Sensation sells

I AM a resident of Waverley Park Estate of 23 years and have been moved to take offence at the article (A Lawless Land, Cranbourne News 22 January).
I wish to speak on behalf of all residents of Lawless Drive, Cranbourne North.
I have no problem with publishing facts.
What I do find offensive in the extreme is the embellishment of fact with fiction in order to sensationalise and sell newspapers.
The article, whilst no doubt accurate as to the felony and subsequent raid by Victoria Police, has deliberately exploited, maligned and damaged all residents of Lawless Drive in order to create sensation and attract readers.
By painting Lawless Drive as “a lawless land” or, pejoratively, a street that has “lived up to its name” purposely makes no distinction between the felonious residents and every other law abiding, honest and well intentioned resident of Lawless Drive.
To give you a feel for my allegations that the News has damaged residents of Lawless Drive simply search Google for “land on Lawless Drive”.
It is reasonable to assume that an interested buyer of property in our area would Google such a search, among others, only to find “A Lawless Land” on the Cranbourne News on the prime first search page.
Is it drawing a long bow to suggest that an interested buyer would avoid purchasing a property here?
Now that the label has been published on the net, it is for all to read in perpetuity.
I have lived happily on this street and in this neighbourhood for almost as long as it has existed and never found it to be “a lawless land” or a street
which has “lived up to its name..” as implied by the article.
If you would take the time to have a drive down Lawless Drive, I’m sure you would find it to be considerably different to the glib, insensitive and irresponsible picture you have allowed your newspaper to print.
Steve Fansler,
Cranbourne North.