The mass exodus - do we love Canberra?

I remember reading or hearing an idea a LONG time ago comparing Sydney and Melbourne if they were girls (apologies to female readers and Non-Victorians in advance). I should point out that I think each city has it good and bad points, and this is all meant in humour (honest!)…

In short, the article heavily favoured Melbourne, and ran along the lines of this:

Sydney is the beautiful good times girl – she’s wild, free-wheeling, and does everything at high speed. However, while you might have a fling with her, you quickly run out of things to talk about.

Melbourne, by contrast, initially comes across as the quiet girl. She dresses (in black, naturally), initially in a conservative manner, and it takes you weeks to even get her to go on a date with you; she plays hard-to-get. She’s alternately calm and then excited at the drop of a hat. She’s cheeky, and she shows you things you never knew existed. She can mix with anyone, and move from the football to the opera with grace and style. You want to outsmart her – and you never manage it. She laughs while she’s teasing you, and then winks, to let you know it’s OK, she’s only kidding…

Months pass, and this girl keeps you awake at night, because you can’t work out it is about her that’s so appealing. You have known, and loved, others, but nothing like as deep as this. This is the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with….

**********************************************************************************************************************

Ahem…to Canberra. If we’re using the same analogy, then Canberra is in her last year of high school…she’s not as old as the others. And she’s not too sure about this growing up business, as she likes to just relax, and to spend time in the bush with her friends. She loves the peace, and the sounds and colours of nature…

She’s strong, and fit, due to regular exercise. She loves getting out in the bush, and being a bit of a tomboy. She likes to laugh, she’s really smart, and she has discovered she loves good wine! More than all that, though, she cares deeply about people who are suffering, and volunteers her time to do what she can to help.

She has a part-time job, and she does it well, although people complain endlessly about her bosses. She just does her best, although at times she gets discouraged by people painting her with the same brush as her bosses, and she feels “there’s more to me than my job!”

As a result of all this, her initially parochial view of the world is changing, and therefore, so is she.
She’s learning to dress more smartly, and to walk in high heels. Recently, she got all the attention at an awards night, and both Sydney and Melbourne were insanely jealous. She couldn’t believe it, and didn’t take it to heart….just blushed and grinned shyly…

She’s a bit reserved, a bit shy. Not unfriendly, just not used to being the leader. Recently, a bully has been starting to push her around, but she’s not going to give that person the satisfaction.

The boys are starting to notice her, not just for her understated natural beauty, but because her actions speak louder than her words. She is honest, reliable, and hard-working – and she will one day make a great leader.

OK, finished. Please feel free to do the comparison the other way around gender-wise 😀
And I’m sorry. but I don’t our other cities well enough to comment on them….

Hi Steven

That’s an interesting set of points that you pose. I don’t know so much if it’s that people don’t “like” or don’t “feel proud” of Canberra….I think it’s more to do with the fact that we are (mostly) lucky enough to live in an economy and time that allows people to travel. Given that this time of year is when summer holidays are longest for kids of school age (and that kids living pretty much anywhere are likely to say “I’m bored”), then heading to the coast where the little darlings can exhaust themselves against the unceasing power of the surf is a good solution for many families.

In many other cases, I’d suggest that as the majority of Canberrans have come from somewhere else, it’s easiest at this time of year to go back to the cities and towns our families live in, and to catch up with them. As for not loving the place, I can assure you I love it more at this time of year than in winter…although I still love it then, for different reasons 😀

You mentioned the silence in which to ponder and recuperate. I enjoyed seeing Christmas beetles around, and hearing cicadas. Quietness is something which is underappreciated these days, but I wonder if it could potentially have an economic angle. If you’ve ever visited Japan, you’ll know that Kyoto is not in the same league for nightlife as Tokyo or Osaka. But to walk along the canals there, over the bridges, and down alleyways softly lit with lanterns (out of peak season) is a powerful experience you can’t often find in big cities.

Canberra is not Kyoto, of course (although we could learn a lot about architecture and design from that city). However, we do have the natural version of peace and quiet in much of Canberra…and it’s worth remembering that things being quiet were the norm until the last 50 years or so. Maybe we need to re-discover its value.

I also think you are spot on about changing it. Rather than talking about what is not-so-great about what does exist here, or what we don’t have, why not get involved in whatever it is we are each (individually) passionate about?

I remember reading about two people who heard that a Buddhist priest could tell the future. The first person had been offered a job in a different city, and asked what the people were like there. The priest asked in return “how do you find the people to be in your own city?”, and the answer came back “They are ignorant, rude, and aggressive”. The priest replied “you will find them to be much like this in the other city, too”.

