WHENEVER people talk about Wayne Brady, they seem unable to avoid the word “multi-talented.”

And no wonder. The American actor, singer, comedian and TV personality best known for his impro comedy series “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” can to turn his hand to anything.

Now Brady returns to Canberra with his new “It’s My Line” stand-up tour.

For years, Wayne Brady has entertained audiences with his acting, impro, singing and dancing on stage, on television and in film, winning the reputation of being one of the most versatile performers in showbiz.

Brady has endeared himself to audiences with his zany improvised antics, musical talents and impersonation skills as showcased on hit shows like “The Wayne Brady Show”, “The Dave Chappelle Show”, “Let’s Make a Deal” and “Don’t Forget the Lyrics”.

Back in 2004, Brady even joined a Broadway revival of “Chicago,” to play corrupt lawyer Billy Flynn.

Wayne Brady at the Canberra Theatre 7:30PM Wednesday, July 9, Bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au

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SOLOS for harp by Carlos Salzedo and Nigel Westlake and duets for harp and flute by Christoph Willibald Gluck, Joseph Jongen, Désiré-Emile Inghelbrecht and Claude Debussy are on the menu for tomorrow’s “Wednesday Lunchtime Live” concert at Wesley Music Centre.  

Harpist Rowan Phemister, a Wesley Music instrumental scholar, will join fellow scholar, flautist Matthew Ventura, in the performance.

Phemister is a Year 12 student from Yass who has been studying the harp with Alice Giles since he was nine years of age. part of the ANU School of Music pre-tertiary Year 12 and chamber music programs, he is principal harpist with the Canberra Youth Orchestra and also participated in the Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camps this year and last. At the 5th Australian Harp Festival last year he was awarded first place in the Under 18 section.

Ventura is studying a Bachelor of Music on Bassoon with Rick McIntyre at the ANU School of Music. In 2012 he received his AMusA Flute diploma with distinction, and continues to study flute with Virginia Taylor. He has been selected as finalist in last year’s Australian Flute Festival Young Artists Competition. He is also a member of Canberra Symphony Orchestra, ANU Chamber Orchestra, Canberra Wind Ensemble, and a Canberra-based wind quintet he established last year.

Concert by Rowan Phemister and Matthew Ventura, Wednesday, July 9 – 12.40pm to 1.20pm at Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest, ACT   Cost: Entry $5 minimum, concession $2 – pensioner, full-time student,   children under 12. No bookings required. Tickets at the door.

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IN the depressingly competitive world of Government social media the National Library was today celebrating a small and passing triumph.

No less authority than the Great Oz Gov Tweets website (sadly that is in fact a thing) has declared Canberra’s own National Library to have yesterday made the 27th most engaged with Australian Government Tweet of the day!

The National Library has duly retweeted this achievement.

@nlagovau Congrats on writing a great government tweet! http://t.co/lRnoFAaloO (Ranked 27th for Jul 7.)

— Great Oz Gov Tweets (@GreatOzGovTweet) July 8, 2014

We stand suitably impressed.

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IN talking to music co-ordinator and performer from the Ten Tenors, Paul Gelsumini, I learn a new adjective – “tenorial”.

“We’re not all top end, but everyone has tenorial qualities,” he tells “CityNews”.

The Ten Tenors… “Ten Aussie blokes having fun on stage and loving music.”

Of course, a lot of water has passed under the bridge in that time and now, Gelsumini admits, none of the tenors is from the original cohort, though a few have been there for more than 10 years.

The sound remains true to the group’s essence, he says: “Ten Aussie blokes having fun on stage and loving music.”

It’s really a brotherhood, he tells me, predicting that audiences will “walk away with a big smile on their faces.”

Its members are Robert Barbaro, Cameron Barclay, Benjamin Clark, Keane Fletcher, Gelsumini, Sebastian Maclaine, Scott Muller, Joseph Naim, Jared Newall and Ben Stephens, with an average age of 26.

