Is this the end of wood heaters in Canberra homes? Photo: Wiki commons.
The Hoot is here, and this week’s podcast has plenty of news and ideas from Ngunnawal country, including whether the ACT Government has any place in your wood heater (and what was it doing there in the first place? )
We start with the big stories – we now have the final wording for the Voice referendum and it’s pretty straightforward.
Listen on other platforms:
Senior legal brains have said it’s also foolproof, so is that really the case? We’ve been looking at a couple of well-qualified constitutional law opinions on the topic of whether the Voice could force government to do its will.
So, are there hidden agendas in either the yes or no cases?
The end result of the NSW State election is in slightly more doubt than seemed likely on Saturday night. But what’s clear is that regional Labor played a meaningful role in putting the party back in power in Macquarie St.
That will include Steve Whan, who appears to have easily defeated incumbent Nichole Overall despite having entered the race only weeks before. The new (old) Member for Monaro brings a safe pair of hands to the role and plenty of experience, but the larger question may still be what Labor can do for regional NSW.
Have lessons been learned from the Federal experience? Given the support from Monaro, South Coast and even Goulburn, where results were on a knife edge, there looks like plenty of willingness for change in the regions if Chris Minns can back it up with meaningful action.
Back in Canberra, the ACT Government is talking again about banning wood heaters from all new houses, pulling them out of old houses before they’re sold and generally imposing tough conditions around heating your house with a blazing fire as the midwinter chill settles.
The problem is pollution, especially in Tuggeranong, and the latest government report is scathing about the effects woodsmoke particulates have on people with breathing problems.
Is a ban the answer? Or just better-quality firewood and heaters? Could it be a case of where there’s smoke, there’s ire?
The Hoot appears every week on Riotact and wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple and Spotify. Have a listen, tell us what you think and rate us.
Loading ...