The second person asked a similar question, the priest asked the same question again, and this time received the reply “Oh, they are wonderful – friendly, kind and interesting”. And the priest smiled and replied “Don’t worry, you will find the people in your new city to be the same”.

As for the city as a personality, I’ll put that into another comment….

Steven Bailey said :

dungfungus said :

The future for Canberra will be a widening in the gap between rich and poor or more succinctly, those who can fund the rapidly increasing costs of living and the rest of us who can’t.
With rates increasing and services diminishing and no commensurate increase in retirement income, a lot of us will have sell up and move to decaying country towns.
I just received a motor vehicle registration renewal notice for my humble 2 litre sedan last week.
The cost is $966.30 which includes a Road Rescue Fee for $16.60, a Road Safety Contribution for $2.00 and a Lifetime Care and Support Levy for $34.00.
How many renewal notices encompass a fee, contribution and levy on top of everything else?
I suppose there will be a “Tram Rescue Levy” before too long.
To save some money, I recently cancelled my membership to one of the national seniors’ associations who do very little except bash the government for “doing nothing either”.
I was reminded that I wouldn’t get the “senior’s discount for restaurants and motels” anymore.
My reply was “who needs a discount for goods and services one can’t afford anyway?”.
As far as I am aware, the ACT Government hasn’t yet taxed greetings and salutations so “Happy New Year Everybody”.

Yes Dungfungus, I too fear that the future of Canberra will entail a widening gap between the rich and upper-middle class, and the poor. Happy new year to you.

I completely agree that this will be a problem, however the federal government policies are also to blame for this. Both Labor and Liberals rely on donations from wealthy organisations who donate that on the basis of getting a policy passed through government. I’m not arguing that the increasing rates is not going to put pressure on many. However any economist will tell you that for once a government has actually done something to fix the budget and remove a bad tax. It does suck for homeowners, but is much fairer in the long term. There was no easy way to fix it. Health funding is another one that has no easy fix. IMO the medicare levy needs to be increased and some tough decisions on health spending needs to be made. I have private healthcare mainly because its not much more than paying extra tax, but can’t afford to use it so I’ll just go on the waiting list taking up space.

Anyway completely off topic. I actually really like Canberra this time of year except for the temperature! Its quieter, work commutes are pleasant, plenty to do in summer. I think the city to the lake proposal of a swimming pool by the lake, but again how do we pay for it?

“Do we love Canberra?” – I think many of us do, but in different ways. Some need periodic breaks away to satisfy urges and appetites which are not easily met here – but are happy to return once done with that, while others appreciate the relative peace of the annual exodus and are glad to stay here.

The reference to Under Milk Wood was a nice touch – something for the poetically inclined, but also for those with sharper inclinations (Llaregubb, looked at in a rear vision mirror…..), on which, I fear that we are being pushed in the direction of a yuppified, hipsterised Village of the Damned – although I still hope that common sense and, perhaps, a touch of “creative inertia” might yet save us.

Finally, Steven, I can well imagine a contemporary Man from Snowy River (or parts thereabouts) as the proud custodian of a lovingly preserved Valiant!

Pork Hunt said :

@dungfungus, thank you for pointing out all the extra costs of registering ones vehicle that were introduced after the never ever GST. Before any state or federal governments seek to increase the GST, there needs to be a Royal Comission into all the little levies and charges that they impose on us.

The Territories also have an input into increasing the GST. I know I am nitpicking but that is becoming the norm on this blog.
Looking at the registration renewal reminder, there is no reference to GST (I thought all invoices had to show GST separately). Apparently, the only scope for claiming back an Input Tax Credit (amount unknown) is to declare an entitlement to claim same.
Oh, and the CTPI Premium Fee shown includes a CTP Regulatory Levy of $1.00!

Pork Hunt said :

@dungfungus, thank you for pointing out all the extra costs of registering ones vehicle that were introduced after the never ever GST. Before any state or federal governments seek to increase the GST, there needs to be a Royal Comission into all the little levies and charges that they impose on us.

This is a good point Pork Hunt. Howard did go to an election based on introducing the GST though – even if it was after “never, never”.

As I recall, the States agreed to progressively abolish taxes and levies such as payroll tax and stamp duties in return. However, I don’t think that that undertaking was never enshrined in legislation or in any written/published agreement, so it largely didn’t happen. But i distinctly recall it being stated as an offset.

