Palmer spruiks United vision

BILLIONAIRE mining magnate Clive Palmer has promised to put Tasmania back on the map.

He vowed yesterday to re-launch the United Australia Party and run candidates in Tasmania's five House of Representatives seats and the Senate in the federal election.

The United Australia Party was founded in 1931 with help from former Tasmanian Premier and Australian Prime Minister Joseph Lyons.

Mr Palmer said Tasmania had been forgotten by much of Australia.

Mr Palmer, whose mother was born in Tasmania's North-West and father was a radio DJ in the region, also has the next state election well and truly in his sights.

"People of Tasmania have been forgotten and they feel unimportant," Mr Palmer told the Mercury yesterday.

"Tasmania has some fantastic roles to play.

"Tasmania is a leader in many fields.

"You go to Japan and there is Tasmanian seaweed on the sushi menu.

"In New York they have Tasmanian oysters."

Despite drawing a range of criticism from all sides of the political spectrum yesterday, the billionaire, who has vowed to build a replica of the Titanic to be on the water in 2016, was unfazed yesterday.

"I have a sacred duty to protect the Australian people," he said, after earlier telling the national media he wanted to be prime minister.

"I want to serve the community and serve the state."

He said suggestions only "rednecks" would vote for his party were ridiculous.

Mr Palmer promised to be in Tasmania "soon", with high-profile candidates waiting in the wings to run for his party.

Yesterday, local politicians were not losing any sleep over the impending arrival of Mr Palmer.

Sitting Labor MPs laughed off the threat.

Braddon MP Sid Sidebottom -- who is facing an election defeat according to polls -- said he would send Mr Palmer a map to show him how to get to Tasmania.

ALP state secretary John Dowling was not surprised by the announcement.

"It continues a trend of conservative political parties coming to Tasmania," he said.

"It says something about the Liberal Party and how the conservative forces think the Liberal Party are travelling at a federal level."

Mr Dowling questioned the sincerity of some in Mr Palmer's party.

"Previous attempts of conservative interstate parties have been about blow-ins coming in telling Tasmanians what to do," he said.

Liberal Party state president Sam McQuestin could not be contacted for comment.

matthew.smith@news.com.au

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Force cops blue surge

TASMANIA Police has been swamped by an unprecedented surge of people wanting to join the force, with 800 applications for about 20 positions announced just three weeks ago.

More than 1000 expressions of interest are expected in the coming weeks - more than Tasmania Police usually receives in a year.

Police Association president Pat Allen said the enormous interest was partly because of the soft jobs market in Tasmania and partly because there had been such along wait for a new recruit course.

"We've had no new blood for two years," he said.

"Normally we get in new recruits between one and three times a year."

Tasmania Police hopes to have 20-25 new recruits on the beat by Christmas.

Police Commissioner Darren Hine opened a new energy-efficient police station at Cygnet yesterday, with passive-solar design and double-glazed windows.

Cygnet is also the latest area to benefit from Tasmania Police's Housing Project, with a new four-bedroom police residence.

The Housing Project involves Tasmania Police selling surplus homes around the state to finance improved housing in remote areas.

The four-bedroom house at Cygnet is 6.3-star efficiency-rated, with double glazing and solar hot water.

Mr Allen welcomed the Housing Project, but he said the force still needed more police on the beat.

He said the force had shrunk from 1,248 officers about 18 months ago to its present size of 1100.

"Numbers are always a concern for us, but it's a balancing act because the police do need good accommodation."

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Festival boss draws curtain

THE Ten Days on the Island board will scour the globe for a new artistic director following the shock departure of 2013 festival boss Jo Duffy.

Ms Duffy recently informed the board she would not be renewing her contract for the March 2015 event despite the success of this year's festival, which featured 175 performances across 10 Tasmanian towns.

The reasons for Ms Duffy's decision are unknown. She is holidaying in Europe and could not be contacted yesterday, but the festival's executive producer Marcus Barker said her exit had come as shock to the tight-knit Ten Days team.

