Lisa Ramsay, with her children Jacob, 7, and Heidi, 6, is concerned about the enrolment squeeze in Gungahlin. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gungahlin's childhood population is booming at an unprecedented rate – leaving some parents stressed that their children will not find places at their local schools.
According to figures from the ACT Education directorate – eight government schools dotted across the booming suburbs of Amaroo, Nicholls, Gungahlin, Franklin, Palmerston, Harrison, Bonner and Ngunnawal – have enrolled an extra 2031 students since 2013.
Parents such as Lisa Ramsay are feeling anxious that by the time their children are ready to enrol at primary school, there may be no room.
- Canberra's billion dollar-plus fightback against the increasing risk of home-grown terrorism will take a major step forward from today when Prime Minister Tony Abbott names the former distinguished diplomat, Greg Moriarty, as the country's first National Counter-Terrorism Coordinator.
- Families with children on the lowest incomes will bear the brunt of the federal government's budget cuts, while high income families will actually see their disposable incomes increase slightly over the next four years.
- ACT Liberal Zed Seselja called on Sunday for a referendum on same sex marriage, before Prime Minister Tony Abbott ruled out holding the national vote.
- The ACT government will open 18 new public hospital beds to relieve the strain on the territory's health system as part of a $40.6 million funding boost over the next four years to improve hospital capacity in the territory.
- The ACT Council of the Aged are so concerned about elder abuse in the ACT that they are carrying out a wide-reaching new study into the issue.
- The cost of installing and maintaining more than one million household solar power systems has outweighed their benefit by more than $9 billion, a new report has found.
Sisa Waqa of the Canberra Raiders. Photo: Matt Bedford
Cannon fodder for the first 20, world beaters for the next hour.
It sums up Canberra's 41-34 home loss to Canterbury on Sunday where only an ugly field goal from the man dubbed 'Grub' thwarted the Raiders quest to equal the biggest comeback in NRL history.
- The ACT Brumbies are determined to send off their departing players in style and believe they can claim the Super Rugby championship even if they finish outside the top two.
- Nick Kyrgios heads into his first grand slam at the French Open as a seed, and while the scenes of hysteria that followed him in Melbourne at the Australian Open this year won't be repeated in Paris, the expectation is only gathering momentum.
- State of Origin 2015: Mitchell Pearce will deliver for NSW, writes Jarryd Hayne.
- Reigning premiership coach Alastair Clarkson reckons his Carlton counterpart Mick Malthouse is having to coach within a "really toxic and difficult environment" at Carlton, which was damaging the competition
- Ainslie forwards Nick Salter and Josh Bennett warmed up for next week's North-East Australian Football League representative clash by contributing 10 goals in a tense four-point win over Redland in Brisbane on Saturday.
- The Canberra Brave completed a perfect weekend in the Australian Ice Hockey League with a thrilling 5-4 over-time victory against the Newcastle North Stars on Sunday night.
We're not aware of any traffic incidents at this stage.
Drive safely on your commute and let us know if you see any traffic problems on the roads via @canberratimes, but only when its safe to do so.
Catch some of the best in film that Germany has to offer at the Audi Festival of German Films and the Human Rights Film Festival. May 20-26 at Palace Electric Cinemas, New Acton. Tickets from palacecinemas.com.au
Get to know the dancers behind touring performance, Giselle - the Australian Ballet - with a special question and answer session with Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees about their life, dedication and love for the art form, followed by watching full company class live on stage. From 10am at the Canberra Theatre Centre.
ACT Parks and Conservation Service will undertake a rabbit control program at Pine Island Reserve from today until June 30 - it will involvepindonethe rabbit
Plan your weekend with the Canberra Weekender.
Macedonian ambassador Vele Trpevski standing in front of the abandoned Yugoslavian embassy in Red Hill. Photo: Matt Bedford
Macedonia is planning to sell the former Yugoslavian embassy in Nuyts Street, a long-standing eye sore in the neighbourhood, to allow developers to build luxury townhouses.
Guy Sebastian performs on stage during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Photo: Getty Images
Guy Sebastian may have conquered Europe's hearts but Antipodean charm alone was not enough to wrest the crown of the 60th annual Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.
Australia, which entered the competition with an unprecedented "wild card" from the event organisers, the European Broadcasting Union, took a dose of disco pop to Europe's iconic kitsch-fest and came fifth.
Today: Early fog, partly cloudy. Min, 0, max, 16.
Tuesday: Early fog and light frost. Min, -2, max, 16.
Wednesday: Possible shower. Min, 0, max, 16.
Thursday: Late shower or two. Min, 4, max, 17.
Friday: Shower or two. Min, 7, max, 15.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min, 0, max, 13.