Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The new roster will mean the ACT Ambulance Service will be even better placed to meet community demands.
The ACT Government will increase the number of frontline paramedics employed by implementing a new ACT Ambulance Service (ACTAS) roster.
These changes mean an additional 11 paramedic crews will be rostered on over a 24-hour period.
This will improve fatigue management practices and create a better work-life balance for paramedics. The change will also mean that ACTAS will be even better placed to meet community demands for ambulance services.
In addition, training and development requirements will be covered by rostered resources and operational resourcing flexibility will be increased. Meal breaks will also be accessed more regularly and there would be less need for paramedics to work past their shift times.
As part of the 2023-24 Budget Review, the government is investing $19.7 million over four years to enable the implementation of the new roster.
To achieve the new roster, changes need to be made to the ACTAS enterprise agreement. This agreement has been in negotiation for several months and is in the final stages of negotiation between the ACT Government and the Transport Workers Union.
Paramedics and the ambulance service perform a vital role in the Canberra community, responding to those in need when and where they need help most. This improved roster will better enable paramedics to meet those needs – while also supporting their wellbeing and professional development.
“Investing in staffing will mean paramedics will continue to enjoy rewarding careers in the ACT Ambulance Service, with improved rostering leading to better outcomes for all,” ACTAS Chief Officer Howard Wren said.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Artist Lis Johnson has completed numerous life-size bronze sculptures in Canberra.
The Federal Parliament has approved the installation of a sculpture to honour the late Senator Susan Ryan AO FAICD (1942-2020) in the Parliamentary Zone.
Senator Ryan dedicated her life to public service through many different roles.
She held public office as a Senator in the ACT and Minister in the Hawke government.
Senator Ryan also worked in senior roles across the private and public sectors.
Her distinguished career included many firsts. She was the first Senator for the Australian Capital Territory. She was also the first woman appointed to a Labor frontbench position and the first Age Discrimination Commissioner.
The life-size bronze sculpture of Susan Ryan will be adjacent to the Senate Rose Gardens eastern central entry.
The location is near where she once had an office in Old Parliament House. The art work will be in an area featuring a curved bench seat, new paving, and interpretive signage.
The ACT Government commissioned the sculpture which recognises the contribution that Susan Ryan made to Australian public life.
It acknowledges her advancement of women’s rights as a Minister and her role in creating the Sex Discrimination Act – an enduring reform that changed Australia.
Artist Lis Johnson has completed several life-size bronze sculptures. These include those of Dame Enid Lyons and Dame Dorothy Tangney, who stand adjacent to Old Parliament House, and Sir John Gorton (with Suzie Q) in Parkes.
Lis has been working closely with Susan Ryan’s family, ensuring they are involved at every stage of the work.
“We are so thrilled that the sculpture of our mother Susan Ryan will be located in the Senate Rose Gardens at the Old Parliament House,” Justine Butler, Susan’s daughter, said.
“For my brother Ben and I, this was the parliament house. We spent a lot of time there, with our mother, and we have happy memories of those gardens, so close to her office.
“My mother and her colleagues played social tennis games there in the summer, and all year round, the beautiful gardens provided an important place for Susan to think and work,” she said.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Cyrus completed a full-time traineeship working at the ACT Education Directorate within the Careers and Vocational Pathways Unit.
Embarking on an Australian School-based Apprenticeship (ASbA) provided Cyrus Wren with a rich variety of work opportunities.
He ultimately landed a rewarding full-time job in the public service.
To top it off Cyrus was named Trainee of the Year at the 2023 ACT Training Awards and was runner up at the 2023 Australian Training Awards.
In high school, Cyrus was unsure what he wanted to do next – he just knew he wanted a quick start to a good career that would pay him well.
He did some research and began an ASbA, then completed a full-time traineeship working at the ACT Education Directorate within the Careers and Vocational Pathways Unit.
He studied a Diploma in Project Management and now works as a Vocational Learning Programs Coordinator within the Directorate, supporting the kind of training he completed.
Building on his experience, Cyrus now manages administrative processes, develops internal and external publications, liaises with stakeholders, supports school staff, attends career events and presents to students.
“Through my ASbA I developed a passion for the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector which I was working in, and was helping me re-engage with school, so I wanted to help strengthen that as much as I could,” Cyrus said.
