While Canberra’s rangers struggle to find any shopping trolleys I seem to have no problem coming across them right out in front of the Legislative Assembly.

Quite how and why they end up in Civic Square is a bit of a mystery, are our elected leaders dumping the things themselves after doing a spot of shopping?

If you’ve seen something around town do feel free to take a picture and email it in to john@citynews.com.au .

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AS we resign ourselves to another week of labouring we present another dose of awful parking in and around Canberra.

Gerry sent in these two.

Flynn early childhood centre… Close enuf…

To round things out I found this ACT Government vehicle proudly occupying a no parking space behind the Canberra Theatre.

I like to think the Government employee who had parked illegally walked past the dumped shopping trolleys without giving them any thought at all.

If you’ve seen a car parked particularly badly do please take a picture and email it in to john@citynews.com.au .

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ACT Policing has charged a 36-year-old man of no fixed abode following a burglary at a Braddon night club early this morning (July 28).

About 4.55am, police received a report from a staff member that a person was attempting to break into the Knightsbridge Penthouse night club through a rear window.

Police arrived at the location within minutes and commenced a search of the building. Police located a man wearing dark clothing and a black paintball mask, hiding in a storage shed in the rear courtyard. He was in possession of cutting tools, gloves and a torch.

About 5am, police arrested the 36-year-old man of no fixed abode. He was subsequently conveyed to the ACT Watch House and charged with burglary. He will face the ACT Magistrates Court this morning.

Police are urging anyone who may have any information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via www.act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

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CANBERRA’S Member for Fraser, Andrew Leigh, has a new book out, “The Economics of Just About Everything, The hidden reasons for our curious choices and surprising successes”.

Allen & Unwin are selling the hardcopy for $26.99, or Amazon have it for Kindle e-readers for a mere $9.99.

No less august a personage than Annabel Crabb has heaped high praise on it:

‘What do you get when you cross a politician with an economist? A captivating, charming, and nicely-written book. Who knew?’

The post Andrew Leigh has a book out appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

JOY Burch has announced a spectacular back flip and authors from the surrounding region will again be eligible for Canberra’s big book prize while her office has another think about what they’re doing with the event.

“The ACT Government will look at ways to improve the ACT Book of the Year prize to give shortlisted and winning authors more opportunities to promote their success” Joy Burch said.

“While this review is underway, I have also decided to defer changes that were due to come into effect for this year’s prize, limiting eligibility to ACT residents. In the past 15 years, the ACT Book of the Year has only been won once by a non-resident, and nominations from regional writers are rare.

“Artists from the immediate region make a valuable contribution to the Canberra arts sector, and have an emotional connection to it. These issues, alongside the standard of nominations we receive for the 2014 prize, will be considered as we look at ways to improve the award in future years.”

The Childers Group have expressed their delight at this decision.

“We’re very pleased that regional writers are again eligible for nomination to the ACT Book of the Year award,” said Childers Group spokesperson David Williams. “The minister has listened to the concerns expressed by the arts community and adjusted the policy as a result. It is a good decision.”

The $10,000 cash prize is open to books published in the calendar year 2013 by authors living in the ACT or those who can demonstrate a strong connection to the ACT. Nominations close this Friday, 1 August.

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An attempt at the Guinness World Record for Longest Marathon Drawing Caricatures [individual] will be held at the Canberra Hospital foyer starting on August 19th at 8am.

The current record of 48 hours is held by Gary Javier from Puerto Rico.

The 50 hour attempt by Chris Wilson is intended to raise money for the Canberra Hospital Foundation.

If so inclined you can email CbyC.GWRattempt@gmail.com to book a time to be caricatured.

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CANBERRA writer Graeme Barrow has published his 17th guidebook on walking in Canberra and the region. Titled “Walking Canberra: 101 Ways to See Australia’s National Capital on Foot” it is set mainly in the metropolitan area of the city.

Walks along rivers, creeks, wetlands and around lakes are described together with descriptions of public art trails and walks in the national arboretum.

The 160 page book has maps and photographs. It sells for $29.95.

The book is available at a number of retail outlets including Paperchain (Manuka), Dymocks, the National Library bookshop, Botanic Gardens bookshop, Electric Shadows bookshop, Dickson Newsagency and the Cooleman Court Newsagency.

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AFTER a long period sitting on the fence the Coalition of Animal Defenders (CAD) says they wish to notify the ACT public that they unequivocally condemn and disown the vandalism that has occurred at the ACT government depots of Farrer and Holder.

“It is hard to imagine what possible motive people think our volunteers might have for acts of such pointless vandalism. CAD views these acts as counter-pro-
ductive, undermining all the effort being put into monitoring the reserves for the last six weeks,” Spokesperson Robyn Soxsmith said.

