CANBERRA’S Russell Hill was abuzz following the declaration of war against ISIS by President Obama. Our Special Forces top guns have been laying the groundwork for weeks, anticipating they’d be joining their US counterparts in training and advising the anti-ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria. PM Tony Abbott had been hanging out for the formal White House request.

THE Australian Signals Directorate is also expanding its operations with advertisements for more cyber geeks to take their place in the frontlines as the jihadis use the internet to spread their message and recruit new members.

Some will be located in the new ASIO building when it opens for business – hopefully by Christmas – while others will work from the current HQ nearby. That’s where two separate groups pop outside for their elevenses each morning – a little group to smoke, a much bigger one to use their mobiles that are also banned inside.

MEANTIME, ASIO Director-General David Irvine took his leave from the top job Sunday after a frantic final week of farewells combined with his decision to raise the threat level from medium to high. Katy Gallagher has tried to reassure Canberrans that, “everything is being done that should be done”. And while it’s easy to scoff, the truth is that Canberra is very vulnerable indeed.

REPORTS that Canberra teachers are being overwhelmed by admin when they’d rather plan lessons came as no surprise to the schools’ community.

Of course, they still plan their lessons but a lot of the admin stuff, we’re told, is “make work” invented by the top-heavy Education and Training Directorate and an endless parade of “new ideas” coming out of America.

Shadow education minister Steve Doszpot said teachers had told him they wanted to spend more time teaching children rather than filling in forms. Well, no argument there.

THE senior brigade of casual teachers had a specially tough week when one of their number, Carolle Harrison, was killed when hit by a school bus as she crossed the road at Manuka. She was much beloved, not only in Canberra but in Vietnam where each year she volunteered her services. On her return she raised funds with costume jewellery made by her pupils. “We will miss her very much,” one teacher said. “It’s been a terrible shock to all of us.”

GREAT to see the enthusiasm of 18 wind companies vying for the contract to supply up to a quarter of Canberra’s power supply by 2020. Wind power is expected to be almost half the cost of solar produced by the Royalla array. Together they’ll make the ACT a clear leader in the field.

WE’VE had our fun with the two Liberal MLA “Scarlet Pimpernels” Giulia Jones and Vicki Dunne on their silly $36,000 junket to France, Sweden and South Korea to learn how to help Canberra’s sex workers escape the industry. But their “report” to the Assembly showed just what a farce it was. Mrs Jones: “I am not suggesting that any of the concepts, programs or legislative responses I saw while overseas are directly applicable or appropriate for the ACT.”

Exactly – an expensive exercise in total futility.

 

robert@robertmacklin.com