Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

In brief:

• A new park on Aspinall Street, Watson is now open.
• It provides families a vibrant new space to play and learn more about Ngunnawal culture.
• It is part of the Section 76 Watson site, which will include new housing.

---

The new Maliyan Park in north Watson is now open.

It is located on Aspinall Street, near the Negus Crescent intersection.

This new neighbourhood park celebrates Ngunnawal culture through:

• vibrant artwork
• new trees and plantings
• diverse play equipment.

It was designed with the aim of sharing Ngunnawal culture while enjoying time outdoors.

The park’s centrepiece is a Maliyan (wedge-tailed eagle) structure. This was designed by Ngunnawal artist Lynnice Church.

The impressive structure signifies the Maliyan’s importance to the traditional custodians. It is believed she was chosen to create resources for Ngunnawal people.

Other artworks include native animals and insects designed by Ngunnawal artists Jazz and Krystal Matthews from Wilay Designs.

The park also features a selection of endemic plants with a special and practical connection to Ngunnawal community and culture.

Visitors will find play equipment for a range of ages and play styles. There is nature play, swings, slides, climbers and spinners.

Older children and adults can make use of exercise equipment and a kick-around space.

Maliyan Park is a unique space for local families to play, relax and learn more about Ngunnawal culture.

It is part of the Section 76 Watson site that will provide for:

• approximately 200 new homes
• a demonstration housing project of approximately 20 to 30 homes while keeping high-quality trees to continue to provide habitat for wildlife and reduce urban heat.

Section 76 was developed in consultation with the community. This includes input from the Dhawura Ngunnawal Caring for Country Committee.

^{There is play equipment for a range of ages and play styles.}

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

Designs have been released for the new South Tuggeranong Health Centre in Conder.

The Development Application (DA) has also been publicly notified.

This marks a significant milestone in the project, which will ensure South Tuggeranong residents have access to more health services closer to home.

This follows extensive consultation last year, with the designs reflecting community input.

The DA lodgement gives the community another opportunity to provide feedback on the designs.

South Tuggeranong Health Centre services

The centre will feature consultation rooms and a multi-purpose space.

These will support a range of specialities and non-government organisations to deliver services.

These will include:

• paediatrics
• pathology collection
• dementia care
• diabetes clinics
• falls and falls injury prevention
• chronic disease programs
• a virtual care space for people to access specialist services closer to where they live.

A head contractor will soon be selected.

Construction is expected to start early next year and be completed towards the end of 2025.

More health centres for Canberra

Early design work and planning is underway for new health centres in:

• North Gungahlin
• the Inner South
• West Belconnen.

The ACT Government recently completed consultation on the services for the centres in the Inner South and North Gungahlin.

You can view the plans and provide feedback until 9 September 2024.

Visit Planning ACT.

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

In brief:

• New laws will better support donor-conceived Canberrans and their families.
• New regulatory requirements for clinical practice are being introduced.
• A new ACT donor register will help donor-conceived people access family information.

---

People who use and are conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART) are now better protected in the ACT.

A new piece of legislation – the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act (2024) ­– is in place.

It requires Canberra ART providers to continue adhering to strong clinical and ethical standards.

These will better support the health and wellbeing of donor-conceived Canberrans and their families.

Improving access

The new legislation is the first stage in the ACT Government’s work to regulate and improve access to ART services in Canberra.

It supports Canberrans who:

• use ART to become parents
• are donor-conceived and wish to access information about their parents’ donor, in a timely and sensitive manner.

It also introduces regulatory requirements for clinical practice by ART providers, including:

• registration requirements
• conditions around providing clinical services
• requirements for gamete (sperm or eggs) retrieval and use
• requirements for embryo creation and storage.

“The legal regulation of the ART industry is a necessary step for all those who access fertility treatment in the territory and will help assure Canberrans that the industry is operating ethically and that they will be in safe hands while accessing treatment,” National Director of Donor Conceived Australia Aimee Shackleton said.

An ACT donor register

The new law ensures donor-conceived Canberrans will be able to access information about their parents’ donor/s from their ART providers. This includes information on genetic heritage and any half-siblings they may have.

It also establishes a donor register. A register will make it an easier, more streamlined process for donor-conceived people to find such information.

Stage 1 of the donor register

The new law sets up the first stage of the register.

Through this, donor-conceived individuals who are conceived after 29 March 2025 can access details about their donor, including identifying information. Parents will also be able to access this information, where the gametes were donated after 29 March 2025.

This first stage will also include the establishment of a voluntary register. This will start in March 2025.

This will allow for existing donor-conceived people and past donors to voluntarily add their details to the register.

