To mark the 30th anniversary of “CityNews”, social historian and journalist NICHOLE OVERALL has written an eclectic history of Canberra and beyond over the past three decades. Here is 2016.
– Trump wins.
(Though Hillary more popular).
– Turnbull wins.
(Not as popular as he was).
– Bill Shorten, the bigger loser.
(“It’s not a popularity contest”).
– Kev ’07 also on the outer.
(Mal says no to him popping off to run the UN).
– “Magic Mike” Baird bans greyhound racing in NSW from 2017.
(Less and less popular).
– “Magic Mike” Baird reverses the decision of three months prior to ban greyhound racing from 2017.
(See above).
– Barr is back.
(Looking at a political jackpot of 19 years, popular or perennial?)
– Tech fail.
(Our whiz–bang online Census goes bang more than whiz, the website unavailable for the entire night).
– “Protect our privacy, Australian Bureau of Statistics”.
(Citizens worry about being revealed as a Jedi – the security of this TikTok thing though? Nah, that’s like, totally, different).
– Protect us, mon ami.
(90 billion bucks for new French submarines? What happened to the last bunch you lot bought?)
– Treasurer ScoMo berates “bedwetters”.
(That is, his Liberal colleagues who may have an alternate view on increasing the GST).
– Truss us.
(Almost decade–long leader of the Nats Warren Truss resigns as Deputy PM; Barnaby’s the man).
– Share shudders.
(China takes its trading bat and ball and won’t play and the Aussie sharemarket suffers).
– It’s a gas in Tasmania – again.
(Gas Turbine switched back on as no rain = near empty hydroelectric power dams).
– Is South Australia a mushroom?
(It’s in the dark – a storm taking out the state–wide electricity infrastructure).
– Queensland gets on board.
(The 12km of the Redcliffe Peninsula railway line, only 131 years late).
– Canberra’s snow job.
(Or, a truly white Christmas in July).
– Acton shoreline development, complete with beach, spruiked to be on time and on budget.
(It isn’t).
– Nod to Canberra’s Prohibition past gets the nod.
(“Molly” wins Best Cocktail Bar in the Australian Hotels Association ACT Hospitality Awards; NB: from 1911 to 1928, the Federal Territory was Australia’s only “dry” jurisdiction).
– Regional real estate market “strongest since 1993”.
(Yes, that is the agents saying so but you can still buy a one–bedroom unit in Canberra for $250,000 …).
– Not a Beryl or a Barry to be found.
(Local babies mostly labelled Charlotte and William).
– ACT escapee makes a break.
(Climbs a fence, steals a car, tries to run, but he don’t get far; and the magistrate cries – that’ll be no more driving for 16 years, thank you very much).
– Former state MP Eddie Obeid to visit Cooma jail.
(Not as Corrections Minister – “wilful misconduct in public office”).
– Civic “late night thuggery” including a “sickening coward punch”, arson and underage drinking.
(Politicians enter the fray: “territory’s current assault laws [aren’t] sending a strong enough message”).
– Queanbeyan’s Fink + Co Water Jug creator killed in a car accident.
(The local community in shock over the loss of the internationally–recognised design innovator, Robert Foster).
– He floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee.
(The death of numerous international icons including Muhammad Ali).
The full collection of Nichole Overall’s “CityNews” anniversary columns can be seen here.
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