The national capital is more than just the heart of Australian democracy it is also top of the ballot for food lovers This article may contain links from Escape’s affiliate and advertising partners Escape may receive payments when you click on links My first visit to Canberra was at age six Kylie Minogue’s Locomotion played on the cassette deck and my sister and I played I Spy in the back seat of the family car to help pass the hours on the long drive from Melbourne The Australian capital was a side note on the way to a beach holiday We marvelled at tiny replicas of English villages at Cockington Green (before the international landmarks were added) were bored by the view from the top of Telecom Tower (now Telstra Tower) and Mum says we took a boat ride on Lake Burley Griffin that I don’t remember I’ve been three times in the past two years including for a five-day holiday with my husband and four-year-old son Call me a Canberra convert but there’s so much to love from its music and food festivals to its incredible galleries and museums and don’t get me started on the restaurant scene – chefs have abandoned posts in Melbourne and Sydney to move here With the federal election having just played out all eyes have been on Canberra – but aside from a nonpartisan tour of Parliament House Here are three great ways to experience it The capital bursts to life in spring, when fresh mornings make way for 19C days. In October, the city’s longest-running music festival, Stonefest, rocks out on the University of Canberra lawns while the Canberra Writer’s Festival (October 22-26) delivers author talks master classes and panel discussions at some of the city’s most famous addresses Prefer something a little grittier? A 20-minute drive west, in a converted 1920s homestead near the Murrumbidgee River, is Strathnairn Arts The not-for-profit provides studios for artists and runs an art gallery and gift shop stocked with treasures on land overlooking the Brindabella Mountains On your way back into town, stop by the Gallery of Small Things in Watson Canberra’s tiniest gallery was founded by local ceramicist Anne Masters and showcases emerging and established artists It also has a well-curated gift shop and cottage garden Arguably Canberra’s coolest hotel, the dimly lit Ovolo Nishi combines sustainability with style in NewActon All 85 rooms feature restored vintage furniture and original artwork self-service laundry and flexible check-in and check-out times Want something a little brighter? The 120-room Little National Hotel in Barton a stone’s throw from Parliament House and the major galleries are open 24/7 and have high ceilings and cosy fireplaces Tip: Cultural Attractions of Australia now leads premium behind-the-scenes tours of Parliament House which give you access to impressive artworks not usually seen by the public including Arthur Boyd’s Untitled (Shoalhaven Landscape) which formed the basis of the Great Hall Tapestry It also gives you access to private areas such as the press gallery Canberra is always one of the best places to be for the April school holidays The National Folk Festival kicks off in Exhibition Park with more than 350 events, including food stalls, circus acts and live music. For a moving Anzac Day experience, visit the Australian War Memorial which offers encounters with everything from barking owls to cheetahs Back in the centre of town, Questacon has been a favourite since it opened in 1998 The museum’s eight galleries and more than 200 interactive exhibits prove science and technology are fun Peer up at a giant sculpture of the moon; visit Earthquake House a simulation of a 5.8-magnitude earthquake; or see a colony of 10,000 European bees at work Mini Q is a purpose-built space for kids aged up to six years that includes a construction zone The stylish East Hotel in Kingston has a two-bedroom apartment that connects to a studio room called the Kids Cubby which sleeps up to five (or seven with additional bedding) an Xbox and minibar stocked with kid-approved treats Kids also have their own amenities and board games at the Burbury Hotel in Barton The hotel’s VIP Kids package includes a stay in a one- or two-bedroom apartment with kids’ tents activity packs and – drumroll – a popcorn machine Adults will love the free undercover secure parking Chromecast and access to the luxe Hale Gym Tip: Save on entry fees with a Gold Creek Adventure Ticket One ticket provides access to three or four venues National Dinosaur Museum and Cockington Green Gardens when temperatures average between 1C and 12C gourmands descend on the capital to enjoy the spoils of the winter season: truffles Sample the region’s prized black Périgords at markets and restaurants all over town, join a truffle hunt, or head to the annual festival dedicated to the delectable fungus Still hungry? The recently revitalised mid-century Modernist landmark at Red Hill Lookout serves up Italian fare and some of Canberra’s best views. The laid-back Lunetta Trattoria occupies the ground floor while the more elevated Lunetta is upstairs Tip: On the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, the hatted Water’s Edge is favoured by politicians, diplomats and celebrities. The must order dish from their modern Australian menu? Honey-spiced duck breast with macadamia purée, stone fruit and coffee jus. For a truly special experience, book one of their four heated outdoor dining domes, for two to 14 people, and dine under the winter stars. This article first appeared at escape.com.au  Get the latest breaking news and stocks straight to your inbox. Markets coverage, company profiles and industry insights from Australia’s best business journalists – all collated and delivered straight to your inbox every day. the peak body representing older people in Canberra has said All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCouncil on the Ageing ACT chief executive Jenny Mobbs said the council had met with Transport Canberra to go through issues with the MyWay+ system that would be challenging for seniors during the swap over "We sat with them and talked with them and explained each aspect that we thought that needed to be dealt with prior to the launch We talked about the information that needed to be tailored for seniors and not one of those things was actioned - not one," Ms Mobbs told a parliamentary inquiry Ms Mobbs said it meant the launch of MyWay+ in November 2024 happened with very little information that seniors not all of whom could access the internet or digital information "That's what led to all of the phone calls that came to us - lengthy phone calls at times - and the other complexity was that if they did manage to ring Transport Canberra they would be number 58 or 59 in the queue So they weren't going to put up with that," she said Ms Mobbs told the Legislative Assembly committee inquiry which is examining the procurement and launch of the MyWay+ system she thought the changeover would have led to fewer older people catching public transport The Legislative Assembly's standing committee on environment, planning, transport and city services is examining the procurement and rollout of the MyWay+ system which had issues on the first day of operation experienced two "minor" data leaks and is not yet completely disability access compliant 10-year contract for the public transport ticketing system Council on the Ageing ACT chief executive Jenny Mobbs on a Transport Canberra bus in August 2024 Picture by Karleen MinneyThe Greens' transport spokesman criticised Transport Minister Chris Steel for choosing to press ahead with the launch of a system that discriminated against Canberrans with accessibility needs The Minister had the power to wait until MyWay+ was actually ready to use and he chose to put Canberrans through this public transport nightmare When are we going to wake up?" Mr Braddock said in a statement NEC Australia representatives on Thursday told the inquiry a joint decision with Transport Canberra was taken not to complete an accessibility assessment before the MyWay+ system was launched but Transport Canberra officials were unable to say who made the decision and took the question on notice Mr Steel said: "We've previously expressed disappointment to the community that the work that NEC has been doing on accessibility isn't as far progressed as we would have hoped But certainly the work that they have been doing to audit will provide a good basis for improvements." said the decision not to prioritise accessibility issues made in the same year as a new 10-year disability strategy was announced was the kind of thing that made people cynical about government "The Minister for Transport expressed 'disappointment' in NEC's work on the disability accessibility of MyWay+ but NEC gave evidence that a 'joint decision' was made to launch the system without first addressing accessibility considerations This is buck passing at its finest," Mr Emerson said "Nobody expects politicians to get everything right but they want to see them front up and accept responsibility when something goes wrong "The ACT government should never have signed a contract that allowed MyWay+ to be launched without first being fully accessible for people with disability That decision has put the government in violation of several pieces of anti-discrimination legislation." Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter. Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Don't miss updates on news about the Public Service. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. The latest news, results & expert analysis. Your exclusive preview of David Pope's latest cartoon. Join our weekly poll for Canberra Times readers. We've selected the best reading for your weekend. Get the latest property and development news here. 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If you believe that this is a technical error, please contact us and tell us the location of this page Tickets to the 2025 festival are likely to sell out fast Touring music festival Spilt Milk has announced its return for 2025 The festival’s Canberra event will be held at EPIC on Saturday 13 December Super Bowl halftime performer Kendrick Lamar will headline the 2025 festival who has number one hit ‘Anxiety’ Some other artists in this year’s line-up include: Spilt Milk is known for bringing huge names to the capital Previous performers include internationally renowned artists Post Malone For more event information or to sign up to presale tickets, visit the Spilt Milk website. Produced by Kicks Entertainment, Spilt Milk first started in Canberra in 2016. The festival had a year off in 2024. A flagship event in the ACT, it benefits the local economy, tourism sector and community. It also helps to boost Canberra’s appeal as a destination among young people. Since 2016, the festival has generated huge economic value by supporting local businesses and creating jobs. This year’s festival has received funding from the ACT Government’s Major Event Fund. In addition to the Canberra event, Spilt Milk will stop in: Kendrick Lamar will headline Spilt Milk 2025 in Canberra on Saturday 13 December. Funding has been provided to over 2,500 Canberra families through the Future of Education Equity Fund. This National Volunteer Week, learn about some of our local volunteers. Construction will begin soon on the new South Tuggeranong Health Centre in Conder. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region. Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website. You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueEmergency services said said the fire started in a back room before setting the rest of the house ablaze with firefighters still working to extinguish the fire at 1.30pm on Monday Parts of the back of the house collapsed with extensive damage to the buidling according to the Emergency Services Agency Emergency services were called to the scene on Birdwood Street in Hughes just before 11am Smoke emitting from a house fire in Hughes Picture by Tim the Yowie ManThe smoke was visible across the Woden Valley at 11.15 am on Monday More than five ACT Fire and Rescue crews were at the scene Emergency services said no one was found in the home Firefighter crews were still on hand monitering the site late Monday afternoon Email her at lucy.arundell@canberratimes.com.au Lucy is the city reporter for the Canberra Times Today's top stories curated by our news team Don't miss updates on news about the Public Service Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters Your exclusive preview of David Pope's latest cartoon Join our weekly poll for Canberra Times readers We've selected the best reading for your weekend Get the latest property and development news here tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords More than 100 semi-trailers were needed to deliver the crane pieces A giant crane has arrived in Canberra to work on the Molonglo River Bridge project The crane is one of the tallest to ever come to Canberra The crane is:-capable of lifting steel beams up to 80 metres long – nearly the length of four basketball courts-has a capacity of 1,600 tonnes To aid in the construction of the new bridge Coppins Crossing Road is now closed for up to three weeks This will allow the crane to lift the steel girders into place park at the Namarag Reserve carpark off Thancoupie Crescent Please do not go beyond barriers or stop on Coppins Crossing Road the 200-metre-long Molonglo River Bridge will be the longest weathering steel bridge in Australia and the tallest road bridge in Canberra It will support the growing region and better connect suburbs in the Molonglo Valley to Belconnen and the rest of Canberra Initial works included the realignment of the northern approach road to Coppins Crossing The bridge’s foundation and substructure are now complete The superstructure of the bridge is being constructed The Australian and ACT governments jointly fund the project under the Commonwealth’s Investment Road and Rail Program For more information visit the Built for CBR website. A crowd of more than 20,000 is expected for the 1994 grand final rematch with ticket sales ahead of their round-two clash against the Brisbane Broncos That resulted in a crowd of 18,884 for the 32-22 victory over the Broncos - the biggest Canberra Stadium crowd for an opening home game since 1999 The Green Machine's record crowd for a regular season game at Canberra Stadium is 25,253 - against Wests Tigers in round 21 in 1994 - while their biggest home crowd against the Bulldogs was 20,229 two weeks earlier Canberra went on to beat the Bulldogs 36-12 in the grand final that season with the hype starting to build around the current Green Machine after their comeback victory over the Storm launched them into second on the ladder The Raiders are expecting a massive crowd for their top-of-the-table clash against the Bulldogs on Saturday Picture: The Canberra TimesIt also sparked memes of Raiders fans looking to buy grand final tickets in anticipation of what's ahead The Raiders are hoping a big showing from their members will help create a massive crowd on Saturday It's set to be the perfect afternoon for football "We're tracking for one of the biggest regular season crowds on record," said Raiders media manager Ben Pollock "We're really encouraging all of our members to show up in numbers this week "If you've got a membership that's got a seat attached to it make sure you get there "Get there early - we're expecting big numbers so the car park will fill up really quickly "There's still a fair amount of tickets left but they're selling pretty quickly so get on board early and get your tickets." The Raiders received a couple of boosts from the match review committee with Canberra centre Sebastian Kris offered an $1800 fine for an early guilty plea for grade-one dangerous contact on Nick Meaney Kris would get a $2500 fine if he fought the charge and lost The Bulldogs look set to lose second-rower Jacob Preston to suspension after he was offered a three-match ban for a crusher tackle on Gold Coast prop Tino Fa'asuamaleaui Preston will miss four weeks if he fights the charge and loses Raiders prop Corey Horsburgh has gone into concussion protocols after he went off in the 77th minute against the Storm More is expected to be known about his availability to face the Bulldogs in the next day or two while the ladder-leading Bulldogs have only lost one game this season But Raiders coach Ricky Stuart pointed out there was still a long way to go "They've been the most consistent team in the comp but it's only round 10," Stuart said after the win over the Storm "We just want to keep our heads down and keep focused on .. each training session into that week and into that game." Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Canterbury Bulldogs at Canberra Stadium Stuart told Jamal Fogarty he'd be an idiot not to accept Manly's contract offer who had spent a sleepless night agonising over telling his coach he'd be leaving Canberra Fogarty's exit from the Raiders had appeared highly likely for weeks That was particularly the case after Stuart publicly admitted Canberra could not match Manly's offer of a three-year $2.1 million deal to replace the outgoing Daly Cherry-Evans from 2026 Jamal Fogarty told Ricky Stuart about his move to Manly last week the call to leave the club where he's played his best football was never easy Raiders players celebrate Jamal Fogarty's winning penalty goal against the Melbourne Storm "It was something that I was tossing and turning It was similarly difficult for Fogarty to walk into Stuart's office last Tuesday and tell the famously passionate Raiders man he'd be leaving after four years "Obviously he could take it well or he could take it the other way I was not too sure what was going to happen Our relationship hasn't changed from then and he gave me his backing: 'You're an idiot if you don't take it' Fogarty's focus remains 300km south of Manly's northern beaches stronghold and with a Canberra side that has well-founded premiership aspirations for 2025 Sunday's 20-18 defeat of perennial contenders Melbourne was the latest proof of the Raiders' heavyweight status in 2025 and it was Fogarty who slotted the game-winning penalty goal in extra time (scoring) was more of a relief if anything," he said Far from making him regretting his decision to leave wins like Sunday's have made Fogarty more engaged than ever with Canberra's campaign "I'm not even thinking