Canberra Now: Senate tensions and a massive fire in Queanbeyan
Good morning Canberra!
The forecast looks slightly better today after a soggy, cold weekend, but not by much. Temperatures are forecast to get as high as 12 degrees after an overnight low of 2, and there is a 20 per cent chance of showers.
Best to grab a cuppa and get a head start on today's news before venturing out into the cold.
Queanbeyan scrap yard goes up in flames
Massive plumes of black smoke billowed over Queanbeyan as a scrap metal yard went up in flames on Sunday night.
Authorities said the blaze, inside the GRI scrap yard on Underwood Street, was about 50 metres by 20 metres in size.
Eight units were called in to put out the fire, with support from Fire and Rescue NSW's Queanbeyan crews.
'She's suffered enough': Family's dementia ward struggle
Angelina spends most of her days lying in bed in a locked dementia ward inside a Canberra nursing home.
The catch? Angelina isn't elderly and she doesn't have dementia.
The 56-year-old has been living with catatonic schizophrenia since she was a child and became physically disabled after a suspected stroke in 2012.
Her family has been fighting for years to find Angelina accommodation that meets her care needs and gives her some quality of life.
Contaminated site sold to become child care centre
Contamination from toxic chemicals has been confirmed at an old fire station, which is now set to become a child care centre.
The chemicals were found during sampling at the old Charnwood station in 2014 and 2015, before the former Land Development Agency sold the site for more than $2 million.
The ACT government said contamination fell below thresholds for residential land use.
Penny Wong's dig at ACT's new senator
Labor Senator Penny Wong has unequivocally endorsed David Smith's rival Katy Gallagher one day before the former union official will be sworn into the Senate.
Senator Wong will flank Mr Smith when he walks into the upper house to become the ACT's newest senator on Monday morning.
But on the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday morning, Senator Wong told presenter Annabel Crabb senior figures within the party, including leader Bill Shorten, wanted Ms Gallagher to return to the Senate.
"Obviously a big day tomorrow for David Smith, being sworn into the Senate. That is a big occasion for him and his family," Senator Wong said.