Gelsumini’s day job is to keep the group up and running and to run auditions.

He says members get married or move on to careers in musical theatre, so right now they’re looking for someone new.

They prefer to tour with 11 tenors, he explains, “to minimise complications”. He himself started out as number 11.

Ten Tenors’ music co-ordinator and performer, Paul Gelsumini.

The 10 different voices, he says, can “bring the light and shade” as well as “the power of 10 men singing in unison”.

The show they’re bringing to Canberra is the US smash hit “Ten Tenors on Broadway”. It’s less operatic and more showbiz, with numbers such as “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat”, “Over the Rainbow”, “Cheek to Cheek” and “The Boxer”.

But, he is quick to point out, they’re also doing “Music of the Night” from “Phantom of the Opera”, “I’ll Never Walk Alone” from “Carousel” and “Bring Him Home” from “Les Miz”.

“We are always trying to keep the tenorial sound as much as we can,” Gelsumini says.

“Ten Tenors on Broadway”, Canberra Theatre, July 17-19, bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au

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CHIEF Minister Gallagher has announced a package of measures to keep men in hard hats hard at work.

She says her Government will award $10 million dollars worth of ‘ready-now’ construction contracts and make further cuts to red-tape for the construction industry as part of a new ACT Government package to reforms the way that capital works are procured in the territory.

“The ACT Government is working closely with the ACT construction industry to come up with ways that will stimulate construction activity in the ACT and in turn will help to support the ACT economy through what is expected to be a tough few years,” Katy said.

The “Building Canberra – Providing an easier way” framework will:

• deploy new technologies to reduce red tape and duplication in capital works tendering processes;
• introduce thresholds that will unlock more opportunities for ACT-region Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs);
• maintain an up-to-date call tender schedule;
• release a list of 20 ready-now contracts totaling $10 million;
• enable continuous improvement through the expansion of mandatory post implementation reviews and an enhanced database of contractor performance;
• expedite tender evaluation through reducing paperwork and increasing use of preferred contractor systems; and
• commit to an ethos of cooperative contracting and partnering in the efficient delivery of capital works.

We’ve published the list of contracts online as a doc.

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Canberra guitarist Matt Withers rehearses at the Wig & Pen. Photo by Gary Schafer

Wig & Pen owners Lachie and Janie McOmish are committed to the aims of Canberra Versailles Association, of which Janie is secretary.

The McOmish’s French connection began many years ago when their 14-year-old daughter Elspeth, who now works for Unesco in Paris, won a Canberra Versailles scholarship.

“It’s become a tradition for a while now for the Wig & Pen to run fundraisers for scholarships,” Janie tells us as “CityNews” snapper Gary Schafer tastefully arranges a flag around the bar. “All our money goes to students.”

“We’ve had pedagogues, political scientists and pastry chefs on scholarship,” Janie says, but they’ve mostly focussed on raising funds for Canberra’s tertiary students to study in France, and have disbursed $50,000 in scholarships, including three last year to ANU School of Music students.

Bastille Eve is obviously an important date for the association and this year, there’s a nice touch.

Enter Withers, head of guitar at the University of Canberra. He’s been busy rearranging classics such as “Blue Moon” and “Over the Rainbow” for guitar and will be joined at the Wig & Pen fundraiser by fellow guitarists and students of Prof Tim Kain, Cal Henshaw, Steph Jones, Ciaran Edwards McKeown and Aleksei Vasutin.

Withers has been awarded one of the association’s John Wallis Travelling Fellowships, which will give him accommodation and a performance fee while in France.

He’ll also receive some support from UC. He’ll leave at the end of September.

“I’m in discussion with the Versailles Conservatoire and I hope to present a concert and master class during my visit,” Withers says.

He’ll also be presenting his early Ph.D. research on “The Entrepreneurial Guitarist” and giving a master class at the Uppsala International Guitar Festival in October.

