SMH doesn't let the facts get in the way of a story ...

It's Sunday and you have a deadline.

How much fact checking do you do?

Do you get Councillor Shelton on the phone and ask him his views?

Do you get any of the State opposition members on the phone and ask their views?

No - there's a deadline - just thrown something together for the editor and it'll be ok.

Toss in a quote or two from Ian Kiernan. The editor will lap it up and the story will go to print and you can get on with your next story.

Today's story is tomorrow's fish and chip wrapper anyway.

That pretty much sums up Wendy Frew's latest effort in the Sydney Morning Herald.

See - SMH - Recycling splits a thirsty city.

Once again, an uninformed view by someone not too familiar with the Toowoomba debate.

Some excerpts:

"The accusations are flowing thick and fast, mostly from anonymous bloggers making unsubstantiated claims about heavy-handed council tactics."

Imagine the view she might have formed if she had actually spoken to Councillor Shelton or the State MPs.

The Yes campaign's heavy handed tactics are well documented.

"Toowoomba City Council is spending $500,000 to win the hearts and minds of ratepayers. But a campaign against the plan, using the internet, petitions and public meetings, has muddied the waters."

Why is that the opponents have "muddied the waters"? Why is not possible to have an open and transparent discussion and debate on the issue? Why does Mayor Thorley hide from the voters and avoid their questions?

Also an interesting omission that no funds were allocated by Mayor Thorley to the No campaign. Perhaps that is one of those "unsubstantiated heavy handed tactics".

"Its [sic] not just Toowoomba that has a lot riding on the result. The referendum is viewed as a bellwether for the promotion of recycled drinking water. Success will buoy other councils hoping to implement similar schemes; failure could set back recycling for years."

Any blame for the failure of the Toowoomba scheme falls squarely on Mayor Thorley's shoulders. Her "you can drink it or buy bottled water" approach to community engagement has been the cornerstone of her campaign.

Cr Thorley scoffs at the critics and stands by her decision to push the project through.

"There is only one question to be answered," she said. "Is this water pure enough to drink? And the answer is yes. All the rest of this stuff is argy-bargy and people playing games."

You wouldn't want to start compiling a list of the games played by Mayor Thorley and her floundering Yes campaign.

Mayor Thorley was elected to represent Toowoomba ratepayers not the recycled water industry. Toowoomba voters have a right and, in fact, an obligation to question the decisions that their elected representatives make. Anything less than that is not a democracy.

It is important to get the truth out to the people. If the newpapers won't do it, bloggers will.

But when you have a deadline and not much interest in the issue, what do you care about the truth ...