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 2018.
IT’S 30 years of the ACT running the show for itself.
The ACT Women’s Honour Roll rolls out. The outstanding achievements of award-winning Canberra women since the commencement of self-government in 1988, from the likes of Australian hockey representative Nicole Arrold to former director of the National Gallery Betty Churcher.
30th anniversary of the opening by Queen Elizabeth of the big, two boomerangs house up on the Hill with its 266-foot flagpole, which took the place of the charming 1927 seat of government building (a certain Sir John Overall, first commissioner of the National Capital Development Commission, chair of the modern Design Selection Committee).
Spectacular Spiegeltent in town: “World-class music, comedy and cabaret”.
“Criminally overlooked” Canberra makes the top three in “Lonely Planet’s” world’s “hottest destinations” – the only Australian city on the list.
Political posturing
Turnbull terminated, Dutton done, ScoMo’s Stephen Bradbury moment. Josh Frydenberg also makes it through; Julie Bishop back to the backbench.
Barnaby Joyce says bye as Nats leader and Deputy PM, Michael McCormack is #18.
“Citizenship-gate” causing havoc: among the many ineligible to sit in Parliament because of belonging to more than just us, ACT senator Katy Gallagher.
The NSW government tucks away $4.2 billion from the sale of its share of the Snowy Hydro Scheme to the federal government, creating a fund to “transform regional NSW”.
The State’s Labor Opposition loses another leader (Luke Foley denies inappropriate touching), while the Victorian “blue team” is subject to an election “bloodbath”. SA’s lot though, claw their way back after 16 years.
Media moments
Worldwide wonder at the miracle rescue of a junior football team of 12 and their coach from deep within a flooded Thai cave. Sadly, a former Thai Navy SEAL loses his life during the operation.
Huge if true: archaeologists claim to have discovered the wreck of Capt Cook’s 1770 HMS Endeavour (later rebadged for the lord who’s said to have invented the sandwich) off the east coast of America (NB: that debate still raging).
Scandals, sports and stars
Something of a Commonwealth Games groupie, Australia hosts for a fifth time, the Gold Coast the setting.
The Invictus Games in Sydney – or, “The Harry and Meghan Show”, particularly on the announcement the duchess is pregnant.
“Sandpaper-gate” explodes. A South African Test: of the game, players and the cricketing world.
Disastrous disasters
Bushfires destroy more than 70 buildings at Tathra. A helicopter pilot dies while fighting fires near Ulladulla.
The BOM says it’s Canberra’s third warmest year on record (mean temperature), and in the middle of winter, NSW is declared a drought zone. Queensland suffers an extreme heatwave as the next bushfire season approaches.
Crime and punishment
With superannuation funds charging the dead for services, the financial services royal commission begins.
Westpac is fined a record $35 million for looking the other way on whether homeowners could really repay their loans.
In WA, seven family members are killed in a shocking murder-suicide, the worst mass shooting since Port Arthur, and just four months later, a man kills five of his family.
The rape and murder of Eurydice Dixon in inner-city Melbourne, causes an outpouring of grief and protest.
After 19 years in prison, a retrial of David Eastman sees him found not guilty of the 1989 Canberra murder of Assistant Australian Federal Police Commissioner Colin Winchester.
In other news
Canberra shares the second highest growth rate in Australia (Queensland the other) with a population growth rate of 1.8 per cent – or 7600 new residents, 52 per cent from beyond our shores.
The longest lunar eclipse to be seen for 100 years turns the Canberra dawn blood red. The Red Planet, Mars, also at its brightest in 15 years. The Earth’s shadow is directly across the moon and “at its reddest” for one hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds – three minutes short of a maximum eclipse.
The full collection of Nichole Overall’s “CityNews” anniversary columns can be seen here.
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