Month: March 2021

Last year, newsXpress ran a creative writing competition, overing two prizes of $1,000 each. Entrants could write in any form – short story, lyrics, poetry. The responses were terrific. The winners were announced last month.

I share the stories here to shine a light on this left-field and creative marketing from newsXpress and to show there are many ways we can engage with our channel and the role our sores play in local Australian communities.

Here is the winner for the under 17 category:

THE BACK DOOR. by Jayda Tram

Allison paced around the store, running her hand along the soft fur of the teddy bears, the glossy texture of the magazines, the thick wood of the shelves, and breathed in the strong newspaper scent. Kelly, her best friend, walked closely behind her, picking out pens and other knickknacks for herself. The newsXpress newsagency had just opened, and the two had decided to come and pay a visit, not exactly expecting it to be as enticing as it was. 

“Allison, how much longer are we going to spend here?” Kelly frowned beneath her thick black bangs. 

Allison pretended not to hear her the first time, but after a hard nudge she turned quickly and replied. 

“Just wait, the shop is about to close soon anyways.” 

Kelly huffed, but still continued to look down at the many shelves. They did another lap around the shop, just in case they missed something before the newsagency slowly emptied, and only they remained in the shop. 

“Come on, we have to go now,” Kelly hissed to her friend. 

Allison brushed her off and strode over to the cashier, who was a pretty brunette woman. Her eyes were a hazel colour that sparkled slightly, and she had amazingly high cheekbones. Her shiny nametag read Rylie. Allison dumped out everything in her full hands, from stationery to cards, magazines, mugs and a list of other novelties. The pretty cashier promptly scanned everything and then gave them back in a large paper bag. Kelly walked up and placed her items down on the counter, however Rylie didn’t seem to be paying attention anymore. She was in a trance, blinking rapidly into the distance after a loud noise caught her attention. Kelly and Allison exchanged a glance, but Rylie had already stopped, as if it never happened. The Back Door 

“Sorry about that. If you wouldn’t mind, I have to go out to the back for a second,” she muttered quickly. 

They both nodded and she turned and hurriedly walked to the back of the store. She fumbled with the keychain around her neck, and struggled to get the keys into the handle. Rylie zoomed behind the door in a flash, before either of the girls could see anything. They stared after her as they waited in silence. 

“What do you think she’s doing?” Allison murmured. 

“I don’t know. She’s taking so long,” Kelly scowled back. 

“Should we go and call her?” Allison suggested feebly. 

“No.” 

Allison huffed and turned the other way, slowly counting the minutes. 

“You know, maybe we should go and get her,” Kelly finally said softly, with red heating her cheeks. 

Allison made no effort to reply, but instead, just walked down to the back. She turned the handle slightly, but didn’t open it. 

“It’s unlocked, right?” Kelly buzzed. 

“I assume so. Do we just go in now?” 

Kelly nodded with her eyes as large as saucers. Allison swallowed, then slowly twisted her hand against the cold plastic until it clicked open, before pulling the door out… The Back Door 

Instantly, a flash of light burst out and they both were thrown back aggressively. Blinded, they both shielded their eyes with a groan. Kelly was the one to open her eyes first, and a gasp escaped her mouth before she could loosen a breath. 

“Allison, are you seeing this?” she breathed 

Allison cried out, but turned over and slowly blinked. Her jaw dropped to the floor immediately. 

Behind the door lay not a back room, but rather another world. Crystal skies with hues of pink and blue lay behind fluffy, angelic clouds. Grassy aqua hills stretched further than the eye could see, a forest of trees that were so lush and vibrant extended to the right, while waterfalls poured pure green water beneath flower fields of every colour on the left. A town was nearby, with small, but perfectly crafted wooden houses, decorated with lanterns, carvings and vines. Shops sold flowers, strange liquids, meats, lush greenery, odd house décor and delicate silk clothes. But the most notable thing were the people. They couldn’t be human; they were too perfect. All like Rylie, with their perfect faces and beautiful silky long hair, smooth skin and gracefulness. All behind the door. 

“Oh. My. God,” Kelly cried. 

“You’re telling me people work here know that this exists!” Allison exclaimed. 

She stood up and immediately ran to the doorway, but shouted as she was thrown back by an invisible barrier. She rubbed her head in pain. Suddenly, smooth voices echoed and Rylie appeared, walking beside an ethereal looking woman with the longest black hair and midnight eyes. The girl suddenly looked up and stopped as she saw Kelly and Allison through the door. Rylie saw them, her eyes widening and without hesitation, ran to them and slammed the door. The light was blocked out, and everything around suddenly seemed dull and dark. Kelly and Allison stood silently, staring up at Rylie. 

“What on earth?” Kelly blurted. 

Her mouth was quickly covered before she could speak. She struggled to rip Rylie’s hands off as she thrashed. Allison ran to open the door again, but the second she touched the handle it glowed red hot and stung her hand. She jumped and went back over to Kelly. 

