Views on the news from Canberra’s top columnists
"The grand-daddy waste of money of them all is the perseverance with light rail, despite the availability of much cheaper public transport options that can be delivered far quicker," says letter writer COLIN LYONS, of Weetangera.
Lawyers in NSW are banned from using AI to create evidence papers and judges can't use AI to formulate reasons for judgments. Legal columnist HUGH SELBY imagines a different world, where justice is as easy as popping into an AI Justice Hub.
"Last week’s troubled My Way+ rollout may be a blessing in disguise prompting us to revisit the case for free public transport and its benefits for vulnerable Canberrans including people with disability," writes CRAIG WALLACE.
What is Bluesky? JEAN BURGESS explains why tens of millions of people are heading for a ‘decentralised’ social media platform.
"The cemetery was surrounded by a high, spiked metal fence. I eventually managed to climb out – hastened by groaning sounds from dark areas within the cemetery!," writes Whimsy columnist CLIVE WILLIAMS.
Okay, kids, let's all sing along to Canberra's favourite transport song, Chris Steel on the Bus (goes round and round).
If the appropriateness of light rail and better alternatives are not the National Capital Authority’s concern, what are the criteria on which their approval will be based, wonders Prof BEATRICE BODART-BAILEY.
Legal columnist HUGH SELBY, identifying a bumblebee, takes a flight of fancy around a real life retelling of the tea party in Alice in Wonderland that is keeping the legal fraternity's gossips in Sydney and beyond entertained.
Cartoonist PAUL DORIN's been doing some market research...
Alan Jones once seemed unassailable. What ended it was a peculiarly Sydney story of media, politics and power, writes DENIS MULLER.
"Hodo saves lives. I have never once heard him or any of hundreds of new arrivals in Canberra ask what their country can do for them. They give and give, and live their gratitude in a way I’m too selfish to,"writes ANTONIO DI DIO
"My wife discovered a catalogue filled with goodies and, once she ordered something, that damned internet has been sending her Christmas 'suggestions' for months," bemoans The Gadfly columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
KEEPING UP THE ACT shares a postcard to the cabinet kids from the Chief Minimalist.
"Control the narrative. Forget the why. Just get something out there. Something people talk about. For whatever reason. Trump’s team was brilliant at this," writes political columnist ANDREW HUGHES.
"With the new human right, a temperature assessment must surely become obligatory for all DAs, so no Canberrans discover that temperatures in their neighbourhood have suddenly climbed to unhealthy levels," writes BEATRICE BODART-BAILEY.
"The Liberals seem determined to learn from their rejection by voters. I hope that they will cut their ties with the science deniers and work with all members of the Assembly," says letter writer NOEL BAXENDELL, of Holt.
The latest covid booster will soon be available. NATHAN BARTLETT explains whether you should get one and whether you're eligible.
A new largest known prime number was found last month by an amateur mathematician, continuing a millennia-long quest to understand hidden patterns in the infinite tapestry of numbers.
"I’m aware that it’s early days yet. And when Trump actually takes the reins in late January, he might well begin knocking down the guidelines of presidential restraint," writes The Gadfly columnist ROBERT MACKLIN .
