Ian Bushnell

Canberra

News Director at RiotACT

Journalist and pinot noir lover, and reds generally. Own views.

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Articles

ACT Budget: $1.4m to double popular school trades program for girls

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

Melba Copland executive teacher Amber Turner with Try-a-Trade girls Candi Price, Megan Grice, Asha Watson, and Jayde Johnson. Photo: Ian Bushnell. Hang on to your hard hats, the construction site will never be the same. And that’s a good thing. Industry has realised it can’t ignore half the population if the nation’s skills needs are going to be met. Next year’s doubling of an ACT Government school program to open pathways to the trades for girls is a sure sign demand is there.
Hounded posties to be armed with spray as dog attacks take toll

3 weeks ago | psnews.com.au | Ian Bushnell

A year after appealing to dog owners to restrain their mutts when the mail is being delivered, Australia Post is arming their posties with citronella spray to ward off attacks. The decision follows an alarming number of dog-related incidents in the past six months, with more than 44 posties a week falling victim to a threatening dog, an average of nine a day.
ACT Budget: $9.4 million to support young people's mental health

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

Mental Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith: “We heard very clearly how important these programs were.” Photo: Ian Bushnell. Five community-based programs helping young people with mental health problems will receive a total of $9.4 million over four years in the upcoming ACT Budget. The government says the funding will strengthen the programs and ensure young people continue to receive the mental health support they need.
Water bills are going up for 2025-26

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

The cost of water will go up more than the anticipated 6.1 per cent. Photo: Swanky Fella. Canberrans will pay about $100 more a year for water from 1 July. The ACT’s economic regulator has released its annual update of the maximum prices that Icon Water can charge for its regulated water and sewerage services in the new financial year.
ACT Government reviews dealings with labour-hire firm over alleged bikie connections

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

Former Rebels president and Finks ‘world president’ Ali Hassan Bilal leaving the ACT court in 2022. Photo: Albert McKnight. The ACT Government is reviewing its dealings with a Canberra labour-hire company with alleged links to outlaw motorcycle gangs. Safe Hands Group says it’s an expert in delivering both temporary and long-term workforce solutions, specialising in the building, construction, security, cleaning and site maintenance sectors.
Hounded posties to be armed with spray as dog attacks take toll

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

Posties will now carry a citronella spray to deter dog attacks after Australia Post’s appeals were rejected. Photos: Australia Post. A year after appealing to dog owners to restrain their mutts when the mail is being delivered, Australia Post is arming their posties with citronella spray to ward off attacks. The decision follows an alarming number of dog-related incidents in the past six months, with more than 44 posties a week falling victim to a threatening dog, an average of nine a day.
Penny's dropped on trades and government must fund vocational education properly

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

New campus, new CEO. CIT is positioned for a new golden age of vocational education. Photo: Ian Bushnell. The word is finally out. University is not for everyone, and getting a trade is not a dead end. It has taken a long time, but the yawning skills gap that has opened up, combined with the sheer volume of work in Australia’s infrastructure pipeline and the number of homes needed to provide a roof over people’s heads, has brought much neglected vocational education to the fore.
New CIT CEO has an ear to the ground and her eyes on the future

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

New CIT CEO Dr Margot McNeill believes CIT needs to be more innovative so it can educate for the future. Photos: Ian Bushnell. It’s just as well that Canberra Institute of Technology’s new CEO says she’s a good listener because no doubt staff at the institution will have plenty to say about setting it on the right course after years of controversy and an ACT Integrity Commission inquiry still running.
Missing Linq's twin towers to add 151 apartments to Belconnen Town Centre

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

A view of the Linq Stage 2B towers on Eastern Valley Way, Belconnen. Image: SJB Architects. Plans have been submitted for the final piece of the Linq development in the Belconnen Town Centre – twin towers delivering 151 apartments on the Eastern Valley Way. Linq partners Evri Group and KDN Group say the almost $100 million project builds upon the established foundations of Linq Stages 1 and 2A, delivering a modern, community-oriented and sustainable residential offering.
More apartments at Koko Molonglo after hotel plan scuttled

3 weeks ago | region.com.au | Ian Bushnell

An artist’s impression of the Stage 3 building for Koko Molonglo in Wright. The serviced apartments will be converted into residential units for sale. Image: OZTAL ArchitectsThe developer of Koko Molonglo in Wright has scrapped plans for a hotel in Stage 3 of the sprawling project, which saw the opening of an Aldi supermarket over the weekend. Krnc Group submitted a development application last year for a seven-storey building containing 101 serviced apartments.