“Is that real?” Allison screamed. 

“That is a doorway to my world, which is very real. You guys-” she trailed off and went very red. 

“No, this a newsagency.” 

“Yes, but that’s a gateway. You know… just come with me.” 

Rylie walked over to the doorway and flung it open without a breath, the light blinding once more. She stepped forward and ushered the two girls to come. Allison and Kelly exchanged a glance, but slowly stepped together. This time, there was no barrier, and they landed on the soft grass. With a gasp, they looked around. This couldn’t be real, it couldn’t… What a newsagency this was. 

…..

Here is the winner for the open category:

Breaking News Agency
by Chris Van Ingen.

The smell of newsprint and poached eggs on toast
Remind me of my childhood the most.
Those weekend mornings where my Pa would sneak down to the newsagents
To get the paper to see who the hatches, matches, and dispatchers are.

Then as I grew up my Dad and Pa would send me to the newsagency in my wheelchair
For my first taste of independence from my disability.
I would drive straight to the martial arts magazines and dream of one day being on the front cover
So the bullies at school would stop being mean.

I would stare at the news headlines and hope
That I would be on the front page one day as a star
And people would marvel that someone with a disability had come so far.
I would go to my local newsagents and buy four copies for my family because they are just so proud of me.

The local newsagency has meant so much to me and the community
For some it keeps them in touch,
For me it brought me independence, and
Breaking News: Personal Agency.

Tabcorp has been approving plenty of tobacco businesses as lottery outlets, providing foundational financial support for these tobacco businesses in regional and rural Australia.

The health and social harm of cigarettes is well documented. yet, here is Tabcorp, helping to support the reach of cigarette retailers. This is not the behaviour I’d expect from a company that says it cares for the community.

Tabcorp has a proud history of supporting our industry partners and the communities in which we live, work and play.
We have established key partnerships with a range of charitable organisations such as the Starlight Children’s Foundation, Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia, OzHarvest and Conservation Volunteers Australia, and also industry-linked charities such as the National Jockeys Trust and the Melbourne Racing Club Foundation.

We engage with them to provide financial contributions and share our resources, networks, skills, expertise and people, to help improve the communities around us.

For the 2020 financial year, Tabcorp’s support to charities and community organisations totalled approximately $12.6 million. This voluntary support was provided through direct donations, unclaimed prize money donations, in-kind giving and forgone revenue,  management costs and employee time. For further details regarding some of our recent partnerships and sponsorships see below.

Looking at some of the approved businesses, their model is tobacco and lotteries, with tobacco products discounted, and lotteries providing the commercial support necessary for the business to be viable and to have the capacity to sell cheap cigarettes.

What a health story Tabcorp!

Even the company’s position on the environment is compromised by their apparent love of cigarette shops becoming lottery retailers.

Tabcorp is committed to minimising its environmental impact.
Tabcorp is committed to minimising its environmental impact and operating as efficiently as possible. Our main focus is on reducing the consumption of natural resources to further minimise our environmental footprint.

Due to the nature of our businesses, Tabcorp has a low environmental risk profile and footprint. Tabcorp is a low energy and water consumer, and is a low carbon emitter. Tabcorp does not meet any of the Federal Government’s thresholds for mandatory environmental reporting.

Refer to Tabcorp’s Corporate Responsibility Reports for details about Tabcorp’s environmental management activities.

Tabcorp’s website also speaks to workplace health and safety:

Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Tabcorp focuses on providing a safe working environment and promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace.
We are committed to high standards of health, safety and wellbeing for all employees, contractors and visitors.

Tabcorp supports a number of employee health, safety and wellbeing initiatives, including:

• Jobs at Home Day
• Safety Week
• RU OK Day
• Men’s Health Week
• International Women’s Day
• Harmony Day

Yet, by approving cigarette shops to become lottery retailers in particular it challenges the health and wellbeing of the community in which it serves.

I get that Tabcorp will say that it is responding to applicants, retailers seeking to offer lottery products in existing business. Maybe so, however, there are situations where such applications have been made where the existing lottery retailer has capacity to grow sales and desire to grow sales, and Tabcorp has objected to the new retailer being approved. In these situations, it appears Tabcorp is favouring the cigarette retailer.

If I was a Tabcorp shareholder, this would concern me.

If I was running a charity receiving funds from Tabcorp, I’d be concerned about their apparent support for expanding the reach of cigarette retail in Australia.

These are matters relating to social responsibility, in addition to the core issue of placing local small business retailers that already sell lottery products under undue pressure through approving new outlets without evidence and to need.

Donna Janke picked up a beautiful bouquet of roses from the local newsagency, Paperplay Inverloch, for partner Marie Hogben, who sold flowers on behalf of Elsie’s Florist on Valentine’s Day. https://t.co/9QmGOBOCur

— Shelby Brooks (@shelbymbrooks) February 16, 2021