Press bias and local power in the Toowoomba water referendum

Abstract

On 29 July 2006, residents of the City of Toowoomba, Australia, voted in a local referendum to decide on the future of their water supply. It attracted attention from around the world, with water supplies in other countries increasingly subject to overuse and diminishing supplies. Toowoomba residents voted against the introduction of recycled water following heated public debate, and some commentators publicly blamed the local media for the outcome of the vote. This article presents the results of a content analysis of coverage of the campaign by Toowoomba's daily newspaper, The Chronicle. The Chronicle reported on the issue from a position of neutrality, and tended towards a pro-water recycling agenda. Other media were also available to Toowoomba residents. An analysis of some of this material indicates that a prominent local citizen played a key role in the outcome of the vote, demonstrating the limited effect of the local newspaper and the importance of influential opinion leaders in the contemporary political process.

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