Government of the Australian Capital Territory

Next we have from page 15, Indigenous Council Blasts Land Bill by Catherine Burris.

Decades after championing land rights laws, a state government stands accused of turning their back on the Indigenous community.

Legislation introduced by NSW Labor Government that would fundamentally change how Crown land is allocated have passed the State Parliament's Upper House, prompting fresh criticism from the NSW Aboriginal Land Council.

Under existing law, Aboriginal land councils can make claims on Crown land provided it is unused, not needed or not being used lawfully, a measure designed to address historical dispossession.

The proposed changes would allow the Government to retrospectively amend Crown leases, potentially affecting more than 43,000 undetermined land claims.

It's very sad to see a Labor Government who introduced the Land Rights Act back in 1983 is the one now pulling apart Land Rights Councillor Ross Hampton said yesterday.

It goes against the intent of the Land Rights legislation, Chair Raymond Kelly said.

He described the changes as bad law.

but what we want to do is make sure the game day experience is world-class off the field as well, and I think the Canberra community is going to really enjoy this one.

The ACT Government is considering a staged rebuild of Canberra Stadium, with Marnica Oval emerging as a backup plan for the Brumbies if the Bruce venue is unusable for a certain period.

We know that there's work to be done at Canberra Stadium, and I think I'd only reiterate that the strengthening relationship in terms of our rugby's relationship with the ACT Government means the dialogue's really open about what that looks like, Roff said.

Canberra Stadium has been a part of the Brumbies' legacy as our home.

We're very proud of it, and we're very proud to call it our home, but we're also looking forward to what the evolution looks like.

The Brumbies... will head to Perth to take on the force in round two on February 19, but a trip across the Tasman is the one that has ACT fans preparing to burn some frequent flyer points.

The Brumbies will open a super round against the Crusaders in Christchurch on April 2, with hordes of ACT supporters expected to cross the Tasman for another glimpse of the $537 million Takaha Stadium.

The ACT government's decision on the future of Canberra Stadium is still at least three years away, after revealing a $10 million master plan for the Bruce Precinct.

Floriade, the major flower festival and one of the ACT's largest tourism drawcards, faces being interrupted by strikes after the government rejected the offer of an interim agreement to prevent industrial action, a major union says.

The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union said the ACT Government had rejected its proposal for an interim deal to prevent rolling protected industrial action from affecting the long-running flower festival in Commonwealth Park.

These workers are proud of their city and proud of the work they put into preparing Floriade and showcasing Canberra to the rest of the country.

the union's ACT Assistant Branch Secretary Michael Hiscox said.

The interim deal included paying the workers a frontline allowance sought by the union while talks continued on overall pay increases.

Floriade contributes to more than $71.5 million to the ACT economy.

but it relies on the work of some of the ACT Government's lowest paid employees.

The workers who make Floriade possible deserve to benefit from the economic gains it creates, Mr Hiscock said.

It flagged the prospect of new transport corridors in Belconnen, a stadium on the site of CIT or rebuilding the existing venue, car parks for hospital staff and new homes for residents to service the restaurants, bars and cafes.

It comes after almost 20 years of ACT government delays about where and how to build a new stadium, with the ageing venue falling into disrepair in recent years.

The new, yet-to-be-funded plan would need billions of dollars' worth of public funding, but the prospect of selling land to developers for housing would likely help offset the significant cost of a new stadium.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the $10 million federally funded master plan would guide planning and infrastructure investment, while Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said it would help Bruce to reach its full potential and activate the precinct in a way that benefits the Canberra community.

The stadium saga has dragged on since 2009, with Mr Barr previously flagging options in Bruce's at Exhibition Park and in Civic, before landing back in Bruce in recent years.

The move to create a precinct in Bruce is aimed at easing concerns about the stadium being out of the way and lacking atmosphere before and after events.

The ACT Government's own figures suggest a rebuild of Canberra Stadium would cost between $1.1 billion and $2 billion, depending if it is a stage development or a complete knockdown.

The same figures indicate a new stadium in Bruce on the CIT site would cost up to $1.8 billion.

Police were called to a small fire in the main building around 3.45pm on Saturday and minimal damage occurred.

The closed water park has to be opened by November 1 as directed by the ACT Government.

It's currently for sale with the mortgagees or a new owner instructed to open the 50 metre pool and food amenities to the public in two months time.

People are treating the fire as suspicious.

A new proposal will be presented to the ACT Government for a more centrally located ice sports facility in Canberra.

That's according to one of the developers behind the Tuggerong Rink, which has been axed by the government.

Krua Chan Investment CEO Stephen Campbell says they're already working on new plans for a cheaper site and better location.

Hello from the Amplify newsroom, I'm Tamara Cartwright.

The ACT government have pulled out of plans to build a new Targunong iSports facility.

The developers put forward an updated proposal in Jan asking the government for double the amount of money they originally committed to.

Minister for Sport Chris Steele says the proposal did not represent value for money.

Moving them off the Northside Hospital campus, making sure that we continue to deliver these critical services for children and young people.

Construction is set to be complete late next year.

The Australian Education Union wants to make sure that ACT Government's inquiry into governance at CIT is a genuine and open investigation with no predetermined outcome.

ACT Branch President Angela Burrows says it comes as a proposed UC and CIT merger continues to gain momentum.

You could give them a few hours' paid work on Fridays rather than them working at McDonald's or Coles.

An ACT government spokesperson said several initiatives were underway to make the health workforce more sustainable.

ACT government and health services are partnering with education providers to support flexible training models, including local study options and earn and learn pathways.

Support includes embedded placements, scholarships and grants, the spokesperson said.

That was the other front page story, a coalition of the winning needed, push for path to key jobs, the front page picture story.

From the draft, according to the authority's consultation paper...

Plans to transform the site, which is currently being used as a horse agistment, have been in the works since 2020, when the ACT and federal governments finalised a controversial land swap.

After years of negotiations, the ACT government received the West Basin waterfront in exchange for the Curtin land, which would be used to build a residential area alongside a new diplomatic precinct.

Now on page three, we have Brave Acts and Special Garden Celebrated on Wattle Day by Megan Doherty.

This article was supported by a photo with the caption, Governor-General Sam Mostyn with former Governors-General David Hurley and Sir Peter Cosgrove at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Bravery Garden at Government House on Wattle Day yesterday.

To the article, there was a lot to celebrate and commemorate at Government House in Canberra on the first day of spring as the Mogadishu Magnolia blooms were out and pollen drifted in the air.

The Australian bravery decorations for only the second time were announced on Wattle Day.

The 25th anniversary of the bravery garden in the grounds of Government House was celebrated and the Australians missing and dead in the flash floods in Nepal were remembered.

During the ceremony yesterday, Governor-General Sam Mostyn evoked the memory of then Governor General Sir William Dean when in 1999 he dropped sprigs of wattle into the Saxaton River in Switzerland to remember the 14 Australian victims of the Interlaken canyoning disaster.

Ms Mostyn said she could envisage doing something similar in Nepal at the appropriate time.

continuing a deliberate move to link one of Australia's important National Days with our recognition and celebration of acts of extraordinary bravery.