Canberra
Some years ago in the most excellent Sydney suburb of Marrickville I had an accidental and unusual encounter with a sex worker.
It was late on a Friday afternoon and I was queuing up an ATM so I could buy a mountain of Greek takeaway from the Corinthian Tavern. There was a woman in front of me who looked like she’d been around the block a few times. She was stick-thin, wearing black heels, a sequined skirt, a boob tube, and long black gloves which went up to her elbows.
She tried repeatedly to withdraw money from her account, inserting and re-inserting her card. She started sobbing and cursing. I asked her if she needed cash for a cab or something. No, she said, but asked if she could borrow my mobile.
Continue reading "The pros and cons of having a brothel as a neighbour" »
If Macquarie Bank was capitalism’s “Millionaires Factory,’’ the Labor equivalent, at least in SA, is the powerful Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association which turns out parliamentary careers.
Indeed, click on the party’s SA website where it says “Constitution and Rules’’ and the first thing that comes up is an ad for the shoppies’ union.
The socially-conservative SDA has been extraordinary in the degree to which it has dominated the party, colouring its policies, determining its leadership and personnel, and funding its political campaigns.
Continue reading "Swipe your way to a parliamentary career" »
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emel says:
Michael be careful. Your history is not one to be overly proud of, and throwing unsubstantiated comments out there just might backfire on you. Is it not understandable that many journalists who have a keen interest in politics have had various organisational memberships in their past? Kenny shows no anger… Read more »
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emel says:
Michael be careful. Your history is not one to be overly proud of, and throwing unsubstantiated comments out there just might backfire on you. Is it not understandable that many journalists who have a keen interest in politics have had various organisational memberships in their past? Kenny shows no anger… Read more »
As the winter fog settles over Canberra and the nation’s politicians return to their electorates, there could be no more relieved Australians than the people of Queanbeyan.
Sitting just across the border from Canberra, the city’s small businesses have become a daily stage for the Leader of the Opposition to perform his stunts.
Usually directed against the proposed price on carbon, the hyped-up vitriol is mirrored in broader attacks around the country on anyone who doesn’t support his views whether they be scientists, economists or everyday Australians who dare to believe that dealing with climate change is necessary and urgent.
Continue reading "This Opposition can’t even oppose properly" »
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Not Lazy says:
Dash, You and the rest of you whiners disgust me. Your quote It’s about penalising successful people driving Australia’s wealth and rewarding the wealth destroyers and lazy arsed ALP demographic. Is just total crap. I vote Labor, I work 4 jobs am a fireman by trade and do the best… Read more »
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Bilbo says:
“...As to tax. Tax is tax. However, private companies. That is socialism…” To nationalise a private company is to take ownership and control by the state. Recent evidence of Labor Party actions (e.g. privatisation of Telstra, Qantas ,Lotto) points to the opposite. So could someone advise exactly which companies “this… Read more »
If the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, for Canberra reporters this weekend the price of vigilance will mean surrendering their freedom - albeit temporarily.
The “lock-up” as it is known in Canberra parlance, will be in play this weekend to release the Government’s carbon tax / emissions trading plan.
Commonly deployed for the federal Budget, they work like this: Reporters agree to shed all communications devices, phones, wireless computer connections etc. and enter a secure windowless room in Parliament House for a period of several hours leading up the official public release of a policy or reform.
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Cat says:
Verb: Make plans, esp. in a devious way or with intent to do something illegal or wrong. ETS (Economic Theft Setup) or rightly SFET (Scheme for Economic Theft) or MG Money Grab. I’d rather play monopoly and win Mayfair. Read more »
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Tom Daly says:
Quite obviously most people are missing the point of this Carbon tax , not seeing the ramifications of such strategy. Now , Australia will be able do, what so many other countries have failed to do , put us on an equal footing with the other economic giants of the… Read more »
Some 27 Liberal MPs were eating at a restaurant in the Canberra suburb of Kingston last Wednesday when frontbencher Christopher Pyne rose to start a rousing rendition of For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow.
