We felt it on Friday when it came to our attention that the Telstra pit which for months sat dangerously open at Callala Beach, despite residents’ pleas to the telecommunications giant to cover it, was fixed two days after the story was published.

And we felt particularly chuffed when a resident marvelled at the power of the press to get things done. 

Realistically, though, that power resides with you, our readers. You bring the stories to our attention and we act as your voice, not just through our print edition but increasingly online and via social media. 

When we tweeted the story, we were amazed to see it bounce around the Twittersphere as far afield as Japan and Peru but most importantly into Telstra’s management offices, which were finally stirred into action.

Of course, this is not the first time your concerns have become our concerns and we have helped make your voice heard. And it certainly won’t be the last. 

With the adoption of social media as one of tools for reporting the news, your stories travel at warp speed to the people who need to read them and act on them. Facebook and Twitter are among the best weapons in our armoury.

So here’s a call-out: if there’s a problem in your neighbourhood that needs fixing let us know. We are always delighted to be able to help.