Chief Minister Stanhope to depart.

Mr Evil said :

I think he deserves a gift from the people of the ACT for all his years of work as Chief Minister.

How about “a lasting memorial” at the Woden bus interchange?

EvanJames said :

creative_canberran said :

And I’m none to confident about what Katy G will do in the top job given she’s struggled with health.

She never tells people what she really thinks, or believes in. She talks in media sound bites and slogans.

Her image is that of a cardboard cutout, a thought-free zone, the most important thing to her seems to be in not saying anything that could offend anyone.

Perhaps during the next election, she’ll announce that we’ll see the “real Katy”.

Gungahlin Al said :

Seriously, people make judgements of others on the 10-second grabs a TV station chooses to use?

Is this a trick question?

Mr Evil said :

I think he deserves a gift from the people of the ACT for all his years of work as Chief Minister, and my suggestion is that he is presented with the very popular Al Grassby statue that his good mate Hargreaves commissioned.

I must say, I am mildly outraged whenever I walk past that statue.

EvanJames said :

creative_canberran said :

And I’m none to confident about what Katy G will do in the top job given she’s struggled with health.

It’s hard to believe that there’s any kind of useful brain in that head, when you see the look of vacuous blankness on the front of it.

She never tells people what she really thinks, or believes in. She talks in media sound bites and slogans.

Her image is that of a cardboard cutout, a thought-free zone, the most important thing to her seems to be in not saying anything that could offend anyone.

Perhaps watch a bit of her discussion about the third hospital issue at our GCC meeting last month? She demonstrated a depth of knowledge in her portfolio, and talked frankly and completely about our concerns. http://www.gcc.asn.au/Meetings-notices/Meeting-videos/april-2011-meeting.html

Seriously, people make judgements of others on the 10-second grabs a TV station chooses to use?

EvanJames said :

Her image is that of a cardboard cutout, a thought-free zone, the most important thing to her seems to be in not saying anything that could offend anyone.

Aren’t they now the guiding principles of any politician in the 21st C?

creative_canberran said :

And I’m none to confident about what Katy G will do in the top job given she’s struggled with health.

It’s hard to believe that there’s any kind of useful brain in that head, when you see the look of vacuous blankness on the front of it.

She never tells people what she really thinks, or believes in. She talks in media sound bites and slogans.

Her image is that of a cardboard cutout, a thought-free zone, the most important thing to her seems to be in not saying anything that could offend anyone.

Very Busy said :

It’s going to be very hard to pick up the pieces.

Get over yourself princess. Seriously, get a grip.

EvanJames said :

LSWCHP said :

I’d put this in the category of “surprise decision”, so I’d like to know what has happened behind the scenes to bring this about.

My thought too. However, he didn’t say he wanted to spend more time with his family, so he wasn’t booted out/about to be charged with an offence. That’s always a dead giveaway.

I heard that him mention it was the right time for him “and his family” to resign. Hence my immediate thought was either behind the scenes moves late last week or perhaps a family situation.

Virginia Haussager is on Twitter saying Katy seems in genuine shock over the announcement. And even this morning, Andrew Barr was making announcements on social media like normal. If Katy really is shocked and announcements were moving as usual, it indicates that either Stanhope really did decide suddenly or the moves against him were in the party executive rather than at the assembly level.

Regardless, I do wish Stanhope well. Though misguided in many ways, he did strike me as a hard worker. The liberals strike me as a bunch of tossers whose website is more lite on for policy than is reasonable for an alternative government. And I’m none to confident about what Katy G will do in the top job given she’s struggled with health.

I think he deserves a gift from the people of the ACT for all his years of work as Chief Minister, and my suggestion is that he is presented with the very popular Al Grassby statue that his good mate Hargreaves commissioned.

LSWCHP said :

I’d put this in the category of “surprise decision”, so I’d like to know what has happened behind the scenes to bring this about.

My thought too. However, he didn’t say he wanted to spend more time with his family, so he wasn’t booted out/about to be charged with an offence. That’s always a dead giveaway.

The Frots said :

Amazing – its one of the lead stories on Fox now………………….I didn’t think we were that important.

Slow news day.

The Frots said :

Amazing – its one of the lead stories on Fox now………………….I didn’t think we were that important.

We’re not – the ABC ran the story on its midday news at 12:21pm.

Anyway, it will be great to see the end of Stanhope. I am not so enthusiastic about the prospects of anyone decent taking over but it would be pretty hard to go backwards in that respect.

