Petrol price rise warning

TASMANIAN motorists are being warned to keep a close eye on fuel prices with fears a spike at the bowser is imminent.

With the wholesale price of fuel spiking in Singapore off the back of a drop in the Australian dollar the RACT has raised concerns the cost jump could soon hit the wallets of local motorists.

Retail prices have been gradually creeping up in Hobart in the past week.

Latest figures from fuel watchdog website Motormouth shows the average price for unleaded fuel in Hobart had reached 154.1c a litre on Thursday compared with the June average of 151.4c a  litre.

Hobart remains the most expensive capital city, behind Darwin, for the highest average petrol prices in the country.

Despite Hobart remaining relatively stable so far, other states states have seen quick rises in prices to the tune of up to 20c a litre in the past few days.

The wholesale price has also crept up, as it had in other states.

RACT spokesman Vince Taskunas said yesterday Tasmanians had become accustomed to a fairly stable market when it came to fuel.

However, in coming weeks motorists should keep a close eyes on fuel prices, he said.

"Generally, people don't look at the price," he said.

"But in coming weeks motorists should look at prices more closely.

"Fuel is inevitably going to go up."

Mr Taskunas said the recent drop in the Australian dollar was great news for Tasmanian exporters, but it  would have an impact on fuel prices.

"We are seeing an increase in the cost per barrel because of the exchange rate dropping," he  said.

In other states, petrol prices have jumped considerably recently.

In Perth and Adelaide, some service stations have  seen price rises of up to 20c a litre for unleaded fuel.

Mr Taskunas said prices in Hobart had remained relatively stable, but prices in the North and North-West of the state had jumped recently.

He said he expected price spikes would take longer to occur in Tasmania than they had in other parts of the country.

In the past few years, the average price of unleaded fuel in Hobart has jumped from 122.2c a litre in June 2009 to 148.8c a litre last month.

matthew.smith@news.com.au

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Dancing from here to infinity

ATHLETIC: The Melbourne Ballet Company is bringing a series of modern interpretations to Hobart's Derwent Entertainment Centre.

THE acclaimed Melbourne Ballet Company will put a modern spin on classical dance when it makes a rare visit to Hobart next week.

Designed to inspire both new and long-time ballet audiences, the company's entrancing show Infinite Space combines four original works choreographed by principal dancer Simon Hoy and brought to life by a talented ensemble of performers.

Infinite Space features In One Day, a physical and athletic piece set to Vivaldi's Four Seasons; Dark Before Daylight, the company's take on the timeless classic Swan Lake, complete with pointe shoes and tutus; Phrased Without Word, a physical expression of Arvo Part's Spiegel im Spiegel; and Infinite Space, an uplifting celebration of beauty set to Mozart's 27th Piano Concerto.

The Melbourne Ballet Company is at the Derwent Entertainment Centre from 2pm and 7.30pm next Saturday.

Tickets are $48 adults/$43 concession/$26 children.

Go to www.ticketmaster.com.au or phone 136 100.

Company members will host workshops at the DEC on Thursday and Friday for $27.

Interested parties should contact Ph: 6273 0233 to book your spot.

kane.young@news.com.au

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Foodies chalk up success

Chloe Proud of Ethos, in Hobart, is a finalist in the Electrolux restaurateur of the year, along with fellow Tasmanian Bianca Welsh, of Stillwater. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

TASMANIA'S dominance of the national food and wine scene has been confirmed with two local restaurant owners making the finals of the Electrolux Young Australian Restaurateur of the Year Awards.

Chloe Proud of Ethos Eat Drink in Hobart and Bianca Welsh of Stillwater and Black Cow Bistro in Launceston are two of five finalists selected from across the country.

The pair, both aged 26, will today finish a five-day tour of one of Australia's leading food and wine regions in South Australia where they have met and learnt from some of the nation's world renowned dairy, seafood, meat, horticulture and viticulture producers.

"There are some of the biggest names responsible for what is some of the best food in the country alongside 25-year-old sommeliers running multi-million dollar companies," Ms Proud said.

"It's pretty exciting to think I get to be part of that.

