Reality bites as ACT government rests on its laurels
"The fact the ACT government is resting on its laurels is increasingly apparent. Its obsessive mantra that it is the most progressive government in Australia always brings to my mind Bruce Springsteen’s 'Glory Days'," writes columnist JON STANHOPE.
NCA rides roughshod over Curtin equestrians
"The North Curtin horse owners are the unacknowledged detritus in yet another of the nasty ACT government’s development deals," writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
Five months to go, can’t we do better than this lot?
"The Planning Minister goes on pretending that he 'knows nothing' about the shocking treatment of community groups and individual residents. He sees no evil, hears no evil and does nothing," says "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
It’s time to reveal the mysterious Mr Coe’s policies
Opposition Leader Alistair Coe seems to be committed to either being secretive about what the ACT Liberals stand for or, when they do speak out, they make such a mess of things that they end up looking unelectable, writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
Virus ceasefire ends with Coe call on schools
"Credit goes to the Liberals who have not used the time of the COVID-19 crisis for electioneering but have provided a united community voice. However, the gloves are now off," says political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
Stunned by the NCA’s lakeside horse trading
"Residents accept that this government justifies incompetence through the use of alternate facts, that it disregards the city’s heritage, and that it operates unchecked within its own reality," writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
What a mess: it should never have come to this
"The coronavirus-induced, panic-driven decision to build a $25 million shed on the Garran Primary School oval would not have been necessary had the rigorous planning undertaken and commitments made over 10 years ago not been trashed," bemoans JON STANHOPE
Yvette spins excuses instead of fixing education
"The overall evidence coming from NAPLAN results should be an embarrassment to Labor, which has been at the helm of the ACT for nearly two decades. It is time for action rather than excuses," writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
What’s Rachel trying to hide behind the spin?
"The ACT government seems to be hoping to avoid the perception, as the self-declared most progressive government in Australia, that it appears not to give a hoot about the needs of Aboriginal people," writes columnist JON STANHOPE.
Belco Bill’s in with a big chance being elected
"The name, the Belco Party, carries an element of the larrikin. This is an image that Bill Stefaniak would love to portray," says political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
Remand crisis drives jump in female prisoners
"What will it take to get the community to demand we tackle the entrenched social and economic disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal people in Canberra?" asks columnist JON STANHOPE.
Stefaniak to stand again for his new Belco Party
CONCERNED the Belconnen area is being left behind for infrastructure and maintenance, former ACT Liberal Party leader Bill Stefaniak is standing again to make sure it doesn’t.
Limping Canberra trumped by Tassie’s response
"I refuse to accept that the tram should have been accorded priority over the health care needs of the community," writes columnist JON STANHOPE.
How the hoons are taking over suburban streets
"When venturing out was possible, it was to confront the reality of large groups of men who believe they could dominate community spaces in packs and behave in an intimidating and aggressive way towards women or anyone who challenges their behaviour," writes "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
Exposed: Barr’s $3 billion budget black hole
"Since releasing the debt genie from its bottle in 2013 net debt in the ACT has ballooned to Skywhale proportions… As of today, every Canberra household is nominally indebted for $18,000 to cover the repayment cost of the existing debt," writes JON STANHOPE.
How the ACT government hobbled low-income homebuyers
"Land prices for detached housing have exploded beyond the capacity of almost half the residents of the ACT to pay. You know who I mean, the people for whom the Labor Party came into being to represent, support and defend," writes JON STANHOPE.
Labor goes belly up and has only itself to blame
"The ACT has fallen further and further behind on national education comparisons. There are no excuses. A combination of lack of leadership, willingness to just let things go and failure to extrapolate from external successes has left the ACT lagging," writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.
How fence-sitting Greens let Labor run amok
"The ACT Greens have enabled this government to perform the way it does – with absolute arrogance towards residents," says "Canberra Matters" columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.
Revealed: ACT super liability out by billions
"I was stunned... the audited statements showed that the ACT’s superannuation liability was $11.776 billion or 51 per cent higher than the amount reported in the 2018-19 Budget," writes columnist JON STANHOPE.
How the ACT health budget neglect puts the poor at risk
"The minister’s response does not evince any concern about the distressing and disproportionate impact of the government’s effective cut to health services on poorer members of our community," says JON STANHOPE in reaffirming the government's long-term neglect of the ACT health budget.
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More visitors are allowed in hospitals from tomorrow
More visitors will be allowed at Canberra health services, including hospitals, from tomorrow (June 4), after ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith announced an easing of visitor restrictions.
