The ACT Labor Government has confirmed it will move to strengthen the Territory’s anti‑vilification laws, arguing that Canberra needs clearer, tougher tools to respond to rising hate speech and abuse.
As we approach 2026, planetary alignments suggest a year of significant change, accompanied by a dynamic and sometimes challenging landscape, where stale structures begin to dismantle and new ways emerge.
Victoria leading the way. The Victorian Parliament has passed expanded anti‑hate speech laws that explicitly protect LGBTIQ+ people, including trans and gender diverse folks, from serious vilification – on the street and online.
It’s been more than 450 years since a monarch ruled in Rome. But now, in the senate and the streets, the forum and the marketplace, the word ‘king’ is being whispered again. Julius Caesar has triumphed in battle and the adoring crowd roars its approval. The crown is offered to him once, twice, three times. And each time, his refusal seems a little more reluctant.
Fearful of Caesar’s growing power, Brutus and Cassius hatch a chilling conspiracy. A pre-emptive strike. But their brutal act unleashes a cascade of violence they can’t control. Is this the end of the republic?
LET'S CARVE HIM AS…
I had breast reduction surgery, but they took them all. I didn’t want them, they were big and heavy and I wanted it to be easier to find clothes that would fit. I wanted to be ready to evacuate in the middle of the night and not think I would die in a fire with one arm stuck in a bra strap. I wanted to believe in the possibility of doing a handstand...without hitting myself in the face.
”This show is like a big warm hug from your favourite (undeniably queer) aunty.” ★★★★★ Time Out, 2025
Geraldine Hickey is a regular on our screens, appearing on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Qu…
Laughs are set to shake the capital this autumn as the 2026 Canberra Comedy Festival returns with a massive line-up of local legends and big-name favourites.
Almost 40 years later, Larry Kramer’s groundbreaking, semi-autobiographical drama returns to Sydney Theatre Company: a monumental tribute to those we lost, a poignant reminder for those who lived through the epidemic and a revelatory insight into the beginning of a world-changing movement
The full program will be announced on 15 January 2026, with member presales opening at 7:00 pm, followed by general public sales on 16 January at 5:00 pm.
MORE DETAILS
Opening Night Film
JIMPA
Three generations of an Australian family come together in Amsterdam to reconnect with Jimpa (Lithgow), a HIV-positive academic. During the visit, Jimpa’s non-binary grandchild Frances decides to stay with him for a year, only to begin questioning some of his attitudes and values as generational differences surface.
There are numerous studies showing how important sex is to a successful marriage or any long-term relationship. There are of course many types of sex and ways of being intimate with others, but sex with a partner who knows you intimately is often a much more passionate and connecting experience.
