STPL News rejects Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s public statement and the implication that our reporting is unfair, inaccurate, or unethical.
STPL News published reporting on 19 January 2026 regarding the terms of reference for the state-appointed municipal monitors at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. On 21 January 2026, Council contacted STPL News advising it would cease media engagement, citing concerns about fairness and accuracy in our reporting, and advising it intended to publish a statement.
STPL News responded in writing requesting particulars, including the specific articles and statements Council alleges are inaccurate or unfair, and details of the “publicly documented conduct matters” referred to by Council. Council has not provided those particulars. Without particulars, any claim of inaccuracy cannot be meaningfully assessed or corrected.
Council has not identified a single STPL News article it claims is factually incorrect, nor has it nominated any specific statements requiring correction.
Within 24 hours of Council’s statement being published on 22 January 2026, a Herald Sun report and a Council Watch Victoria post relied on the same Council framing. Neither identified any factual error in STPL News reporting. Instead, both focused on personal matters relating to the publisher, rather than identifying specific inaccuracies in any STPL News article.
STPL News reports using publicly available documents, council records, recorded interviews, and on-the-record sources. We operate a right-of-reply and corrections process and will promptly correct any proven factual error when identified.
STPL News will continue to seek comment from Council on matters of public interest. Where comment is refused or not provided, that refusal will be accurately recorded.
Independent local journalism exists to scrutinise power, particularly where scrutiny is unwelcome.
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KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!
Thanks Joe