“The allegations made without evidence in some of the media blaming animal activists for the vandalism is causing considerable distress amongst CAD volunteers.

“The Police have access to the membership lists of incorporated organisations such as Animal Liberation ACT and the RSPCA and have also had ample opportunity to note the registration numbers of the cars which have been used for watching the reserves. They also have CCTV footage at the Holder Depot. Despite media reports implying there is a connection, the Police have made no move to link any CAD volunteers with the vandalism.”

“CAD is as eager as anyone in Canberra to learn what the evidence actually shows,” said Ms Soxsmith.

CAD members will continue their watches on the reserves until this year’s slaughter concludes on Thursday.

[Photo via wikipedia]

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WE live in a “wide, brown land”, and yet 80 per cent of the value of our goods and services is produced in just 0.2 per cent of it – and most of that is in our city CBDs.

Catherine Carter.

The report reveals that the CBDs of Sydney and Melbourne – just 7.1 square kilometres in total – produce almost 10 per cent of all economic activity in Australia, and triple the contribution of the entire agriculture sector.

It’s clear that concentration of activity delivers economic dividends; businesses are more productive when they have access to large numbers of customers, suppliers, competitors, partners and employees.

At the same time, employees are more likely to cultivate and capitalise on their skills when they have better employment opportunities.

It is these skills that are increasingly important in our knowledge-intensive economy in which value is driven not by what we make, but by what we know.

We must be unwavering in making our CBD an attractive and productive place to do business. Encouraging the redevelopment and adaptive reuse of ageing buildings and empty sites will breathe new life into Civic and help us make the most of the knowledge economy.

We must increase the residential density of Civic, and the redevelopment of the ABC flats should be just the start.

We must also invest in good public transport that connects people with job opportunities, and businesses with customers, suppliers and partners. The Capital Metro project – with stage one linking the city to Gungahlin and Dickson Town Centre – has the potential to do that, while also creating jobs, attracting investment and revitalising our city centre.

The post Carter / Making the most of the CBD appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

THE Australian Energy Regulator has announced that submissions have been made to it by our own ActewAGL to push up electricity prices.

ActewAGL has proposed annual increases of an average 2.5% over the next five years for its distribution network. ActewAGL’s distribution charges make up around 30% of ACT consumers’ electricity bills.

ActewAGL will be presenting its proposal at a public forum on 30 July in Canberra. Members of the public are welcome to attend the forum and ask questions of ActewAGL about the proposal. The AER’s Consumer Challenge Panel will also be attending the forum to put forward its perspectives on the proposal.

Over the next nine months the AER will be scrutinizing the proposal through a public review process. Anyone interested in participating in the review will be able to make written submissions or attend a public forum.

“We would like to hear from consumers whether they think these increases are justified,” AER Chairman Andrew Reeves said.

“ActewAGL is seeking a higher return on its assets, despite investment conditions improving and the costs of financing infrastructure businesses decreasing. ActewAGL is also proposing substantial capital expenditure for the replacement of assets.”

“These factors will affect residential and business electricity bills. The AER would like to hear from consumers as we decide whether the charges and the investment that is proposed is in the long term interests of residents and businesses in the ACT.”

Submissions should be sent to the AER by 22 August 2014. A draft determination is expected to be published in November 2014, and further submissions will be invited at that time. A final determination will be made by April 2015, with new prices to commence on 1 July 2015.
ActewAGL’s proposal is available at www.aer.gov.au.

The public forum will be held at AER’s Canberra office on Wednesday 30 July at 9.15am-11:30am.

AER Canberra Office: Level 3, 23 Marcus Clarke St (Behind QT)

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THE Canberra Environment Centre is holding a chemical free cleaning workshop on Tuesday the 26th of August, where they will teach you how to make simple and inexpensive natural cleaning products.

They promise to teach participants how to make chemical free detergent, washing and dishwashing powder. The audience will leave with some samples, as well as some recipes for cleaning microwaves, ovens, floors, drains, and more.

Date: Tuesday 26th August
Time: 6 – 8pm
Location: Canberra Environment Centre
Cost: $20 per person

Limited spaces available, book on our website: www.ecoaction.com.au

[Photo by Steve Johnson, Attribution Licence]

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PM Tony Abbott has received widespread support for his forthright response to the tragic downing of the Malaysian airliner.

Robert Macklin.

We must, however, be careful to treat it as a crime rather than cause for a military response. Sending soldiers to the crash scene might not turn out to be the best option. And the PM has a well known predilection for “direct action”. Fortunately, our military leaders have learned the very recent lessons from the Bush-Cheney regime that took us down the road to hell in Iraq and Afghanistan.

