The Canberra Times has a look at the predictably disfunctional social services system and discovers the staggering amounts being spent achieving not very much:
There is also an over-reliance on expensive “crisis” responses, by health authorities, police or social workers, driving up the cost of service delivery to vulnerable families. The research found that an unofficial [...]

Record store day came and went, I celebrated with a visit to Songland at Cooleman Court. The vinyl on offer was all donated and was generally what you would expect.
I picked up some groovy tunes (6 records for $10) and now just need to work out how to play them; otherwise I will [...]

Centenary of Canberra are hoping to hear from ex-Canberrans about why they love Canberra. These stories will be used in a Centenary Project called the Canberra Diaspora.
TV commercials for the Canberra Diaspora go to air on SBS this weekend, featuring former Canberrans from around Australia – and one from the US – reminiscing about the [...]

Tara from In the Taratory has sent in these pictures of the weekend’s Morris 100 extravaganza.
Got images of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email them in to images@the-riotact.com .
Here’s the slideshow:

A Labour of Love— Celebrating Landcare in the ACT is a new book being released as a part of the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival. It’s launching today
Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, has today joined local Landcare volunteers in celebrating the useful contribution they make in conserving our beautiful natural landscapes.
“The [...]

The DIY Rainbow Crossing Revolution is spreading across Australia and even appearing overseas.
Josh Chaffey spotted this beautiful example right by the lake.
Anyone fancy buying some chalk and joining in? If so send us a picture to images@the-riotact.com won’t you?

LifeCircle ACT presents a Life Matters Event Final Gifts: understanding the special awareness and needs of the dying.
A one-day gathering of speakers, community organisations and business specialising in palliative care, advanced care planning and end of life care.
Southern Cross Club
9:00-2:30pm
Saturday, July 6 2013
MC: Clair Hochstetler, Head Chaplain, Pastoral Care, Canberra Hospital
Program :
- Welcome to Country [...]

100 Bricks is a series of eights ceramics workshop for people with and without disability running in Belconnen during May and June.
The project will be structured in a series of 8 free workshops creating ceramic tiles and opened to 12 adults with and without disability, with the aim of sharing the experience through the creative [...]

Simon Corbell is calling for input from members of the community, and organisations on how the Victims of Crime Financial Assistance Scheme can be improved.
“The government recognises that crime takes an enormous physical, financial and emotional toll on its victims.” Mr Corbell said.
“The Victims of Crime Financial Assistance Scheme is one of the measures that [...]

Centenary charity has become a confused beast.
But the Chief Minister is trying to rally people behind the seriously good idea of “Dollars for Dili”:
The Dollars for Dili project directly helps thousands of young people in Dili – Canberra’s friendship city – by providing improved sanitation and health facilities. The facilities encourage more young girls [...]

Autumn is a beautiful time in Canberra, and what better way to appreciate it then with an afternoon of tree planting in the Cotter Catchment?
Join Jindii EcoSpa, SEE-Change Woden and Greening Australia at our second tree planting event to support the Jindii Sustainability Fund – a program of activities that includes planting trees and fund [...]

The National Trust are hosting an afternoon lecture “Thinking Differently About Heritage”. Former Commissioner of the National Capital Development Commission Tony Powell will be the guest speaker at the event.
In addition to his role as the NCDC Commissioner, Mr Powell was Chairman of the Darwin Reconstruction Commission post Cyclone Tracy (1975) and a leading town [...]

The ABC reports on ever more elaborate rites being laid on at the War Memorial.
Speaking as someone who used to go to the dawn service back when it fitted inside the memorial* I’m increasingly disturbed by the trend this is part of.
The national anthem will be played, the public will be able to lay wreaths [...]

The Canberra Archaeological Society has been active in local archaeology and heritage protection for most of its 50 years.
At this presentation, Helen Cook will start with a panoramic view of Canberra Archaeological Society involvement in identifying, recording, excavating, conserving and promoting cultural heritage in Gungahlin, including embarrassing photos, the ghosts of history past and [...]

This one rattled into my inbox and so I thought the Canberra community might like to know they can [and maybe would like to] vote for their favourite gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer identifying Canberran, business or organisation.
The People’s Choice award is an annual event which recognises nominees’ contributions to the LGBTIQ community [...]

Red Cross is looking for new volunteers for its MATES program, which assists socially isolated people in reconnecting to their community in the ACT and region. Volunteers are matched with participants one-to-one and meet regularly – usually for an hour or so a week or fortnight – to undertake social activities in the community. Volunteers [...]

Are you interested in becoming a Foster Carer?
Marymead’s next information session will be held at
– Marymead
– 255 Goyder Street Narrabundah
– 18 April at 6.00pm.
Children are always welcome and light refreshments are provided.
If you are unable to attend an information session but are interested in finding out about foster [...]

