Simon Corbell has announced the release of the 2011 State of the Environment Report (with suspiciously slick web design).
“Largely this report paints a positive picture for the ACT and I welcome the detailed report that started with the former Commissioner, Ms Maxine Cooper and finalised by current Commissioner Mr Neil,” Corbell said.
The Government has already [...]

At his press conference this lunchtime Simon Corbell was keen to stress that all the options are being considered.
But consider these two points:
1. The press conference was held on the Northbourne Avenue median strip.
2. The media release has these paragraphs:
“These cost estimates by URS Australia Pty Ltd, show that Bus Rapid Transit is estimated to [...]

Had a chat with a friend with very close ties to the ACT Liberals, I guess what the media would refer to as a ‘senior Liberal source’, who told me that Mr Seselja is in some serious trouble and has lost the support of his fellow Liberal MLA’s.  However, apparently all is not lost as there [...]

Attorney-General Simon Corbell is asking for your thoughts on people riding Segway scooters around town.
“Segways have proven to be a popular activity around Lake Burley Griffin, and the government has taken a detailed look at a range of situations where they could be used, like on or off roads,” Mr Corbell said.
“Segways operate in many [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the appointment of a part-time Presidential Member of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal:
“Elizabeth Symons is a respected member of the ACT legal fraternity, and will bring valuable experience and skills to the tribunal,” Mr Corbell said.
Ms Symons started her legal career in Queanbeyan as a family law solicitor and a [...]

Simon Corbell has put forth word that he is thinking about putting more bus stops on Adelaide Avenue:
The ACT Labor Government is investigating options for several new bus stops along Adelaide Avenue which would make public transport more available to residents of Canberra’s inner south, including Deakin, Yarralumla and Curtin, Minister for the Environment and [...]

Police Minister Simon Corbell has announced a ramp up of officers trained to perform roadside drug testing.
Mr Corbell said that the new team would provide the community with multi-skilled police officers specifically trained to target and remove high risk takers from our roads.
“The new team combines the RAPID (Recognition and Analysis of Plates Identified) and [...]

Simon Corbell has announced he’s legislating today for more court powers when dealing with child sex offenders:
“Under these tough new measures, the bill proposes to increase maximum penalties, tighten reporting requirements and introduce new prohibition orders that will limit circumstances in which registered child sex offenders can be near children,” Mr Corbell said.
“Courts will have [...]

Simon Corbell yesterday opened the Dickson wetlands with some fanfair:
Improved water quality, flood protection and an oasis for local flora and fauna are among the benefits of the newly constructed wetland in Dickson, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, announced at the official opening today.
“The Dickson wetland will provide multiple benefits for [...]

Simon Corbell has announced he’d releasing licenses for independent taxis in the ACT.
The ACT Government will begin a new trial to allow up to 25 taxis to operate independently without affiliation to Canberra’s two taxi networks, making it possible for taxi operators to offer a broader range of services to Canberrans, Attorney General, Simon Corbell [...]

Simon Corbell has announced his proposed pathways to the promised carbon neutrality of 2060.
The options are:
Pathway1: involves the use of renewable energy as the main strategy for achieving emissions reductions. The purchase of a small component carbon offsets is also included, as current modelling indicates that switching to renewable energy for the total ACT electricity [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher has announced the news leaked last Friday that Chris Bourke is joining the ministry.
Dr Bourke will become the Minister for Education and Training and take on the portfolios of Corrections and Industrial Relations.
Significantly, he will also become the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, making him both the first [...]

The Liberals have got their Laura Norder mojo on having secured support for new laws bringing in tougher penalties for culpable driving and manslaughter.
“I am pleased that the majority of the Assembly has indicated they will support these practical and necessary penalty increases which reflect community expectations,” ACT Shadow Attorney General Vicki Dunne said today.
“The [...]

Simon Corbell has announced a $9 million spend on cycling and walking infrastructure:
– The City cycle loop;
– Kings Avenue on-road cycle lane and off-road cycle path improvements;
– accessibility improvements to walking infrastructure in the main town centres (Woden, Tuggeranong, Belconnen and Gungahlin) benefitting visually and mobility impaired people; and
– interim off-road footpath improvements at Kingston [...]

Following on from yesterday’s announcement of new fire and ambulance stations the Liberals’ Brendan Smyth has expressed some disappointment in the scope of the plans:
“In keeping with the debacle that was the delivery of the GDE, the Busway to Belconnen, the new ESA headquarters and the Alexander Maconochie Centre, Mr Corbell has continued his poor [...]

The University of Canberra have posted this video with the following note:
In this talk the ACT’s Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell MLA, outlines future directions of the ACT’s planning, transport and climate change policies in the context of the built environment and transport provision.

