Canberra Now: Income based traffic fines; cannabis driving concerns
Good morning Canberra,
We're heading for a top of 23 degrees today and there should be a bit of sunshine about.
Start your Thursday out right - here are today's headlines.
ACT govt to investigate income-based traffic fines in Canberra
The Greens have proposed low income Canberra residents should pay less for parking and traffic fines.
Greens MLA Caroline Le Couteur on Wednesday proposed the territory move towards a system used in Finland and other European nations, where a flat fine for minor offences is replaced with a tiered system based on people's capacity to pay.
Daniel Burdon has more.
Police concerned cannabis bill doesn’t mention drug driving
Police have concerns that a bill to legalise cannabis in the ACT does not adequately address existing laws relating to driving while on drugs.
Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith said the bill, which was introduced in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, did not explore issues of the health system, therapeutic controls and how to deal with those found driving under the influence of cannabis.
Sally Pryor has more.
SouthFest a success for Tuggeranong community spirit
The success of the weekend's SouthFest in Tuggeranong has everyone asking if it will be an annual event.
Organisers estimate more than 15,000 people - and perhaps as many as 20,000 people -went to the inaugural SouthFest event last weekend.
Megan Doherty has more.
Googong school suspends Indonesian language programs
The Anglican School Googong has become the second local school this month to consider dropping Indonesian, with both decisions sparking petitions from students to save their language classes.
Australian National University Indonesian expert George Quinn said a downturn in Australian students studying the language would leave them behind on the world stage.
Chloe Livadeas has more.
Second chance for visa hopefuls as extra places allocated to ACT
Good news for potential migrants to the ACT, with 600 extra places allocated to the territory by the Department of Home Affairs.
The ACT government will reopen its Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) program for skilled migrants on Thursday, after it was closed suddenly in June to deal with an influx of international students to the territory.
Sally Whyte has more.