So what, we ask Janie, will regulars at the bar think of all this music-making? “People will love it,” she predicts.

Canberra-Versailles fundraiser, Wig & Pen, corner of West Row and Alinga Streets, Civic, noon-2pm, Sunday, July 13, door price $25 and includes drinks and food.

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Zed Seselja

LIBERAL Senator Zed Seselja has let it be known that his plan of concreting down to and over the Murrumbidgee has been referred to the National Capital Authority for consideration.

“After a series of discussions with Senator Zed Seselja who is passionate about Canberra’s future, I have asked the NCA to commence work to consider the development of land west of Tuggeranong, across the Murrumbidgee River,” Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs said.

“Urban development in this area was considered by the National Capital Development Commission in the 1970s, but the proposal was set aside and hasn’t been seriously considered until now.

“This work is an important part of the Australian Government’s plan to develop opportunities that will stimulate economic growth and support new jobs in Canberra whilst also removing unnecessary red tape and regulation that stifles competition and opportunity for business.

“As part of its analysis, the NCA will consult with the ACT Government and other interested stakeholders and prepare a report outlining the issues that affect the suitability of West Murrumbidgee for urban development.

“The NCA’s report will help determine if the previous environmental and infrastructure provision concerns relating to the development of West Murrumbidgee are still relevant today”.

The NCA will also develop a business case to support any detailed investigations required to determine the potential for urban development in the West Murrumbidgee area.

An amendment to the National Capital Plan, and a variation to the Territory Plan (administered by the ACT Government) is required before any new urban development could proceed at West Murrumbidgee. Such an amendment would involve changing the land use policy from rural and open space zonings, to urban.

The National Capital Authority has been asked to report by the end of the year.

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This blue-faced louse (Campanulotes bidentatus) was found on a pigeon. The soft downy feathers of the pigeon provide a warm place for the lice to live and are also their source of food. Can you see the “two teeth” or mandibles these lice use to eat with? Image courtesy of Cath Covacin, Stephen Barker and Rick Webb, University of Queensland.

The society says parasites are normally thought of as disgusting and regarded as an aberration but, in fact, the parasitic way of life is the most common way of life on the planet.

They are the most ingenious and manipulative of all life forms and possess a strange beauty, as these photos, taken by scientists who study parasites, show.

They are a part of everyone’s life – they infect our pets, the meat and crops we eat, and us.

They also infect our marsupial wildlife and the fish in our oceans and reefs, sometimes with devastating consequences.

Pediculus capitas (in pink) are parasitic lice that are often found in our hair. They live, eat blood, sleep, and lay their eggs close to our scalp so the heat from our head allows the egg to hatch in about a week. They live for just over a month. Image courtesy of Cath Covacin, Stephen Barker and Rick Webb, University of Queensland.

Parasites are usually defined as organisms that live in or on another organism (the hosts) and often causes them harm.

Well-known examples of parasites include tapeworms, roundworms, ticks and fleas. Human diseases such as malaria, bilharzia, elephantiasis and sleeping sickness are all caused by parasites.

By understanding the ways of parasites, scientists can find new ways to control malaria, human hookworms, schistosomes, and veterinary parasites. If they are successful, the lives of millions of people will be saved, their crops and livestock will be more productive and the impact on reducing poverty in the Third World will be immense.

To get up close and personal with parasites, the CSIRO Discovery Centre, North Science Road, Acton, is exhibiting “Parasites in Focus”, weekdays, until August 1. Entry is free.

PARASITES have been affecting soldiers for centuries in times of war and peace and ANU scientist Dr Rowena Martin will describe some of the devastating effects caused by the malaria parasite with an address titled “Malaria in Wartime” at the Australian War Memorial Lecture Theatre, from 2pm on Sunday, August 17.

And look out for more parasites during National Science Week at “Science in ACTion”, which will run from August 15-17 at the Melville Hall, ANU.