Simon Corbell has announced the introduction of amendments to the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 “to allow ACT Police to apply to the courts for an order to stop registered sex offenders from engaging in behaviour that could be deemed a safety risk to children.”
“The prohibiton order scheme, will give the Chief Police Officer [...]

Simon Corbell has announced Magistrate Lorraine Walker will be the new Chief Magistrate of the ACT.
“I am very pleased to announce Magistrate Lorraine Walker’s appointment to the role of Chief Magistrate and I am confident she will make an excellent Chief Magistrate,” Mr Corbell said.
Magistrate Walker was appointed to the ACT Magistrates Court in April [...]

On the ABC radio news this morning, plans by Simon Corbell and ACTEW to allow Canberrans to pay to avoid water restrictions are foolish and shortsighted – and betray an unbelievable lack of understanding about how a community works.
Water restrictions are a sore topic for Canberrans, but we grudgingly comply – ONLY because we [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the appointment of Professor Jochen Mueller to “lead an expert review of the testing for environmental contaminants, undertaken by Government agencies, following the Mitchell fire.”
“I announced late last week that the Government would be appointing an independent expert to review the Government’s testing regime following the incident at Mitchell. I am [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the official opening of the Gungahlin Drive Extension after many false dawns.
“The nine kilometre, four-lane GDE will significantly reduce north-south traffic congestion during peak periods. It will play a crucial role in reducing journey times for trips to and from Gungahlin. It will also help to relieve congestion on other arterial [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the release of a review into all the ways the emergency alert system went wrong during the Mitchell Fire.
What strikes me as particularly clear is that anyone with a basic knowledge of primary school maths and the wit to apply it could have predicted these limitations and yet it was never [...]

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury has expressed his disappointment with yesterday’s release of the ACT’s Sustainable Energy Policy:
“The ACT has an ambitious greenhouse gas emissions target and yet there is no connection between meeting that target and this document, even though the two policies are inextricably linked.
“After two years of development and a whole host of [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the release of the ACT Sustainable Energy Policy 2011-2020:
The Sustainable Energy Policy sets out four key outcomes, backed by 27 detailed measures. The 4 key outcomes
are;
– Outcome One: Reliable and Affordable Energy;
– Outcome Two: Smarter Use of Energy;
– Outcome Three: Cleaner Energy; and,
– Outcome Four: Growth in the Clean Economy.
Some of [...]

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury has been rattling Simon Corbell’s cage on why a week later we’re yet to find out what we were breathing on Friday in the wake of the massive chemical fire in Mitchell (bearing in mind the plant was storing one of the worst pollutants known to man and the smoke pictures [...]

A busy Simon Corbell has informed us that his point-to-point speed camera legislation has passed the Legislative Assembly.
The first point to point system is being built on Hindmarsh Drive and is expected to become operational later this year. A second system is expected to be commissioned in 2012.
The system uses cameras equipped with with Automated [...]

Simon Corbell has informed the world of his response to the ACT Law Reform Advisory Council’s
‘A report on suspended sentences in the ACT’.
“The Government has committed $560,000 in the 2011-12 Budget to conduct an investigation, analysis, and feasibility study to enable the ACT Law Courts and Tribunal to provide options on the best way to [...]

Attorney General Simon Corbell has announced the tabling of the Final Report on the Review of Liquor Licensing Fees.
He goes to some lengths to say they’ve got no proof the laws brought in last year have hurt any bars, but he does concede the main complaint:
In December 2010, 636 licensees applied to renew their liquor [...]

Simon Corbell’s office have sent through his ministerial statement from Monday on the Mitchell fire which has some detail, not much of it reassuring, about what we were all breathing on Friday as the PCB processing plant in the middle of the city blazed away.
You really need to read the whole thing. Here it is:
I [...]

Zed Seselja is very excited that Labor and the Greens have joined forces to place discrimination protection over forcing kids to go to school.
“The amendments I introduced to the Discrimination Act would have allowed businesses who choose to their own detriment not to serve students they believe are wagging school,” ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja [...]

The CT brings word the usual suspects are taking EVERYONE to court over Simon Corbell’s approval of the Giralang shops redevelopment. And this may add 2 years to a process that’s already taken 7.
Personally I think this is astonishing. For once the planning minister has said this nonsense has gone on far too long and [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the start of TV and radio advertising for his plastic bag ban:
All ACT retailers have been provided with signage and other communication materials to help prepare them and their staff for the ban. A communications print campaign started in July with the theme Create Change: BYO Bags. The electronic campaign will [...]