"When something like this happens it does resonate through the team," he said.

"It was a surprise to everyone, but we're taking it in our stride and looking forward to finding the new person to replace Jo."

The position is sure to attract a field of high-quality applicants, given Tasmania's new standing as an arts hot spot.

"When we recruited Jo almost three years ago, we had an overwhelming number of applications all of the calibre we were looking for," Mr Barker said.

"Given the way the arts scene has changed in Tasmania, it's a lucrative position for any artistic director or creative producer to consider seriously.

"It's one of the plum roles within arts festivals in Australia."

Meanwhile, Festival of Voices director Kris Stewart is set to leave the state following this year's event (July 5-14) to take up the role of artistic director at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

But Mr Stewart will continue to work on the FoV alongside Paul Kooperman, who was brought in as general manager this year and will play an even bigger role in 2014.

"I'm really proud of how the event has grown, and this is a nice time to change to the next stage of growth for the organisation," Mr Stewart said.

"Paul will run the company and the festival and make sure it is really sustainable and vibrant, and I'll take on a smaller, strategic programming role.

"Being part of the touring network on the mainland, I'll be able to leverage off that to bring even more artists down to Tasmania."

kane.young@news.com.au

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Lighthouse guide calls it a day

WANTED: One operator to conduct tours of a working lighthouse in Tasmania.

The Table Cape lighthouse is the only working Commonwealth-operated lighthouse in the state with public access.

Three tour groups had a look inside and took in the spectacular views from the top as guide Karl Rowbottom took his last visitors through the 124-year-old lighthouse yesterday.

No more tours will be held until a new operator is found.

Mr Rowbottom, who had been the keeper of the lighthouses at remote Tasman Island and at Low Head, said it was important Tasmania's lighthouse history was kept alive and he hoped a new operator would come forward.

The tender will be advertised soon.

Table Cape Lighthouse was opened to the public in 2010 and the tours had been run by Van Diemen Quality Bulbs, which owns a tulip farm nearby.

Mr Rowbottom was one of three guides who took people up the 25m-high lighthouse, which has views extending to Stanley and to Low Head, north of Launceston.

The lighthouse was built in 1888 after several ships were damaged when they hit Table Cape on their way to Wynyard to collect produce.

Three keepers lived on site for the first 30 years of the lighthouse's operation but automation of the lighting system meant they were no longer needed.

The Cape Bruny lighthouse is also open to the public but it is not a working lighthouse.

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Brotherly portrait of courage

Brothers Alfred Button, killed in the Boer War, and James Button, who died in World War I.

IT is a picture of sadness, designed to give some comfort to a grieving family.

The composite photograph shows two brothers, both killed far from home. Above them is a hand-coloured Union Jack and the words "For King and country".

The photo is a treasured memento from long ago, when Australians saw themselves as part of a vast empire. It reveals the terrible impact of distant wars on ordinary people in Tasmania.

Its owner is John Button, 67, a retired plasterer from Ravenswood in Launceston, whose great-grandparents William and Hannah had 15 children and saw four sons go off to war.

First it was the eldest, Alfred, who was shot and killed in the Boer War in South Africa.

Then three more enlisted to serve in World War I: Ernest, Herbert and James. Ernest and Herbert came back alive but James died on the Western Front, at Ypres in Belgium in October 1917, one of the 60,000 Australians killed during the Great War of 1914-18.

"His name is on several memorials but his body has not been found and he has no gravestone," said Mr Button.

Two other family members also died on the Western Front. Monty died in 1917, and his cousin, John Joseph Button, passed away just three months before the end of the war.

John Button's father Allan was in New Guinea during World War II, along with an uncle, Bruce.

"They enlisted and served together," said Mr Button.

His father returned but was not a well man and died when Mr Button was just six.

In all, he counted 18 relatives, including uncles and cousins, who had served overseas.