“We are grateful the ACT Government has legislated to create a voluntary register enabling those who wish to make connections with family, and share vitally important medical information, to now do so in a safe and appropriate manner,” Aimee said.

Stage 2 of the donor register

The second stage will include a retrospective register for all donor-conceived individuals. There, people can access information about their parents’ donor, irrespective of when they were conceived or born, if those records still exist.

This will be put in place after extensive community and stakeholder consultation.

If you have questions about the new laws, email art.healthpolicy@act.gov.au

Read the legislation at Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2024

Find out more at act.gov.au and search ‘Assisted reproductive technology’.

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

In brief:

• Kai McKenzie changed careers from electrician to international fashion designer.
• Despite early success, he is keen to take his business to the next level.
• Advice from Canberra Business Advice and Support Service (CBASS) has helped him plan his next steps.

---

Kai McKenzie had just finished his final exam to become a qualified electrician, after four years as an apprentice. But, after being let go from his full-time electrician role late last year due to company downsizing, he decided to follow his love for fashion and create a Japanese-inspired fashion label which sold out its first public release in just five days.

Connecting with heritage through fashion

Born in Australia to a Japanese mother and Australian father, Kai said his fashion label, Minami Studios is an homage to his mother’s heritage and her maiden name.

“I don’t know if it’s a common feeling that Australians born into two different cultures experience, but I felt a void and a lack of connection to my Japanese heritage,” he said. “This has been my way of connecting with it.”

With a trip planned to Japan late last year, he started out by creating five Japanese-inspired pieces of clothing for the trip. He documented the process on his Instagram account and has now amassed 74,000 followers, both English and Japanese speaking.

“I started posting in Japanese and now 10-15 per cent of my audience is based in Japan,” he said. “I posted really consistently until something resonated,” he said.

Free CBASS business support

Although Kai has found a great way forward with Instagram and socials, he said he was totally lost when it came to running a business.

That’s when he turned to the Canberra Business Advice and Support Service (CBASS), an ACT Government-funded program that supports Canberra businesses of all sizes and stages.

The service is delivered by Anna and Candice at Lighthouse Innovation who have over 30 years of business experience. They provide advice from setting up to closing a business and everything in between.

Kai heard about CBASS from a family friend. He called that day to make an appointment and met with Anna and Candice two days later.

“It was so reassuring to meet with them,” he said. “There is so much you need to do to set-up a business, and honestly I was lost.”

“They really helped me streamline things and map out timelines for all my plans. It felt really overwhelming, but they gave me some things to focus on, which I have, and they’ve worked out really well.”

CBASS offers up to four hours of free advice to business owners, tailored to their business needs.

Looking to the future

When asked what was next, Kai said he’s working on getting some more training to improve his technical skills and launching his first full collection.

“I had my first public release of a piece just this August,” he said. “It was the Tome (pronounced Tohmeh) pant in black and Khaki. I sold out in five days, and it blew me away! I’m working on making all of those now for my customers, and progressing with the launch of my first full collection, which should be ready for release in early 2025.”

Kai said he recommends anyone thinking of starting a business head to see Candice and Anna at CBASS.

“Go and see them,” he said, “It’s been such a reassuring process.”

To find out more visit the CBASS website.

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

In brief:

• A new youth foyer will be built at CIT Woden.
• The foyer will feature accommodation for students aged between 16 and 24 at risk of homelessness.
• A service provider will run the foyer and offer culturally appropriate supports, like mentoring and cooking lessons.

---

A new youth foyer will be built at the CIT Woden campus to help young students at risk of homelessness.

Young people are on the frontline of the housing affordability crisis. The new foyer will provide a home close to study for those who are unable to live with family but want to finish their education.

As well as students who are already enrolled in education, those who are not but are ready to start can move into the foyer.

It will offer studio and single-parent family apartments for 20 students aged between 16 and 24.

It is due to be finished in 2025 and is the second in Canberra.

In the coming months, the ACT Government will appoint a service provider to run the foyer.

The provider will also deliver a range of culturally appropriate supports.

These are expected to include:

• mentoring and coaching
• life skills development such as budgeting, cooking and healthy eating
• support to engage with the local community.

The foyer integrates housing, education, future employment and life skills support, all under one roof.

The 2024–25 Budget allocated funding for the foyer’s service provision.

The Federal Government has also contributed, included in the overall funding of the CIT Woden Campus project.

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

In brief:

• Canberra’s brand-new Eating Disorders Residential Treatment Centre in Coombs is complete.
• Appointments will begin the week commencing 26 August 2024.
• The centre is Australia’s first publicly run 24/7 residential eating disorder centre.

---

The new Eating Disorders Residential Treatment Centre in Coombs is now complete.