about it (leaving) to be honest," he said "We've got 20-odd games here at the Raiders and I think we're building something special." After beating both the Storm and Warriors in the opening nine rounds the second-placed Raiders now host the only top-four side they have not yet met in 2025: ladder-leading Canterbury The top end of the ladder has been foreign territory for the two sides in recent years; the Raiders haven't finished a season in the top two since 2016 and the Bulldogs' finals berth last year was their first in eight years he would've considered Saturday's clash as an unlikely top-two match-up "I probably would've thought you were kidding yourself to be honest and I think everyone probably will agree with that comment," Fogarty said "The Dogs are probably the best team in the comp at the minute Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) he would have had a decent chance of becoming prime minister Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueInstead Dutton has been ejected from Parliament and Australia's most successful party has experienced an electoral catastrophe retaining fewer than 50 seats in the lower house Dutton's generous and dignified concession revealed a side of him kept tightly hidden - institutional Dutton and what we might call strong-vulnerable Dutton The abruptly privatised former public figure who fronted shattered Liberal volunteers on election night was a model of pluralist grace and civility Barely three hours into the election count Dutton exemplified the quintessence of Australian democratic best practice - reinforcing the primacy of reading the people's verdict clearly and validating it swiftly At a personal level, that cannot have been easy given the thrashing his party received nationally and which extended, humiliatingly, to blunt rejection by his own constituents of Dickson "I said to the Prime Minister that his mum would be incredibly proud of his achievement tonight and he should be very proud of what he's achieved," Dutton told the party faithful in Brisbane after calling Anthony Albanese He offered equally warm and encouraging words for Ali France who The Brisbane seat had been Albanese's very first stop on day one of a well-executed campaign Cynics branded that first visit and subsequent ones as a stunt but Albanese insisted he was about trying to win Queensland's most marginal opposition electorate One couldn't help but notice in Dutton's election night demeanour the sharp contrast with the relentlessly negative figure who had ruthlessly skewered the Voice to Parliament in 2023 and then skited about it Nor could one miss the favourable comparison between Dutton's unhesitating acceptance of his election defeat and the infantile anti-democratic tantrum unleashed by his erstwhile idol This was all the more pertinent because Trump 2.0 (the uncut version) was on the ballot in this election too after Dutton had first welcomed the new Trumpian milieu only to carry it like a millstone as Australian sentiment soured and Trump became a serious negative Voters here had noticed Dutton's use of Trump's corrosive methodologies which involved demonising sections of the electorate - inner-city elites teal-Green-Labor cosmopolitans and journalists Branding the ABC and others as the "hate media" was pure Trump Peter Dutton embraces his son after conceding an historic election defeat Picture Getty ImagesDitto his railing against welcome-to-country statements at airports and public events and his deliberately one-sided campaigning on the Israel-Gaza war Too often, in his eagerness to enliven electoral resentments, Dutton brushed over solid reform options lunging instead for ill-conceived wedge policies like sacking public servants and ending work from home He even appointed a shadow minister for "government efficiency" The fingerprints of Trump's drain-the-swamp assault on DC bureaucrats were all over Dutton's anti-Canberra variant This was typical of the total-politics approach urged on him by right-wing media foghorns and dubious billionaires for whom everything becomes angry partisan fodder Headline-grabbing pledges to hit bureaucrats may have been badged as an economic reform but they owed more to Dutton's penchant for cultural combat than to frugal economic stewardship Small government Liberals like to say "you cannot tax your way to prosperity" This election they might have learnt a new lesson: in Australia's system of compulsory preferential voting you cannot divide your way to a broader electoral constituency Australia saw the worst of Dutton during his time as leader and only glimpsed the best of him as he left It is human to feel sorry for him as a person but bear in mind also the thousands of dedicated public officials who spent the campaign wondering if their careers would be axed Where was the Coalition's sensitivity for these anonymous Australians Ask them if they feel better off than they did three years ago and they're likely to say they feel better off than they did three days ago he flubbed a threshold test of national leadership - the requirement to advance a manifesto for all If you cannot make up ground on an uncharismatic government during a cost-of-living crunch which is straining households and sending small businesses to the wall you are either very unpopular or hopelessly unready Mark Kenny is The Canberra Times' political analyst and a professor at the ANU's Australian Studies Institute. He hosts the Democracy Sausage podcast. He writes a column every Sunday. All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueJames Godfrey, a spokesman for the Freedom Flotilla told Senator Gallagher she was "guilty of genocide" "Sixty days plus and no food and no water and no medicines and no fuel and your government is complicit in this genocide," Mr Godfrey told Senator Gallagher in a heated exchange We have to keep putting our bodies on the line and that's not right You are guilty and belong at the International Criminal Court Senator Gallagher said she had seen that behaviour through the campaign and during the pre-poll period the ACT Greens removed social media videos featuring Mr Godfrey as a volunteer for the party at the federal election but also to speak up as we have for the people of Gaza to make sure that we are doing the right thing and getting aid into Gaza," Senator Gallagher said I think Australia's role is limited in that conflict despite it being a reasonable issue for people here locally that do want to Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has been confronted by a pro-Palestine protester out the front of her local polling booth in Canberra Pictures by Jasper LindellSenator Gallagher who cast her ballot at Lyneham Primary School on Saturday morning said it had been positive on the polling booth "I think unsurprising in the sense that the choice on the ballot paper today is one that really savages Canberra and one that wants to invest in Canberra and build its role as the nation's capital," she said "So I'm hopeful that Canberrans have watched the campaign the member for Canberra] and I are hoping to be returned." FOLLOW LIVE: Australia decides 2025: Follow live coverage of the federal election Play Duration: 15 minutes 10 seconds15m Brought to you by Pia Miranda talked to Saskia Mabin about growing up in Canberra, Greta Scacchi protecting her from Weinstein, winning Australian Survivor, the 25 year anniversary of the film Looking for Alibrandi and not knowing much about tomato day.  The movie Looking for Alibrandi turns 25 today(Supplied by: ABC iView) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAs vote counting continued on Sunday one of the figures behind the Climate 200 fundraising vehicle said a swing away from Labor in Canberra's south was a result of a "brilliant" campaign effort from Ms Price and her volunteers "It's a reminder that no one can take a seat for granted," Mr Fay told The Canberra Times Ms Price on Sunday was leading ahead of second-term Labor incumbent David Smith on a narrow margin by 50.1 per cent to 49.9 per cent on a two-party preferred basis Mr Smith's primary vote was on track to be substantially the same on Saturday night as it was at the last election - 41.29 per cent fractionally down from 41.73 per cent in 2022 The Climate-200 backed Voices of Bean candidate is on track to defy a national swing towards Labor after its stunning landslide victory at Saturday's election on the cusp of defeating the party in a seat it would have been expected to retain easily Ms Price said voters living on Canberra's south side have felt "very neglected and forgotten and left behind." Jessie Price said if elected she would focus on cost of living Picture by Keegan Carroll."The two-party system has not met our needs down here," Ms Price told this masthead on Sunday a community independent that people can see; there's a groundswell of support there's that care and passion there and connection to community and there's been something to get behind." Labor's result in Bean stood in stark contrast to its results in the neighbouring seats of Canberra and Fenner where the incumbents increased their margins Alicia Payne easily retained the seat of Canberra Mr Smith said on Sunday that the results in Bean were "very tight" and