Good morning Canberra, and happy Thursday.
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We're in for another overcast day, with a top of 27. But who's complaining? At least we aren't melting like we were a few weeks ago. Looking ahead to the weekend, you can expect showers and a top of 35 on Saturday, and 27 on Sunday.
Here's what's making news in the capital today:
Former Canberra public housing blocks snapped up by developers
A handful of Canberra developers are no doubt celebrating after snapping up three former public housing complexes across the territory.
Griffith's troubled Stuart Flats was split into four separate blocks for Wednesday's auction at Manuka Oval, with Morris Property Group - fronted by director Barry Morris and a man unknown to agents, Tony Yeend - snapping up three of them.
Their combined $55.62 million haul included the largest of the Stuart blocks.
Cassandra Morgan has all the details here.
'It's bad science': Bettongs in Lower Cotter release end up dead
Revelations that 67 eastern bettongs were killed after a release program devised with the government come as no surprise to academic Mike Braysher, who says he warned organisers.
The animals had been wiped out from the Lower Cotter Catchment, where they were released between 2015 and 2017, by about March last year, Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary manager Dr Will Batson confirmed.
Cassandra Morgan reports here.
Breast cancer remains high in ACT, but mortality rate dropping
The ACT still has the highest rates of breast cancer in the country - but we have the lowest number of deaths and cases of cancers overall.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released its Cancer in Australia 2019 report today, which found there were 133.6 cases of breast cancer per 100,000 people in the ACT in 2010-2014, the highest rate in the country.
While ACT had the highest breast cancer incident rate by a significant number, the territory's mortality rate was only slightly above the national average and the fourth highest in the country.
Daniella White and Markus Mannheim breakdown the figures here.
ACT government rules out Liberals' anti-consorting bill, again
For the third time in two years, the ACT government has rejected a bill to create anti-consorting laws in a bid to combat outlaw motorcycle gang-related activity.
ACT Labor and the Greens on Wednesday voted down the Liberals' latest bill, despite the opposition making some changes aimed at better protecting human rights, in line with recommendations by the NSW Ombudsman on the state's anti-consorting laws.
Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay again rejected the proposals on the grounds academic evidence showed they would not curb criminal activity.
For a rundown, see Daniel Burdon's story here.
Kathryn and Peter are kicking goals on World Down Syndrome Day
Today is World Down Syndrome Day, celebrating the achievements of people with the genetic condition.
Kathryn Rodwell and Peter Bartholomew have been working for the last 18 months on the Ginninderry project, job-sharing at the head office, helping in all kinds of ways to support the creation of a massive housing development in the north-west of Canberra.
And they're valued members of their team.
Megan Doherty spoke to the pair to mark the international day here.
Green Machine looking to be bad and mean in victory
It may be dividing fans, but the Canberra Raiders have a new team song.
The Canberra Raiders Old Boys of '89 want the current edition of the Green Machine to create their own history. And tweaking the victory song is part of that.
Returning winger Jordan Rapana was meant to be in charge of revamping it, but he was struggling for inspiration, so veteran Sia Soliola stepped up to the musical plate.
He simply took their old victory song, tweaked it, and added the chorus from The Mighty Green Machine song at the end.
David Polkinghorne has more here.
Today's cartoon:
