A SPECIAL movie showing and a rural debt crisis summit in Winton on Friday, attracting politicians and commentators Australia wide, are two of the outcomes of the spotlight shone by Queensland Country Life on the threat of foreclosure facing many in rural Queensland.
When Longreach-based Catholic priest Matt Moloney revealed at the start of November that he had identified 46 properties in the greater Longreach region living under the cloud of bank repossession, the wheels of political action began grinding once again.
Although the outcomes of Friday's talkfest in Winton can only be guessed at, young people this week gained immediate benefit from the revelations.
Longreach's Star Cinema operator Norm Salisbury sent a copy of the QCL article to movie distributors nationwide, appealing for help to give the region's youth some relief from tough times.
Studiocanal (Hoyts) responded by offering the September release family film House of Magic free of charge.
All 180 tickets for Monday evening's screening for children in town were sold out, and Wednesday's daytime screening for Longreach School of Distance Education students, in town for their end of year gathering, was also popular.
Thanks to funds from the Longreach drought committee, the movie-goers also got a free packet of Maltesers and a drink.
Norm said he had never seen things so tough in the bush in his 50 years of showing movies in country towns.
"My figures are less than half of last year's trading figures.
"Where I used to have 40 or 50 to a session, I'm now down to 10 or 12. I know everyone is suffering dreadfully and I hope this lets the kids get together with their mates."