“I was lucky enough to be offered the traineeship and I accepted.”
He said the process of applying for both the ASbA and the traineeship was seamless and he enjoyed both.
“My traineeship experience was overall extremely positive for me. A highlight was that I was given the opportunity to go out to ACT public schools and do presentations to students, informing them of the different pathways that are available to them outside of university. Most commonly explaining the benefits of an ASbA and how they can use that during their career journey, how they can use that in combination with a potential university pathway, whatever it may be for them,” he said.
“I received amazing mentoring support from my colleagues which really helped reaffirm that I was in the right spot. I also had lots of support from my GTO. I had all the support I needed to face any challenges that may have come up.”
Cyrus’s goals include continuing to work with the VET sector over the next five years.
He hopes to complete a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to one day facilitate and deliver VET qualifications.
“A long-term ambitious goal of mine is to one day open my own GTO or Registered Training Organisation, or both, and support mature-aged people who want to re-enter the workforce, upskill or change careers. There is a lot of focus, support and financial assistance to help young people but there is a forgotten demographic, being older people, and I want to help support them the best that I can,” he said.
Like Cyrus, you can follow your own VET path in an industry that interests you.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
A student in the sewing program at Harvest Hope Africa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A new ACT Government program is set to support established and start-up social enterprises in Canberra.
Delivered by Canberra social enterprise advisory intermediary, The Mill House Ventures, the Social Enterprise Grants Program is now open and closes 19 January 2024.
The grants provide matched funding from $10,000 to $30,000 to support businesses like Lolendo Collections, which was started by two Canberra locals to fund their charity, Harvest Hope Africa.
**Trigger warning**:
Teachers Rebecca and Patrick Lubilanji spent a decade living and working together in Africa before moving to Canberra.
Patrick was raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After spending time working in a rape crisis centre in 2017, the pair established Harvest Hope Africa to help give girls a voice and to achieve a better life.
“The girls we support are often displaced, traumatised, very poor, and their family and friends have rejected them after becoming pregnant as a result of rape,” Rebecca said.
“Girls as young as 11 years old had nowhere to go, no real chance of finishing school or a way to create a means to take care of themselves or their newborns.
“We had already started a school in Tanzania, we knew the culture, the language and had networks on the ground, so Harvest Hope Africa was the next step.” As if running a charity wasn’t enough on top of their full-time teaching roles, Rebecca and Patrick founded a new social enterprise in 2022. They started Lolendo Collections as a revenue producing stream to help fund their charity.
“After three years running the charity, we needed a more consistent way to generate revenue aside from donations.
“We didn’t know how or where to start which is when a friend told us about The Mill House Ventures.
“They were absolutely incredible!” Rebecca said.
“They guided us each step of the way, from product idea testing to viability, and the right legal structure for our social enterprise.”
That idea was to bring the colour and beauty of African fabrics and prints to a western fashion with Lolendo Collections.
Rebecca handmakes all Lolendo items, using the proceeds from sales to help fund their charity programs.
“We have a sewing program in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to help upskill the girls,” she said.
“Some are as young as 12, so we help them finish school before moving them onto the sewing program.
“We’ve had girls say, that you won’t just learn how to sew in the program, you’ll learn how to believe in yourself again.
“With their sewing skills they’re able to set-up their own businesses or find work and start providing for themselves and their children.”
Rebecca explained that Lolendo also means pride in the local Lingala language.
“These girls have nothing, they’re deeply traumatised, shy and lacking self-worth and confidence. With the program we’re helping these girls build confidence and pride and hope for a future for themselves and their children.”
As for what’s next for Lolendo and the charity, Rebecca said their Lolendo goals are to move online, build their Etsy sales and reach beyond Canberra.
“With the charity, we hope to use the revenue from Lolendo to help fund a new program for upskilling women in hospitality. We also want to increase salaries of our staff working in the charity in Africa,” she said.
Rebecca and Patrick were part of The Mill House Ventures 2023 GRIST Program. The Mill House Ventures is a social enterprise advisory helping social enterprises across Canberra and the region bring their ideas to life.
