Catherine King, Gai Brodtmann, and Mike Kelly today all combined forces to announce a $500,000 federal grant to the Snowy Hydro SouthCare facility to aid them in providing emergency services.
Federal Member for Canberra Gai Brodtmann said the funding will provide for the construction of a training and administration centre next to the organisation’s current helicopter [...]

Canberra’s Emergency Services went on a torch lit march around Manuka on Friday night to celebrate 100 years of servicing Canberra’s community.
Some bagpipers joined them as well, because this is the kind of event where it just wouldn’t be right without some bagpipes.

Canberra’s professional and volunteer Firies will be marching through the Manuka shopping precinct to celebrate their 100th year of service to the community. Simon Corbell will march with them.
The torchlight parade will travel through the Manuka shopping precinct and will involve ACT Fire & Rescue fire fighters, Community Fire Unit volunteers as well as colleagues [...]

Today Simon Corbell said some very nice things about businesses that are making an effort to reduce waste at the 2013 ACTSmart Sustainable Business Awards breakfast.
“The quality of entries this year has been outstanding, with some accredited sites reducing waste to landfill by up to 90% over the past year,” Mr Corbell said.
“The number of [...]

Brendan Smyth is having some fun with Simon Corbell’s planning efforts with the Majura Parkway:
It was revealed that Simon Corbell as Planning Minister was asked by businesses at the Majura Park Shopping Precinct to provide on and off access from the Majura Parkway to the northern end of the Majura Park Shopping Precinct. He declined, [...]

Amidst the broader farce of a city of 300,000 maintaining its own independent legal system we have today the complaint of the departing Zed Seselja that Labor has again kiboshed moves to appoint a fifth Supreme Court Judge.
If such a judge were to do their homework there’s a fighting chance cases could be resolved within [...]

Simon Corbell is asking wood burners to help out with the air quality:
“The ACT Government has some great incentives for residents to replace their wood heater with more environmentally-friendly alternatives including an $800 rebate for a ducted gas system, and a $600 rebate for replacing it with new flued gas installations.”
“Replacing old wood heaters [...]

We received the following email about a petition from a concerned resident of Reid.
For your information Rioters:
Some publicity on the following would be great!
If you have concerns about urban planning in Canberra, support this petition! Read the comments already made which demonstrate the need for redesign of this development which Minister Corbell appears to be [...]

Simon Corbell has the happy news that the ACT has finally terminated an undeveloped lease:
The Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate (ESDD) has undertaken termination proceedings against the lessee of a residential Crown lease for a block that had remained undeveloped since 2006, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, said today.
As a consequence [...]

Good news everyone!
According to the stats in the March 2013 Criminal Justice Statistical Profile, the rates of personal and property crimes are dropping in the ACT, announced Simon Corbell today.
“I’m happy to report year on year decreases in a number of areas including robbery, burglary/break and enter, sexual offences, public order offences, property damage, assaults, [...]

It has been 80 years since the ACT Law Society rode into Canberra on horseback and tamed this anarchic and criminal city*, and now we get to celebrate with ACT Law Week!
The ACT Attorney-General, Mr Simon Corbell MLA, will officially launch ACT Law Week at a special lunch which will feature the ACT Golden Gavel [...]

“Cutting out the red tape” is a popular phrase to many people because it means less work, however this time it may also save up to $400,000 a year in the community sector claims Andrew Barr in a release today.
Expect people to like that phrase even more soon.
The ACT Government is committed to reducing red [...]

Stories of Canberra Planners has collected several interviews with Canberra’s first town planners. These will be made available to the public as a part of the Canberra and Region heritage Festival announced Simon Corbell today.
“While official records provide information on resolutions and decisions, oral histories provide individual perspectives about the big issues and turning points [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Further making us wonder what the point of the development approval system is Simon Corbell has announced another call in. (Which is a nice way to say he’s over riding the process).
Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, has today announced that he has called in and approved a $15 million office development [...]

Simon Corbell launched the Centenary Heritage Festival today.
“Canberra is an important part of the festival but this year the Capital Region will also feature heavily in the program of events to mark Goulburn’s 150th Birthday and Queanbeyan’s 175th birthday as well as the contribution that other towns like Yass, Bungendore and Braidwood make to the [...]

