Tributes paid to colleague and friend Jeremy Sollars

Jeremy was a devoted and much-loved father, grandfather, journalist, mentor and friend.

By Jess Baker

Tributes have flooded in from across the Southern Downs and beyond following the sudden death of former Warwick/Stanthorpe Today and Southern Free Times editor Jeremy Sollars.

Jeremy was an adoring father of four and grandfather to one, a brilliant journalist, and a good man.

He was kind, funny, and generous with his time – I know this because he was a mentor to me, as well as my first editor.

Jeremy was the first person I met in Warwick. He interviewed me for my current job, he showed me the ropes of journalism, and he encouraged my curiosity.

He had an innate ability to understand the topics that mattered to his readers, and would go to great lengths to report them honestly and accurately.

He was considered by many to be one of the best journalists the Southern Downs had ever seen.

I’ll never forget, in the very early days of my career at Southern Free Times, sitting at my desk, mulling over single words in a story for far too long.

Meanwhile, Jeremy would spend all of 10 minutes pounding on his keyboard and produce an eloquent and compelling 1000-word lead.

His devotion to his work and inherent journalistic capabilities were and are inspiring. I know I am not alone in my admiration.

Colleagues and friends remember

Prior to being editor of Southern Free Times, and later of Warwick/Stanthorpe Today, Jeremy was editor of Warwick Daily News.

Former general manager and editor-in-chief of Warwick Daily News Peter Read appointed him to the position years ago, and remembers him fondly.

Peter said: “Jeremy was a courageous, talented and inspiring Warwick Daily News editor.

“He was popular with the team and never afraid to challenge issues where necessary, regardless of the consequences – a great example of a very effective country editor.

“I am proud to have given him his first job as an editor and he more than fulfilled my expectations and was a pleasure to work with. He will be sadly missed.”

A professional acquaintance and friend of Jeremy’s since first meeting at Warwick Daily News in 2007, Phill Le Petit of Star News Group, said Jeremy’s passing was an “incredible loss” to the newspaper industry.

Phill said: “A man who continually fought for right as a journalist. Would not find a more persistent individual to source out the facts regarding a story. His work area reflected this with papers printed out everywhere, reports on this and documents on that.

“The same could be said for his desktop computer with all manner of files loaded across the entire screen. It was his way, it worked for him and undoubtedly returned the result. Award winning stories and championing the people’s cause to expose stories and keep an unaccountability ever present.

“Your humour, talent and the ability to keep confidences amongst your reader will be missed. I am a better person for knowing you than never meeting, rest in peace.”

Phill, who also currently serves as Queensland Country Press Association president, said Jeremy’s ethical professional skills and belief in the role of community newspapers had been acknowledged in the QCPA’s annual Media Excellence Awards the past six years.

“He was honoured with successive Journalistic Excellence Awards as the Best Individual Journalist in 2018, 2019 and 2020, as well as awards for news and sports photography,” Phill said.

In paying tribute to his work, the Excellence Awards judges said Jeremy showed a high degree of empathy with his readers, and his ability to deliver stories that were relevant to them demonstrated a persistence to stay with an issue that he and his newspaper believed was important for his community.

Whilst editor of Southern Free Times, between 2017 and 2021, Jeremy led a small editorial team.

He worked closely with journalist Tania Phillips, now seniors and special publications coordinator at Star News Group, for several years.

Tania said: “My ring tone for Jeremy was Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog – not my first choice, my first choice had been Thank God I’m a Country Boy. He didn’t directly tell me he hated that one – there was just that very Jeremy pause when I mentioned it.

“He used that pause to good effect to convey disapproval without actually saying it. I changed it that day. Bullfrog was met with a slightly more positive ‘not the first time that song’s been sung to me’ though I complained that really all I really got was almost a minute of applause when he rang. ‘Rightly so!’ he deadpanned.

“Yeah it probably was rightly so but I was never going to tell Jeremy that. He was a complicated man but brilliant people often are and he was that too, dedicated to his work and his people, writing about other people’s demons but also fighting his own.

“I worked with him on and off for four years – really two stints at the beginning and end of his time with our paper. The second time, I would like to think we became friends and often when he was watching his son at training in Toowoomba we shared long conversations talking about, work, life and everything.

“I loved his sense of humour, dry at times and then descending into silliness. We had a lot of serious conversations, but it was when they descended into fits of giggles (often mine) that he was at his best. He rang me one afternoon, I was driving and he was on speaker and we ended up laughing so hard that I had to pull over. My daughter drove the rest of the way.

“When he started at the Times (Warwick Stanthorpe Today), he spent a lot of time apologising for taking my job but I said I’d just been caretaker waiting for the right person to come along to build the paper and to chronicle the lives of the people of the Southern Downs.

“He was the right person. And he’ll be missed.

“Jeremiah was a Bullfrog, was a good friend of mine.”

At the time of his passing, Jeremy was working as a reporter for The Daily Journal.

The paper was founded by the former publisher of Southern Free Times Dr Olav Muurlink and edited by Elizabeth Voneiff.

Olav said: “Jeremy and I had been sparring partners in a news sense since the day he arrived at the Daily News in Warwick, so it was let’s say ‘interesting’ when he was assigned to write the story about my company going into liquidation.

“He had a way of getting the story—part persistence, part professionalism, and part simply by being real, being humane, and being on the receiving end of a piece of Jeremy journalism, was interesting.

“He made a painful process less painful. He showed mercy. When he came to work for the Daily Journal it was just so strange having him there—in a good way.

“I learnt something new—his consumption of calories was colossal –when I was in the office, I was often able to live off the scraps of biscuits, cakes and chocolates off Jeremy’s plate. He brought a good energy to the newsroom, and I guess that energy had to come from somewhere.

“Elizabeth loved working with him. His local knowledge was immense, and while his methods were mysterious—he would stare at his phone for hours thoughtfully, and then suddenly pump out a thousand words in a jackhammer concerto—but he always delivered.”

Government representatives reflect

Jeremy cemented himself as a trusted journalist and a prominent member of the Southern Downs community in the 15-odd years he lived in Warwick.

He forged professional relationships with many, but he was a friend – a confidant – to even more.

Member for Southern Downs James Lister was one such person. He said: “As our MP, I knew Jeremy as a professional and fearless journalist. But as someone who lives in our community, I also knew him as a friend.

“These two states, reporter and mate, are supposed to sit awkwardly together in the world of journalists and politicians. For how can an honourable gamekeeper be the poacher’s friend? In Jeremy’s case the answer is simple. He was both a great journalist, and a great guy.

“Jeremy was a pro. There’s no doubt about that. It was his patient and meticulous devotion to a story – that dogged commitment to uncovering the facts and exposing wrongdoing – which made him such a formidable force for the public interest. I can honestly say that he never shrank from asking me the tough questions, and when the answers were embarrassing, or the facts unflattering, he reported them anyway.

“But here’s the thing: I still liked him. I sincerely admired him. Jeremy was a great guy and I enjoyed our conversations voraciously. Jeremy was a hero and mentor to my young son, also named Jeremy. The two of them hit it off, and now thanks to Jeremy my son wants to be a journalist. Because of Jeremy, my son has a purpose. When I became yet another veteran with mental health demons, I could talk with Jeremy about it. Jeremy understood. He just understood.

“There was a touching kind of fairness and integrity about Jeremy’s journalism. He was modest and deeply quiet, but in his own way, he burned for the public good. Jeremy never had a big opinion of himself, but there was iron in his soul. No intimidation, retaliation or bullying, however vicious, would deter Jeremy from doing his job. In spite of the toll that these things took on him personally, Jeremy would always put the story front and centre, and never once did I see him use his position to tackle personal grievances or to highlight the dirty tricks being applied to him.

“Our community will not be the same now that we don’t have Jeremy. We are, all of us, terribly sad for his passing. But I’m sure that he’s somewhere up there in heaven, pencil tucked in his ear, notepad at the ready, asking Saint Peter about his travel expenses.

“Vale Jeremy Sollars.”

Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi also came to know Jeremy well over the years, particularly since being elected to the top job in 2020.

The mayor said: “It was an interesting conversation just after the 2020 election, after campaigning on rebuilding relationships with the media, I found myself sitting in my office with Jeremy. I am not sure he was totally comfortable being there but when I asked him ‘how long had it been since he was in the Mayor’s office’ he replied ‘about seven years or so’.

“It became a regular occurrence every week on a Thursday he would sit across from me and ask his probing questions, often knowing that the answer was not as forthcoming as he would like it to be, but also knowing that if it was able to be released to him he would not need an RTI request to get it. I am sure he appreciated that. For me personally, it gives me great comfort that I was able to restore the relationship with him and bring it to a level that we were both respectful of.

“I pause and think of some of those memorable moments in my office, such as when I suggested that he might look to use the paper for more positive comments, which of course he denied ever being negative. I reminded him that the media was a great way to sell the community to the broader public and that we all had a role in this, and that we should collaborate more in this area. Whilst there was a level of denial on the matter, I can honestly say that the public noticed the difference in the weeks following.

“I reminded him on more than one occasion that, even though I disagreed with him at times, I felt that he was a talented writer and one of the best the region had seen. He would use these opportunities to dig for information, a small comment this week would result in a story in a few weeks’ time. He was never afraid to ask those questions that were not able to be answered.

“He would ask that probing question with a grin hoping for the ever so slightest glimmer of a small snippet of information that he could build on. He would often ask ‘now, off the record’ grinning the whole time to which I would reply ‘Jeremy you know there is no such thing as an off the record conversation’ and I would continue by adding ‘it’s like me asking you who the leak is from Council’? To which he would invariably reply, ‘I understand’ and grin.

“There were many who saw Jeremy as a ‘hack’. I am grateful that I was able to have those frank and fearless discussions with him and that he didn’t need to use RTI requests to do what he needed to so that he could get the information that held us to account. That was his role, he did it well, I respected that and he was aware that I did. My life is richer as a result.

“Jeremy formed part of the tapestry, part of the coat of many colours that defines Southern Downs. He will always be part of our history and his valuable contribution to our region will be remembered. My sincere condolences go to his family and friends, during this sad time. A life lost too soon with much more to contribute.”

Deputy leader of The Nationals, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, and federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said: “The Southern Downs community has suffered a significant loss after the sudden passing of our well-known and respected journalist, Jeremy Sollars. He cared deeply for his community and was dedicated to its improvement and unity.

“Jeremy didn’t shy away from tough issues. Yet he also had the compassion required to capture the human element of the stories he covered diligently for many years while Editor of the Warwick Daily News, Stanthorpe Border Post, and Southern Free Times.

“More recently, as a senior journalist with The Daily Journal, Jeremy continued his passion for unveiling the truth behind the story.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Jeremy and extend my heartfelt condolences to his partner, children and extended family.

“He was a part of the fabric of our local community; he will be remembered fondly and greatly missed by all who knew him.”

Our team at Warwick/Stanthorpe Today and indeed the entire Southern Downs have been left devastated by the sudden loss of Jeremy Sollars.

He will be immensely missed.

Rest in peace, Jeremy.

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