3 practical tips from Rebecca and Patrick on how to start a social enterprise
Be brave – go with your heart. Whatever vision you have to help your society, local or beyond Canberra, you can help make our society better.
Find advisers – like The Mill House who have expertise you need to set yourself up properly, including lawyers and accountants etc.
Be informed – make sure research how to run a business, do product research including testing the viability of your product.
All the above routes are excellent for walking, as are mountains including Mount Ainslie, Mount Taylor and Mount Majura.
To really make the most of the outdoors, why not visit one of the ACT’s 90 parks? They range from urban parks to the great Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Outdoor fitness stations
There is free fitness equipment available across Canberra.
You’ll find most of them in public parks. Locations include:
John Knight Memorial Park
Theodore Neighbourhood Oval
Eddison District Park
Lake Ginninderra District Park
Haig Park
Lennox Gardens
Crace Community Recreation Park
Franklin Community Recreation Park
Moncrieff Community Recreation Park.
Our bike-friendly city offers an excellent network of shared paths and on-road bike lanes.
Incorporating bike riding into your daily commute is an environmentally friendly, affordable and easy way to increase your fitness.
Over 90 per cent of Transport Canberra buses have bike racks. There are also four bike racks in each light rail vehicle, so you can easily combine cycling with other transport methods.
You may have spotted the elevated metal baskets in parks across Canberra. These are part of a disc golf course and are available for public use.
Disc golf is like a cross between frisbee and golf using a flying discs.
There are courses in Belconnen’s John Knight Memorial Park, Eddison Park in Woden and Weston Park in Yarralumla.
Skateboarding
Whether you’re skating through the streets or doing tricks at a skatepark, skateboarding is a fun hobby that will keep you active.
There are seven major skate parks across Canberra suitable for all levels:
There are an additional 12 parks that offer skate features, so you’ll never be short of locations to practice.
If you like the idea of skating but aren’t quite ready to invest in a skateboard, you can drop into a free Learn to Skateboard session.
These are hosted by the Canberra Skateboarding Association with the help of local volunteer skateboarders.
Helmets and boards are provided, and all ages and experience levels are welcome.
Your local library might not be the first place you consider for trying out yoga, but perhaps it should be.
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of yoga books available to borrow from Libraries ACT.
With this large collection, you can find a type of yoga to meet your needs, including:
Yoga for arthritis
Yoga for people over 40
Yoga for pregnancy
Yoga for beginners
Yoga for children
Yoga for the inflexible male.
There are also e-books, audio books and DVDs available to borrow.
Northside Community Service also run free community yoga classes at the Salthouse Community Centre in Braddon.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
There are digital entertainment options for all ages and tastes.
Like many Canberrans, you may have entered 2024 with a goal of learning something new or developing a skill.
Or perhaps you’re looking for a way to save some dollars.
Maybe you’ve got the kids at home and you’re running out of ways to keep them busy.
Or, you’ve watched just about everything and are looking for something fresh.
Enter our hero: your Libraries ACT card.
You already know that your membership allows you to borrow physical books (not to mention, films, music and magazines). However, you may not be aware that it also includes a range of digital resources you can access for free from your home.
Here’s how to make the most of your library membership.
Get crafty
Creativebug is an online platform with thousands of award-winning art and craft video classes.
Learn to draw, create an accordion book, knit a pair of socks… the choices are endless. There are classes for kids and adults across topics like food and home, jewellery, art and design and paper.
Take a one-off class on a rainy day or start a 30-day creative challenge.
On-demand video classes mean you can take it at your own pace and create something special that matches your interest.
Go exploring
Check out a mangrove forest in Brazil or venture to an ancient cypress forest in central Florida – all without leaving your front door.
Your library membership gives you online access to National Geographic magazine (plus National Geographic History, National Geographic Traveler and National Geographic Kids).
There are more than 1,600 issues to explore. Each has breathtaking photography and high-quality journalism that’s sure to fill you with a sense of wonder.
The Nat Geo kids section also has videos, pictures and e-books.
Learn a language
Libraries ACT members have free access to Mango, a language learning platform with over 70 languages available.
There’s also LOTE4kids, where children can read books in languages other than English.
It’s not just international languages, either. Those learning English can access programs that can help with pronunciation, reading skills, writing and grammar.
