Good morning Canberra and welcome to your Thursday.
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We're heading for a top of 14 degrees today after an overnight low of minus 1. Expect patches of light frost this morning in the capital, then it will be partly cloudy with light winds and a slight chance of a shower in the morning and afternoon.
Today is also the last day to enroll or update your electoral details to take part in the Turnbull government's same-sex marriage postal vote.
Here's all the news fit to print today:
Barr offers proxy vote in marriage plebiscite
Chief Minister Andrew Bar has offered to fill out a proxy ballot for anyone who trust him in the same-sex marriage survey.
Mr Barr told the ACT parliament that he would stand in as what the Australian Bureau of Statistics is calling a "trusted person", and vote for people who could not vote for themselves.
Kirsten Lawson reports the bureau says if someone can't access their survey form they will be able to authorise someone to complete the survey form on their behalf and Mr Barr stands ready.
Garema Place to receive micro park
Garema Place could be treated to a micro amphitheatre, illuminated blue trees or grassed platforms by summer as part of the ACT government's push to make city spaces more inviting.
Canberrans are now asked to vote on their favourite idea with the most popular design to be developed and constructed.
Emily Baker has more on this story.
Govt IT contracts to be capped at $100m
The federal government will cap the value of IT contracts in a radical rethink of its $10 billion tech spending that could bring more smaller firms into projects.
A cap of $100 million or three years in length for government IT contracts will apply to departments in a bid to force them to consider smaller firms lacking cash to compete for larger projects to upgrade digital services.
Doug Dingwall reports Assistant Minister for Digital Transformation Angus Taylor said he wanted to make it easier for the government to adopt innovations from smaller IT companies.
Sacked CSIRO executive: wider investigation expected
An investigation is likely into one of the federal government's biggest land deals, the CSIRO giant Ginninderra Project, after the lead executive on the massive development program was sacked.
Labor is warning the high profile sacking could have serious 'downstream' implications for research into animal diseased that is vital to Australia's food production sector.
Noel Towell reports sources close to the government organisations say the project is now set to come under scrutiny after manager Mark Wallis was sacked.
Book Week at the nation's home of books
If you're still stuck for inspiration for a Book Week costume, have a look at what the experts from the National Library of Australia have to offer.
Staff have got into the spirit, strutting their stuff outside the National Library in costumes inspired by Ruby Red Shoes, The Hobbit, The X-Files, The Handmaid's Tale and How to Train Your Dragon.
Megan Doherty was on hand and brings you all the literary goodness.