Mr Button grew up with few stories of the wars they had experienced. Mostly, the survivors did not talk about what they had been through.

Only after he retired and started researching his family history did Mr Button begin to appreciate the extraordinary record of service.

"We must keep the light burning, because if we do not, succeeding generations will not respect all their efforts, " he said. "It is up to us to do so. So much has been lost."

philip.heyward@news.com.au

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City's walkability lags

Mike Tatlow, author of A Walk in Old Hobart and a resident of Battery Point, takes a walk in Arthur Circus. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

HOBART has been caught dawdling in the pedestrian stakes, says a new survey that ranks the Tasmanian capital 19th in a list of Australia's most walkable cities.

The WalkScore rating system, which calculates the ability of residents to live a car-free lifestyle, has Hobart trailing centres including Dubbo, Lismore and Geelong.

WalkScore.com, which has rated nearly 3000 cities worldwide for their "walkability" to key amenities such as schools, shops, parks and workplaces, gives greater Hobart a score of just 44.5 out of 100 just 1.5 points above the global average.

Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Thomas said that, although some suburbs were much better for walkers than others, there was always room for improvement, including better public transport.

"It's OK if you live in Sandy Bay, where you can walk to shops, parks and schools," he said.'

"But places like Lindisfarne and Warrane are much more challenged."

Mr Thomas said the council was addressing the issue, with pedestrian-friendly roads and higher-density inner-city living on the agenda.

"We are aiming for 5000 more people to be living in central Hobart in 10 years, and Liverpool St will be made much more walker friendly," he said.

Bringing up the rear in Hobart's suburbs stakes are Seven Mile Beach (10), Tranmere (7) and Otago: dead last with a WalkScore of 1.

But several inner-city Hobart suburbs buck the gloom. North Hobart and Glebe (85) offer walkers plenty and the website names Hobart City and Battery Point Walkers' Paradises, scoring 92.

Battery Point resident and A Walk in Old Hobart author Mike Tatlow stretched his legs in Arthur Circus yesterday.

"Battery Point has got a good collection of retail shops, a post office, a few good cafes, most of the things you want," said Mr Tatlow, who often also walks in to town.

"And also Salamanca, which has got the lot ... and lovely parks."

Hobart's Top 10 walkable suburbs or areas with rank/WalkScore out of 100

1. Hobart City 92

2. Battery Point 92

3. Glebe 85

4. North Hobart 85

5. West Hobart 77

6. Moonah 75

7. Rosny Park 74

8. Queens Domain 72

9. New Town 68

10. Derwent Park 63

Source: WalkScore.com

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New alarm push to save lives

A FIRE safety campaigner says lives will continue to be lost until the smoke alarms fitted in most Tasmanian households are replaced with better technology that gives residents more time to get out.

The Tasmania Fire Service estimates 90 per cent of smoke detectors installed around the state are ionisation alarms.

Former firefighter Adrian Butler, from the World Fire Safety Foundation, has been lobbying to have ionisation alarms replaced with photo-electric units, which detect smouldering fires much earlier.

The Australasian Fire Authorities Council and the TFS have also said photo-electric alarms should be used.

The fresh call for Tasmanians to be alerted to the limitations of ionisation smoke alarms precedes the introduction of legislation next week to ensure all rental properties in the state have working smoke alarms.

The fire council said though ionisation alarms detected flaming fires marginally earlier than photo-electric units, the latter picked up smouldering fires and flames in areas away from smoke alarms much earlier.

"Ionisation smoke alarms may not operate in time to alert occupants early enough to escape from smouldering," the council said in 2006.

It recommended all residential accommodation be fitted with photo-electric alarms.

TFS community fire safety director Damien Killalea said the state authority agreed photo-electric alarms were better, but Mr Killalea said there were countless stories of ionisation alarms saving lives.

Mr Butler travelled to Tasmania in 2004 to talk to Sean and Anita Cohen, who lost two of their children and two other children who were sleeping over at their Scotchtown home.