"We focus a lot on going around and meeting our producers at Ethos, but on a smaller scale than this. I think it's really important at both ends of the scale for people to know exactly what it takes to get food into your supermarket and on to your plate."

Co-owner of Hobart restaurant Garagistes, Katrina Birchmeier, took out the top prize in last year's awards.

Stillwater and Black Cow Bistro co-owner Mrs Welsh said the women's success was reflective of a new wave of passionate up-and-coming Tasmanian restaurateurs.

"It's nice to be given an opportunity to compete on a national level," she said.

"I think having two Tasmanian finalists is reflective of the great next generation of restaurateur coming through here."

The winner will be announced next month.

jessica.howard@news.com.au

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New bridge clicks with locals

AN innovative European bridge design has been used to preserve Sedbury Creek at Marion Bay in a Tasmanian first.

The ageing 29m timber structure was yesterday replaced with a modular bridge, called Unibridge.

Sorell mayor Kerry Vincent said the Unibridge provided a superior alternative to other bridge types.

"We were concerned this bridge wasn't going to be easy to replace and started looking at alternative designs. The Unibridge has been put together piece by piece -- I call it the big Meccano set -- which has meant minimal disturbance," Cr Vincent said.

The bridge was prefabricated off-site and installation took only three days.

"This was critical in the decision to select Unibridge, as the bridge is the only access point into Marion Bay," Cr Vincent said.

"The disruption to the local residents was dramatically minimised."

It also lessened damage to the sensitive environment.

alice.claridge@news.com.au

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Overhaul for Parks service

A NEW authority will take over governance of the Parks and Wildlife Service.

Legislation establishing a corporate style authority to control all state parks and reserves would be introduced in State Parliament next month, said Environment, Parks and Heritage Minister Brian Wightman.

The authority would be managed by a chief executive and guided by an appointed five-member multi-skilled board. It would remain a part of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.

"It's establishment will not change day-to-day operational work of staff on reserve management," Mr Wightman said.

About 500,000ha of forest reserves nominated as part of the Tasmanian Forestry Agreement would be transferred to the new authority, including about 220,000ha of forest to be moved across from Forestry Tasmania.

Some Forestry Tasmania staff were likely to shift to the new authority.

Its portfolio would include almost 600 conservation reserves, recreation areas, state reserves, historic sites, plus Crown land recently transferred to Parks and Wildlife Service control.

Existing land tenure and management employees would tend the parks and reserves.

Mr Wightman said the Parks and Reserves Board would consider environmental conservation, fire management and cultural and Aboriginal heritage issues, as well as recreation and economic opportunities, such as tourism and resource use.

Liberal parks spokesman Matthew Groom said the authority was a continuation of the Government's trend of outsourcing its decision making to "an unelected, unaccountable board".

Mr Wightman said the authority's chief executive would be answerable to the minister, giving the minister a greater say over key decisions that were previously taken by a departmental secretary.

Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin questioned the need for "another layer of bureaucracy" that might give "unelected and unaccountable board members authority over ... lands owned by the Tasmanian people".

Tasmanian Conservation Trust director Peter McGlone said the changes had the potential to improve management and protection.

"These changes should ensure that reserve management is given greater attention and importance by the government of the day, which as been gravely missing," Mr McGlone said. "One concern is that the board may end up with a majority of its proposed five members with interests other than natural and cultural heritage conservation."

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Federal to sell key properties

West Coast mayor Darryl Gerrity welcomed the potential transfer of Strahan Village and Gordon River Cruises to the RACT

TASMANIAN tourism players have given a cautious thumbs-up to news that industry heavyweight Federal Group plans to sell a number of iconic regional assets, including Freycinet Lodge, Cradle Mountain Chateau, and Strahan Village and Gordon River Cruises, to the RACT.

Federal Group and the RACT yesterday signed off on a multi-million dollar in-principle agreement on the mass-market tourism assets, which, with Federal's planned retention of the Henry Jones Art Hotel and Saffire Freycinet, provides further evidence of the company's strategic shift towards the top end of the market.

Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said that while he was mindful commercial negotiations remained ongoing, he could envisage some significant upsides to the four assets joining the RACT stable.

Mr Martin said that in other Australian states, automobile clubs were already successfully involved in running tourism operations, and backed the Tasmania organisation to follow suit.

