Day in the life of a crime reporter covering the Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial

Australian Community Media

Chaos, camera crews and country town charm: ACM national crime reporter Anna Houlahan shared what it is like covering one of Australia's most-watched murder trials from inside country Victoria in the mushroom murder case from Morwell.

Transcript

00:00It's not just the local community that's watching Erin Patterson's triple murder trial

00:05unfold here in Morwell, Gippsland.

00:07This case has captured national and even international attention.

00:12Journalists and news vans are pouring into this small town in regional Victoria to document

00:17the court case that's expected to last for more than five weeks at La Trobe Valley Courthouse.

00:22If you're curious about how journalists cover cases like these, come with me as I take you

00:28behind the scenes through the streets of Morwell and into country Victoria to see a day in

00:33the life of a crime reporter covering a murder trial.

00:41I'm devastated.

00:42I love them and I can't believe that this has happened and I'm so sorry that they have

00:49lost their lives.

00:51Erin Patterson's trial has dominated conversation in the once booming coal town in Victoria's

00:56east. And there's no signs that will change as she faces three murder charges and one

01:01attempted murder charge in a trial that's expected to last more than five weeks.

01:07Each day of the trial, the jury will hear new evidence.

01:11Today, the court is hearing opening statements from the prosecution's senior lawyer, Nanette

01:14Rogers, SC.

01:16This means that the media crams into an overflow room to watch the trial, reporting on proceedings

01:21as they happen.

01:25Morwell is a small town of just less than 15,000 people.

01:29It was once an energy generating hub, but since losing Hazelwood Power Station eight years

01:34ago, it has slowed down to be a sleepy town.

01:39There's still a handful of good coffee shops downtown, so I head to one called Cont during

01:43a trial break.

01:44The cafe owner, Todd James, said that while Morwell may seem quiet and unassuming, the artistic underground

01:51here is thriving.

01:53I love Morwell because it's really authentic.

01:56It's really community-based.

01:57Everyone knows everyone and everyone supports and looks after each other.

02:01We're not leaving it for someone else to take care of.

02:04We will take care of it.

02:05And is there an artistic community here in Morwell?

02:07Massive, really underground, massive, really underfunded because we want to fund coal more

02:12than art, which is fine.

02:14But yeah, really massive, queer artist community around here.

02:20Really, lots of musicians come from Bixland, yeah.

02:24And tell me a little bit about your cafe and what you're trying to do here.

02:27My cafe is basically an art installment that sells coffee.

02:30We've been here for nine years now.

02:32Our main focus is creating a safe space for mostly queer people, LGBTQ and immigrants.

02:37After two days wandering around this town, I think I finally understand its layout.

02:42I only got lost once on this route.

02:48I'm basically a Morwell local.

02:50But I have to admit, I'm struggling to find signs of excitement after court ends for the

02:55day.

02:56The main streets are deserted, apart from a few people popping out to pick up takeaway.

03:00The locals might just be looking forward to Kevin Bloody Wilson's sold-out show at the

03:06Morwell Hotel next month, though.

03:08But there are some big decisions to make.

03:11Do I go Chinese for dinner, Indian or steak?

03:17It might be steak.

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