Bashing the national capital is a uniquely Australian pastime.
Capital cities elsewhere sometimes draw critical attention for being the seat of government and the home of bureaucrats, but few countries show as much contempt for their capital as many Australians do.
News Corp columnist Miranda Devine wrote this week: "There's something seriously wrong with Australia when Canberra is our fastest growing town, boasting the highest wages, near record job growth, soaring house prices, and the most extravagant retail sales."
Devine went on to say: "Smug, entitled public servants live high on the hog, with taxpayer-funded massages, business class travel, gentleman's hours, high-class restaurants, cafes on every corner, and a furious resistance to Barnaby Joyce's sensible idea of decentralising the federal bureaucracy to repopulate dying country towns."
And this: "Canberra is the bubble of all bubbles, a town of public servants in protected jobs, insulated from the wealth creators who fund it all, and increasingly obsessed with identity politics and 'diversity', an irony in the most homogenous cultural enclave in the nation."
Her views are sadly not isolated and many will say they should be ignored, but that would perpetuate a stereotype which needs to be challenged.
Canberra – the "bush capital" – is Australia's best-kept secret.
It has the food, wine and culture to match any state capital without the traffic or crime.
There are few cities of its size in the world that have native birds and wildlife in such abundance.
Anyone who had the pleasure of walking or cycling along Lake Burley Griffin in the warmth of last weekend's autumn splendour will know it's also one of the most beautiful places in Australia.
The attacks on Canberra largely stem from perceptions about the people who live and work here. Yes, there are many academics, political staffers and bureaucrats.
These people are often better educated and more politically engaged than average citizens in regional centres and outer suburbs, including parts of the ACT.
A majority lean to the left, which raises the hackles of right-wing commentators in particular.
But why target Canberra instead of Adelaide? Don Dunstan was the most socially progressive leader of his era and Labor has won 11 of the past 14 South Australian elections.
Adelaide is non-threatening and has good wine.
Canberra is a magnet for criticism from disgruntled punters across Australia because decisions are made here.
The outraged commentator, the angry plumber in Bundaberg who votes One Nation and the tree-hugging greenie from Tasmania should direct their wrath towards the decision and the decision makers, not the city.
It's hard to think of another country where there is so much hostility towards the capital.
Many Americans think Washington DC is disconnected from reality, but still respect the city and its institutions.
Brazilians are sometimes critical of Oscar Niemeyer's planned city of Brasilia, but it's generally admired for its distinctive design.
Europeans disparage Brussels because of its bureaucracy, but for Belgians it's a bridge across the linguistic divide between Flemish and French speakers.
New Zealanders outside the big two centres resent Auckland more than Wellington.
Canberra is a soft target for easy hits. Our political leaders should do more to instil pride in the city, but they won't in this age of populism.
Meanwhile, commentators and critics will continue to attack the capital and it's up to Canberrans to sell the positive attributes of this special city.
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