Now, the States want an increase to the GST – mostly to make up for their burgeoning Territory/State budget deficites (the States/Territories get GST recvinues, not the Fed’s). Squabbles have already started between State Premiers about their share of the GST revenues (eg. WA want more).

Hell, even our own ex Chief Minister supported an increase to the GST – no doubt because of the Territory budget deficite that her and previous ACT Govt’s created by fiscal and ecomnomic mismanagement eg. (Light Rail when it simply can not be afforded at present).

I agree that this issue is worthy of a Royal Commission – Territory and State Govt’s MUST be held accountable and be legally forced to deliver at least some offsetting fees and charges BEFORE the GST next increases – because increase it will. And without better fiscal and economic management by the Territories/States, the GST will go on increasing periodically forever – its already much, much higher in other countries. It’s a sobering thought.

@Steven Bailey, any tips on where to go in the Vic Alps? I have been to Bright, Omeo and Dartmouth in recent times. I think Dargo has to be on the list of where to go next…

@dungfungus, thank you for pointing out all the extra costs of registering ones vehicle that were introduced after the never ever GST. Before any state or federal governments seek to increase the GST, there needs to be a Royal Comission into all the little levies and charges that they impose on us.

Steven Bailey said :

dungfungus said :

The future for Canberra will be a widening in the gap between rich and poor or more succinctly, those who can fund the rapidly increasing costs of living and the rest of us who can’t.
With rates increasing and services diminishing and no commensurate increase in retirement income, a lot of us will have sell up and move to decaying country towns.
I just received a motor vehicle registration renewal notice for my humble 2 litre sedan last week.
The cost is $966.30 which includes a Road Rescue Fee for $16.60, a Road Safety Contribution for $2.00 and a Lifetime Care and Support Levy for $34.00.
How many renewal notices encompass a fee, contribution and levy on top of everything else?
I suppose there will be a “Tram Rescue Levy” before too long.
To save some money, I recently cancelled my membership to one of the national seniors’ associations who do very little except bash the government for “doing nothing either”.
I was reminded that I wouldn’t get the “senior’s discount for restaurants and motels” anymore.
My reply was “who needs a discount for goods and services one can’t afford anyway?”.
As far as I am aware, the ACT Government hasn’t yet taxed greetings and salutations so “Happy New Year Everybody”.

Yes Dungfungus, I too fear that the future of Canberra will entail a widening gap between the rich and upper-middle class, and the poor. Happy new year to you.

Steven : As a self funded retiree, my CPI linked pension (which is modest – but which i stupidly thought was better that than bludging on the Age Pension and so, on other taxpayers and ACT Ratepayers !), went up 2.1% – well under CPI.

Also, my Annual Rates here went up 9.49% – and will apparently continue to do so at a similar rate pa for the next 18 years or so. I have sbsolutely no hope of being able to afford that – so will have to move away from my family & friends and out of Canberra within a few years. No doubt, i will be joined by many more self funded retiree’s in Canberra who are at the lower – mid end of the self funded pension income scale.

Self funded retirees also get no assistance what so ever from the ACT Gov’t in terms of cost of living concessions (eg. car registration fee, reduction in annual rates, concessional bus travel, etc) that Age Pension/Centrelink recipients get. Those are not means tested.

I know, I know – some on here will say that the up to tripling of the Annual Rates is the “best decision that this ACT Labor Gov’t has made ” – or “you should move into a smaller townhouse/unit”. But that not the point. I already paid full stamp duty on my modest house when I purchased it in Canberra as a self funded retiree 3 years ago. Now, over time, i have to pay it again, and again, and again. It is legalsuied theft.

Tripling of Annual Rates was a decision by the ACT Gov’t – qand as a previous life long Labor voter, one which has lost my vote for Labor in the ACT forever. And my disillusionment with the well healed (and no doubt, far too affluent) Canberra voters/Ratepayers who knowingly voted this in at the last ACT election, is extreme.

So, yes Steven, the gap between lower/middle income earners and those more affulent and/or earning two good wages, will dramatically incrase here in coming years. And done by a Labor Government too.

dungfungus said :

The future for Canberra will be a widening in the gap between rich and poor or more succinctly, those who can fund the rapidly increasing costs of living and the rest of us who can’t.
With rates increasing and services diminishing and no commensurate increase in retirement income, a lot of us will have sell up and move to decaying country towns.
I just received a motor vehicle registration renewal notice for my humble 2 litre sedan last week.
The cost is $966.30 which includes a Road Rescue Fee for $16.60, a Road Safety Contribution for $2.00 and a Lifetime Care and Support Levy for $34.00.
How many renewal notices encompass a fee, contribution and levy on top of everything else?
I suppose there will be a “Tram Rescue Levy” before too long.
To save some money, I recently cancelled my membership to one of the national seniors’ associations who do very little except bash the government for “doing nothing either”.
I was reminded that I wouldn’t get the “senior’s discount for restaurants and motels” anymore.
My reply was “who needs a discount for goods and services one can’t afford anyway?”.
As far as I am aware, the ACT Government hasn’t yet taxed greetings and salutations so “Happy New Year Everybody”.