The Cohens joined his campaign soon after the tragedy and have said their ionisation smoke detector "did not make a peep" as smoke filled the house.

Mr Butler said photo-electric alarms reacted to visible smoke while ionisation alarms reacted to sub-micron or invisible particles.

"In the early smouldering stage of a fire, the ionisation alarms often don't make a sound," he said.

"When the smouldering fire eventually bursts into flames the ionisation alarms activate with the sub-micron particles from the flames, however, that is often far too late."

When the photo-electric units came on the market 10 years ago, they were eight times more expensive but that difference has narrowed to a few dollars.

helen.kempton@news.com.au

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Retailer silent on closures

THE owners of premises containing Chickenfeed stores in Tasmania are still waiting to officially hear of the chain's plans.

DSG Holdings, whose director is Jan Cameron, is understood to be closing its eight remaining Tasmanian stores by May 20.

No one at the company will confirm the date.

Chief operating officer Penny Moss and property manager Rod Anderson yesterday referred the Mercury to Ms Cameron's spokesman Grant Vandenberg who did not respond to messages left on his phone.

Scottsdale landlord Spencer Targett said he had been told by his store manager of the closure date but had yet to be officially informed by DSG or administrator Deloitte.

DSG Holdings bought the Retail Adventures business for $58.9 million in March after nearly 1000 staff were made redundant and nearly 70 stores closed.

DSG operates about 200 stores under the banner Sam's Warehouse and Crazy Clarks across Australia.

A number of the Tasmanian landlords are understood to be looking at a change to rival discounter Reject Shop as has already occurred in a number of former Chickenfeed premises.

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Aussie rock goddess dies at 53

Chrissy Amphlett's hits with the The Divinyls included I Touch Myself and All the Boys in Town.

AUSTRALIAN rock singer Chrissy Amphlett has lost her battle with breast cancer.

Amphlett, aged 53, passed away in her adopted home of New York with husband Charley Drayton.

The singer, who fronted rock band Divinyls, had fought breast cancer as well as suffering from multiple sclerosis.

Her cousin, Patricia "Little Pattie" Thompson and family have released the following statement.

"Our beloved Chrissy peacefully made her transition this morning. Christine Joy Amphlett succumbed to the effects of breast cancer and multiple sclerosis, diseases she vigorously fought with exceptional bravery and dignity. She passed gently, in her sleep, surrounded by close friends and family, including husband of 14 years, musician Charley Drayton, her sister Leigh, nephew Matt, and cousin Patricia Thompson ("Little Pattie").

"Chrissy's light burns so very brightly. Hers was a life of passion and creativity; she always lived it to the fullest. With her force of character and vocal strength, she paved the way for strong, sexy, outspoken women. Best remembered as the lead singer of the ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Divinyls, last month she was named one of Australia's top ten singers of all time. Chrissy expressed hope that her worldwide hit I Touch Myself would remind women to perform annual breast examinations. Chrissy was a true pioneer and a treasure to all whose lives her music and spirit touched."

Countdown host Ian "Molly" Meldrum was a friend of Amphlett and husband Drayton.

"It's devastating news," Meldrum said today.

"I absolutely adored her. Right at the start of her career with the Divinyls she also terrified me. I remember going to see them play at the Prince of Wales in Melbourne early on and she looked me straight in the eye and lifted her school dress. We became good friends after that. I was friends with her mother as well. Chrissy was just such a wonderful person and so, so talented. It's incredibly sad news."

Amphlett had declared herself cancer-free two years ago, telling fans "I was given a chance to reflect on my own mortality; given a chance to choose life over the fear of death. Thank you to those who have given their support and love. Now let's celebrate Life!!!!!!"

The singer was diagnosed with MS in 1998 and would appear on stage with a cane. She revealed her battle with MS in 2007, and in 2011 announced she was also fighting breast cancer.