More information at parasite.org.au/

Like fleas, lice live on, not in, their hosts and feed on blood in order to survive and make their eggs. This is a Pediculus humanis capitus or head louse. Image courtesy of Cath Covacin, Stephen Barker and Rick Webb, University of Queensland.

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IT feels a bit like we’re singing “God Save The Queen” as the radio ratings come in again.

“Send them victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us…”

(Thankfully there’s no word yet on the more troublesome additional verse of that anthem: May he sedition hush, / and like a torrent rush, / Rebellious Scots to crush”)

But yes, Scotty and Nige on FM104.7 are the single most popular thing on Canberra radio.

The ABC’s Phillip Clark has made a small amount of ground but otherwise not much has changed since the last survey with 104 remaining top dog.

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Mia Dragila has sent in more marvellous photographs in and around town which we now present for your enjoyments.

If you’ve got photographs you’d like to share with the community email them in to john@citynews.com.au .

(We do note that the “Two Men” are former Prime Ministers Ben Chifley and John Curtin)

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Released under Freedom of Information readers are now able to marvel at the Government reaction to the great Cooleman Court Car Park meltdown from the inside (link).

It’s a masterful combination of understatement and alarm.

What is interesting is the dawning realisation that the hated chipseal is particularly awful for car parks because of the way cars with power steering and somewhat lazy drivers twist the wheels in-situ and shift the road aggregate.

[Photo via Google StreetView]

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GREEN MLA Shane Rattenbury is heading to the barricades on Northbourne Avenue this evening and is calling on Canberrans to join him in rallying for refugees.

“Over the last decade we have watched the two old parties compete for the cruellest, most hard-lined border protection policy – and both parties have lost sight of who they are protecting,” Shane said

“The Abbott Government has handed at least 41 asylum seekers back to the Sri Lankan Government they fled, and the whereabouts and safety of another 153 people – including 37 children – remains unknown.

“I, and the Greens, condemn the Abbott Government’s cruelty and continue to advocate for a fair, compassionate and humane asylum seeker policy.”

The Canberra Refugee Action Network community protest is taking place at the intersection of Northbourne Ave and Barry Drive this afternoon at 5.30pm.

[Photo of Somalian refugees via wikimedia]

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The ACT Government is advising motorists that a number of rural roads have been closed as a result of recent snowfall and further predicted heavy snow.

The following roads are closed:

• Corin Road at Square Rock (a staffed checkpoint is at Woods Reserve)
• Brindabella Road (a staffed checkpoint is in place)
• Bendora Dam Road
• Mount Franklin Road
• Boboyan Road
• Booroomba Rocks Road
• Orroral Ridge Road

[Pictured: Snow at Priors Hut courtesy TAMS]

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THIS year the NAIDOC theme acknowledges the centenary of Gallipoli, with the theme “Serving Country, Centenary and Beyond”.

At the opening: Andrew Horne on the digeridoo

Specifically, the spotlight has been turned onto all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who have fought in defence of Australia, including the warriors in the frontier wars as well as those who have served honourably in Australia’s military conflicts and engagements.

Jarad Brown, Sheila McAlpine, Maryanne Haslam, Andrew Taylor

To this end, Southside Community Services Inc. have created a ‘NAIDOC Week art gallery’ at their Narrabundah headquarters for an exhibition on this year’s NAIDOC theme.

This exhibition-with-a-difference builds on the success of the 2013 collaboration between Southside Community Services Inc. and ACT Corrective Services to present a NAIDOC Week Aboriginal art show featuring artworks from ACT Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander detainees from the Alexander Maconachie Centre, offering these artists a unique opportunity to participate in the NAIDOC celebrations.

Tony LoPilato, President Southside Community Services Inc. with Noah and Steve Dozpot

Gallery on Southside was established in 2005 and was opened by the then ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope in 2006. It is situated in the Southside Community Services building at 63 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah and most recently held the “Seniors on Show” Exhibition to support Seniors Week 2014.

