, North Fremantle, WA, 6158. 

And we’d love to know who you are. Please send a remittance advice or any enquiries to accounts@fremantleherald.com or text 0438 933 300. And keep an eye out each week as we report on the success of this plan to get the Rooster crowing again.

by ANDREW SMITH, PUBLISHER