#australian capital territory

[hoiist]

Know an Australian? Send this too them! Know someone who's spent time in Australia and has an opinion? Send this to them too! We can start a fight

[aceoffangirls]

YAYYYY (she said sarcastically)

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Mangrove tree seedling - Port Kembla, New South Wales

Photo credit: Alex Pike, Australian Capital Territory

[haveyoubeentothiscity]

Population: 456,692

The submitter commented, “Apparently a fair amount of non Aussies think that Sydney is the capital of Australia when it's actually Canberra even though Canberra can fit into Sydney more than 12 times over.”

[drhoz]

2093 - Camponotus consobrinus - Banded Sugar Ant

I saw quite a few ant species on te Australian leg of my holiday, and this species, common enough to be a household pest in parts of the Eastern states, was the most common.

Originally described as Formica consobrinus in 1842. 'consobrinus' means cousin, referring to the resemblance the species has to C. herculeanus, although that species in from northern Eurasia and North America. Its actual relatives are in the nigriceps species group, which also includes C. clarior, C. dryandrae, C. eastwoodi, C. loweryi, C. longideclivis, C. pallidiceps and C. prostans and of course nigriceps itself, which replaces consobrinus as you move west into drier areas.

This species dominates the nocturnal ant community, and has a constant war going with the mostly diurnal meat ants (Iridomyrmex). Both species will block up the nest entrances of the other, and when daily rounds of sabotage aren't enough may invade the other nest and attempt to exterminate their rivals.

Sugar is a major part of their diet, and to bring other workers to a new food source they often run in tandem, physically carry one of their sisters, or leave a pheremone trail.

Nests may be found in holes in wood, among the roots of plants, insides the twigs of trees and shrubs, between rocks or in the soil, and under paving stones.

Mt. Ainsley, ACT

[slidesworthseeing]

Found stereo slide: the new Australian Capital Territory Law Courts building, Canberra, Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, circa February 1964. Photo by Macdonald S Reed

[canberramaidan]

Canberra, Australia: Lake Burley Griffin and Black Mountain.

[twofoursixohjuan]

yes I'm counting territories under 'states' for the purposes of starting a bigger brawl

not restricted to Australians only. all reasons valid

[inatungulates]

Bryde’s whale “Balaenoptera” brydei

Observed by brettd75, CC BY-NC

[axvoter]

Blatantly Partisan Party Review XVIII (federal 2022): Kim for Canberra

Running where: ACT

Prior reviews: none, this is a new party

There are two prominent independent campaigns in the ACT seeking a seat in the Senate. One is David Pocock; in my earlier review of his campaign I described the distinctive characteristics of the ACT’s representation and of this contest. The other indie is law professor Kim Rubenstein, who has registered her party with the name Kim for Canberra.

I work in academia, and although I do not know Rubenstein personally, some of my colleagues do. The volume of favourable material on my timeline suggested that Rubenstein was the more popular of the indies, but this was a false impression. Redbridge polling—with the disclaimers that Senate polling is generally unreliable and that this polling was done for Climate 200, who gave the indies seed funding—has Rubenstein around 6–7%, while their most recent poll today puts Pocock’s vote as high as 21% after earlier reports of 11–13%. If, and this is a big if, he gets around 21%, that might be enough to be a chance at winning a seat. Both Rubenstein and Pocock recommend their voters preference the other second, but are otherwise not recommending specific preferences.

Rubenstein has four policy priorities. First is accountability and integrity in politics—yep, she wants a federal ICAC, one of the most popular demands this election across the political spectrum, and to my relief she says “an effective federal ICAC” rather than the cliché about “a federal ICAC with teeth”. Second is urgent climate action, proposing a “Climate Compact” to bring together stakeholders and legislate for emissions reductions as part of the May 2023 budget. Third is a “standing up for Canberra” policy that sounds generic, but she fleshes it out with a notable specific policy: legislation, which she has already drafted, to boost the ACT’s representation from two to four senators. This, to me, is a bare minimum (but good) goal—and the same should be offered to the Northern Territory.

What perhaps distinguishes Rubenstein most from Pocock is her fourth priority: her focus on women’s safety. This is a huge part of her campaign, harnessing the anger of many woman that has been mobilised effectively by Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame. Rubenstein uses the example of parliament as an unsafe workplace for women as a launching pad for policies that seek gender equality and a safer society for women. She would also extend paid parental leave from 18 weeks to 26, which to me still isn’t enough—a year minimum—but it’s something.

It’s an appealing platform. Also, I love that this is actually Kims for Canberra: Rubenstein’s support candidate is Kim Huynh, an ANU politics and philosophy researcher and ABC Radio presenter.

My recommendation: Give Kim for Canberra a good preference.

Website: https://www.kim4canberra.com.au/

[aussie-sclerophyll]

Tidbinbilla echoes with the stories of an ancient past and the voices of today.

[aceoffangirls]

I keep thinking about how uncreative the Aussie states and territories are named. Like

There is already a place called Wales so we can't name it that. Well it’s a new land and it’s south let’s call it: New South Wales

We should name something after the Queen so let’s call this part : Victoria

I think we need more named after the Queen so let’s call this part: Queensland

This part is north and it’s a territory so let’s call this part the: Northern Territory

This part is south so let’s call it: South Australia

This part is in the west so let’s call it: Western Australia

Tasmania was just named after its European discoverer (you're not on the mainland so)

And finally let’s name the Capital of Australia: Australian Capital Territory

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Australasian Robins: "Female Flame"

Bird: Flame Robin, Bicentennial Trail to Red Rock Gorge, Canberra, ACT

By Reeni Martinez

BirdLife Australia Photography Awards

[commonpeople2359]

Download free posters and social media images from the following link:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-9i-rB4kbMzOkZIu8QzHglG39_bVU5zJ

Put them on your socials. Post them to forums. Send them to your friends. 

Print them out and paste them up around your city, neighbourhood, work, universities.

[drhoz]

#2075 - Dicranosterna sp.

Larva this time - another genus of Acacia-eating leaf beetles, and like Peltoschema, in the Paropsine subfamily. 36 described species, all endemic to Australia, which, admittedly, has a lot of Acacias.

Mt. Ainsley, ACT

[slidesworthseeing]

Found slide: The Canberra leg of the Olympic Torch relay, on its way to Melbourne, approaches the Australian Capital Territory border at Sutton, Ngunnawal and Ngambri country, 19 November 1956 (photographer unknown)