The ACT election campaign is well underway for voters to shape Canberra's next Legislative Assembly.
Whichever party is elected will inherit an Assembly whose previous four-year term saw a $1 billion loan to tackle Mr Fluffy asbestos, a doomed attempt at same-sex marriage legislation, a change in leaders of both major parties and a string of political scandals.
Political dead heat
October 20, 2012
The days after the 2012 ACT election began with an anxious wait for results and a wipe-out for the ACT Greens.
It took nearly a fortnight for the Territory to learn that the Labor government would be returned to power after a dead-heat result with the major parties securing eight seats each.
Greens form minority government with Labor
November 11, 2012
The sole remaining Greens member, Shane Rattenbury, held the balance of power and eventually sided with Labor returning the party for a fourth term.
The resulting agreement also secured light rail for the city and defined the Canberra Liberals' key pledge for the next four years - to rip up the tracks.
"There are no circumstances in which light rail will go ahead under a Liberal government. We will terminate this project," then Liberals transport spokesman Alistair Coe said.
Zed Seselja moves to federal politics
February 4, 2013
Then Liberal leader Zed Seselja, who fought the election, did not stay in local politics to see the Opposition's term through.
"Today I'm announcing that I've nominated to be the Liberal Party number one senate candidate," Mr Seselja said at the time.
He was eventually replaced by current Canberra Liberals Leader Jeremy Hanson.
Same-sex marriage legislation introduced
October, 22, 2013
In late 2013, the Government, moving hand-in-hand with the Greens, pursued an ill-fated path towards same-sex marriage.
After its emotional passage in the Assembly came a five-day flurry of wedding ceremonies.
But the law met its demise in the High Court, with the court ruling the ACT's laws were inconsistent with the Federal Marriage Act, and were therefore unconstitutional.
Same-sex couples who got married in Canberra said they were disappointed by the ruling but remained determined for the future.
Mr Fluffy asbestos $1 billion loan
October 28, 2014
As the scale of so-called Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos in the ACT became clear in 2014, the government was handed a $1 billion lifeline by the Commonwealth to buy back and knock down more than 1,000 affected homes.
"Ultimately every house has to be demolished. We can't leave a Mr Fluffy house standing in Canberra," then chief minister Katy Gallagher said.
But the program attracted controversy, with former residents given the right to buy their land back at a price.
One resident, Christina Pilkington, was ordered out of her asbestos-contaminated home and given $735,000 in compensation.
Almost a year later she was told she would have to pay the ACT government $725,000 to buy back the property, now just a bare patch of earth.
Katy Gallagher moves to federal politics
December 5, 2014
In late 2014, then chief minister Katy Gallagher followed her former Liberal counterpart into the Senate.
"After much consideration, I have decided that I can use the skills I have gained in my time as chief minister to step into the federal arena to stand up for Canberra, defend our city and be a strong local voice for our nation's capital," she said.
Andrew Barr was promoted from deputy leader to ACT Labor leader and became the ACT's seventh Chief Minister.
Controversies surround Joy Burch
January 14, 2015
In the past two years, the Assembly has seen a series of controversies in the portfolios of Labor MLA Joy Burch.
First, she was given a public dressing down by the Chief Minister over an attempt to increase the note value accepted in poker machines in her role as gaming minister.
"I've spoken with Joy to express my disappointment at not being made aware of these changes," Mr Barr said at the time.
Then, in April 2015, there was public outrage after a boy with autism was placed in a cage at a Canberra school while Ms Burch was education minister.
"I am immensely disappointed, disturbed and quite frankly disgusted that this structure was allowed in our school, it is absolutely unacceptable," Ms Burch said.
Joy Burch resigns from Cabinet
January 19, 2016
Ms Burch resigned from Cabinet this year amid a police investigation centred around her former chief of staff, Maria Hawthorne.
Ms Burch was police minister at the time Ms Hawthorne tendered her resignation, following revelations she allegedly briefed a Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union official about a ministerial meeting with Chief Police Officer Rudi Lammers.
ACT police have since dropped the investigation.
Ms Burch is seeking re-election next month, but said she would not take a future Cabinet position.