There also were speeches, the main one from shadow attorney general George Brandis, and offers of assistance from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and shadow treasurer Joe Hockey.
The centre of attention was restaurant owner Portia Yeung, who stood by embarrassed, giggling into her hands as is her nervous habit.
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stephen says:
I’m sure Bob could. Read more »
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Simon says:
There is no God. Read more »
The Federal Press Gallery’s Midwinter Ball was last night and this morning Bob Brown will be calculating how much contamination from big business he has received.
Senator Brown, the Greens leader, has attended past Midwinter Balls and to my knowledge has emerged with a smile and no scars.
This year he seemed to have forgotten what it is all about. The venue, the Great Hall of Parliament House, was “insidious”, he said recently. He was forced to dine with corporate executives, and it all resembled a strategy to divide and corrupt the Greens.
Continue reading "Brown’s getting his knickers in a twist over Ball" »
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BobC says:
Discombobulated!! What a great word - especially in reference to someone called Bob (!!). Thanks AdamC for expanding my vocab!! Read more »
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antigreen says:
the GREENS are the usefull idiots ot the REDS Read more »
Today marks the centenary of the launch of the competition to design the national capital city of Australia.
On May 24, 1911, Minister for Home Affairs King O’Malley announced an international competition for the design. In 1899, the Colonial Premiers had decided that the permanent capital would be in New South Wales, not less than 100 miles from Sydney, and a Congress was held in Melbourne four months after Federation in 1901 on the planning of a capital.
Dalgety was first chosen as the site of the future capital in 1904, but four years later the Canberra Yass region was selected as a replacement. The site for the Australian Capital Territory was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia in January 1911.
Continue reading "Canberra: A bastardised version of the ideal city?" »
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Rose says:
Yeah, there’s a plethora of moronic sour grapes coming our way from those in Sydney and Melbourne – two big, dirty cities with limited attractions that are spread so far out it takes half a lifetime to get to them. People in Canberra have the highest average IQ, highest number… Read more »
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John says:
Firstly, all of you who want Canberra to drop off the map and take the politicians with them - WE PITCH THE TENT, YOU SEND THE CLOWNS! Would you prefer them knocking on your door day and night? I was born in Canberra and am not a public servant, nor… Read more »
The Property Council of Australia - in one of those surveys aimed at getting their name on every news service - has named Adelaide Australia’s most liveable city.
‘Liveable’ is such a beige term. Talk about damned with faint praise.
They used a bunch of different characteristics such as traffic congestion and housing affordability to judge each capital city.
The fact that Canberra came in second goes to show that having a rockin’ good time wasn’t a criterion. (Oh come on, the Holy Grail doesn’t count).
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CJ says:
Loved the Article Tory and totally agree. South Australia seems to lack confidence, there is always a place that has more jobs, more excitement, more mines, more beauty, more money, etc, etc. That’s always been the case & always will be. What eveyone should focus on is that what Adelaide… Read more »
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CaptainReality says:
Grew up in Adelaide, left, came back to start a family, left again (with family) because there are no jobs in my industry. I doubt that I’ll ever go back, because although I like the place, the lack of jobs makes it unliveable. Read more »
Regardless of the outcome of this hung Parliament scenario; business and vested interest groups will be the winners in the medium to long term.
Forget the current wobbliness on the stock exchange and the suspension of investment and trade by some mining companies and multi-nationals; the opportunities posed for those wishing to engage with the independents and the incoming Government far outweigh the risks.
Continue reading "A hung parliament is good news for business" »
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Farkurnell says:
When is the AEC going to bring its systems into the 21st century.2 weeks after the event we still have one seat technically in doubt.I presume the 3 Stooges will use this to justify the delay.Maybe some of Tony’s 10 billion surplus can be used on a AEC computer. Better… Read more »
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Simon says says:
Do you have to be such a Goose? Stern is here for family reasons. The Dunera Boys 70th anniversary. His father was one of the refugees aboard. Look it up. Read more »
The past few weeks have given us a mediocre campaign at best and left the electorate cynical. Can there be any other outcome when all both sides can come up with is an exchange of slogans, attention grabbing stunts and petty bickering.