suggested he would not make any declaration until postal votes are counted this week it's a great win for Labor and for those who believe in and support public service," he added David Smith was re-elected in 2022 with a swing to Labor of 3.6 per cent Picture: Dion GeorgopoulosMs Price would not say anything negative about Mr Smith suggesting perceptions that he had not been active enough in the electorate came down to party politics "And I think it does just come down to that party politics and mechanisms and where this model of a community independent is able to speak up for communities we should first and foremost be representing our community," she said Labor is waiting for the recount on Monday before dissecting what went wrong in Bean but it's understood dozens of former Greens volunteers joined Ms Price's campaign aiding her chances by shifting resources away from the minor party Party insiders believe this contributed to Mr Smith being deprived of preference flows that boosted his margin in 2022 when the Greens won 14.8 per cent of first preference votes in Bean Climate 200 donated $6 million to so-called teal candidates in 2022 and raised significantly more at this election spreading donations among 35 independent candidates The multimillion-dollar fundraising outfit founded by buisnessman Simon Holmes à Court backed four other candidates challenging Labor MPs on Saturday: former ABC journalist Peter George in Franklin Kate Dezarnaulds in Gilmore and Phil Scott in Solomon The result has been called for Labor in each of those seats The Bean electorate remains too close to call at the time of publication with more pre-poll and postal votes to be counted in the week ahead She investigates and writes about federal politics and government from the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery Dana was previously a Federal Health Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and has also been a Media Reporter at The Australian and Finance Editor at news.com.au Contact her on dana.daniel@canberratimes.com.au Dana Daniel is Senior Political Reporter for The Canberra Times Eleanor CampbellFederal Political ReporterI'm a federal politics reporter with an interest in defence and national security. Reach out at ellie.campbell@canberratimes.com.au or send confidential tips to ellie.campbell1@proton.me/Signal: eleanorcampbell.25. I'm a federal politics reporter with an interest in defence and national security. Reach out at ellie.campbell@canberratimes.com.au or send confidential tips to ellie.campbell1@proton.me/Signal: eleanorcampbell.25. Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Link copiedShareShare resultsBy chief election analyst Antony Green posted Fri at 2:00pmFriday 2 May 2025 at 2:00pmFri 2 May 2025 at 2:00pm Updated 33m ago33 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 12:05pm updated 4h ago4 hours agoMon 5 May 2025 at 8:35am | The electorate of Canberra covers 312 square kilometres or 12.7% of the ACT. It takes in the central core of old Canberra on both sides of Lake Burley Griffin, including Civic and Parliament House. It also includes northern parts of Woden Valley and eastern parts of Belconnen. (Victories by a party of government are indicated by thick coloured underlining.) Labor two-candidate preferred majorities versus the Greens were recorded at all 32 polling places used in 2022. Results ranged from 50.8% at the City polling place at Pilgrim House in Civic to 68.0% Weetangera Primary in the southern part of Belconnen. (Click on polling place for results) Payne is an economist and before her election in 2019 worked as part of the Federal Labor Opposition team as a senior policy adviser on social policy. She began her career as a researcher at NATSEM measuring the impact of policy on families. Besides her career, Payne has volunteered in the community sector for many years, working to help people facing unemployment, homelessness, addiction and isolation. Both events will be at Exhibition Park in Canberra the concert starting at 11am and the market starting at 10am The Handmade Market was already booked for EPIC Spilt Milk is usually staged in November but on Friday announced its return to Canberra at EPIC on December 13. which has provided funding to Spilt Milk through the Major Event Fund confirmed the timing of the concert was down to Kendrick Lamar's availability Kendrick Lamar is coming to coming to EPIC on the same day as the Handmade Markets supplied"Due to the headline artist's touring schedule the only available date for the Canberra leg of the festival is Saturday 2025," a statement from the government read A supporter of the markets said they doubted its patrons would want to be bombarded with "doof doof music" during the day There has also been talk that all car parking will be shifted to Thoroughbred Park And concerns about accommodation availability and WiFi capacity for the market traders "I have not seen a dumber decision in the events space," the person said The government had to defend its public transport system capacity three years ago when it was shut down due to huge crowds exiting EPIC from Spilt Milk in 2022 while the Handmade Market will close at 4pm The government remains certain both events can be put on safely "A number of other events are currently scheduled to be staged at EPIC during the proposed new date that Spilt Milk requires including the Handmade Markets," the government statement read "The ACT government places high value on the hosting of all events - from Spilt Milk to Handmade Markets - and as such is working collaboratively with all hirers of EPIC to ensure both events can go ahead "Planning has commenced to accommodate all Spilt Milk and Handmade Market patrons over that weekend This will include a comprehensive Event Control Centre traffic management and shuttle buses for Handmade Market patrons The Handmade Market attracts thousands of shoppers to EPIC Picture suppliedThe government EPIC could cope with the crowds we are confident both events can be accommodated safely for the enjoyment of all patrons Venues Canberra will manage attendance across the site in line with site capacity," the statement read "Previous event modelling shows Handmade Markets will have their patrons coming and going over the day and in 2023 the largest ingress at Spilt Milk happened after the markets typically has had its major attendance for the day "We look forward to ongoing discussions with all parties to deliver a coordinated and safe event precinct." I like telling local stories and celebrating Canberra. Email: megan.doherty@canberratimes.com.au Many ACT school P&Cs are running BBQs and more this election day. The 2025 Australian Federal Election will be held on Saturday 3 May 2025. Many schools are election day polling places. School Parents and Citizens’ Associations (P&Cs) across Canberra will operate BBQs, bake sales and more to raise funds to support their initiatives. BBQ (vegan, and gluten free sausages available), drinks, hashbrowns and cakes. From 9am–3pm (or until the BBQ runs out). BBQ (beef, chicken, and vegetarian sausages and gluten free bread available) baked goods and soft drinks. BBQ and bake sale (dairy free, vegan and gluten free options available). Sausages (including halal and vegetarian) and baked goods. BBQ and bacon & egg rolls (gluten free bread available), cake stall and book fair. BBQ and bacon and egg rolls (vegetarian and gluten free available), cold drinks, coffee, and a cake and plant stall. The school fete will be held the same day offering face painting, hair spray, milkshakes, popcorn, fairy floss, and a book stall. BBQ, egg and bacon sandwiches, and soft drinks. BBQ (including vegan option), bake sale, plants and coffee and activities for the kids. Sausage sizzle, bacon and egg rolls, vegan, gluten free options, cake stall, ice cream truck BBQ, cake stall, books and games stall and more. BBQ with traditional and vegetarian sausages, cake stall and face painting. BBQ (with vegan options) and a cake stall. BBQ, egg and bacon rolls ((gluten free and plant-based options), bake sale, and drinks. BBQ, egg and bacon rolls (until sold out), and cake and slice stall. Gluten free options available for bread and cakes. BBQ, bake stall, plant sale, bric-a-brac, face painting, badge making. BBQ (gluten free and vegan options), drinks, lolly bags, jellybean guessing jar, and cake stall. BBQ (with onion and sauce of course), drinks and baked goods. BBQ, bacon and egg rolls (gluten free and vegan available) drinks, coffee, fairy floss and a second-hand book stall. BBQ (halal, vegan and gluten free options) and a cake stall. BBQ, egg and bacon rolls, and a cake stall. BBQ, bake sale, Dutch pancakes, and popcorn. BBQ with vegetarian sausages and gluten free bread available, egg and bacon rolls, a cake stall and a raffle. BBQ, egg and bacon rolls, pulled pork and slaw rolls, vegan sausages (gluten free options available), and a cake stall. BBQ, bacon and egg rolls (with vegetarian options available), bake stall, plant stall and second-hand book sale. BBQ (gluten free available) and bake stall. Isabella Plains Early Childhood School  Bacon and egg rolls and coffee in the morning, as well as BBQ (gluten free and vegan options) cold drinks, markets, raffles and more. BBQ, bacon and egg rolls, vegetarian and gluten free options available. Cake stall and cold drinks. BBQ, bacon and egg rolls, and the vegetarian option of corn fritters, as well as cakes, books, school-made preserves, plants and more. BBQ, cakes, books and children's entertainment. BBQ, bacon and egg rolls (while they last), cake stall, cold drinks, and coffee van (to be confirmed). The French school will offer patisseries in the morning and a BBQ in the afternoon, including a ‘Galettes aux saucisses’ which is a sausage in a crepe. Cakes will be served all day. BBQ (including vegan and halal) and baked goods. BBQ, bacon and egg rolls, plant stall, book stall, and fairy floss machine. BBQ and bacon and egg rolls (until sold out). There will be vegetarian options and drinks. Play Duration: 2 minutes 37 seconds2m 37sPresented by Anthony Albanese returns to Canberra today with a bigger mandate and increased authority in his party after winning a 'thumping' majority in this weekend's Federal Election.  