Arthur Huggins and Mark Bartlett

The  opening last Friday brought a crowd of participants and well-wishers for the show, which runs for two more weeks. Some of the works will be offered for sale.

“Serving Country, Centenary and Beyond” at Gallery on Southside, 63 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah, weekdays, 9am – 5:30pm until Friday July 25, all welcome.

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TWO Aboriginal women artists raise awareness of contemporary issues in Indigenous culture with exhibitions in the PhotoAccess Huw Davies Gallery opening tonight, July 10, all welcome.

Kerry Reed-Gilbert – Uluru Waves

Kerry Reed-Gilbert¸ daughter of the late activist and writer, Kevin Gilbert, shows “Spirit of Country,” a collection of images resulting from her extensive travels across Australia in the course of her work as a writer, cross-cultural teacher, human rights activist and photographer.

Megan Cope – still from Blaktism

Megan Cope shows “Blaktism,” a wry commentary on race and identity politics. 10 to 4 Tuesday to Friday and 12 to 4 weekends.

CANBERRA Museum and Gallery has a new survey of works by Darwin-based artists Therese Ritchie and Chips Mackinolty including many works produced at Werehaus Artists’ Collective, Green Ant Research Arts and Publishing and the original “hotbed” of protest art in the 1970s – the Tin Sheds at Sydney University. “Not Dead Yet” Developed by Anita Angel, curator of the Charles Darwin University Art Collection and Art Gallery, and features screen prints, posters, drawings, photographs, digital collage works and limited edition fine art prints and paintings. Until 14 September 14 at the CMAG, Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm Weekends from 12 noon to 4pm.

David Ford – Goanna, Turtle & Fish

THE Q, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre is the location of paintings, glass, wood work, sculpture, jewellery and a coffin by Dreamtime Coffins, part of a NAIDOC Week exhibition run in partnership with Burrunju Indigenous Community Links. The show can be seen Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm and Saturday – 10am – 3pm. All welcome.

IN the “Black Chat” series at the National Film and Sounds Archive Theatrette this Friday July 11 from 5:30-6:30pm, the NFSA’s Indigenous Connections team Peter White, Brenda Gifford, Sophia Sambono and Andrea Briggs, will be looking at Indigenous representation within film and Australia’s audio-visual heritage. FREE event.

AUTHOR and curator Adrian Newstead will launch his new book, “The Dealer is the Devil: An Insider’s History of the Aboriginal Art Trade”, billed as the first definitive history of the Aboriginal Art Market, at Nancy Sever Gallery, Kingston this Saturday, July 12 at 3pm. Also opening on the same day will be “Caring for Country,” an exhibition of works by four major landscape painters, Queenie McKenzie, Freddie Timms, Gloria Petyarre and George Tjapaltjarri.

Munyana collage

GALLERY@BCS’S RESPECT series continues with “Munyana,” a mixed media group exhibition of Aboriginal Art opening at 5:30pm tonight, Thursday July 10. All welcome. “Munyunga” means Eagle Hawk in Ngarigu language and the theme of the Munyunga Exhibition is “Kootopan” which means “One” or “Oneness”. The show continues at Belconnen Community Centre, Swanson Court, 9am-4:30pm Monday-Friday until July 25.

AS the poster shows, Canberra Philharmonic is bursting into life again with “Cabaret”, opening tonight at Erindale Theatre.  Let’s see how Philo goes with this perennial tale of decadent Nazi-era showbiz.

OLIVER Jeffers’ bestselling picture book “The Incredible Book Eating Boy” introduces Henry, who doesn’t like to read books, he likes to eat them. The story is told in song, movement and puppetry at The Street Theatre, until July 12, bookings to or thestreet.org.au or 6247 1223. Suitable for children 3-8 and their families.