Making sure they say what they believe to be safe and popular while avoiding the risks associated with delving deep into the important issues. Yes, student elections at ANU are all about shallow populism.
Wait… did you think I was talking about another election?
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Steely Dan says:
I remember one year we did actually have the engineering students along to the polls in droves, and the engineers proved they weren’t the apathetic lot we’d all assumed they were. They contributed over a third of the vote to be the largest bloc, ahead of the Arts/Law crowd, Economics… Read more »
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jim says:
I got elected into the student union, just for the union to get Chinese votes, because surprisingly I’m yellow, have asian parents but I can’t even speak mandarin. They even re-wrote my entire blurb ... just to make it sound nicer and attuned to receiving more votes. I never agreed… Read more »
The torturous negotiations over who can form a Government have taken an interesting twist, with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd arriving in Canberra as talks with crucial independents begin.
The former Prime Minister, turned backbencher, turned Labor election campaigner has arrived at the same time crucial talks with rural independents Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Queenslander Bob Katter are taking place at Parliament House.
While Mr Rudd’s office says his trip to Canberra is not directly related to an attempt to form a Labor Government with the three independents, the former PM has a good relationship with the former independents, and is understood to have contacted Mr Katter on election night congratulating him on his re-election.
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good at dumping says:
Bill Shortern at it again suggestion Shorten should be employed as an executioner full time the MP for executions a new ministry in the bag, new title too! well Krudd then Langdon were dumped by your asinine efforts so who is next Bill? gee you have tickets on your self… Read more »
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REVERSE GEAR says:
ALP wont admit that they made a huge mistake in dumping Krudd its called the sin of pride! but look where the dumping got them nowhere and its so immature of them to blame KRudd and leaks when it was Gillard and her backers that moved against Krudd and not… Read more »
Canberra just got a whole lot more boring.
With their Jedi Council-like wisdom, the ACT Government has banned the social evil that is fireworks from private sale and use in the capital.
While this decision kills off one of the few uniquely Canberran outlets of fun, it’s a pretty interesting ban from a Government that presides over laws that have enabled nobody to be convicted of murder in the last 11 years.
Continue reading "Murder’s okay, just don’t let off crackers in the ACT" »
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FARLEYAna34 says:
This is understandable that cash makes people disembarrass. But what to do when somebody doesn’t have money? The one way is to get the personal loans or sba loan. Read more »
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Melanie says:
Good point Leo and an interesting analogy, but I do think you downplay the effect fireworks have on animals! It’s a good thing that they’ve banned them, but you may be right that the legislators have their priorities scrambled in a variety of areas, and that this is partly due… Read more »
Today I am a pleased lil’ constituent. ACT Minister for Sport Andrew Barr is standing firm as negotiations with the Australian Football League, for the right to host AFL games at Manuka Oval, become crotchety.
Until recently the negotiations had been unfolding akin to a Beckett script – the AFL thrust into the superior ‘Godot’ role while the Minister slipped obediently into a plausible translation of the masters of mundane, Vladimir and Estragon.
The AFL’s asking price, a hefty $800,000 for the right to host two top flight fixtures, is a $436,000 increase on the current two-year deal which expires this year. The AFL is justifying the cash grab by suggesting that two pre-season and two competition games held in 2008 generated $1.13 million into the ACT economy.
Continue reading "Canberra’s standing up to the AFL cash grab" »
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Aussie Jack says:
What a disgrace Australia’s capital Canberra is not an Australian Football stronghold. Read more »
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AJ says:
“It has also solidified in this constituent’s mind Barr’s credibility as a future leader of the ACT Labor Party” Oh come on. Is the bar so low that ‘having the aptitude to not take an obviously bad deal’ is now a leadership quality? Read more »
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