ANOTHER nice PR win for Tony with the release this week of the Joe Hockey biog by Madonna King revealing that it was the Treasurer who wanted an even tougher Budget.

“In reality,” said Madonna, “[Abbott] was taking a much more cautious approach… with his eye firmly on the reaction of voters.”

Worked spiffingly too, didn’t it?

SHANE Rattenbury’s private member’s Bill to legalise marijuana for terminally ill patients is sensible and compassionate.

The draft released this week for public discussion should have come from the ACT government at a time when one American State after another is dropping most restrictions on its sale. And in the Netherlands, for example, it’s simply a non-issue. You have to wonder why its opponents want the dying to suffer.

THIS really struck home with the revelation that at least two – and possibly seven – Mr Fluffy homeowners had contracted the killer cancer, mesothelioma.

This is a tragedy of the first order. Let’s hope the Feds respond to Katy Gallagher’s pleas before it’s too late for the victims. Money doesn’t ease the pain to the loved ones of the lost.

IT looks as though the Fairfax Press – including “The Canberra Times” – is about to be clasped to the ample bosom of Australia’s richest woman, mining tycoon Gina Rinehart.

She already owns nearly 15 per cent of Fairfax and is said to be preparing a takeover bid for the rest. She’s “disappointed with the performance of the company and the decline in value of its radio assets”. I suspect she’s also not best pleased with the work of the brilliant David Pope whose scarifying cartoons put his verbose and pedestrian colleagues on the op-ed pages to shame.

FULL marks to chef de mission Steve Moneghetti in choosing

Anna Meares to carry Australia’s flag at the Commonwealth Games. She’s an ornament to her sport of cycling, and if ever a sport that produced a Lance Armstrong as druggie-in-chief, needed one…

SPEAKING of chefs, one can’t help hoping that the bubbly teenager, Laura Cassai – the real star of this year’s “MasterChef” – goes on to a great career in the food world. Thank goodness it’s over for another year and we can get back to chops and two veg (with jus).

AND what a wonderful season for the Canberra Philo whose “Cabaret” folded its tent to roars of applause. Of special delight were the warbling hoofers whose choreographer, Shasha Chen, could wow them on Broadway!

robert@robertmacklin.com

The post Macklin / Strong, soft, sad, Gina and Steve appeared first on Canberra CityNews.

ACT Fire & Rescue has extinguished a fire in an apartment on Cabena Court, Belconnen.

Fire damage to one room on the first floor unit and smoke and heat damage to the apartment.

Two fire pumpers on scene along with the Breathing Apparatus Van, Hazardous Material Unit and one Commander.

Multiple Emergency Triple Zero (000) calls were received from 11.48am.

No injuries.

investigations into the cause of the fire are underway.

One occupant safely self evacuated who had a working smoke alarm.

12:26 PM

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EVENTS ACT have announced warm up matches for the one day Cricket World Cup and we’re getting the eclectic mix of Afghanistan and Ireland!

Our lot are:

• Friday 26-Sep-14 Afghanistan v Comets / NSW 2nd XI Canberra Manuka Oval, Canberra
• Sunday 28-Sep-14 Afghanistan v Comets / NSW 2nd XI Canberra Manuka Oval, Canberra
• Tuesday 7-Oct-14 Ireland v Comets / NSW 2nd XI Canberra Manuka Oval, Canberra
• Thursday 9-Oct-14 Ireland v Comets / NSW 2nd XI Canberra Manuka Oval, Canberra

More information online.

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A ridge of high pressure lies across northern New South Wales, while a series of cold fronts from the Southern Ocean are moving across southeast Australia. This pattern is generating gusty winds over southern and central parts of the state today, which are expected to ease slightly during Wednesday before reintensifying on Thursday.

Alpine peaks in the Snowy Mountain forecast district may experience winds averaging around 80 km/h today and early Wednesday, with peak gusts to 100 km/h.

Remaining parts of the Snowy Mountains district, plus higher parts of the Illawarra, Southern Tablelands and ACT forecast districts, may experience damaging wind gusts to 90 km/h this afternoon and evening.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:

• Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
• Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
• Keep clear of fallen power lines.
• For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.

The next warning will be issued by 5:00 pm EST Tuesday.

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Circa’s “S”… seven acrobats who bend, fly, contort and hang.

It will be in town soon with its electrifying work, “S”, staged by director Yaron Lifschitz on a floating white diamond stage, with seven acrobats who bend, fly, contort and hang.

“S” fuses group acrobatics with intimate feelings, all to the music of the Kronos Quartet.

Rossi exudes enthusiasm. “What I love about Circa is the humanity, we get to be ourselves on stage, we have that freedom,” she tells “CityNews” by phone from Brisbane.

Rossi wasn’t always intended for the circus. She grew up in Brisbane and still lives at home.