Yes Dungfungus, I too fear that the future of Canberra will entail a widening gap between the rich and upper-middle class, and the poor. Happy new year to you.

ghutch said :

Yep I agree largely, especially the multicultural festival. It is a crowded 2 day event with the same cheap food you can get at the show etc. Why is it held in mid Feb usually the hottest period of the year?
Canberra is still great for walking, jogging, cycling, kayaking etc and if you do these things in the early mornings it can be very rewarding and even healthy. W also have great nature reserves and views from surrounding hills

Agreed. Happy new year to you.

Masquara said :

Well, Parisians all leave Paris throughout July for the south. Does that mean they “don’t love Paris enough”?

A most salient point Masquara. May your next year be full of adroit commentary and intelligent insights.

Canberra has an image of being a transient town that tends to attract interstate Australians for career prospects so some of those same people will jump at the opportunity of using the Christmas and New Years holiday to go to the coast or visit family and friends interstate as examples.
In regards to those same people no amount of entertainment or events can stop that.
This happens in other cities but it is much more noticiable in Canberra due to its five-figure population compared to other cities across Australia.
Author, I’ll give you credit fitting the description of being a true Canberran by staying behind in Canberra and going to Summernats over the Christmas and New Years break.
A significant proportion of “Australians” do not care about or even despise Summernats and those noisy old Monaros, Kingswoods, Falcon GTs, etc. whether they are Canberrans or not.
If you want Canberra to be less boring here’s a tip:
Establish more nightclubs for the younger crowd after the closure of Meche and ICBM.
They’re the missing pieces to a complete and compact city.
There’s enough outdoor recreation, overpriced restaurants, family, family and more family oriented activities already.

Families in Canberra like to visit Batemans Bay often because it is the town nearest the ocean shores and surf beaches with family resorts and hotels. There is a joke that Batemans Bay should be renamed to East Canberra. The traffic from Canberra to the coast during the holiday period is congested though. Meanwhile, other people from interstate tour Canberra for holiday. It is a time when it is possible to meet other Australians and tourists visiting Canberra because events, such as Summernats, Multicultural Festival, Australia Day activities etc. attract tourists.

Your post is so pensive I find it hard to make out what it’s about! Most people who who leave Canberra at this time of year do so because (a) it’s in the middle of the summer school holidays and they’re going away with their kids or (b) they’re taking holidays themselves to go and see family or friends. I don’t take that to mean they dislike Canberra or find it in any way culturally inadequate.

I don’t know whether you’ve noticed, but the rest of Australia seems to close down artistically as well.

Well, Parisians all leave Paris throughout July for the south. Does that mean they “don’t love Paris enough”?

Yep I agree largely, especially the multicultural festival. It is a crowded 2 day event with the same cheap food you can get at the show etc. Why is it held in mid Feb usually the hottest period of the year?
Canberra is still great for walking, jogging, cycling, kayaking etc and if you do these things in the early mornings it can be very rewarding and even healthy. W also have great nature reserves and views from surrounding hills

The future for Canberra will be a widening in the gap between rich and poor or more succinctly, those who can fund the rapidly increasing costs of living and the rest of us who can’t.
With rates increasing and services diminishing and no commensurate increase in retirement income, a lot of us will have sell up and move to decaying country towns.
I just received a motor vehicle registration renewal notice for my humble 2 litre sedan last week.
The cost is $966.30 which includes a Road Rescue Fee for $16.60, a Road Safety Contribution for $2.00 and a Lifetime Care and Support Levy for $34.00.
How many renewal notices encompass a fee, contribution and levy on top of everything else?
I suppose there will be a “Tram Rescue Levy” before too long.
To save some money, I recently cancelled my membership to one of the national seniors’ associations who do very little except bash the government for “doing nothing either”.
I was reminded that I wouldn’t get the “senior’s discount for restaurants and motels” anymore.
My reply was “who needs a discount for goods and services one can’t afford anyway?”.
As far as I am aware, the ACT Government hasn’t yet taxed greetings and salutations so “Happy New Year Everybody”.