He's highlighted boosting productivity and visits to Jakarta and Washington as key priorities in his second term. Anthony Albanese claims victory in 2025 federal election, May 3 2025.(AAP: Lukas Coch) TranscriptSabra Lane: Anthony Albanese's victory in Saturday's federal election is one for the record books. No federal government seeking re-election since World War II has increased their vote and seats and the Albanese government has just achieved that. The Prime Minister says from today it's back to work. Political reporter Isobel Roe is in Canberra. Isabel, Anthony Albanese is back to business today. What is on his to-do list? Sabra Lane: He's got to get the factional balances right, as well as the state and territory representatives as well. Absolutely. And he's also making his policy priorities clear for this second term. What are they? Download the ABC listen app to hear more of your favourite podcasts earning well over $1 million a year and working with multinational clients such as DHL Luke Millanta is a Canberra entrepreneur who flies under the radar Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe now 34-year-old is a high school dropout turned online video game designer who has more than 23 million subscribers He could live anywhere but chooses to live in Canberra - and has even been spruiking the national capital to big overseas companies who might want to expand into Australia "I've always thought Canberra could be the tech hub of Australia," he said Picture by Gary RamageThe secret to Luke's success has been working with global brands that want to connect with the younger generation of consumers He does that by adding advertising and branded content into his video game maps particularly for the popular game Counter-Strike which millions of people play online each month Big brands want to be where the eyeballs of their consumers will be - and that's on video games 'Not having an in-game advertising strategy in 2025 is like not having a TV ad strategy in the '90s'." Luke Millanta and his girlfriend Linda Leck Picture suppliedThe addition of the branded content to the games can be subtle "The goal is to create a map that players enjoy playing on because they come back and keep playing it but it also essentially connects them to branded content," he said you're running around and playing on the map but then if you collected the Red Bull can you would be able to break gravitational rules because So it's just little cute things like that." Luke has just signed a multi-map contract with tech giant Intel which is flying him to Germany in August for a 30-minute presentation on video game map production Luke in 2020 with his Guinness World Record Luke dropped out of school at the end of year 11 Luke moved to Canberra in 2011 to "get a real job" and worked in software development for the Australian Signals Directorate he started publishing his custom Counter-Strike maps on the Steam Workshop where players can subscribe to the content they enjoy Luke had the Guinness World Record for the most followed content creator on Steam I was essentially just creating these maps as a bit of a hobby on the side of building other gaming ventures," Luke said brands were kind of looking around for new ways to connect with an audience that was now stuck at home and spending most of their time online playing games That hobby is now very much a flourishing business A video game map created by Luke to promote both Intel and Acer Picture supplied'Canberra is very liveable'And Luke has no plans to move elsewhere to keep it growing He loves Canberra - it's peaceful, easy to get around and doesn't have big crowds. (And it has his favourite restaurant, Raku the Walt and Burley.) He runs daily around Lake Burley Griffin and often has breakfast at the Portrait Gallery These companies I work with are all across Europe and the US but that would be a problem no matter where I was in Australia." Luke Millanta is a huge advocate for Canberra Picture by Gary RamageLuke has also become an ambassador of sorts for Canberra as he works with these forward-thinking global companies "Canberra could be this amazing place in terms of technology adoption You've got a local government that really supports the green-tech planned roads where you could very easily start bringing and testing self-driving cars," he said "I'm in San Francisco quite a bit and I've spoken to people doing things like Google's Waymo project and said 'If you ever want to do something outside of the United States I really love it here and I think there is so much potential." They're much happier with their son's career path these days "I worked really hard but I've also been very fortunate," he said Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueLabor's Katy Gallagher will be elected second with independent Jessie Price ahead in the southern seat of Bean albeit in a tight race with Labor's David Smith with Senator Pocock romping home with enough votes for one and a quarter quotas Senator Pocock and Gallagher have had a constructive if at times tense relationship with each looking to style themselves as the underdog in the race ACT senator David Pocock will be elected to the upper house first upending Labor senator Katy Gallagher's dominance on the first ACT Senate seat Karleen MinneyBut the result firmly places Senator Pocock at the top of the ACT pecking order Senator Gallagher congratulated Senator Pocock on his re-election saying the race was always going to be tightly contested "The nature of the ACT senate contest has changed in recent elections and I think that this result "Labor has run a strong campaign to defend Canberra against Peter Dutton's cuts and I am grateful that I appear to have gained the support of locals to continue to represent them in the federal parliament." with Senator Pocock blasting out Liberal Zed Seselja on the back of preferences from the Greens and minor parties with the Coalition disdainful of Canberrans and the public service Mr Pocock said it was difficult for lead Liberal senate candidate Jacob Vadakkedathu to be in a winnable position "We saw Peter Dutton repeatedly attacking Canberra and the public service saying that they shouldn't fund things like a convention centre Unsuccessful Liberal ACT Senate candidate Jacob Vadakkedathu said the party could not disenfranchise an entire territory Picture by Gary RamageMr Vadakkedathu said it was a disappointing result for the Liberal party in Canberra but said he respected the voters' decision "This result is a clear signal that our party needs fresh leadership with a long-term vision," he said In a shot at former opposition leader Peter Dutton and the party leadership who repeatedly singled out Canberra-based public servants and repeated the false claim that the majority of those hired since Labor came to office were based in the capital Mr Vadakkedathu said the party needed to be able to represent all Australians "Canberra is part of Australia and Canberrans are Australians," he said During the final days of the campaign, Mr Vadakkedathu publicly disagreed with the stance of his parliamentary colleagues, saying the party's policy on the public sector was unrealistic, a message he said he had reiterated in private. "I spoke to people about this, this [policy] is not helping us, our campaign here, and I conveyed that to some of the federal leaders." The Senate that senators Pocock and Gallagher will return to will be a very different one from the one they left in March. On the basis of current counting, Labor with the Greens could have a majority of Senators, obviating the need to negotiate with crossbenchers such as Senator Pocock. Tasmanian firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie could lose her seat, and it looks likely that she will be joined by former senator Rex Patrick. Senator Pocock said it would be a loss for the nation if Senator Lambie did not return but said he would continue to champion ACT issues, particularly raising the bulk billing rate. "I certainly hope Jacqui Lambie does pick up her seat, I think she's had a huge influence on the Senate and our Parliament and bringing some real world perspectives and cutting through in a way that really resonates with people," he said. "Depending on how the numbers go, there isn't that sort of same leverage on legislation, but it doesn't mean you can't make a big impact there." Senator Gallagher, who went to the election holding a bumper set of portfolios including Minsiter for Finance, Women, the Public Service and Government Services after Bill Shorten's retirement would not be drawn on which of the portfolios she would like to keep, but committed to being an advocate for Canberra at the highest levels. "I know the difference it makes having a strong Canberra voice at the decision-making table and would be honoured to serve as a minister in a second term Albanese government." Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePolice have released images of the violence behind the food court on Verity Lane after closing time An ACT Policing spokeswoman said multiple men and women were involved in the brawl and investigators were yet to identify the people The Canberra Times understands a witness filmed the alleged punch-up A public brawl was reported along Verity Lane in the early hours of April 27 Pictures suppliedThe vision shows men who appear to be involved in a fight while others are shown holding people back Images showed about a dozen people witnessed the incident The police spokeswoman said it was unclear what injuries may have occurred during the brawl or if anyone was taken to a hospital View +5 Photos"ACT Policing is seeking those involved (or anyone who can identify those involved) to come forward," she said People with information about the incident were asked to contact Crime Stoppers via the Crime Stoppers ACT website Email me on bageshri.s@canberratimes.com.au or send confidential tips to bageshri.s@proton.me This is probably not the page you’re looking for Fund Australia’s home of LGBTQ+ journalism In a controversial decision in the ongoing issues facing LGBTQIA+ rights within religious communities the Canberra Baptist Church has been expelled from its denominational association after nearly a century of affiliation This decision stems from the church’s refusal to align with the conservative stance on same-sex marriage upheld by the New South Wales and ACT Baptist Association During the association’s annual assembly held in Sydney on Saturday a decisive 65 percent of delegates voted in favour of disaffiliation with the church The association had previously reviewed its constitution in 2022 reaffirming its belief that marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman the Canberra Baptist Church has taken a different approach supporting personal conscience in matters of marriage “We believe very much that we have freedom of conscience,” Pastor Belinda Groves told ABC News “We can read the Bible really thoughtfully and faithfully we can have people here who have a very traditional view of marriage … and then we have people who are very open to having same-sex couples We will welcome everyone who comes to the church,” Groves stated The church’s disaffiliation was met with mixed emotions Members who had been part of the church their entire lives expressed both sadness and pride regarding the outcome with some sharing their joy at being able to stand up for the principles and values Others spoke of the importance of their church as an inclusive space which also recognises and celebrates Aboriginal culture and history A post shared by @canberrabaptist This is not the first church to be expelled for this issue New South Wales the Hamilton Baptist church was also expelled for their support of the LGBTQIA+ community as well The removal of these two churches marks the first time this has happened in the 150 years of the organisation the NSW and ACT Baptist Association released a statement reiterating the importance of shared beliefs among member churches The statement clarified that the decision to expel the Canberra and Hamilton Baptist churches was the result of a “clear process previously agreed by our assembly” and highlighted the association’s ongoing respect for both congregations “We don’t hold any animosity toward Canberra Baptist and Hamilton Baptist churches We still respect and love them as churches and as people,” the statement read “We have processes and resources in place to continue to support them throughout this transition and into the future.” Editorial Submissions and Enquirieseditor@starobserver.com.au Advertising and Salessales@starobserver.com.au Accountsaccounts@starobserver.com.au Copyright © Star Observer 2025 . All rights reserved. Copyright © Star Observer 2025. All rights reserved. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMembers alleged unpaid wages to security workers and unwarranted police action against a union member recently at the airport Around 12.30pm on May 1, more than 70 people gathered outside the airport and raised slogans against the Canberra Airport Group operators of the Canberra Airport and unpaid wages to some security guards working under a new contractor appointed recently has one of the worst industrial relations records "We had warned the Canberra Airport Group about the contractor before commencing here but they didn't listen to our members' concerns." Canberra Airport workers and union members protested on Thursday May 1 against the management and its appointment of a new security contractor Picture Gary Ramage'$30,000 in unpaid wages'"The contractor has only been here a couple of months and they already owe $30,000 in unpaid wages to workers When questioned they say there is something wrong with the system," Ms Ryan said workers and union members had rallied outside the airport in protest over the airport's decision to pick MSS Security for the security contract over fears of job security and poor working conditions for security staff The protestors also raised slogans in support of the union member who was allegedly arrested by the AFP at the airport three weeks ago He was here to have lunch with some airport union delegates and was intercepted by a representative of the Canberra Airport Group who had the police push him to the ground and held in custody," Ms Ryan said Protesting Canberra Airport workers on May Day claimed the new contractor has $30,000 in unpaid wages to security staff at the airport Picture Gary RamageIn an official statement following Thursday's workers' agitation and the transition and service have been seamless MSS are also the security screening contractor at 20 Australian airports." and almost 95 per cent chose to transition; their terms The employment of the security screeners is a matter for MSS Canberra Airport does not determine the terms of employment," he said Covering daily incidents in the capital city including crime. Hear anything newsworthy? Drop a hint on p.peter@austcommunitymedia.com.au or a confidential tip on petleepeter@proton.me Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Legislative Assembly committee inquiry found the Labor government's bill presented a false choice and there were better ways to provide more public housing more quickly rejecting the need to exempt all public housing projects from challenges The inquiry instead recommended amending the Planning Act to allow priority project declarations for individual public which prevent approvals from being challenged "Government should engage with the significant barriers demonstrated to building more public housing more quickly," the committee said "These barriers include diminishing public housing stock government targets that will take public housing backwards when compared to population growth a lack of engagement when community asks for more public housing in specific areas overall difficulties and delays caused by the planning system and a need to 'fix planning' and delays caused by supply Greens leader Shane Rattenbury on Thursday evening said his party would accept the recommendations and move amendments to the bill to benefit all Canberrans I can confirm the Greens will move an amendment to Labor's bill to make sure the Assembly can pass their proposal to make public social and community homes a priority project and we will be coordinating with Labor to pass this legislation for the benefit of Canberrans across the city," Mr Rattenbury said Labor introduced the bill in February that would strip the public's right to challenge development approvals for public housing and public health facilities in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal The bill would automatically classify public housing and public health facilities as territory priority projects under the ACT's planning laws Planning Minister Chris Steel said the law would mean facilities that significantly benefited the people of the ACT could be rolled out without unnecessary delays "We've seen far too many instances of delays to already approved public housing projects from costly appeals," Mr Steel said But the Legislative Assembly's standing committee on environment transport and city services rejected that view finding the government had failed to provide evidence appeals on public housing were a significant cause of low public housing stock "Government provided evidence that there had been two appeals on development applications since the Planning Act commenced in November 2023 and that