Bec says love your lungs

Rebecca Harwood is spreading the "love your lungs" message. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

REBECCA Harwood looks the picture of health.

But the vibrant events manager, who has asthma, was in hospital with pneumonia in 2011 and on oxygen for more than a week.

She is a spokeswoman for Pneumonia Awareness Week, a national campaign by lung specialists to teach Australians how to look after their lungs.

"You have to love your lungs," she said.

Ms Harwood, 24, has a flu vaccination each year, is vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia and uses alternative treatments such as Bowen therapy and natural remedies.

"I try to stay as healthy as possible," she said. "I eat good food, have regular exercise and maintain a positive mental outlook.

"When I'm down in the dumps, I tend to be prone to sickness."

Lung specialist Professor Lou Irving said pneumococcal pneumonia was a disease that can be prevented with vaccination but people were ignorant about its dangers.

Vaccination coverage is low among at-risk adults, with less than 29 per cent vaccinated, he said.

And only 37 per cent of those vaccinated had the second booster injection five years later.

"Pneumonia often comes after a cold or flu, but 70 per cent of at-risk adults can't tell the difference between flu and pneumonia," Dr Irving said.

Many people do not realise the severity of pneumonia, Rebecca said.

"Make your health No.1 priority, and talk to your doctor about ways to help protect yourself from pneumonia."

jennifer.crawley@news.com.au

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Port Arthur conspiracy anger

SIX months after a Facebook profile purporting to belong to jailed mass murderer Martin Bryant caused widespread community concern, a vicious international internet campaign is accusing two local police officers of being the real killers.

A conspiracy theorist based in Austria, and claiming to be a former Tasmanian, is writing a book about the massacre in which he claims Bryant is the innocent victim of a killing spree planned and carried out by the government and police.

While Port Arthur conspiracies abound online, Keith Noble is making sure his views reach audiences far beyond the confines of the internet conspiracy community.

Noble has been emailing chapters of his book to major media outlets, federal and state government ministers, justice officials and police officers who attended the massacre at Port Arthur on April 28, 1996.

One of the former officers being accused by Noble is Mike Dyson.

"I knew I had to do something about it when he sent a letter to my daughter's house suggesting I should kill myself," Mr Dyson said.

Noble's accusations come six months after Mr Dyson led the charge against a fake Facebook profile purporting to belong to Bryant.

Now he and his former colleagues are being described as active participants in the killing spree that left 35 people dead.

Mr Dyson and another police officer are repeatedly named in Noble's emails as the gunmen, with the author claiming the two officers dragged an innocent Bryant into the Seascape Cottage and tried to burn him alive.

Yesterday was Bryant's 46th birthday.

Noble released an email to mark the occasion, again naming Mr Dyson as the real murderer and calling for Bryant's release.

After failing to get a reasonable response from the author, Mr Dyson yesterday contacted City of Vienna officials to advise them of the potentially criminal campaign. "This person has sent surface mail postmarked in Vienna to members of my family and has a large email list ... to which he is continually sending written material in which he claims that I am responsible for the mass shooting at Port Arthur in Tasmania," he wrote.

Attorney-General Brian Wightman said yesterday the former officer had his full support.

zara.dawtrey@news.com.au

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Gun shots fired in suburbs

TWO gun shots were reportedly fired in Launceston's southern suburbs this morning, police have said.

Just before 6am, police were called to a Kay St, Kings Meadows, following a report of a gun shot.

Police said they were then called to Willow Lane, Prospect Vale, about 9.10am, in relation to another reported gun shot.

No one was injured and no property was damaged.

No formal complaint has been made.

Police ask anyone with information about either incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Move to update biosecurity law

THE most far-reaching Australian biosecurity law reform in more than a century will be discussed at a hearing in Hobart today.

The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, chaired by Tasmanian Senator Lin Thorp, will consider draft legislation to supersede the Quarantine Act 1908.

Huon Aquaculture Group co-owner and director Frances Bender said biosecurity was the key issue facing all primary industries and the natural environment in Tasmania.

"We are in a special environment that needs to be supported by appropriate mechanisms to protect and keep it safe for future generations," Mrs Bender said.

"Effectively it's what is special about brand Tasmania."

Huon Aquaculture Group is Australia's largest privately owned salmon farming business, harvesting 40 per cent of salmon produced in the country.

Senator Thorp said there was significant support for reforms to bring biosecurity protections into the modern age.