Robert Schmidli

THIS Sunday, July 13 at 3pm, pianist Robert Schmidli will be performing a formidable concert of Haydn’s Piano Sonata no.34 in e minor Hob XVI/34, Mendelssohn’s Prelude & fugue in e minor, Scriabin’s Vers la flamme Op.72, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in G Major Op.31 no.1 and Chopin’s Scherzo in b minor Op.31. Bookings to trybooking.com/EOGR or from L’Arche Genesaret (Tarlie Alcock) on 6282 9066.

Nature Mache

“NATURE Mache” is an ambitious solo exhibition by local emerging artist Sui Jackson, now running at ANCA Gallery, 1 Rosevear Place Dickson, until July 27 and featuring hand-made paper which create landscapes using materials from the landscape.

THE Annual Canberra Gang Show is running at the Tim Murray Theatre, Canberra Grammar School, from July 12-19. Presented by Scouts and Guides ACT, this years’ show tells the tale of The Bean & Gone cafe attracts all types of customers. As the day goes by, all sorts of different people come and go. Each of them has a unique story to tell. Bookings to canberragangshow.com.au

Gerald and Matt Frawley with brooches by Cinnamon Lee and Kath Inglis

BILK Gallery has a blokey exhibition opening tonight, Thursday July 10 in Palmerston Lane Manuka and running until August 9. “Bro..och” is billed as a collection of brooches for all, but especially for men. Nick Bastian, Simon Cottrell, Elisabeth Holder, Catherine Truman, Johannes Kuhnen, Helen Aitken-Kuhnen, Marcus Foley, Sue Lorraine, Phoebe Porter, Mark Vaarwerk, Kath Inglis, Cinnamon Lee, Losje Skala, Jill Hermans, Nellie Peoples, Eugenie Keefer Bell, Bifei Cao and Mio Kuhnen and determined to show off “a wide selection of brooches and pins ready to adorn the chests of Canberra’s most discerning men and women (because men shouldn’t have all the fun).” Tuesday by appointment/ Wednesday to Thursday/ 11.00- 5.00 Friday 11.00 – 7.00/ Saturday 11.00 to 4.00.

A 2013 work by Shaun Hayes

SHAUN Hayes will be offering a unique insight into the process of making ceramics during a two day workshop at Strathnairn Arts. Currently EASS Artist in Resident, Hayes will demonstrate making figurines using moulded components. The course will run on July 12 + 19 so you’d better get in quickly, bookings to strathnairn.com.au/relics-of-the-modern-world-with-Shaun-Hayes/

Aaron Garlick, I exist

“PROVING My Existence” is Aaron Garlick’s first solo exhibition, exploring ideas of transition through the physical application of time. Garlick draws inspirations from classroom desks and the marks left behind by students (we’ve all been there). He is a recent recipient of the Design Institute of Australia encouragement award and CCAS studio resident. It opens at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Furneaux Street Manuka tonight, Thursday July 10 at 6pm and runs Until July 20, Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 5pm.

WATSON Arts Centre in Aspinall Street still has “EASS 2014,” until July 20, Thursday to Sunday 10am – 4pm. The show features the work of four emerging ceramic artists who graduated from the Australian National University School of Art last year: Julie Barnett, David Leake, Tanya Roberts and Fran Romano.

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SIMON Corbell has announced 3,000 people who would otherwise have lost their licences for unpaid fines have instead passed the liability back onto the Government, and through it the community.

“More than 3,000 vulnerable Canberrans have been able to keep their drivers licences since the introduction of Infringement Notice Management Plans last year,” Simon said.

“Prior to 24 May last year, there were very limited provisions to assist vulnerable people to manage outstanding motor vehicle infringement notices,” Mr Corbell said.

“If a motorist was unable to pay an infringement notice in full then a suspension would be imposed to a drivers licence, motor vehicle or right to drive until the infringement was paid.

“This was identified as a major impediment for vulnerable people, as the inability to retain a driver licence placed many at risk of job loss or financial insecurity.