Amphlett was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006 with Divinyls band mate Mark McEntee

Amphlett's battle was documented by Channel 7's Sunday Night program in which she revealed she would be a "warrior" and not a victim.

The Divinyls hits include I Touch Myself, Pleasure and Pain, and Boys in Town.

Tributes have already begun flooding social media networks.

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Metro lets war vets travel free

VETERANS, war widows and other service personnel will again ride for free on Metro buses on Anzac Day.

Sustainable Transport Minister Nick McKim said Metro Tasmania had supported April 25 commemorations for many years by providing free bus services.

"Members of the Australian Defence Forces -- the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force -- are entitled to free travel on Anzac Day, provided they are in uniform," he said.

"For veterans and war widows to be eligible for free travel on Metro services, they should: wear their uniform; wear their service medals; wear an ex-service association, returned from active service or war widow's badge; or present their DVA card."

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Bowls gender uproar

REGIONAL bowls organisations are likely to defy a Bowls Tasmania directive that gender-specific pennant competitions be abolished next season.

The changes will allow men and women to play in any team at any level without being bound by present rules that require them to play bowls on separate days in separate competitions.

Men and women can play together in barefoot and lower-tier competitions, but pennant is men only and women only.

The break from the tradition of men-only and women-only competition has angered many bowlers who want to keep Thursday as ladies' pennant day and Saturday for the men.

Bowls Tasmania South this week told Bowls Tasmania it would not introduce non-gender specific pennants next season.

A Bowls Tasmania South survey found most emembers were against abandoning separate pennants.

Secretary Rob McGuire said almost half the group's 970 players responded to the voluntary survey, indicating great interest in the issue.

Mr McGuire said while he could not rule out members accepting mixed gender pennants in future, the change for next season had been received as a Bowls Tasmania directive and was issued without due consultation.

He said older players were those most against it.

"Generally, older people don't like change and it would be fair to say that there were more older people playing bowls than younger people," he said.

"I believe we cater for all comers in Southern Tasmania by having the women's and men's during the week, the men on Saturday and the mixed competition on Saturday."

North Western Tasmanian Bowls Association secretary Glen Stephens said while the branch was yet to vote on the issue, a members' survey indicated most favoured continuation of gender-specific bowls.

Bowls Tasmania chief executive Maxine Viney said the national push to remove the gender split in pennant competitions was driven by young players.

In Victoria and South Australia, mixed gender pennants are now played after anti-discrimination court cases.

"The younger generation coming into bowls, they don't see the gap between men and women," Ms Viney said.

"As they take a more active role in bowls, they see the advantage of the changes, and ask why do we need to have a separate pennant for men and women?

"Why can't we all play together because it's not a game of physical strength? They are the ones who are pushing it."

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A struggle for shelter

Common Ground in Campbell St, Hobart.

TASMANIA'S homelessness services say they are still struggling to meet demand, despite more affordable accommodation being provided and extra effort being made to tackle the problem.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that between the 2006 census and 2011 census, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Tasmania increased from 1145 to 1579.

The majority of homeless Tasmanians live in supported accommodation (480) or are staying temporarily with other households (499).

The remaining are in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out (156), staying in boarding houses (236) or are living in severely crowded dwellings (183).

Shelter Tasmania executive officer Pattie Chugg said the arrival of winter would bring home how many people needed somewhere warm and safe to sleep.

"Homelessness services report there is higher demand for their services than can meet need. There is a real concern for people without a safe and secure home all year round but winter highlights this even more," she said.

While housing stress is still a significant issue, the public housing waiting list in Tasmania is following a downward trend.

The Department of Health and Human Services quarterly performance report for March 2013 shows in the six months to December 31 the number of people housed increased by 6.7 per cent.

It showed that the waiting list at December 31 had decreased 22.8 per cent from the same time last year, to 2163 (2801 at the end of 2011), the decline partly attributed to the addition of 1400 new affordable housing properties.

Category 1 housing applicants, those in greatest need, faced an average wait time of 17 weeks, down from 19 weeks at the end of 2011.

Ms Chugg said a government reform combining public and community housing had helped get people housed.

She said with such strong demand for housing it was surprising that Common Ground mixed housing properties in Hobart were still not fully tenanted.

There are 80 people housed across Common Ground sites in Goulburn and Campbell streets, which provide 97 units between them.

blair.richards@news.com.au

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Bowls gender uproar

REGIONAL bowls organisations are likely to defy a Bowls Tasmania directive that gender-specific pennant competitions be abolished next season.

The changes will allow men and women to play in any team at any level without being bound by present rules that require them to play bowls on separate days in separate competitions.

Men and women can play together in barefoot and lower-tier competitions, but pennant is men only and women only.

The break from the tradition of men-only and women-only competition has angered many bowlers who want to keep Thursday as ladies' pennant day and Saturday for the men.

Bowls Tasmania South this week told Bowls Tasmania it would not introduce non-gender specific pennants next season.

A Bowls Tasmania South survey found most emembers were against abandoning separate pennants.

Secretary Rob McGuire said almost half the group's 970 players responded to the voluntary survey, indicating great interest in the issue.

Mr McGuire said while he could not rule out members accepting mixed gender pennants in future, the change for next season had been received as a Bowls Tasmania directive and was issued without due consultation.

He said older players were those most against it.

"Generally, older people don't like change and it would be fair to say that there were more older people playing bowls than younger people," he said.

"I believe we cater for all comers in Southern Tasmania by having the women's and men's during the week, the men on Saturday and the mixed competition on Saturday."

North Western Tasmanian Bowls Association secretary Glen Stephens said while the branch was yet to vote on the issue, a members' survey indicated most favoured continuation of gender-specific bowls.

Bowls Tasmania chief executive Maxine Viney said the national push to remove the gender split in pennant competitions was driven by young players.

In Victoria and South Australia, mixed gender pennants are now played after anti-discrimination court cases.

"The younger generation coming into bowls, they don't see the gap between men and women," Ms Viney said.

"As they take a more active role in bowls, they see the advantage of the changes, and ask why do we need to have a separate pennant for men and women?

"Why can't we all play together because it's not a game of physical strength? They are the ones who are pushing it."

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A struggle for shelter

Common Ground in Campbell St, Hobart.

TASMANIA'S homelessness services say they are still struggling to meet demand, despite more affordable accommodation being provided and extra effort being made to tackle the problem.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that between the 2006 census and 2011 census, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Tasmania increased from 1145 to 1579.

The majority of homeless Tasmanians live in supported accommodation (480) or are staying temporarily with other households (499).

The remaining are in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out (156), staying in boarding houses (236) or are living in severely crowded dwellings (183).

Shelter Tasmania executive officer Pattie Chugg said the arrival of winter would bring home how many people needed somewhere warm and safe to sleep.

"Homelessness services report there is higher demand for their services than can meet need. There is a real concern for people without a safe and secure home all year round but winter highlights this even more," she said.

While housing stress is still a significant issue, the public housing waiting list in Tasmania is following a downward trend.

The Department of Health and Human Services quarterly performance report for March 2013 shows in the six months to December 31 the number of people housed increased by 6.7 per cent.

It showed that the waiting list at December 31 had decreased 22.8 per cent from the same time last year, to 2163 (2801 at the end of 2011), the decline partly attributed to the addition of 1400 new affordable housing properties.

Category 1 housing applicants, those in greatest need, faced an average wait time of 17 weeks, down from 19 weeks at the end of 2011.

Ms Chugg said a government reform combining public and community housing had helped get people housed.

She said with such strong demand for housing it was surprising that Common Ground mixed housing properties in Hobart were still not fully tenanted.

There are 80 people housed across Common Ground sites in Goulburn and Campbell streets, which provide 97 units between them.

blair.richards@news.com.au

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