"The resulting legislation will be responsible for protecting primary industries, the environment and local economies from pest and disease risks for many years to come," she said.

"One in five Tasmanian workers is employed directly or indirectly in our primary industries, which are estimated to be worth $1.5 billion.

"We have a global reputation for quality produce free from many of the pests and diseases experienced in other countries and other states of Australia."

Senator Thorp is hoping the inquiry will lead to a more robust biosecurity framework.

The inquiry will be addressed by representatives from Australia's peak vegetable growers' group AusVeg, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association and Brand Tasmania.

The hearing starts about 9.15am at Parliament House in Hobart and will be open to the public.

Read more rural stories in Tasmanian Country every Friday.

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RSPCA boss 'off rails'

FORMER RSPCA chief Ben Sturges has been accused of being "out of control" before being sacked from the animal welfare organisation.

A Parliamentary inquiry into the RSPCA's finances and corporate structure heard yesterday Mr Sturges, son of State Labor MP Graeme Sturges, was out of control, before the inquiry had its doors closed to the public.

His tenure was terminated, 16 months into the role, after being told the RSPCA board was investigating a complaint against him.

Yesterday RSPCA Tasmania vice-president Angela Ayling told State Parliament's Public Works committee RSPCA staff had approached the board when "the CEO went completely off the rails".

Ms Ayling made her brief comments about Mr Sturges, who was in the room with a group of former staff members and supporters, before Labor MP Brenton Best raised concerns that the evidence may be heading beyond the scope of the inquiry.

Committee chairman and Windemere independent MLC Ivan Dean then requested the public leave the hearing so that the evidence could be given in private.

Mr Sturges said yesterday he strongly denied Ms Ayling's claims about him.

"I had to make some extremely tough decisions and some of those decisions were not popular," he said.

"The business was losing substantial amounts of money and I would question what Ms Ayling was saying."

The inquiry looking into the RSPCA was launched "with concerns that the RSPCA in Tasmania is regularly distracted from its primary tasks by dysfunctional corporate governance issues, which have a negative effect on public support for the RSPCA".

Ms Ayling said with the RSPCA in "tatters" a major restructure was undertaken in January.

"We went back to core functions," she said.

"We reviewed every position and if it did not fall directly within core functions, or direct support for core functions, it was deemed surplus."

After a number of redundancies and resignations the organisation was left with seven fewer staff members who will not be replaced.

The board was also reduced from six members to three.

Ms Ayling said the RSPCA's chief veterinarian was let go for "financial and operational reasons".

matthew.smith@news.com.au

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Incat push for Defence dollars

Incat workers Grant Wise, left, Graeme Young, Matthew Hale and Steven Hill prepare the firm's latest vessel.

TASMANIAN industry -- including major ferry manufacturer Incat -- is at the centre of a new push to secure millions of dollars of Defence Force contracts for the state.

A delegation of the state's politicians, business and union leaders will push for a greater share of Defence Force contracts at key talks in Canberra this week.

The campaign comes after Navy shipbuilders were the big winners in the Federal Government's 2013 Defence White Paper.

Incat managing director Craig Clifford says the Hobart ship-builder's high-speed ferries are ideal for the Australian Defence Force.

Incat has built a range of vessels for defence forces around the world, including the US and Japan.

"Our high-speed craft is being embraced in the US but are being ignored by the Australian Defence Force," Mr Clifford said.

The delegation, headed by Labor Senator Carol Brown, will meet Defence Materiel Minister Mike Kelly and will also call on the Federal Government to unveil its defence spending intentions for Tasmania.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union state organiser Steve Walsh, Glenorchy Mayor Stuart Slade, Tasmanian Industry Group chief Daniel Leesong and Labor candidate for Denison Jane Austin will join Senator Brown on the mission.

Mr Clifford said the Defence White Paper mentioned other states but not Tasmania.

"In an election year, I think it is fair for Tasmanians to know what the Federal Government's intentions for Defence spending in the state are," he said.

He said the firm's vessels had been used in disaster relief efforts such as Hurricane Katrina and conflicts including the Iraq war.

Senator Brown said the delegation would push the case for Incat and the Tasmanian shipbuilding industry to play a greater role in national Defence procurement and capability.

"As outlined in the 2013 Defence White Paper, over the coming decades Australia will require a range of capabilities to address our strategic challenges," Senator Brown said.

"There is a great opportunity for Incat and the Tasmanian shipbuilding industry to play a role in helping deliver these capability projects."

