The Greens minister sitting on her hands, the hard work for older people using the check-in app and hooray for us leading the nation in vaccination rates; it’s another “Seven Days” with IAN MEIKLE. 

REBECCA Vassarotti is a latter-day Nero. For as Rome burns, the inexperienced Heritage Minister fiddles.

A captive of her bureaucracy, the Greens MLA cannot muster the nerve to stand up for anything and hides behind the weasel words of her advisers. 

That’s the only conclusion I can draw from events of recent days when “Canberra Matters” columnist Paul Costigan published an urgent, open letter to the minister on citynews.com.au pleading with her to halt the demolition of a house with heritage potential in Narrabundah. 

He noted that it has been but weeks since the community paid tribute to designer Derek Wrigley (February, 1924-June, 2021) and his achievements, from his employment at the ANU, his role in establishing design groups to his many design contributions to the city. 

One of these was his 1959 Paral House at 22 Brockman Street, Narrabundah. 

“This gem is a beautiful low-rise house situated quietly beside Narrabundah Park (Rocky Knob). If you did not know where the borders were, you would be thinking it was part of Red Hill – being perched up on the hill,” says Costigan.

But now, he says, the property is being demolished. He legged it around to Narrabundah and took photos to prove the point. I also went around on Sunday (July 25) and believe he’s correct. 

“The owners, being descendants of the owner who has also died recently, now wish to knock it down to rebuild something bigger,” writes Costigan.

“Several people have tried to lodge whatever paperwork is necessary to stop this happening, but are being blocked by that infamous one-stop black hole – called Access Canberra.

“Dear Minister, people have tried the bureaucratic processes and they are failing. Your urgent assistance would be appreciated. Please help.”

How about no? In a letter to me, cloth-eared Vassarotti effectively admitted she was an impotent bystander in the process, copping out with this wiffle-waffle: “While it might be tempting to call on ministers to intervene in these processes, the ACT (like all jurisdictions) has an independent and expert heritage body to maintain maximum integrity in decision-making and to protect against political interference.”

Sometimes political power is about courageous interference. What was needed here was a halt to allow the heritage process to be completed. As Costigan says: “If this is not treated as an urgent matter – now – the issue will quickly become irrelevant as the bulldozers will soon be on site.”

Undaunted, the minister signed off with this patronising flourish: “Your local MLAs are here to help you navigate government systems, provide information and hear about the issues that matter to you. You are always welcome to contact us. Please reach out!”

Honestly, Rebecca, is that really the best you can do?

OLDER people without smartphones are struggling to check-in to local businesses, says Jenny Mobbs, CEO of Council on the Ageing ACT.

“Lots of older people don’t have a smartphone, and we’re hearing that they’re being made to feel like an inconvenience to businesses,” she says. 

She was echoing the comments of Jeanne O’Malley in last week’s “Seven Days”, who wrote complaining of the loneliness of facing “an electronic wall of resistance” in managing the mandatory covid app sign-in.

According to ACT Health, businesses are to use their business account to check-in people who can’t do so electronically for any reason. 

Then Greg Cornwell, of Yarralumla, wrote asking if someone could explain how the Check In CBR app works on public transport if you don’t have a mobile. 

“While there are stickers beside each seat, there is no provision for the driver to take your name if you don’t have a cellphone (imagine the delays if they did!). How about the elderly users?” he asks.

HOORAY for us, more than 43 per cent of the ACT adult population has had their first covid jab and almost 20 per cent (almost twice the national average) are fully vaccinated. Not that it can take us anywhere yet. 

However, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith is entitled to skite about the success of the Garran and airport mass-vaccination clinics, which have been revved up to 4000 vaccine appointments a week.

The Health Minister noted a strong level of people aged 30-39 registering to get the vaccination, with more than 8500 people signing up in 24 hours. They’ll get jabbed once supply becomes available, she said.

AND in a plaintive missive from the Deakin Residents Association, haplessly bemoaning the tram plans south: “We can’t help thinking that $200 million per kilometre could be better spent. It will lead to a service that is twice as long as the existing bus. Imagine the benefit of such expenditure on alternatives such as electric buses for all of Canberra, free public transport, or a world-class bike network.” 

Ian Meikle is the editor of “CityNews” and can be heard on the “CityNews Sunday Roast” news and interview program, 2CC, 9am-noon.