For me, after 30 years as a resident of Canberra, the decline during Stanhope’s reign, in the amenity of what was once a wonderful place to live, has been so utterly disappointing. It’s going to be very hard to pick up the pieces.

The Frots said :

Overheard said :

As my 14yo son would say, “Haters gonna hate”.

I wonder if all the rejoicers and nay-sayers and critics are the same ones who know for sure where Alan Border or Ricky Ponting went wrong and coulda done this or coulda done that. And don’t get me started on the Rabbits, etc. etc.

Oxygen thieves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX7hJhlWAt8

I, of course, am not legally allowed to have an opinion on the matter, but just wish the collective whingers could have a very large unbunching of their under garments.

Hmmm. Not ‘legally allowed to have an opinion’……………..well, who is really. I think you’ll find most of the folks on here work for some form of Government (ACT or Feds) but they still manage to say a thing or two – and great for doing so. As for me, I don’t think much of his term since he was elected – and don’t give a rats about the ‘rabbits’ for that matter either.

Some people really don’t like what has been happening in this fair city and this forum gives the right to say so – and that alone makes it damn important.

Sorry, the phrase “of course” should not have been there.

To work in the industry I do, to coin a phrase (one of my five to seven jobs), I have to sign a piece of paper that says I’m not a political animal. So I’m not. But apparently I am allowed to sing songs like ‘Power in a Union’ and ‘The World Turned Upside Down’, so there’s that.

On this one, I have an opinion. But I’ll sit on it.

I stand by the anti-whingeing sentiments. I’d say the same if it were Trevor Kaine or even….. well, no, maybe not her….

The Frots said :

Overheard said :

Some people really don’t like what has been happening in this fair city and this forum gives the right to say so – and that alone makes it damn important.

Has something been happening here?
First I’ve heard of it

He sounded like it was all over on Friday (7:30 show ABC) – talking about his finest achievement being the arboretum, which nobody wanted but we all now love…

Zed’s one liner – about the new ACT Gov office building requiring duplication as soon as it’s finished – was the best thing he’s ever done!

Overheard said :

As my 14yo son would say, “Haters gonna hate”.

I wonder if all the rejoicers and nay-sayers and critics are the same ones who know for sure where Alan Border or Ricky Ponting went wrong and coulda done this or coulda done that. And don’t get me started on the Rabbits, etc. etc.

Oxygen thieves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX7hJhlWAt8

I, of course, am not legally allowed to have an opinion on the matter, but just wish the collective whingers could have a very large unbunching of their under garments.

Hmmm. Not ‘legally allowed to have an opinion’……………..well, who is really. I think you’ll find most of the folks on here work for some form of Government (ACT or Feds) but they still manage to say a thing or two – and great for doing so. As for me, I don’t think much of his term since he was elected – and don’t give a rats about the ‘rabbits’ for that matter either.

Some people really don’t like what has been happening in this fair city and this forum gives the right to say so – and that alone makes it damn important.

I’d put this in the category of “surprise decision”, so I’d like to know what has happened behind the scenes to bring this about.

Perhaps he was so wounded by all the bagging on RA that he simply couldn’t go on any longer. 🙂

As my 14yo son would say, “Haters gonna hate”.

I wonder if all the rejoicers and nay-sayers and critics are the same ones who know for sure where Alan Border or Ricky Ponting went wrong and coulda done this or coulda done that. And don’t get me started on the Rabbits, etc. etc.

Oxygen thieves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX7hJhlWAt8

I, of course, am not legally allowed to have an opinion on the matter, but just wish the collective whingers could have a very large unbunching of their under garments.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Is he going to serve out his term on the backbench or is Ginninderra going to have a new member?

Never mind – just read your notes from the presser that there will be a countback – good job JB.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Is he going to serve out his term on the backbench or is Ginninderra going to have a new member?

He’s leaving the Assembly next week.

Is he going to serve out his term on the backbench or is Ginninderra going to have a new member?

Jon Stanhope’s finest moment: jumping out of a helicopter to save the pilot of another helicopter that was sinking into the water. Sadly, this seemed to distract him and Lucas-Smith from noticing the monster they’d flown to look at, that arrived in Canberra a week later. The so-called Canberra Fires.

Forwarded on to me an hour ago…

From: Stanhope, Jon
Sent: Monday, 9 May 2011 9:43 AM
Subject: Thank you

Chief Executives

Dear Chief Executive

I am writing to advise you that today I will announce my intention to resign as Chief Minister and Leader of the ACT Labor Party. I intend my resignation to take effect within the next week.