It is Australia’s first publicly run 24/7 residential eating disorder centre. This is a brand-new service for the ACT region.

Appointments will begin the week commencing 26 August.

Residential treatments will begin in the coming weeks.

The importance of residential care

Receiving specialist care in a place that feels like home helps people apply their skills once they are ready to leave the service.

“We believe residential treatment, with 24/7 specialist eating disorder care in a home-like environment, is an essential option for successful recovery for many within the stepped system of care for eating disorders, and we’re excited to see more treatment options expanding across Australia for the more than 1.1 million Australians directly impacted each year,” Butterfly Foundation CEO Dr Jim Hungerford said.

Eating disorders can have significant impacts on the physical, psychological, and social-emotional wellbeing of all affected.

As such, the centre provides therapeutic services that include:

• specialist treatment
• intensive nutritional treatment
• psychological treatment.

Consulting with stakeholders

The centre’s completion is an important milestone for those with, or caring for someone with, an eating disorder.

The ACT Government worked with various stakeholders to finalise its design.

These include clinicians, non-government organisations, people with lived experience of eating disorders, families, carers and the wider Canberra community.

“Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) looks forward to families and carers being active participants in the vital role of the Residential Treatment Facility and to continue providing our counselling, education and support services to the broader Canberra community,” ACT Director at EDFA David Quilty said.

National charity The Butterfly Foundation also shared insights. It runs the Wandi Nerida residential recovery centre for eating disorders in QLD.

The Australian Government has supported the establishment of the Coombs centre.

It will complement other eating disorder services in the region, including the Eating Disorders Clinical Hub and the early intervention service.

Getting help for eating disorders

If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing an eating disorder or body image concerns, contact the Butterfly Foundation National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 or find support services at Butterfly.

You can also refer yourself, or someone else to the Eating Disorders Clinical Hub for support and assessment.

The centre is located at Madgwick Street Coombs in the Molonglo Valley.

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

In brief:

• Another 25 public housing townhouses will be built in Whitlam.
• They will be built through the Housing ACT Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program.
• There will be a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes.

---

There will be another 25 new townhouses built in Whitlam through the Housing ACT Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program.

The program builds new public housing in the ACT, and this development is one of its largest.

It will include a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes. This variety makes the development suitable for a range of household types – from families through to single households.

The townhouses will be built by Supply Nation accredited builder Projex Building Group.

They will all be Class C adaptable, which means they are suitable for people with a disability and allow people to age in place.

They can also be easily modified over time, should the needs of tenant change.

Providing more homes will have a significant impact on public housing waitlists.

As of 30 June 2024, 614 homes have been built and 176 homes purchased under the Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program.

A further 482 homes are currently under construction, being designed, awaiting development application approvals or in a procurement process to secure builders.

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

---

In brief:

• Kippax Fair shopping centre will be extensively upgraded.
• There will be new housing, new shops and services, a park and more.
• The ACT Government is working with the centre’s owners.

---

Kippax Fair shopping centre in West Belconnen will receive an extensive upgrade.

The ACT Government will work with the centre’s owners and invest in the upgrades. These will include:

• an expanded shopping centre
• more housing, including affordable and public housing
• community spaces, including a park and playground.

An expanded centre

The project will add new shops, places to eat and parking to the area.

A larger Woolworths and a brand-new Coles supermarket are proposed.

Work will be delivered in two stages. The first will be expansion of the east precinct, towards Moyes Crescent.

Once complete, upgrades to the existing shopping centre will start.

These will comprise more commercial and retail stores, indoor and outdoor dining venues and additional parking.

“We are excited to get on with finally turning our vision into reality, revitalising the Kippax Group Centre with new and modern full-line supermarkets, speciality shops, food and dining options, under-cover parking, housing options, and parks and public facilities,” Kippax Fair owner Philip Christodoulou said.

More housing

The project will see about 180 new homes built over the two stages of work.

Among these will be at least 24 affordable and public housing dwellings.

The new housing will incorporate ‘shop top’ housing, where homes are built above retail or business premises.

Community spaces

The project includes a proposed area for a community centre, with space for local groups to use.

There will also be a new 6,000m² park with barbecue facilities and a playground.

West Belconnen is a growing region and better access to high quality shops and services is important.

The upgrades will help transform the Kippax Fair precinct into an inviting area for the whole community.

Next steps

The plan and investment follow an extensive expression of interest process for Kippax Fair’s redevelopment.

This project is still subject to the development application process. The DA is expected to be publicly notified by mid-2025.

This will include more opportunities for the community to have a say on the final design.

More details will become available in the coming months.

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR

---

In brief:

• August is Platypus Month
• The end of winter is a great time to spot them in the region
• Learn how to take part in a platypus survey.

---

---

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR