It does seem to get consistent usage - I think it’d make a lot of sense for the commute if you lived along the route and worked normal hours in the city. The increase in development was also noticeable - Flemington Rd has a lot of housing built along it now which would have been at least helped along by the presence of the light rail (I expect a lot would have been built regardless, but maybe not as quickly).
Looks like Sydney Trains is going to drop the jargon from its PA announcements.
From the SMH:
"Commuters will soon be told to “get off” the train, rather than “alight”, after Sydney Trains resolved to overhaul its station announcements to favour colloquial language.
"The phrase “this train terminates here” is also being retired, due to concerns the word “terminates” is difficult to understand."
Seriously though, alight and terminates are not hard words to understand - particularly when given context and used in repeated announcements. It doesn’t reflect well on our literacy levels if these words are now considered too difficult for the general population.
That’s likely at least part of the reasoning behind this change. However the majority of people learning English will simply have a lack of vocabulary rather than a lack of reasoning capacity, so should therefore be able to figure out the words mean from context and observation (or look up the meanings considering smartphones are basically ubiquitous these days).
You’re right that I wouldn’t recognise an unknown word/phrase, but since train announcements are operating in a limited context and I’d be seeing people respond by getting off the train at multiple stops you’d hope I’d figure it out before too long.
This is of course assuming I know some of the language and can recognise basic words such as their equivalent of passengers, going in completely blind would be a real mission (just as it would be coming here with absolutely no English).
Sounds a pretty good use case for an electric truck; low speeds with constant stop/start driving is well suited to electric vehicles and a known route means range is much less of an issue (just spec it with enough to cope with expected decline over its service life and you’re set). The harder part will be making sure there’s enough charging capacity in the depots to cope with a fleet of trucks, I would expect upgrades will be necessary for that.
Yes, I would think Finland would be more around the top of the Snowies/Vic Alps, particularly as you approach the treeline. England seems a better fit for the ACT (though you might need to ignore summer for that).
Various reserves (mostly out around the Cotter) and parts of Namadgi will be closed for periods in May/June - something to be aware of if you’re planning to head out.
ANZAC Day may not actually make a long weekend this year but apparently the powers that be have considered it’s close enough to make for a double demerit period in ACT and NSW - and it’s starting Wednesday instead of Thursday. Keep your eyes peeled if you’re out and about over the next few days.
n this scenario because the road is not multi-laned it doesn’t seem permitted.
That list should have ‘or’ separating the options, only one of them has to be true to qualify as an exception instead of all of them. I swear NSW likes to make things more confusing in what is supposed to be clear language explanations of the rules - the actual road rules are often easier to understand (as they are in this case).
I feel like inflation has rather diminished the impact of the monetary side of a contempt finding - $5k just doesn’t have the same impact as six months in prison anymore. It’s like how you see the occasional old sign in lifts warning that smoking can be punished by a (presumably initially impactful) fine of up to $20…
I was concerned these recent stabbings would start a push towards screwing over people like me who regularly carry pocket knives, and unsurprisingly it’s started. It’s rather disappointing how many people go straight to pearl clutching at the mention of a knife even though I and many others have had them on hand as useful tools for decades without feeling the need to stab anyone.
They can get funding, but not in the next election. If you get more than 4% of first preference votes then you can get money after an election to help repay expenditure for that election, up to the lesser of the amount you have spent or the number of first preference votes multiplied by a few dollars (currently $3.29). Reading the info page it seems to make it easier they pay out $12k if you qualify and you can claim more if necessary.
This does mean it’s worthwhile spending your first preference on a smaller candidate you approve of though. They aren’t necessarily getting ahead with that funding but being able to offset their election spending would be a real benefit to people/groups which don’t have piles of money to spend (and makes it more likely they’ll be able to try again next election).
Good. I think the other option - setting a precedent allowing businesses to skirt discrimination laws by claiming their behaviour was art - would have been a rather poor decision.
Because there are sections of the law which allow exemption from the gender discrimination section for various reasons, and they have successfully argued that there are benefits to having a women only gym which are important enough to deserve an exemption (to provide substantive equality). They also only allow women patrons, so men are not charged for a service that is not equally provided.
I don’t really see it as problematic for a discriminated class to seek to foster a space free from those who perpetuate that discrimination
Neither do many other people, which is why such examples as Fernwood have received exemptions from the law and why there is a specific exemption in the laws for both female and male only clubs.
I don’t think it sets a precedent for protected classes to be discriminated against as “art” because men aren’t a class that needs protecting
Allowing discrimination based on gender without substantiating the businesses eligibility for an exemption under the law absolutely would set a precedent for the courts. While you may agree with this particular case of discrimination it is not a good idea to open an opportunity for more discrimination in the future - keep in mind it may not always be the type you agree with.
A frustrated ACT Government has written to the Federal Government calling on it to release the 700-hectare CSIRO Ginninderra site to the Territory so it can be developed for much-needed housing.
Strong results for Stage 1 of Canberra's Light Rail (www.railexpress.com.au)
HECS indexation to be overhauled in budget with $3 billion in student debt 'wiped out' (www.abc.net.au)
Student debts will be lowered for more than three million Australians under reforms designed to stop HECS loans growing faster than wages....
Electric garbage truck trialled in regional Australia drives 'like a limousine' (www.abc.net.au)
Map of the different climates in Australia (aussie.zone)
Transcription:...
Spike in motorbike thefts most likely down to one or two repeat offenders (the-riotact.com)
I’ve noticed the spate of stolen bike posts on the local Facebook groups, interesting to see an article talking about it.
Parks and reserves to close for ‘largest pest animal program’ in Territory to date | Riotact (the-riotact.com)
Various reserves (mostly out around the Cotter) and parts of Namadgi will be closed for periods in May/June - something to be aware of if you’re planning to head out.
Heads up that double demerits are running again from tomorrow through to Sunday
ANZAC Day may not actually make a long weekend this year but apparently the powers that be have considered it’s close enough to make for a double demerit period in ACT and NSW - and it’s starting Wednesday instead of Thursday. Keep your eyes peeled if you’re out and about over the next few days.
[Solved] NSW road rules: Stay behind turners on single lane roads?
Imagine you’re in the blue car, wanting to turn left:...
Critically endangered northern corroboree frogs spotted in Namadgi National Park for the first time in five years (www.abc.net.au)
cross-posted from: aussie.zone/post/8969234...
Greens senator threatens Woolworths CEO with six months in prison for contempt of Senate (www.abc.net.au)
Bondi Junction attacker's interactions with Queensland Police 'forensically' examined amid debate over stop-and-search laws (www.abc.net.au)
QLD Premier Steven Miles said the attack gives “added weight” to the argument to expand police stop and search powers....
Who to vote for?
Hi people and bots,...
Gilmour Space's Eris rocket to ignite crowds at Abbot Point's new Bowen Orbital Spaceport launch pad (www.abc.net.au)
Australia’s first locally made orbital rocket is poised to blast off from a small north Queensland town next month....
Mona: Court rules women’s-only exhibit must allow male visitors (www.bbc.com)
Canberra Health Services spending $1.5 million on rebranding in bid to attract staff, make services more accessible (www.abc.net.au)
Veterans, first responders and families evicted from South Canberra 'safe place' [South Canberra Veterans Shed] (the-riotact.com)
ACT gives Commonwealth hurry-up on huge CSIRO land parcel (the-riotact.com)
A frustrated ACT Government has written to the Federal Government calling on it to release the 700-hectare CSIRO Ginninderra site to the Territory so it can be developed for much-needed housing.