There’s also Learn to IELTS to help people who are planning to take the International English Language Testing System.
Enjoy story time
If you’ve ever been to Giggle & Wiggle or Story Time at your local library, you’ll know just how popular these programs are with kids.
Luckily, both are available to watch on demand. Giggle and Wiggle is for children 0-2 years of age and their parents. It includes singing, dancing and sharing rhymes while boosting language development.
Story Time helps children learn pre-reading, listening and language skills.
Story Box Library is another free digital resource.
It’s a place for pre-school through to upper primary-aged children to watch stories read aloud by storytellers.
Watch a movie or show
Your membership includes access to Kanopy, a streaming service with over 45,000 films and TV series.
There’s something for every kind of viewer, including indie films, animation, world cinema, documentaries, classic films, new releases and series from BBC.
Kanopy Kids is the children’s version, with unlimited plays of enriching, educational and entertaining movies and shows.
Beamafilm is another streaming platform for movie lovers.
Libraries ACT members get eight movies or episodes per calendar month. This includes international cinema and Australasian stories.
Other digital resources include music streaming, newspapers and news, book recommendations, family history databases, games and activities, encyclopedias and much, much more.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The new chargers in Casey are suitable for all types of EVs.
Four new electric vehicle (EV) charging bays are now at Casey Market Town.
Two DC fast chargers from Evie Networks power the charging bays.
They are the first DC chargers in Canberra’s north, with more to come later this year.
There have been 46 public EV charging bays installed in Canberra with support from the ACT Government since late 2022.
The ACT now has government-funded DC fast chargers at three locations. These include the Royal Australian Mint, Hotel Realm and Casey Market Town.
“Evie is excited to open the new EV charging site in Casey, doubling the number of Evie chargers in the Gungahlin region,” Chris Mills, Chief Executive Officer of Evie Networks said.
“Earmarked as Evie’s 200th site now live on their national charging network, Evie continues to invest in and improve network reliability, whilst also ensuring the sites are powered by 100% renewable energy.”
Combined with privately funded sites, there are 160 charging bays in the ACT, powered by 135 chargers.
The ACT Government has a goal of installing at least 180 public chargers by 2025.
The new chargers in Casey are suitable for all types of EVs. Both CCS2 and CHAdeMO plugs are available for public use. Their convenient location in Casey Market Town means drivers can charge their EV while shopping.
The ACT has had the highest uptake of EV ownership in Australia.
In 2023 alone, 17 per cent of all new vehicle registrations in the ACT were zero emissions vehicles. This number is expected to keep growing in 2024.
The ACT Government is supporting Canberrans with the transition to zero emissions vehicles through stamp duty exemptions, free registration, and interest free loans.
These incentives are part of the government’s aim to electrify the city’s transport system, transitioning away from fossil fuels towards its goal of net zero emissions by 2045.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Page shops is set to become more welcoming as a gathering place through the addition of new landscaping and a shade sail.
The winning ideas in the My Little Big Idea pilot have been announced.
Selected by each local community, these are a new community bike track in Richardson and a community-driven project to enhance local events in Page.
The ideas were selected following a participatory democracy process.
Residents in Page and Richardson were invited to submit their ideas, assess them and allow the community to vote for their preferred submission.
In Page, $40,000 will be provided to the Gathering Place and Community Market project.
Local businesses, the Belconnen Men’s Shed and community members will install and maintain new landscaping and a shade sail at the local shops precinct.
The project will make the space more welcoming as a gathering place and enhance community events, including a regular community market, already held at the shops precinct.
“Page can be proud of our already active and connected community, generously supported by local businesses,” Gordon Cooper of the Belconnen Men’s Shed said.
“The enhancements to the local shop precinct will mean the space will be more welcoming and accessible and we can hold more community events, for longer, with less concerns about the weather.”
In Richardson, $40,000 will be provided to construct and maintain a new dirt ‘pump’ track.
The project will be led and maintained by Richardson Primary School, with opportunities for the Richardson community to be involved in all stages of design and construction.
It will be built on public land and once open, will be available to the wider community to enjoy.
Planning support will be provided for the community-built track through the ACT Government’s Bumps and Berms program.