the rate of appeals on public housing was low There are better ways to provide more public housing more quickly," the committee's report said A Legislative Assembly inquiry has recommended a Labor bill to exempt public housing from third-party appeals not pass Picture by Keegan CarrollThe committee instead recommended changes to the Planning Act to allow public social and community housing projects to be declared territory priority projects under section 218 of the act The government told the inquiry there were technical barriers to declaring public housing as a priority project under section 218 "Limited explanation of the nature of the technical difficulties was provided then they should be addressed via amendments to section 218 rather than via the amendment of section 216," the committee said The committee also recommended the government hand more resources to the tribunal Housing ACT and the Planning Authority to improve processes "The committee recommends that the ACT government identify areas where the development application process can be streamlined," the inquiry said recommending her party's bill should be passed by the Legislative Assembly and expanded to cover housing projects proposed by the community and social housing sector "Expanding the coverage will assist the government achieve its goal of 5000 new public community and affordable rentals by 2030 and provide certainty to the sector who work in partnership with Government to deliver these projects," Ms Tough's dissenting report said Residents' groups had told the inquiry the government's legislation was undemocratic because it stripped away the public's rights to hold the Planning Authority accountable in the civil and administrative tribunal More than 130 public housing dwellings have been held up in the past five years by appeals lodged against planning approval with nearly 95 per cent in the inner north and inner south Last month, Labor called on the Greens to support the bill arguing it was a practical plan to speed up new housing in the ACT unlike the Greens' proposal to make housing a human right that may amount to virtue signalling The best local news sent straight to your inbox every workday Make a donation and support the future of journalism and media diversity in the ACT Canberra International Music Festival / Timo-Veikko ‘Tipi’ Valve and Helen Svoboda: Cycles and Variations At Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture Perhaps that was due to this reviewer’s lack of personal understanding of the classical improvisation genre rather than fault with the performers I believe music requires melody to ensure that a listener is satisfactorily engaged but this concert offered little in the way of a tune on which to hang an audience hat This could have been avoided had the performers engaged with the audience and explained the background motivation and outcomes of their explorations into the improvisations the sounds of each piece rolled on into the next work on the program leaving listeners somewhat dazed and confused the concert lacked professionalism and polish principal cellist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra did a short introduction at the start of the concert There were many mutterings from audience members seated close to me lamenting the lack of a simple microphone to ensure that the spoken word could be heard Perhaps it may have been better not to hear one particular sentence Valve stated quite openly that he and his fellow performer had met for the first time just an hour before the concert It came across a little like the audience were about to hear a concert which may well have not been sufficiently prepared There was no question regarding the musical abilities of the performers Valve’s cello sound of the JS Bach Prelude WWV1007 in G Major was rich and sonorous and filled the entire performance space with majesty The variations associated with this piece were quite similar in nature to the Bach Prelude BWV 1010 in Eb Major which appeared later in the program There was insufficient difference to maintain real interest the bass playing of Svoboda was quite fascinating as she explored overtones and unusual playing techniques Her bow often hit the body of the wooden bass and it would have been interesting had it been explained if those percussive sounds were intended or were a slight accident of bow placement Performers need to assist their listeners particularly when venturing into new musical territory solely in order that those listeners might gain a better understanding and appreciation of a style likely to be quite a distance from their “comfort zone” This could have been quite easily achieved in this concert but was not so the end result was disappointing there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free Become a supporter Discounted venue fees to international concert tours is part of a NSW government plan to help state's struggling live music industry the finale of the Canberra International Music Festival 2025 Bungendore artist Kerry McInnis has been shortlisted for the Archibald Prize this time for her portrait of Lao-Australian Canberra artist Pearl is one of Domestic Animal Services’ dedicated volunteers National Volunteer Week runs from 19-25 May It’s a time to acknowledge and celebrate volunteers in Australia Volunteers make a positive impact on Canberra and its people This could be working with people or caring for animals or plants Pearl has been volunteering with Domestic Animal Services for six years ‘It’s the best way to start the day I usually walk dogs around the gorgeous bush trail first thing in the morning It’s so beautiful to be surrounded by nature wildlife and of course the gorgeous dogs in the morning sunshine,’ she said Pearl has spent countless hours at the shelter improving the wellbeing of dogs searching for their forever home ‘Some dogs come in very timid and seeing them grow into happy and confident dogs makes me so grateful I get to be a part of the work Domestic Animal Services do for these animals,’ Pearl said Learn more about volunteering with Domestic Animal Services. Andrew had just turned 18 when he decided to volunteer for the ACT State Emergency Service ‘Volunteering for the ACT State Emergency Service was something completely different but it also gave me the opportunity to learn new skills and trades and that training has actually helped me in my paid roles in life,’ Andrew said ‘It’s very rewarding to be able to assist the community and whether it's in Canberra or Queensland it doesn't really make a difference,’ he said Find out more about volunteering for the ACT Emergency Services Agency. The charity aims to support Canberra’s most vulnerable through access to food and necessities He believes volunteering is a key to ensuring community services can be delivered efficiently start with volunteering that does not demand much from you and then go in deeper when you are more comfortable and despite the hours I spend volunteering It has brought me in contact with wonderful people and made me stretch my capabilities,’ Manar said Learn more about HelpingACT. Casey started volunteering to make a difference She had always had grand ideas of environmental and societal change and decided she wanted to be at the forefront of this change ‘Volunteering has taught me to take initiative you can give your time and energy to something you view as important Find out more about volunteering on the Volunteering ACT website. The Storm were in position for a field goal in golden point when prop Stefano Utoikamanu was sin-binned for this incident. Controversy has struck again in the closing stages of the final Magic Round after a likely match-sealing field goal was taken off Melbourne for what the bunker deemed foul play leading up to the one-pointer Melbourne full-back Ryan Papenhuzyen struck the ball sweetly between the posts to gain a seven-point lead heading into the final five minutes of the game a late call from the bunker brought the Melbourne star back to address an episode of foul play in the attacking team’s lead up to successful drop goal Replays showed Melbourne’s lock-forward Trent Loiero’s elbow contacting Canberra Raiders skipper Joe Tapine’s head on the ground while Tapine had his grip firmly into Loiero’s throat In what was a hot-tempered match, with players from both sides seeing the sin-bin for unnecessary continuations, the bunker stepped in at what was the potential game winning moment for Melbourne to overturn the field-goal – ultimately taking points off the Melbourne score board and giving Canberra both the penalty and opportunity to get back into the match “Ryan Papenhuyzen kicks a field goal from right in front the referee though has his hands in the air he wants to talk about what happened on the ground between Loiero and Tapine to see if the field goal will stand,” Warren Smith said on Fox League this would take the field goal off the books.” Referee Gerard Sutton called over Storm captain Cameron Munster and explained: “Trent used his elbow in the tackle – he’s on report “That’s a massive call in this game,” said Fox League’s Kevin Walters said in commentary “Loiero transgressed first and cost his side a seven-point lead.” Canberra went on to win the game