Andrew Barr ACT Chief Minister

Andrew Barr ACT Chief Minister Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. ACT Labor Leader.

14/09/2026

Strong opening weekend at Floriade Australia

Construction is now complete on new recovery and wellbeing facilities in Watson, providing better support for some of ou...
13/09/2026

Construction is now complete on new recovery and wellbeing facilities in Watson, providing better support for some of our most vulnerable young Canberrans.

The new facilities will provide:

* Ted Noffs Foundation — alcohol and other drug rehabilitation services for young people

* Marymead CatholicCare — residential care for young people experiencing mental health challenges

* Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services — a new 24-bed residential alcohol and other drug rehabilitation facility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

These new facilities replace ageing buildings with modern, purpose-built spaces that are welcoming, secure and designed around recovery and wellbeing.

Work began in May 2025 and has been delivered by construction delivery partner, Monarch Building Solutions.

Most importantly, this project is about giving people the right environment and support to recover, rebuild and get back on track.

That’s a good investment in the wellbeing of young Canberrans and in the future of our community.

🌷🌸🌼 Floriade 2026 is officially open and Canberra is looking absolutely blooming beautiful! 🌼🌸🌷This weekend is serving u...
11/09/2026

🌷🌸🌼 Floriade 2026 is officially open and Canberra is looking absolutely blooming beautiful! 🌼🌸🌷

This weekend is serving up peak Canberra spring: sunny skies, crisp mornings, and tops of around 22°C on Saturday and Sunday. In other words, perfect Floriade weather.

With more than one million blooms, delicious food experiences, celebrity chefs, live entertainment and family fun, there has never been a better excuse to wander through Commonwealth Park and pretend you’re only stopping for a “quick look”.

✨ Highlights include:
🍓 Feast of Flowers foodie experiences
👩‍🍳 Celebrity chef demonstrations
📚 Stephanie Alexander
🎶 NightFest from 1-4 October
🌷 Stunning flower displays
🛍️ Markets and workshops
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Activities for all ages

🚍🚊🚲🚶 AND THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET HERE!
Skip the parking hunt and let someone else do the driving:
✅ FREE daily Floriade shuttle buses
✅ Weekend Express buses from Tuggeranong, Woden and Belconnen
✅ Light rail connections
✅ Walking trails from the city
✅ Bike and scooter parking
✅ Weekend ferry service
✅ Plenty of nearby parking options if you’re driving

💸 Best of all: 🎟️ FLORIADE IS FREE
🎟️ FREE ENTRY 🎟️ ONE MILLION FLOWERS FOR $0

11/09/2026

2026

It’s World Electric Vehicle Day and Canberra has plenty to celebrate. 🥳🔌🚗We’ve just broken our electric vehicle registra...
09/09/2026

It’s World Electric Vehicle Day and Canberra has plenty to celebrate. 🥳🔌🚗

We’ve just broken our electric vehicle registrations record for the fourth time this year.

In August, 44% of new cars registered in the ACT were fully electric. Add plug-in hybrids and more than half of all new cars coming onto Canberra’s roads were plug-in vehicles.

That’s roughly double the national rate, with the ACT continuing to lead every state and territory.

And before the comments section gets started, yes:

🔋 The battery doesn’t die every time you turn the heater on.
🥶 They do, in fact, work when it’s cold. Canberra has winter. EVs have noticed.
🚗 You can drive to Sydney.
🔌 There are chargers. Quite a lot of them, actually.
🏔️ You don’t have to push one uphill.
⚡️ And no, the grid hasn’t collapsed.

There are now more than 320 public EV charging bays across the ACT, with another 80 on the way through the ACT Government’s Public EV Charging Infrastructure Fund.

Canberrans are voting with their wallets and increasingly, they’re choosing to plug in.

09/09/2026

Commonwealth Park is a hive of activity ahead of the start of Floriade Australia this Saturday.

Here’s a look behind-the-scenes.

08/09/2026

Canberra has always had a global outlook – and our exporters are proving that world-class businesses can grow right here. 🌱

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners of the 2026 ACT Chief Minister’s Export Awards. You are helping diversify our economy and showing the world what Canberra can do.

This year’s category winners:
ACT Exporter of the Year: Diversity Arrays Technology
Agribusiness, Food and Beverages: HiveiQ
Creative, Lifestyle and Design: Lifa Lab
Digital and Smart Technologies: BixeLab
Manufacturing and Advanced Materials: Liquid Instruments
Professional Services: Jamala Wildlife Lodge
Sustainability and Green Economy: Diversity Arrays Technology
Emerging Exporter: Clubland Australia
Regional Exporter: AgriGate Australia
Small Business: PPB Technology
ACT Promising Exporter: Australian Membrane Transporter Engineers (ACT specific category)

Canberra’s recipe for success: great coffee, outstanding local produce, talented chefs, excellent wineries and a hospita...
07/09/2026

Canberra’s recipe for success: great coffee, outstanding local produce, talented chefs, excellent wineries and a hospitality sector that keeps raising the bar.

It was great to join industry leaders at the Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence ACT and celebrate the people behind some of our city’s best meals and experiences.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners, including Lunetta Red Hill, ACT Restaurant of the Year.

🍷 ☕ 🍽️

Construction kicks off today on this.The new home of our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.And while its addres...
07/09/2026

Construction kicks off today on this.

The new home of our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

And while its address will change - its mission remains the same.

To make sure every young Canberran has a place to go that supports their wellbeing and backs their recovery.

No matter what they’re going through.

Spring in Canberra is officially here. This means the magpies are swooping, the pollen is in the air, and the lawnmowe...
06/09/2026

Spring in Canberra is officially here.

This means the magpies are swooping, the pollen is in the air, and the lawnmowers are busy, everywhere.

The ACT mowing crews are hitting the parks, roadside verges, and sporting fields from now through summer and into autumn.

📍 Track the mower fleet: Wondering when your local verge is getting its hair trim? Check the official schedule: www.cityservices.act.gov.au/public-land/maintenance/grass-mowing.

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