“In response, the ACT government introduced the Infringement Plan Office, which allowed people who had outstanding motor vehicle infringement debts, to enter into Infringement Notice Management Plans to clear their debt.

“The plans allowed clients to pay infringement notice penalties by instalments, or discharge the infringement notice penalties by completing an approved community work or social development program, or in extreme circumstances, waiver of the infringement notice penalty.

Since the introduction of Infringement Notice Management Plans, $3,697,632 in infringements have been through the initiative and clients have made $976,140 in payments.

“Feedback received from those who have entered into plans has been very positive, with many appreciative of having flexible arrangements to pay their balance.

“The ACT government is committed to reducing red tape for the Canberra community by introducing a range of measure such as abolishing registration labels and offering registration and licence reminders via email.

“Introducing the option of payment through a plan is just another example of this commitment.”

We have no doubt those who have been able to wriggle out from their fines have given it excellent feedback.

The point remains that drivers who should be on the road rarely if ever attract fines and those who collect them often should be excluded from sharing our roads.

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By Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

The eccentricities of the Senate permitting, the government will finally get its legislation repealing the carbon tax through Parliament on Thursday.

In an attempt at control, it tried to hassle the Senate into a Wednesday vote. But, in a symbol of what this Senate is to be like, the Motoring Enthusiast Party’s Ricky Muir voted against the guillotine. That tied the numbers and the government lost.

In this vote, Muir split from the Palmer United Party (PUP) senators, with whom he has an alliance. It was a small but significant gesture – Muir wanted to say he wasn’t going to be a pushover, including (and perhaps especially) for PUP.

The government had a more important loss when crossbenchers voted with Labor and the Greens to preserve a tax cut, scheduled for next year, that was to be compensation when the carbon tax became a floating price. The Coalition has a case to feel aggrieved; in power, Labor had announced indefinite deferral of the cut, to save $1.5 billion – yet the opposition has now voted to keep it. It’s just the beginning of quite a lot of pain the government will be enduring as some budget items are rolled up, only to be rolled.

The government also isn’t getting its way with various parts of the climate policy architecture, which the crossbench declines to dismantle.

In another I-am-here-hear-me-roar moment, Muir, whose adviser is preference whisperer Glenn Druery, announced that he and PUP had agreed to oppose the abolition of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The initiative for the move came from the Muir office, not the PUP side.

You can bet that, after the carbon tax repeal vote, the Coalition will be triumphant, hailing its victory as a momentous step forward (actually backwards, to be precise). The elation will bookend Labor’s relishing the moment of its hard-fought, politically bruising victory to pass the carbon tax.

As the vote neared this week the chairman of the UK’s independent Committee on Climate Change, Lord Deben, who is a Tory and a former environment minister, this week delivered a blistering attack on Tony Abbott’s climate policy.

“Almost all the rest of the world is now fighting climate change,” he told the ABC’s Lateline. “Only Australia and to some extent Canada, but particularly Australia, is actually going backwards.”

Lord Deben said he was not fighting for a particular measure.

“If Mr Abbott wanted to get rid of the carbon charge and then have something else instead of the carbon tax, then that would be perfectly all right as long as it was going to deliver the same thing. But Australia now has miserable targets … No independent group supports Mr Abbott’s contention that he is going to replace this carbon tax with something that will work as well.”

Asked what view Abbott had conveyed to him about climate change when they met, Lord Deben said: “A view which was that this didn’t matter, that it wasn’t important, that it was in no way a priority”.

Carbon pricing is a policy that’s come full circle, wrecking Labor and Liberal leaders during its journey, and taking the country from the positive bipartisanship of 2007, when there was support from both sides for emissions trading, to a deeply partisan schism accompanied by a divisive, often highly ideological, debate.

In terms of policymaking, it has been an exercise in failure: the collapse of a broad consensus on how to deal with a serious issue that is going to preoccupy the international community in the decades ahead.

