COVID-19 restrictions eased
The ACT celebrated its first anniversary of COVID-19 vaccinations on 22 February: more than half a million had been administered at ACT public clinics, making Canberra the most vaccinated city in the world. A month after paediatric vaccinations became available, the ACT already had the highest number in Australia: 77.6 per cent of children aged 5 to 11 had their first dose.
The ACT finally eased pandemic restrictions on 18 February: density limits that applied to businesses and activities were removed for the first time in two years; patrons could stand while eating and drinking, and even dance; and employees could return to the workplace. A week later, on 25 February, masks were no longer mandatory. Case numbers had steadied, but Chief Minister Andrew Barr warned restrictions could be reintroduced if there was a new variant or a spike in cases; the pandemic had “no end date”, he said. Anthony Brierley, general manager of the Australian Hotels Association (ACT Branch), was relieved businesses could return to normal trading after 704 long days. Graham Catt, CEO of the Canberra Business Chamber, said many local businesses had been hurt by “a ‘triple whammy’ of staff shortages, ongoing health restrictions, and a general lack of public confidence”. But they also worried how the return of restrictions might affect them.
Protests were held earlier in the month against vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions in other states. Thousands of people from across Australia joined the ‘Convoy to Canberra’, inspired by the truckies movement in Canada. The protesters gathered outside Old Parliament House, the Governor-General’s residence, and the National Press Club, and marched on Parliament House on Saturday 12 February. Canberra Daily visited the protesters’ campgrounds the day before, and reported “a pervasive sense of warmth and friendliness”. Lifeline’s 50th bookfair was cancelled due to safety concerns after an additional 10,000 to 15,000 campers arrived at the EPIC site overnight – but Lifeline CEO Carrie-Ann Leeson said donations matched what would otherwise have been a successful Bookfair.
The Ukraine invasion
On 24 February, Russian forces invaded Ukraine: Russian forces fired missiles at Ukrainian cities and landed troops on its south coast, after President Vladimir Putin authorised what he called a special military operation in the east.
“This is a war of aggression,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter. “Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin.”
Putin claimed he had authorised the special military operation in breakaway areas of eastern Ukraine after threats emanating from Ukraine left Russia with no choice but to defend itself.
Canberrans sent flowers and messages of solidarity to the ACT Ukrainian community, who were reportedly “devastated and heartbroken”, and a local Vigil for Ukraine was organised for March.
Economics and politics
The Chief Minister set an agenda of economic recovery for 2022, stating that Canberra’s economy had “bounced back” from the setbacks of the last two years, thanks to a strong pre-pandemic economy and sound public finance management. The ACT’s Budget position had improved by almost $250 million, Mr Barr noted, while ACT employment figures climbed back to pre-lockdown figures, and the ACT had the lowest unemployment rate in the country.
Also in local politics, Jeremy Hanson was appointed deputy leader of the Canberra Liberals, succeeding Giulia Jones; he served as opposition leader from 2013 to 2016. “I’m very humbled; I love our Liberal party; I love Canberra,” Mr Hanson said.
The ACT became the first Australian jurisdiction to recognise a healthy environment as a human right, after Greens MLA Jo Clay’s motion passed the Legislative Assembly. “If we are to live, and to live well … that environment needs to be healthy and free from pollutants.”
Political aspirant Kim Rubenstein, one of Australia’s foremost constitutional and citizenship law experts, launched her campaign as an independent Senate candidate, while Nichole Overall, wife of former Queanbeyan-Palerang mayor Tim Overall, succeeded John Barilaro as NSW MP for Monaro.
Inspiring Canberrans
Amanda Heal, the first blind student to ever attend an ACT public school, in the 1970s, shared her journey in her new book, Seeing by Vision, Not by Sight: her work as a government lawyer; losing her job to downsizing; and her triumph in catching buses by herself. “I’d become so convinced that if I got on a bus by myself, I would get lost to disastrous ends. … and now I travel all over Canberra to speak.”
Jessica Fordyce, ACT Young Environmentalist of the Year, ran the Food Donation Network in the ACT since 2021, supplying food relief pantries with excess food from supermarkets, and helping students faced with hunger or homelessness. “It feels lovely to be making a difference.”
Elizabeth Coleman revealed what it was like to grow up in a cult, and how she escaped from it, in her autobiography, Cult to Christ. “We were terrified of the leaders. They had control over kicking us out of the group, and our whole life is in the group … that’s the thing about belonging to a cult, it’s the culture.”
Teenage cardiac arrest survivor Lily Haskins, 2021 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year, and her mother Catherine Dunin spoke about HeartKids’ flagship event for children with congenital heart defects. “She may be tiny, but Lily is streets ahead of most adults I know,” Ms Dunin said. “She looks at the good in people, and doesn’t waste time thinking about the bad.”
Australia’s quiz team captain Mick Logue prepared to take on the USA in the Quizzing World Cup final. “We’ve just had a real Cinderella run,” he said. “We’ve probably been underdogs in every match since the round of 16.”
One of Canberra’s longest-residing citizens, Margaret Magi, the daughter of the city’s first ANZAC, had lived in the ACT for 94 of her 95 years; CW profiled her before she relocated to Brisbane. She remembered growing up on a farm in then-rural Canberra in the 1930s, the war years, and how Canberra changed over the decades: Civic with only one chemist, Canberra’s first licensed restaurant, and the filling-in of Lake Burley Griffin.
Katerina Teaiwa, the first Indigenous woman from the Pacific to become a professor at the ANU, was named the 2021 Australian University Teacher of the Year. “My vision is to see Pacific studies taught at every level of education from primary school right through.”
Arts and events
The National Museum of Australia unveiled a major $1.2-million artwork, Jabanunga aka Goorialla (The Rainbow Serpent), painted by late Kimberley artist, Rover Thomas. The epic painting depicts the Rainbow Serpent penetrating the Earth, following a subterranean journey to the sea in the wake of Cyclone Tracy’s destruction of Darwin in 1974. “This painting is sort of a portend statement about what we today see as contemporary critical issues facing all of us, but this mob were onto it a long time ago,” curator Margo Ngawa Neale said.
Canberra artist Tom Buckland set out on an odyssey of his own to recreate one of his favourite films, 2001: A Space Odyssey – “on the budget of a cheese sandwich”. “I enjoy that challenge,” he said. “Being able to make things happen out of nothing, making do, that kind of MacGyver attitude … I enjoy that and just working things out with the bare basics.”
The Royal Canberra Show was held for the first time in two years, and attracted more than 40,000 people – a record – despite heavy rain and flooding. The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society reported the 2022 Royal Canberra Show was a roaring success. “A community of committed and talented volunteers from across the capital region, some with generations of involvement, made the show a reality in the face of numerous hurdles,” president Rick Jones said.
Local young Bom Funk dancers retained their national champion status at the Follow Your Dreams Dance Competition – and the teenagers say they want to be professional dancers one day. “I’ll do anything as long as I’m dancing,” 13-year-old Amelia Norris said. “It just makes you feel good.”
And a Campbell woman had a “wonderful birthday surprise”: she won $10,000 in the lottery – the lucky ticket a present from her husband. But she has warned him: “He will have to top off next year’s birthday with something bigger! It will have to be better.”
