The change we want to keep

Like many of us, I have been watching a fair bit more TV over the past couple of months. I wouldn’t say Brexit: The Uncivil War is a must-see movie but the last scene includes an interesting take on why Britain’s exit from Europe has been so fraught. The main protagonist, the director of the successful Vote Leave campaign Dominic Cummings (played by Benedict Cumberbatch), says the reason Brexit has been such a debacle was not down to the decision itself but what happened after the vote. Instead of the required "reset", Cummings says there was simply a reboot of the "same tired old system". There was "no vision, no imagination, just short-term, small-minded thinking".

We also need a reset rather than a reboot when we emerge into our post-pandemic lives.

The world has already changed. How much of that change is for the better over the coming years is up to us. There’s a somewhat clichéd expression in business and political circles that you should never waste a crisis. And instead of attempting to return completely to our pre-COVID ‘normal’, we need to quickly work out those changes that will improve our life and work practices. It won’t be easy – humans generally resist change. But it will be worth it.

There are huge challenges ahead. Unemployment is climbing, mental health concerns are increasing and the economy is tanking. But many of the stories that have been most popular with readers recently concern ways in which we can improve our society.

Most of us will be working from home more regularly and cycling to work instead of using public transport. There will be no tolerance for people turning up to work when they are sick. Hot desking will be a thing of the past.

Meanwhile, some schools are looking at maintaining elements of remote learning that have been surprisingly successful. Many of us have cooked more (and more elaborately) and benefited from exercising more regularly.

The importance of our local community has been reinforced, as has our respect for healthcare workers and teachers. Restaurants, cafes and many other businesses have found innovative ways to maintain and even increase profits.

Things that used to seem to consistently stall, like much-needed funding for social housing and mental health services have been fast-tracked. And we have bought fewer things we don’t actually need.

Perhaps even the divisive and often petty nature of political in-fighting could be wound back – although that may be too much to hope for.

Maintaining positive and meaningful change will take imagination, energy and bravery so we don’t simply slide back into some of our less constructive habits.

Talking of changes, we have rejigged our newsroom structure to boost the focus on local news as we continue to improve our journalism and differentiate ourselves from other news outlets.

We have appointed a Regional Affairs reporter, bolstered our City team and reintroduced a local Consumer Affairs reporter. One of our most accomplished journalists Bianca Hall becomes City Editor with Chloe Booker and Rachel Eddie as City reporters, while Benjamin Preiss moves from the state politics team after five years at Spring Street to become our Regional reporter. Michael Fowler moves into state politics, Rachael Dexter and David Estcourt move from the video department to the local reporting team and Hanna Mills Turbet becomes our Consumer Affairs reporter, while Jewel Topsfield moves to the role of senior reporter.

And finally a huge shout out to crime reporting legend John Silvester, whose excellent podcast Naked City last week topped the global podcasting charts.