in golden point (20-18) after Jamal Fogarty kicked a penalty goal from in front following another infringement by Loiero – this time for a high shot on a falling Hudson Young A night to forget for the lock forward,” Smith said he lowered his contact and it was the way that Hudson Young carried the ball,” added Walters “You can see Trent Loiero say to the ref ‘what am I meant to do there sir’ but you can see the contact on the replay both Loiero incidents are no doubt penalties – however in a tightly contested game where both teams are complicit in the aggressive nature of a give and take rugby league battle – it begs the question was the bunker right to step-in and override the on-field referee’s face value judgement In the post-match press conference Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said it was a “hard one to take.” we led most of the way until the last couple of minutes.” the super-coach acknowledge there were a couple of lapses of discipline in the Melbourne team that cost them in the end “I don’t know exactly who was the instigator and who got the most away with it… but at the end of the day you can’t give the ball away in those positions.” Both Bellamy and Munster were seen to choose their words carefully in giving their true feelings after the victory was snatched away in controversial circumstances “I’ll probably get fined,” said the Melbourne captain “But I can’t remember the last time got penalised with the ball,” added Munster “Usually the advantage goes to the team that has the ball.” we played some dumb footy tonight – and I’m happy to say it.” “As much as it looked like it was in the hands of the referee we gotta be a bit more disciplined with the ball.” “We’d love to have those moments back © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved Konstantin Shamray and Paavali Jumppanen deliver a flawless showcase of their talent Marking the mid-point of the 2025 Canberra International Music Festival this recital by two equally extraordinary virtuoso pianists was emblematic of the consistently exceptional quality of performance Artistic Director Eugene Ughetti has realised in his first year at the Festival’s helm Bringing their different characters to a single stage and to the keys of the Snow Concert Hall’s magnificent Steinway Konstantin Shamray and Paavali Jumppanen were flawless both individually and when playing together for the final spectacular new piece by the Festival’s composer-in-residence Olivia Davies Shamray won both judges’ and peoples’ choice prizes at the 2008 Sydney International Piano Competition Beginning the program with George Enescu’s Chorale and Carillon-Nocturne from Pièces Impromptues (Suite No Shamray produced a luscious and majestic opening hands effortlessly touring the full keyboard leading on to the expertly crafted carillon movement with its octaves and fifths with constant deployment of the sustain pedal Then came Beethoven’s notorious ‘Hammerclavier’ Sonata No written after Beethoven had become completely deaf and regarded as his most technically challenging work for piano Shamray’s exercise of precise dynamics was breathtaking and so effective that the audience broke into applause at one inopportune moment between movements He brought the whole spectrum of colour to the score – from bright and shimmering passages of optimism to the most delicate emotive and ethereal pianissimo phrases Beethoven originally marked parts of this Sonata at metronome 138 (more than two beats a second) leading to some contemporary pianists to regard it as unplayable A standing ovation at the conclusion of this powerful and innovative Sonata was richly earned Paavali Jumppanen (raised in Finland and now resident in Melbourne) highlighted the artistry of Robert Schumann’s Humoreske in B flat Major in the second half Jumppanenn masterfully executed the push and pull of Schumann’s changing tempos and colour changes Inspired by Schumann’s long quest for the affections of Clara who would eventually become his wife and musical partner in both composition and performance this extended fantasia allows the pianist to display the full range and scope of technical ability Jumpaanen treated the audience with a masterclass Both men joined in performing Davies’ Confluence for four hands in world premiere a tribute to modernist and minimalist styles with repeated motifs under which gradual subtle changes in rhythm or notes or tempo drove the narrative line forward What made this concert especially fascinating was the difference in the performing characters of the two men Shamray conveyed an intensity and stately austerity in his expression less self-conscious and more humorous demeanour coaxing the piano to grant him what he requested of it Contribute to Limelight and support independent arts journalism Two composers from behind the Iron Curtain presented with subversive flair Baritone David Greco and Australian Haydn Ensemble achieve the tight and coordinated ebb and flow required to give lieder its life and an emphasis on Finnish and Australian Indigenous music Fantasia is a taste of the Festival in its entirety Canberra International Music Festival's Eugene Ughetti unpacks this year's program promising a "five day-long deep listening experience" Australia's next generation of orchestral players showed their stuff Log in to read the PDF version of Limelight's April 2025 magazine Check out our playlists from our latest issue Our free Weekly Newsletter delivers the latest arts news reviews and features to your inbox each Saturday Jamal Fogarty credits Ricky Stuart for the never say die attitude that has propelled the Raiders into second spot but Stuart’s passion for the club caused him a sleepless night after he decided to leave Canberra whose extra time penalty goal against Melbourne has set up a top of the table clash with the Bulldogs on Sunday was worried about how Stuart would react after learning that his most senior playmaker was departing “On Monday night I didn't really get to sleep,” Fogarty said Kaeo Weekes' match-defining try in all its glory and I just kept waking up and going to the toilet thinking about it I wasn’t too sure what was going to happen but I wanted to tell him before anyone else because of the respect that I have for him and I went into his office on Tuesday morning and told him "Our relationship hasn't changed from then and he gave me his backing The 31-year-old said Stuart had told him: "You're an idiot if you don't take it" Fogarty repaid Stuart for his support by converting a 78th minute Kaeo Weekes try from out wide to send Sunday night’s Magic Round clash against the Storm to golden point and then kicking the penalty goal to give Canberra a 20-18 win Fogarty said he felt more pressure than he did converting Weekes' try given that second spot on the NRL ladder behind the Bulldogs was at stake “That was probably the most nervous kick I've had all year,” the star halfback said it's just in front and when I put the ball on the tee I could see the Melbourne boys’ faces shatter but I’ve got a good mentor in Jarrod Croker down in Canberra and Andrew Bishop helps me out every single week “We actually practice scenarios for stuff like that I'll be like 'we’re playing Storm this week give us a penalty goal or give us a time and a score frame' and I'll pick a random spot The 20-18 win was Canberra’s fifth in a row and the third consecutive game in which they have overcome a large deficit after trailing 16-0 against the Titans 18-4 against the Dolphins and 14-0 against the Storm “I think that probably resembles our coach “Everyone in our team's playing really well but it comes back to that hunger and desire “As soon as we start thinking about ourselves we get that first half against the Dolphins so the more we can just keep focusing on us as a team keep connecting at training and away from training Waking up on Monday morning after a Magic Round win! 🙌🏻 #WeAreRaiders pic.twitter.com/RiC8VOi6iA Despite boasting a mixture of young talent and experienced players such as captain Jospeh Tapine and veteran prop Josh Papali’i Fogarty said the Raiders had bonded over team dinners After winning seven of their opening nine matches Canberra have made critics take notice and a win against the Bulldogs at GIO Stadium on Sunday would further confirm their premiership credentials The last time the Bulldogs and Raiders were in the top two spots on the premiership ladder was Round 11 1994 and they met in the grand final later that year “We wanted to get that connection and I have organised outside backs dinners that we try to do one once a month with our whole squad and Papa Taps and Tommy Starling organise the forwards,” he said “It’s just getting to know each other outside of football and build that connection then obviously once we take the field we have full confidence in each other it awesome to get my future sorted but that is in the background for me now It was something I was tossing and turning about but in the end it I was an idiot if I didn't accept it “I've got 21 or 22 odd games at the Raiders and I think we're building something special." NRL Press Conference: Storm v Raiders - Round 9 NRL Press Conference: Raiders v Dolphins - Round 8 NRL Press Conference: Titans v Raiders - Round 7