Nerom Eneas has found the heart of Canberra, which is apparently out the back of the Canberra Centre in Braddon, and is amused to find it empty.
Now come on guys, this is embarrassing. Where were we all that night? Why weren’t any of us hanging out at an intersection behind the mall at 11pm on [...]

For Belconnen residents ( and business owners, workers or students over the age of 16) who are eligible to vote at tomorrow nights Special AGM, I will be supporting the following candidates for the following positions:
President – Matt Watts
Vice President – Damien Haas
Secretary – Victoria Robertson
Treasurer – John Simson
There may be other candidates, but [...]

Another lovely day and so off to the Cuppacumbalong Open Day, which was part of the Tharwa 150th Anniversary. Happy birthday, Tharwa!
I was there just around noon and it seemed to be a quiet and very civilized event, with people picnicking on the lawns, playing a spot of badminton on the tennis courts or sauntering [...]

The irresistable Melanie Poole has sent through details about an upcoming conference:
‘Let’s Get Loud’ is a conference that will bring together NGOs, academics and students to
tackle critical issues in women’s rights. We will provide a deeper understanding of the
global and Australian context in which attacks on women’s rights occur.
Over the course of one day attendees [...]

[ 4 May, 2013; 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm. ] The Canberra Gay & Lesbian Qwire invites its friends, family and the wider community to a fundraising trivia night. The Qwire is a not for profit organisation which relies on fundraising events such as this to assist in covering the costs associated with the community programmes/performances we run/give. The night promises to be a fabulous [...]

Katrina has mailed this in raising some pretty fair questions:
Hi, just want to make the public aware that the BBQ’s (near the park and carpark) at John Knight Memorial Park are out of order!
Just what we needed when we arrived to host a kids bday party for 27 kids!
No sign and when I [...]

The War Memorial is explaining their changes and re-arrangements as they pursue their status as a museum rather than a memorial to the greater glory of Brendan Nelson:
This week the Sinai–Palestine and Western Front galleries will temporarily close to the public. A suite of newly redesigned galleries will be launched in this space early [...]

A dear friend of mine irregularly sends me snaps of the charity token bins at his local Waitrose supermarket in Suffolk. After discovering a similar arrangement at The Good Guys we did a brief desktop analysis.
The major findings were that:
— Tuggeranong likes Jamie Oliver better than Suffolk;
— The English support historic and [...]

Ben_Dover was roaming in the wilderness when he came across this startling piece of evidence:

Down at the foot of Mount painter, some imbecile has vandalised the park care sign. One can only wonder why? Protest at tree culling? Anti-rabbit control vendetta? Just hipsters being their usual PITA?
Who knows? The old crumblies who work on [...]

CEO of RSPCA ACT Michael Linke would like to remind people looking to buy puppies to check out the RSPCA’s Smart Puppy Buyers Guide before they make their purchase.
Apparently they’re developing a Smart Kitten Buyers Guide at the moment, but why would any smart buyer want a kitten, when they could have a [...]

In 16 years of reading ACT media releases I have never once seen an MLA go their own party at Federal Level quite like new MLA Yvette Berry is getting stuck in to the Gillard Government:
Member for Ginninderra Yvette Berry MLA, is this evening calling on her Federal Labor colleagues to reconsider its decision to [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher is taking credit for Canberra’s good rankings on immunisation of children:
ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Health Katy Gallagher MLA has welcomed the ACT results in the report on Immunisation coverage rates in Australia released by the National Health Performance Authority (NHPA).
“The report shows that the ACT has high immunisation rates for [...]

This just in from Chris at Make Hack Void:
Hi RiotACT,
As some of you already know, Make Hack Void (The Canberra Hackerspace) has been given October as the formal date Bulldozers will come knocking. The Downer Business park, where MHV resides, will be redeveloped into affordable units/housing plus a commercial district.
A possible site option in [...]

This year’s March Lifeline bookfair was arguably the most successful ever, with high attendances, high sales and a good spread of visitors and buyers through the whole weekend. Volunteers also reported that it was remarkably well organised in the setup and preparation. It comes as a shock, and an unexpected one, to all volunteers that [...]

[ 13 April, 2013 to 14 April, 2013. ]

Word reaches us that the Canberra Lapidary Club is holding their Rock Swap this weekend at EPIC:

The Canberra Lapidary Club’s Rock Swap is a fun day out for all the family.

It will be held on 13-14 April 2013 from 8.30am to 5.00pm at Wagtail Way, EPIC.

Entry is FREE!

Sieve for sapphires, pan for [...]