‘My name is Cleo’: How disappearance of missing girl dominated Australian media coverage

The disappearance – then recapture – of Cleo Smith has been frantically covered in Australia and beyond, reports Steve Evans in Canberra

Cleo Smith, and climate change, topped the news agenda (Reuters)

The coverage of the disappearance of little Cleo Smith in Western Australia and her joyful reunion with her parents has been frantic. It became a national cause, pushing the climate summit in Glasgow and Australia’s contretemps with France off the front pages.

Everybody, it seemed, wanted to get involved in an outpouring of concern, from psychics who “knew” through their “spiritual gifts” where the four-year-old was, through to politicians.

You have to feel for the Premier of Western Australia, though. There Mark McGowan was, bearing teddies for the newly-freed four-year-old – except that he trod on her doll and broke it.