“CityNews” is proud of the independent voices of its experienced and entertaining columnists.

FROM politics, health and planning, through to the arts, local history, dining, wine and whimsy, our columnists always have something important and interesting to say.

Here’s the year’s best, as recorded on citynews.com.au 

PAUL COSTIGAN
Canberra Matters

Enough! The time has come to finally walk away
September: “The Canberra I know and have loved for decades is now under the influence of self-interested financial forces that have found willing allies and puppets in both Andrew Barr’s neo-liberal, Labor-light party and Shane Rattenbury’s greenwash keep-me-in-a-job collective,” writes columnist PAUL COSTIGAN.

MICHAEL MOORE
Politics

Closer look at light rail presents a bleak picture
March: “Examination of the light rail project conjures up an image of a government drowning in its own ideology. There is still no reasonable ‘estimated completion date and cost’ for Light Rail Stage 2!” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.

HUGH SELBY
Legal Opinion

Best give the millions back, Brittany
June: Given what we know now compared to last year, legal affairs columnist HUGH SELBY says there’s an argument of “unjust enrichment” and that Brittany Higgins should give the taxpayers’ money back.

ROBERT MACKLIN
The Gadfly

Chaos as Canberra Hospital laughs in our faces
July: Columnist ROBERT MACKLIN finds himself disempowered and struggling with the condescension bordering on contempt from staff amid the daily chaos that is Canberra Hospital’s emergency department. Until he makes a break for it…

CLIVE WILLIAMS
Whimsy

Battery power to the people, in all sorts of ways

March: “Power doesn’t only come from the barrel of a gun (with apologies to Mao Zedong). I refer, of course, to batteries”, writes “Whimsy” columnist CLIVE WILLIAMS. Tesla drivers might be surprised to learn that electric vehicles (EVs) have been around for nearly two centuries, with the first basic EV developed in 1832.

ANTONIO DI DIO
Kindness

Ah, that Mr Cecil, she’s a very beautiful man!
August: “You can’t be fit without perspiring occasionally. You can’t be an ethical person if you race to the shortcut decisions made by others, without using your brain,” writes ANTONIO DI DIO in the latest of his “Short History of Kindness” columns.

JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED
Politics

The tram was a ‘solution’ looking for a problem
May: “JON STANHOPE and KHALID AHMED explain how Stage 1 of the light rail project is an economic failure and that Stage 2 is certain to be a greater failure, with serious questions about procurement without a competitive process.”

JON STANHOPE
Politics

Barr banks land as buyers flee over the border
March: “The longer the government delays the sale of the land and exacerbates pent up demand, the greater the return. Or is that being too cynical?” writes political columnist JON STANHOPE.

NICHOLE OVERALL
Yesterdays

And, once again, you’re welcome, Canberra!
October: “Happy birthday to Queanbeyan, our Cinderella City – less the wicked stepmother, more the unassuming little sister who upstages as the belle of the ball,” writes “Yesterdays” columnist NICHOLE OVERALL, who you’d never guess, lives in Queanbeyan.

KEEPING UP THE ACT
Poking fun at ACT politics
June: The Many Moods of Katy Gallagher