Canberra Now: Centrelink to close mail scanning and sorting centres
Good morning Canberra,
It's going to be chilly today but mostly sunny with a top of 14 degrees.
Here are today's headlines.
Centrelink to close mail scanning and sorting centres, 100 jobs affected
Almost 50 people with disabilities face an uncertain future after the Department of Human Services ended its contract with a disability support organisation that provides them with supported employment.
Since 2011, mail sent to Centrelink has been sorted at Fairbairn Business Park, before being sent to a facility in Symonston, where it is scanned by Department of Human Services employees. Due to the massive decline in volumes of mail, both facilities will be closed, and Australia Post will take on the work that is left.
Focus on community skills in ANU admissions overhaul
The top achieving Year 12 student in the country will no longer be guaranteed a spot at the ANU in a significant overhaul of its ATAR admissions process.
In a new scheme designed to diversify the university's ranks, school leavers will be asked to meet a minimum threshold of community service and extra-curricular activity such as working part-time, playing sport or volunteering, on top of achieving the right score for their degree.
Sherryn Groch and Emily Baker teamed up to bring you the details, here.
Community Housing sent knocking for funds
The ACT government has told Canberra's biggest community housing provider to knock on the federal government's door for more money, after it forced it to start repaying a $50 million territory loan last year.
Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry made the comments after a speech in which she also indicated she wanted to provide more public housing to more Canberrans, despite the government's current "tight" focus on residents facing the most acute circumstances.
Former strongman's new astronomical find
What Michael Sidonio captured from his little observatory outside Canberra had so far eluded professional astronomers.
The former strongman, who discovered a new galaxy from his little observatory outside Canberra,z has made another astronomical find - this time ancient remnants of a star system's early eruptions.
The faint, barely noticible features had so far eluded professional astronomers.