It has been a great honour and privilege to have led the ALP in the Territory since 1998, to have held the position of Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory since 2001, and to have served the people of Canberra during this time. We have a great city and a great community and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to make a contribution.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support, professionalism and loyalty over the years and to pass on my appreciation to your hard working departmental staff who have supported me so well in my role as Chief Minister.

Yours sincerely

Jon Stanhope MLA

EvanJames said :

creative_canberran said :

CT: “The next ACT election will be held in October last year.”

That was my favourite bit too. Have they outsourced their subbies yet?

Looks like it.

creative_canberran said :

CT: “The next ACT election will be held in October last year.”

That was my favourite bit too. Have they outsourced their subbies yet?

Jeezus. He’s a dud and all, but honestly, who will do a better job? Sonic or that Gallagher? She’s way out of her league. What a mess. Why does the ACT have such low calibre people on all sides of their politics?

bring back Michael Moore.

johnboy said :

The Frots said :

Amazing – its one of the lead stories on Fox now………………….I didn’t think we were that important.

link or screenshot?

Going live to the announcement…………

The Frots said :

Amazing – its one of the lead stories on Fox now………………….I didn’t think we were that important.

link or screenshot?

Amazing – its one of the lead stories on Fox now………………….I didn’t think we were that important.

Rednecks FTW!!!

TVStar said :

Their first draft forgot about Carnell entirely. lol.

I think we’re all trying to forget that disaster.

Your comment about a published article being a ‘first draft’ says more about the standard of CT journos than you might have intended!

Don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out Jon.

Apparently all new street art projects will be put on hold, except for the 12 foot bronze statue of King Wally… I mean His Holiness to be located on the medium strip of the Hume Hwy at the ACT/NSW border.

creative_canberran said :

CT: “The next ACT election will be held in October last year.”

Well if Canberrans had trouble understanding the way the Hare-Clarke system works, just image how stuffed we are if territory elections are subject to a pre-destination temporal paradox.

Or more likely the journalist and subs at CT aren’t awake yet.

Their first draft forgot about Carnell entirely. lol.

CT: “The next ACT election will be held in October last year.”

Well if Canberrans had trouble understanding the way the Hare-Clarke system works, just image how stuffed we are if territory elections are subject to a pre-destination temporal paradox.

Or more likely the journalist and subs at CT aren’t awake yet.

Confirmed, apparently.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/09/3211252.htm?site=canberra

johnboy said :

This could be Zed’s big chance.

It could be anyones big chance JB – they haven’t got a high bar to jump really. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a big ‘art’ sell-off and we can start working on the issues that really are important – like health in the ACT.

CANBERRA TIMES – LOL

Stanhope resigns as Chief Minister
09 May, 2011 09:57 AM
ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope will announce his resignation this morning after more than nine years in the top job.
Mr Stanhope will hold a media conference at 11am.

Deputy Chief Minister Katy Gallagher is expected to succeed Mr Stanhope. She will be the third woman to head an ACT Government (the first was Rosemary Follett and the second Kate Carnell).

Mr Stanhope is the longest-serving Chief Minister since the ACT gained self-government in 1989.

He celebrated his 60th birthday last month.

Mr Stanhope was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1998 and immediately took over the Labor leadership.

He formed a minority Labor Government after the 2001 election.

At the 2004 election, Labor captured nine of the Assembly’s 17 seats and formed the ACT’s first majority Government.

The party was reduced seven seats at the 2008 election and formed a minority government with the support of the Greens.

The next ACT election will be held in October last year.

Mr Stanhope is a trained lawyer. Prior to his election to the Assembly, he worked as a Commonwealth public servant and political staffer.

johnboy said :

This could be Zed’s big chance.

That would require him to do something.

This could be Zed’s big chance.

Everyone all together now.

REJOICE!

Interesting Poll results not supporting Katy as preferred CM.

I would have thought that the CT would have done a little bit of research before making the following statement

Deputy Chief Minister Katy Gallagher is expected to succeed Mr Stanhope. She will be the second woman to head an ACT Government (the first was Rosemary Follett).

I’m pretty sure Kate Carnell was in there somewhere as the head of an ACT government. 10 seconds on wikipedia would have probably helped…

Seems the Times have forgotten about Kate Carnell.

Top notch reporting, as always.