Simon Corbell has announced that he bypassing the approvals process to let the Brumbies big Griffith real estate deal roll on through:
Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, today announced the approval of a development proposal to build multi-unit housing on the site of the current Brumbies training facility in Griffith.
“My decision to [...]

Do you know a group or individual who does a lot for the environment? Give them a nomination then.
Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell called today for nominations for the 2013 ACT Landcare Awards.
“Landcare is a strong and lasting community movement and the Landcare awards are an important event that recognise and [...]

Simon Corbell has announced he’s got pots of proceeds of crime cash sitting around waiting for your good ideas on how to spend it to reduce crime:
Applications are now open for not-for-profit organisations and ACT Government agencies to receive a grant of up to $10,000 for crime prevention projects, Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, announced today.
“This is [...]

Simon Corbell has announced he’s going to make traffic penalties less punitive:
Disadvantaged and financially vulnerable drivers in the ACT will have additional options for dealing with their traffic and parking penalties under a new payment scheme, Attorney General, Simon Corbell, announced today.
“The scheme will include options to pay penalties in instalments, or undertake community work [...]

$10.5 million in the making, the Belconnen to City Transitway was launched today by Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Shane Rattenbury.
Or at least that’s what the press release says. In reality it has not yet been launched, but what can we expect from the Time Travelling bus-way.
“The Belconnen to City corridor on Barry Drive [...]

Today Simon Corbell, the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, announced Dorte Ekelund as the new Director-General of the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate.
That was a mouthful.
“It is a pleasure to announce Dorte Ekelund as the new Director-General of the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate and I welcome her to the position,” Mr [...]

Attorney-General Simon Corbell is breaking out the bubbly over the latest crime statistics:
New figures showing a continued decrease across a range of crimes in the ACT, including public order offences such as drunk and disorderly behaviour being down 22% were welcomed today by Attorney-General, Simon Corbell.
The December 2012 Criminal Justice Statistical Profile, tabled in [...]

Simon Corbell has announced today that all of the 28 recommendations made by the Getting Home Safely report have been accepted by the ACT government.
“Work has already started within Government. We will introduce a package of measures to ensure the implementation of the recommendations and will ensure the improvements we make are sustainable.”
Mr Corbell said [...]

As every true Canberran knows, the best way to improve one’s KPIs is to doctor them. Katy’s approach is to fudge the raw data, however Simon has got a new technique.
If you’ve got concerns about the proportion of clients that think the advocacy services provided by the Public Advocate of the ACT are of [...]

If we really all were enamoured of Simon Corbell’s plastic bag laws one would imagine he wouldn’t need to tell us about it.
A new survey of the use of plastic shopping bags in the ACT has shown that 70% of Canberrans want to see the ban of lightweight plastic bags continue while 66% of people [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the launch of the latest “Canberra and Queanbeyan Cycling and Walking Map”:
“Canberrans love to get out and about and enjoy all of the walking and cycling paths our city has to offer and now the latest update to the walking and cycling map will give greater certainty during journey planning and [...]

Perhaps my social circles are too narrow, but I’m yet to meet anyone who gives a damn about gift cards.
Simon Corbell on the other hand appears to care about them deeply and has again taken up cudgels on the issue.
“It is important that consumers know their rights and get maximum use from their gift-cards which [...]

Simon Corbell has announced he’s called in the development of Flynn Primary:
“I have called in the development so work can commence as soon as possible on the second stage of this important community facility for the Flynn community,” Mr Corbell said.
“The community hub in Flynn will be a great benefit to Flynn and Belconnen residents. [...]

Mr Simon Corbell MLA
Attorney-General for the Australian Capital Territory
GPO Box 1020, Canberra, ACT, 2601
Dear Mr Corbell
I am writing as a resident of the Australian Capital Territory, and as a constituent of the Electorate of Molonglo, to express my concern and anxiety regarding the willingness of the ACT judiciary – in particular the Justices of the [...]

Attorney-General Simon Corbell has announced the release of a discussion paper “Judicial Complaints and Arrangement of Court business”:
“The scope of the current Judicial Commissions Act 1994 in the ACT is too narrow to allow the executive due consideration of a matter based on its level of severity,” Mr Corbell said.
“Currently, when a serious complaint is [...]