Mr Clifford said Tasmanian companies had the capabilities to provide a wide range of manufacturing duties for the defence force.

"I am going as a flag-bearer for Tasmanian industry," he said.

"There are capabilities that are largely being ignored by the Government of the day. Tasmania has some great products and capabilities. Tasmania is being short-changed at the moment."

In 1999 Incat leased a vessel to the Royal Australian Navy during the East Timor crisis.

As HMAS Jervis Bay, it provided a valuable fast supply service between Darwin and Dili.

Incat later supplied three vessels to the US military.

The call for a high-speed catamaran in Navy service resurfaced after Cyclone Yasi hit Queensland in February 2011 and the Navy was unable to assist because its three amphibious ships were not seaworthy.

matthew.smith@news.com.au

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Police cuts worry for pubs

Public Order Response Team members on patrol on the Hobart waterfront.

THE police team responsible for halting anti-social behaviour on the Hobart waterfront has become another victim of State Government budget cuts.

Hoteliers fear the great work done by police in making Hobart's streets safer is unravelling already.

The Public Order Response Team was the highly visible unit that walked major entertainment and shopping districts in a strong show of police presence.

The team, set up in 2006, has been merged with traffic services.

Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief Steve Old said the Public Order Response Team had created a presence on the streets and a strong relationship with hoteliers.

"They had cut down the trouble on the streets," Mr Old said yesterday.

"The work that they had done previously is already dropping away."

Mr Old said hotel bouncers were responsible for patrons on their premises but not on the streets.

He said the time it took for police to respond to bouncers' requests for assistance was growing.

"It gets to the stage that bouncers know the police won't turn up and the idiot element knows it as well."

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Donna Adams said combining the teams was the most efficient use of resources.

"The combined team provides a flexible resource pool of officers trained to respond to traffic and PORT duties as required," Ms Adams said.

"Our performance in these areas is measured against outcomes -- assaults in public places in Tasmania continue to decline."

The Police Association of Tasmania's Pat Allen said merging the public order response and traffic teams in the past three months has had consequences for both units.

"They have combined two teams and got rid of staff. Hence the reason why we are behind on traffic infringements," Mr Allen said.

The latest performance results from police show 41,462 traffic infringement notices were issued in March, well down on the three-year average of 63,862 each month.

Ms Adams said the number of traffic infringements had been declining since 2009 and could be attributed to a number of factors including a focus on high-risk driving behaviour.

"In 2009 there were 63 fatalities in Tasmania, while in 2012 there were 32 fatalities," she said.

Mr Allen said the reduction in staff numbers for the Public Order Response Team was a blow to safety.

"The dedicated team that cleaned up Salamanca over two years are not doing the same amount of work that they were doing.

"All the work that was done has been undone."

Amid austerity measures across all government departments, Tasmania Police has had to find a raft of savings. The cold case unit has been disbanded and the successful U-Turn program for youth will no longer be funded.

Last week the Mercury revealed Tasmania Police had spent almost $50 million upgrading its troubled police mobile radio network even though it was scheduled to be replaced.

matthew.smith@news.com.au

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Giddings shrugs off Libs' win

PREMIER Lara Giddings has shrugged off a clean sweep by conservative candidates in the weekend's Upper House elections, saying without Labor candidates the vote was not a forecast for next year's state poll.

Liberal Vanessa Goodwin won Pembroke, independent Jim Wilkinson was returned in Nelson and Liberal Leonie Hiscutt was elected in Montgomery.

Ms Giddings said the result did not necessarily reflect a trend against Labor.

"Labor didn't run candidates in these elections, so it's difficult to draw precise conclusions," she said.

"And, generally, we're seeing conservative candidates elected in traditionally conservative electorates, like Montgomery, which is no surprise.

"However, every election result carries a message, and the Government will continue working hard to create jobs and modernise our economy."

Ms Giddings said while the results favoured conservatives, the poll outcome was wide open, adding Labor would work to winning in its own right.

Liberal Leader Will Hodgman said Labor was on the rocks.

"The message ... is clear. Tasmanians want a change for a brighter future," Mr Hodgman said. "Voters have rejected the failed Labor-Green experiment."

Greens leader Nick McKim said the state was becoming more progressive.

"The result is a clear reflection of changing public attitudes on progressive social issues like marriage equality," Mr McKim said.

"A majority of voters across the three electorates voted in support of marriage equality candidates, showing clearly that Tasmania is becoming more progressive."

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group Campaign co-ordinator Rodney Croome said he was encouraged by the result and held out hope newly elected Upper House members would recognise that most Tasmanians were in favour of marriage law reform.

"I think the people of Nelson have sent a message to Jim Wilkinson to support this bill, and I hope he will at least consider changing his position and allowing this bill to be debated," Mr Croome said.

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz said campaigning by activist group GetUp! for same-sex marriage had not made a difference.

"The election in Tasmania saw the silent majority reject GetUp!'s campaign issues," Senator Abetz said.

But Paul Oosting, from GetUp!, said he was heartened by the increased turnout and said he was confident the electorate had sent a message on marriage equality, the Tasmanian Forest Agreement and the accessibility of candidates.

david.killick@news.com.au

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Business boosted by grants

EXPANSION: Premier Lara Giddings and Economic Development Minister David O'Byrne with Currawong Engineering staff Gavin Brett and Jason Suter at Kingston.

A KINGSTON engineering firm will put on 12 workers and look to expand its business locally and overseas on the back of a Government cash injection.

Currawong Engineering will invest $65,000 in a new production mill, which it hopes will open up new markets at home and abroad.

Currawong Engineering chief operating officer Ken Hosking said the new machine had been made possible through funding from the Tasmanian Government Innovation and Investment Fund.

"We build quite niche products. America is our main market now but we hope to grow locally," Mr Hosking said. "Southeast Asia will also be a market for us."

Currawong Engineering was one of 25 businesses from around the state to share in $3.5 million.

From honey producers to engineers, grants of up to $250,000 are expected to create a total of 350 jobs in the state.

There were 89 applications for the second round of the Tasmanian Government Innovation and Investment Fund, which Premier Lara Giddings yesterday said showed the strength of confidence in businesses wishing to expand.

She said the recipients of the grants were diverse, but food production dominated with about 60 per cent of the successful applicants from agriculture.

Economic Development Minister David O'Byrne said it was a difficult time for many businesses.

"Tasmania's economy is transitioning because the world markets we sell to are changing," he said.

The full list of successful businesses:

• BHT Pty Ltd ($92,500)
• Blokker Freesias Tasmania  ($145 000)
• Blue Hills Honey  ($89, 976)
• Burlington Berries ($250,000)
• Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm ($100,000)
• Daly Gourmet Potatoes ($155,000)
• Damen Farming ($50,000)
• Denman Marine Pty Ltd ($15,000)
• Houston's Farm ($228,000)
• Miellerie The House of Honey ($42,490)
• Naturally Blue ($70,000)
• Nichols Poultry Pty Ltd ($250,000)
• Petuna Pty Ltd ($250,000)
• Pipeclay Oysters ($85,000)
• Priority Supplies ($135,000)
• Ranicar Pacific ($175,000)
• SFM Forest Products ($59,000)
• Southern Prospect ($250,000)
• Status Technologies Pty Ltd ($185,000)
• TasConnx ($228,750)
• Tassal Group Limited ($250,000)
• Van Diemen Aquaculture ($130,000)
• W Dunbabin & Sons ($125,000)
• William McHenry & Sons Distillery ($69,000)

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Big night for Liberals

THE Liberal party has gained a seat and a long-serving independent has survived a campaign to unseat him in the Legislative Council elections.

Tasmanians went to the polls yesterday in the Greater Hobart seats of Nelson and Pembroke and the North-West seat of Montgomery.

In Nelson, Jim Wilkinson looks to have retained the seat with about 49 per cent of votes.

Mr Wilkinson was challenged by Greens candidate Tom Baxter (25 per cent), and independents Helen Richardson (17 per cent) and Hans Willink (8 per cent).

In Pembroke, Liberal MLC Vanessa Goodwin seems assured of victory with 51 per cent of votes.

Independent candidate and former Labor MLC Allison Ritchie had 36 per cent of votes, while Greens candidate Wendy Heatley had 13 per cent.

Liberal candidate for Montgomery Leonie Hiscutt looks set to gain the North-West seat vacated by retiring Legislative Council president independent Sue Smith.

At the end of counting last night, Mrs Hiscutt had 45.5 per cent of votes.

Her nearest rival was independent and Central Coast Deputy Mayor Cheryl Fuller.

Independents Kevin Morgan and Ed Vincent had secured 14.5 per cent and 10 per cent of votes respectively.

View the progressive results in full on the Electoral Commission website.

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