The Abbott government is doing to Labor’s carbon price policy what the Rudd government did to Howard’s WorkChoices. In each case the incoming government had a mandate because the issue had been central at the election.

The demise of WorkChoices is little lamented (except by industrial relations hardliners) because it went too far.

But the repeal of the carbon price is another matter, whatever the short-term benefit to consumers and the welcoming noises from business. It was a structural reform on a par with the GST, and it deserved a better chance than it got to be tested.

Listen to the latest Politics with Michelle Grattan podcast, with Environment Minister Greg Hunt, here.

Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.
Read the original article.

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THE Property Council/ANZ Property Industry Confidence Survey’s leading index for the September quarter of 2014 shows a downward shift in sentiment by two points to 101, which is the lowest level of confidence in the nation. A score of 100 points is considered neutral.

The quarterly survey polled approximately 2,300 property industry professionals across all Australian states and territories on their forward-looking views regarding the business and political environment, the economy, employment intentions and other factors.

Property Council ACT Executive Director, Catherine Carter, says the latest survey shows ACT property industry sentiment can likely be attributed to a slow-down in construction activity across the Territory, largely as a result of cut backs in Commonwealth Government spending.

“However, at the same time as slipping confidence in the ACT property sector, confidence in the ACT Government has lifted from -12 to -1 (or 88 to 99) points. While still in neutral territory, the lift in confidence can likely be attributed to a positive response to the ACT Government’s property stimulus package and forward infrastructure program,” Ms Carter said.

ANZ Senior Property Analyst, David Cannington, says ACT property industry confidence declined in the September quarter to be the lowest across all states and territories (at 101), largely reflecting a soft outlook for state economic growth, property construction and property sector employment.

“While the ACT economy has proven to be quite resilient, confidence has likely been weighed down by the Commonwealth Government’s fiscal repair and the likely associated public sector job losses.

“In addition, ACT residential capital growth expectations are subdued compared to other states and territories, following a soft office property outlook and the slowdown from the recent housing construction boom.”

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KATY Gallagher says Patrick Mills will be awarded the keys to the city next Friday during a public event in Civic.

Mills was a key player in the American National Basketball Association 2014 Championship win by the San Antonio Spurs.

“I know Canberrans have been eager to recognise the achievements of Patty Mills since the San Antonio Spurs were victorious over the Miami Heat in the NBA finals earlier this year,” Katy said.

“As part of the public celebration, Mills will be presented with the Keys to the City, an honour reserved for the city’s highest achievers.

The public event in Civic will coincide with the last day of ACT school holidays and the celebrations will have entertainment for the whole family. Basketball ACT will run Aussie Hoops clinics for budding basketball stars to test their skills and there will be musical entertainment. Deputy Chief Minister, Andrew Barr and Minister for Sport and Recreation, Shane Rattenbury will be present at the event.

“The formalities will take place at midday followed by an opportunity for fans to greet and have photos with Patty and his team mate from the Spurs, Aron Baynes who is a Queensland native,” the Chief Minister said.

“The pair will also be carrying very precious cargo, the Larry O’Brien Trophy, for fans to see during the celebration. The trophy has been already been to Argentina and will also visit France, Italy and Canada as part of the San Antonio Spurs Trophy tour, which will visit the home towns of the Spurs’ international players,”

“This is an historic tour for the NBA trophy as it is the first time it has visited countries outside of the United States and I am excited to see that Patty’s home town, Canberra, will be a part of this global tour.”

[Image via Wikimedia]

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CANBERRA real estate listing heavyweight Allhomes has been bought by Fairfax for a reported $50 million.

The deal, which will see Allhomes boss Tim White taking over the local management of Fairfax’s Domain website, is still subject to regulatory approval.

Real estate agencies will at least enjoy not having to pay to list on the two resources, but only time will tell how long that remains a saving.

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