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 1998.
TEN years of the ACT looking after itself and Kate Carnell is re-elected Chief Kahuna.
“I’d like to vote for Kate Carnell, but I don’t think I can bring myself to do it. And I can’t see myself voting for the ALP if Wayne Berry will end up running the territory for the next three years.”
Undecided voter, “The Canberra Times”, February 14.
Architect of legalised prostitution in the ACT (’92), the “mercy killing” bill and decriminalisation of cannabis, Michael Moore becomes Australia’s first independent Minister: Health and Community Care.
“I was responsible for… probably the most liberal prostitution laws in the western world. Then I proceeded down this path in terms of drugs… Every other politician that I knew said I could never be re-elected with this stance. Since then, I’ve been re-elected three times.”
At the end of the year, John Howard and the Coalition are returned.
“Kim [Beazley] actually did fairly well in the campaign but was bested by Howard, whose advisers, in a stroke of political genius, had him spend the entire year in Cleveland. The person you thought was Howard was an exhumed Benny Hill on Viagra.”
Peter Ruehl, Sunday Telegraph, December 31
“Feel the Power of Canberra” publicity campaign launches.
“I would not be seen dead driving in NSW with ‘Feel the Power of Canberra’ on my number plate for fear of being seen dead driving in NSW with ‘Feel the Power of Canberra’ on my number plate.”
Bob Woodman, O’Connor, letters, “The Canberra Times”
Reinstated CM Carnell floats prospective sale of ACTEW.
“… maybe the new ACT number plates should read Sell the Power”.
Peter Willmott, Watson, letters, “The Canberra Times”
Only two months on from the ACT election, MLA Trevor Kaine – first elected to the House of Assembly in 1975 – quits the Liberals and forms the United Canberra Party.
“Feeling the power of Carnell is nothing new to me. I endured that for two of the previous three years”.
On the waterfront, the fury of “scab labour”: in the country’s most inflammatory industrial dispute, Patrick Corporation sacks 2000 unionised employees to replace them with contract workers.
“Old-fashioned biffo on the docks.”
Peter Reith, Minister for Industrial Relations
The First National Sorry Day (May 26) is officially marked on the anniversary of the inquiry into the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by governments and authorities.
“Many see an apology to the “Stolen Generations” as an essential part of the reconciliation process.”
Doug Conway, AAP, December 27
An aggrieved Canberra Tax Office employee mails 28 explosive packages to those he believed had wronged him.
“… he complained he had been sexually harassed and stalked by his workmate-lover but his Commonwealth workers compensation claim was rejected”.
“Herald Sun”, July 4, 2010
A massive explosion at the Longford Gas Plant kills two, injures eight and leaves Victoria bereft of gas for 10 days.
“The disaster was deeply distressing and caused widespread hardship.”
Esso Australia manager Richard Owen, ABC News, September 25, 2019
A Cessna en route from Merimbula to Albury crashes in the Snowy Mountains, killing all six on board including four highly regarded doctors.
“Reported weather conditions… suggest that Mt Jagungal was probably covered by cloud and the pilot may have been unaware of his proximity to the mountain peak.”
Australian Transport Safety Bureau, September 24, 1999
Abroad, in an episode right out of the concluding “Seinfeld”, Bill Clinton neither inhales nor engages.
“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”
Downer Preschool is ordered suspended due to falling enrolments but almost immediately ordered re-opened on a successful move to overturn.
Mr Berry:… this motion is about this Assembly requiring you… to suspend the suspension.
Mr Stefaniak (Minister for Education): Shut up, please. I listened to Mr Berry in silence, Mr Stanhope. I would expect you to accord me the same courtesy.
Legislative Assembly, Hansard, October 28, 1998.
The 50th anniversary of Holden – as Ben Chifley had opined, “She’s a beauty”; they’ll release a one-off VT Commodore coupe, the first two-door Holden since the Monaro.
“The Monaro was indeed named for the Monaro.”
Nichole Overall, former Member for Monaro
The full collection of Nichole Overall’s “CityNews” anniversary columns can be seen here.
Who can be trusted?
In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.
If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.
Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.
Thank you,
Ian Meikle, editor
Leave a Reply