About Ian Bushnell
Ian Bushnell is a career journalist and a former News Editor and Chief of Reporting staff at The Canberra Times, where he was at the centre of some of the capital’s biggest stories.
A Canberra resident since 1995, he and his partner have raised three children here and takes a keen interest in politics, urban development, health, education and sustainability issues.
He has found Canberra to be the most liveable city in Australia, and that it’s a reputation worth fighting for.
He enjoys the ACT’s bush environment and its rich cultural offerings including music, theatre and sport, although as a Collingwood supporter the Giants will always be that other Sydney team.
A lover of fine reds, he believes Canberra is blessed to have so many great wineries on our doorstep.
All Articles
News
A 32-year-old Blacktown man has been charged over a spam email campaign against the Labor candidate in the Eden-Monaro by-election, Kristy McBain. The Australian Federal Police arrested the man during a raid at his house and later conveyed him to Parramatta Police Station. He was charged with one count of using a telecommunications service to menace, harass or cause offence, contrary...
News
A British researcher is now bound for the Australian National University to continue her pioneering work into how the human immune system can hunt down and eradicate cancer thanks to an $8 million boost from Canberra Airport owner and property developer Terry Snow. One of three inaugural Snow Fellows, Dr Marian Burr will join the John Curtin School of Medical Research...
Opinion
Last week was a mixed one for the Canberra region's women, with a breakthrough in the national capital and yet another male tin ear to an issue that should appall anyone. The ACT Government's announcement that it would set up a permanent publicly funded homebirth program after the success of a two-year trial is welcome, although for those of us...
News
World-leading fire and trauma recovery experts will join a free virtual Community Resilience forum for the NSW South Coast community in Bega next week to support communities and people still grappling with the fallout from the past summer's bushfires. The online forum, on Tuesday, 19 May at 8:45 am, will be hosted by a groundbreaking initiative which is aimed at...
News
Canberra Airport has become the first in the country to install temperature screening technology in its departure terminal, a COVID-19 measure that doctors hope is taken up by other transport terminals as an extra way to rein in the virus. The technology, first developed by electronic security firm EOS Australia for use in schools around the world, measures all human forehead...
Opinion
Forget the fact that we can't drive too far at these days, but Australians seem to be like the kids in the back crying ''are we there yet?'' The nation's COVID-19 containment measures appear to be working and we are the envy of countries where the death toll is and continues to be appalling. It's working so well that commentators,...
Opinion
There is another big curve the Australian state and territory governments have to deal with besides COVID-19, although it's a direct consequence of the virus that's shutting down our economy and lifestyle. It's the steep learning curve our public schools and teachers are climbing to keep up a quality education to children stuck at home or, if their parents are...
News
The Australian National University (ANU) will use Year 11 school results to decide entry for next year's undergraduate students due to the disruption to Year 12 studies caused by the COVID-19 containment measures. The ANU said this year's school leavers won't have to rely on their 2020 results to gain entry next year, and are now able to apply based on...
News
The coronavirus public health emergency has forced the ACT Government to call off Canberra's premier tourism event, Floriade, despite it being more than six months away. Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the government could not guarantee the health and safety of all those involved and it was not logistically possible to proceed. "After careful consideration, the ACT Government has decided...
Opinion
Well, the PM's lecture on hoarding and panic buying went down well. Queues at supermarkets and even the markets, the buying extending to perishables and regional supermarkets banning outsiders from the aisles – that was the response across the Canberra region, and everywhere else. If anything the rush on shopping centres and even the Fyshwick markets in Canberra gathered apace....
News
As supermarkets shelves continue to be emptied of toilet paper, hand sanitisers, and dry and canned foods, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has bluntly told Australians to stop hoarding and panic buying. While not waving a big stick yet, Mr Morrison called it un-Australian and a distraction from other measures and efforts to maintain supply chains into shopping centres. "It is...
Health & Wellbeing
Emma Kemp knows she is one of the lucky ones. Not only did she beat ovarian cancer, but she did not lose her fertility in the process. The 33-year-old University of Canberra Hospital nurse is now paying it forward, getting the message out about a disease that is often detected late and only has a 46 per cent five-year survival...
News
Isabella Plains couple Brian and Katie Meilak moved to Queensland in 2015 to access autism services for their son Zachary, but now a new autism hub in Canberra will mean families in the region will get the help they need here in the national capital. The world-class autism hub, with $3.5 million in capital funding from the John James Foundation and owned and...
What's On
The Canberra Symphony Orchestra will return to Queanbeyan this weekend for its annual Music by the River concert, a free outdoor performance of classical favourites. The family-friendly event at Queen Elizabeth II Park on the banks of the Queanbeyan River on Saturday evening is presented by Icon Water in partnership with Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC). Led by concertmaster Kirsten Williams, Music...
News
Canberra Airport is expecting to clinch direct connections to China, New Zealand and Vanuatu within the next eight years and double daily flight movements by 2040, according to its new Master Plan. The Federal Government has announced that the Airport's 2020 Master Plan has been approved, and the airport expects to release it to the public on 5 March after...
Arts & Culture
This year's National Folk Festival will acknowledge the devastating impact of the summer's bushfires with a special concert and fundraising efforts across the Easter weekend. Speaking at Tuesday's launch of the 54th National Folk Festival at Gorman House in Canberra, festival managing director Helen Roben said it would be a heartfelt response to the summer's tragedies. "We have reached out...