“As a 15-year-old all you see is football and netball,” she says.

“I went and saw a Circa show and said: ‘That’d be kind of cool’, so joined the youth performance group Circa Zoo and fell in love with the art form. She’s a stay-at-home girl when not touring.

“I’m pretty happy with Circa right at this moment and I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be,” she reports. She’s not the only one. Nobody has left the company while she’s been there.

The coming show, “S”, Rossi says, is “definitely different… I’ve never worked on a diamond-shaped stage before but with Circa the group is always exploring different ways of moving.”

Circa’s “S”, Canberra Theatre, August 6-9, bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

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ACTEW Water is undertaking necessary work in the Tuggeranong area today which may result in temporary discolouration of water during the day.

The work will be undertaken in Greenway, and ACTEW’s modeling indicates that the work may result in a temporary risk of discolouration in Reed Street, Anketell Street, Athlon Drive, Pitman Street and Cowlishaw Street.

The work, which is expected to primarily impact commercial properties, will enable a new water main connection to allow for development to continue at the Greenway Lakeside Estate in Limburg Street, Tuggeranong.

While it is difficult to predict what degree the water will be affected, ACTEW Water will be undertaking pre-flushing of the mains to reduce flow-on effects to customers. If customers experience ongoing discolouration they should contact the ACTEW Water customer helpline on 6248 3111.

Customers are advised not to use washing machines and dishwashers during this period of possible water discolouration, as it may stain clothing or clog filters.

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Andrew Wall

THE Liberals Andrew Wall is gushingly congratulating himself for his part in pushing the completion of the Calwell Swimming Pool, due to open in September.

“This project has not been an easy one to pursue for the proprietors of Kingswim, as numerous hurdles were placed in their way by the ACT Labor Government,” Andrew said.

“The ACT Government insisted on slugging Kingswim, a family owned and operated business, with $300,000 in unnecessary commence and complete fees, making the proposition unviable at one point.

“I was pleased to be able to lobby the government to waive the fee and take them to task on this ridiculous impediment to business.

“The Kingswim swimming facility will provide over 70 jobs to the region and will cater for up to 4000 swimmers per week.

“An added bonus of the project is the flow on effect to other businesses at the centre, business will be enhanced for numerous traders as a result of the project,

“I am very proud to have played my part in ensuring this worthwhile project could proceed,” Mr Wall said.

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VARSITY Derby League (VDL), Canberra’s only gender-inclusive roller derby league, is looking for male and female new players, referees and officials and will be holding an information night on Friday 8 August at Digress Cocktail Bar in Civic at 7 pm.

No experience with roller skating or roller derby is needed as all coaching and instruction is provided by the league.

“We have two women’s teams, a men’s team and a mixed team, as well as our referees and off-skates officials, so there’s plenty of opportunities for anyone interested in roller derby to get involved,” said VDL Vice-President Jessica Robinson (AKA Jessica Rabid).

“You don’t even need to be able to skate—we’ll teach you all you need to know to be a roller derby star. So even if you think you’re too old or unfit or not the right size or shape, if you’re passionate about roller derby we’d love to have you with us.”

Potential new members are invited to the information night to find out about the special ‘fresh meat’ boot camp, meet the league’s trainers and skaters, and to ask any questions they might have about roller derby.

There will be three free intake sessions at the VDL training venue at Woden beginning from Sunday 10 August; full details will be provided at the information night.

Skaters will need quad roller skates suitable for derby, and protective gear – knee, elbow and wrist pads plus a helmet and mouth guard. Some equipment other than mouth guards may be available to borrow for the first sessions.

VDL can be contacted via:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/VarsityDerbyLeague

Email: varsityderbyleague@gmail.com

Website: www.varsityderbyleague.com

Twitter: twitter.com/VarsityDerby

About Varsity Derby League

Formed in 2011, Varsity Derby League is an independent roller derby league and non-profit organisation based in Canberra. Originally associated with the Australian National University (hence the name), in 2014 the league will be hosting four home bouts versus other leagues as well as travelling interstate for bouts and tournaments. Home bouts are held regularly at Southern Cross Stadium Tuggeranong, and the league trains at Woden.

What is roller derby?

Roller derby is a full contact sport played on quad roller skates on a flat or banked track. Two teams of five compete against each other, each team consisting of one jammer and four blockers. Jammers score a point for each member of an opposing team they pass, and the aim of the blockers is to obstruct the opposing jammer and blockers while assisting their own jammer through the pack of skaters. This results in fast-paced strategic bouts with plenty of action on all sides.

[Photo: Varsity Derby League's women's team, the DisHonour Rollers, playing against VDL's men's team, Capital Carnage. Photo by David Mackie.]

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