IT is with deep gratitude, and a sense of sadness, that we say goodbye to our friend and colleague, Keith Platt, who is retiring this week.
Life can feel like a strung-together series of wins and losses, randomly thrust upon us by an ambivalent universe.
One of our great wins was that Keith came to work for us at Mornington Peninsula News Group in 2012 as our group editor.
Keith has spent his entire career working in journalism across newspapers, magazines, television and documentary making. When he came to MPNG he was already well-known in the community for his long years at the Independent News and had a reputation for fearlessly holding those in power to account.
Keith gave so much to MPNG. He offered leadership. He offered guidance. He offered a steady hand.
He has become a friend, a mentor and someone I look up to with great respect and reverence. Staff come and go. But Keith was never a mere staff member. He was part of the fabric of this company, and will continue as an enduring part of our story.
There are more tales than there is space to tell them. One I recall is when Keith and I were invited to a “sit down” with a municipal CEO. Early in the meeting he said to Keith “can I tell you something off the record?” to which Keith flatly replied “no”. It was a short meeting.
You see, Keith didn’t want to be compromised. Ever. He wouldn’t let anything inhibit his remit to hold people to account. He pursued the truth at all costs. If you were trying to act against the best interests of the community and Keith was on the other end of the phone, you had a problem.
Keith played no favours and once said to me “I think we are not doing our job properly unless we are disliked equally by all sides of politics”. It was a difficult thing to hear as a publisher often trying to take the diplomatic path!
Keith has worked well beyond retirement age. He has served his community well. And the Mornington Peninsula is a better place for his advocacy.
So, thank you Keith. We’ll miss you!
Frist published in the Frankston Times – 3 September 2024
