Disappointed to have been misquoted

As the publicity officer with the Pearl Beach Progress Association, I am a regular contributor to your publication providing items of local activities and news.

It is extremely disappointing to find that I have been misquoted in this current edition of your newspaper.

When Dilon Luke contacted me in January about the condition of the Rock Pool following social media comments, I confirmed I would prepare a release after I had undertaken some research.

I read the eight social media comments, with the majority of them commenting that it was a tidal pool.

I also chatted to some of the locals who use the pool on a regular basis, and with this information I prepared the release printed in the January 23 edition.

In this recent edition, many of my words have been twisted and misquoted.

I did not say that the pool was contaminated, as per the first paragraph.

I did say that the pool relied on tidal cleaning which is a fact.

I did not say it was definitely making swimmers sick. I had no proof of that.

I did not say the pool water is perfectly all right and that once a large tide drains out the stagnant water, it will no longer seem odorous.

What I did say was "with increased holiday use the water quality was often compromised, and that once Council were contacted they ensured that cleaning is undertaken".

Email, 13 Feb 2017

Lynne Lillico, Pearl Beach