“We look forward to working with our students and community members to plan and design a bike track in the space behind our school. We also look forward to the new track connecting families in our community and offering an enjoyable fitness option for young people,” Principal of Richardson Primary School Anna Wilson said.
Both projects align with the pilot’s key goal of ‘making communities more connected and resilient’ and will be accessible to a range of community members and stakeholders.
The winning ideas will be funded and implemented in 2024.
This initiative to encourage neighbourhood democracy is a commitment under the 10th Parliamentary and Governing Agreement.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
If there is one thing we know for certain, it’s that Canberrans love their food.
Throughout the year, we asked Canberrans on the We Are CBR Instagram page to tell us the much-loved cafes and restaurants they go to when craving their favourite foods.
From juicy burgers to smooth hot chocolate, flaky pastries and crunchy hot chips – these are the top-voted restaurants and cafes (in no particular order), as chosen by you.
Looking for fluffy bao buns?
Craving a juicy burger?
Looking for a succulent Chinese meal?
Hungry for some fish and chips?
A creamy hot chocolate is good for the soul!
Nothing is better than a bowl of hot chips (tomato sauce optional).
Date night doesn’t get much better than a meal at your favourite Italian restaurant:
Cool down this summer and grab an ice cream.
Bring out your inner chef at Korean BBQ.
Warm up with a big bowl of laksa.
Get your taco fix sorted at these Mexican restaurants.
Share a seafood paella at:
Slurp up some ramen at:
Grab a sandwich from:
Discover the art of sushi at its finest.
You can never go wrong with steak.
Sweet pastries make everything better, and these bakeries have the best of the best.
Go for the rice paper rolls, stay for the pho at Canberrans favourite Vietnamese.
Stay up to date with news and events in the ACT, sign up to our email newsletter: Subscribe to OurCBR
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Architect Paul Tilse believes retaining mature trees can benefit a building project.
New tree protection laws came into effect on 1 January 2024, protecting more trees on both public and private land.
The bush capital identity that Canberra enjoys today is the result of a century of care and investment. But the landscape is facing new challenges – trees are aging, the climate is warming, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, and the population is growing.
Without the right rules in place, a more densely populated Canberra could end up with fewer trees, making our city less resilient to the impacts of climate change.
From 1 January 2024, the Urban Forest Act 2023 replaces the Tree Protection Act 2005 to improve tree protection on both public and private land.
The new laws:
classify all trees on public land as protected trees
reduce size requirements for protected trees on private land to 8 metres in height or canopy width
protect some dead native trees.
Every tree in Canberra, whether on public or private land, is part of the urban forest. To protect our urban forest, Canberrans will need to continue to apply for permission to work on or around any protected tree.
While it’s important all Canberrans understand the new measures, some professions will be essential to the success of the new laws.
An architect’s perspective
Architect Paul Tilse believes retaining mature trees can benefit a building project.
ACT tree protection legislation has remained unchanged for most of his two-decade architectural career. The new laws will influence how he designs and gets approval for his projects. They will also see more built environment professionals designing to retain mature trees and employing the types of tree-sensitive measures that Paul uses with wide-ranging benefits.
“In terms of aesthetics, a house always looks more anchored into the landscape if there are mature trees around it, rather than just a blank site,” Paul said.
“Trees provide so many benefits to the occupants of the house. When there are existing trees on a block, we look at the trees’ locations, size and appearance to determine how we want to use them in our design.
“In summer, trees provide great shading… Mature trees dramatically reduce the need for air conditioning,” he said.
“I think generally people like more trees. It’s really just a matter of how you work with them to create a successful project.”
An arborist’s perspective
Arborist Ryan Winefield also recognises the benefits of the new laws.
He hopes Canberrans will see trees as assets worth preserving, rather than as obstacles.
“The new rules say that you can’t remove a tree over a certain size without approval. Basically, by reducing the size of the trees that are now protected, more trees will be protected,” Ryan said.
“Whether it be developers, whether it be builders, whether it be the homeowners, the new rules will make people stop and think. Can they remove that tree if they want to, or can they just prune it? If they really must remove a tree, how can new trees enhance their project?
“I think generally Canberrans are going to appreciate the impacts of the new tree protection rules. The rules are going to allow us to stay the Bush Capital,” he said.