"From our perspective the most exciting element is the potential for RACT to take a significant stake in regional Tasmanian tourism," Mr Martin said.

"For these iconic Tasmanian tourism products to stay in Tasmanian hands would be fantastic."

Mr Martin said that the Federal Group had for some time been making a strategic move to service the top end of the tourism market -- including the planned $30 million luxury resort at Port Arthur -- and that any sale would allow a new operator to service on a different level of the Tasmanian market.

Yesterday's announcement of the head of agreement comes just weeks after the RACT finalised the purchase of Hobart's nine-storey Grand Mercure Hobart Central Apartments -- its first foray into the Tasmanian tourism market.

In a joint statement yesterday, RACT chief Harvey Lennon and Federal Group managing director Greg Farrell said that negotiations were a strong sign of the confidence in Tasmanian tourism, and that Federal remained strongly committed to the state.

West Coast mayor Darryl Gerrity welcomed the potential transfer of Strahan Village and Gordon River Cruises to the RACT, saying the club's interstate network offered the opportunity to attract more visitors to the region.

Mr Gerrity described Federal's decision to focus on the high end of the tourism market as "understandable", backing the company's move to become a specialist provider.

"I think this is a good move, because it opens the door to a greater clientele," he said.

Glamorgan Spring Bay mayor Bertrand Cadart said he was not surprised RACT would want to develop a network of hospitality businesses, saying sister clubs in Victoria and Queensland had already made a success of the business model.

Knight Frank real estate agent Scott Newton, acting for the Federal Group said while there had been keen interest from a number of parties in the four regional operations, Federal had chosen to sign an exclusive heads of agreement with the RACT.

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Young minds find their voice

FORTY of the state's brightest young minds have been engaging in political debate and discussing social issues.

The Tasmanian Youth Parliament began yesterday and runs until Friday, with Year 10-12 students from around the state debating Bills such as the decriminalisation of marijuana and gambling reform.

Convenor Tom Marshall said several Bills were being introduced, all of them ideas the students had put forward as their ways to create a better future for Tasmania.

"One that I think is quite interesting is introducing plain packaging for alcohol, to try to reduce alcohol sales and alcoholism," he said.

"There is also an interesting one from a team from Launceston that is helping families access elective surgery by providing grants to deal with the costs of travel and accommodation and rehabilitation surrounding surgery."

Mr Marshall said the Youth Parliament was run at Parliament House under strict House rules, with all students getting the chance to act in government and in opposition.

"Students are in teams of four and they work together with a mentor from the task force over a few months to write a Bill on a topic they care about.

"We take them right through from the beginning of the process -- from having an idea, to drafting it, putting it in the right format for Parliament, introducing the Bill, and taking it all the way through the different stages of passing a Bill through Parliament."

Mr Marshall said the Youth Parliament provided young people the chance to have a say about how the state was run.

"When you engage young people, you get some really innovative, out-of-the-box thinking," he said.

"I think it's encouraging that all of the Bills are presented to Parliament. The politicians I've spoken to genuinely do care about the outcomes of Youth Parliament and really consider it in their decision-making."

Yesterday students passed a Bill to make a second language compulsory in schools, as well as debating drivers' licence reform and elective surgery grants. Other Bills that will be debated during the week include healthier fat regulation, decriminalisation of abortion and religious education.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Cost of Living, Rebecca White, launched the 2013 Youth Parliament yesterday.

"It is fantastic to see young Tasmanians who are enthusiastic about politics, democracy and our parliamentary system," she said. "We need to engage youth who are interested in driving good public policy into the future."

For 26 years, the Youth Parliament has been running with the co-operation between the YMCA, the Tasmanian Youth Government Association and the State Government.

emma.hope@news.com.au

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$380m for education reform

TASMANIA'S education system has been given a $380 million boost with the state and federal governments agreeing to sign up to the Better Schools Plan, formerly known as Gonski education reforms.

Premier Lara Giddings and Federal Education Minister Bill Shorten yesterday said the historic agreement would deliver long-term improvements for every one of the 81,000 school students in Tasmania.

The agreement was finally reached after Ms Giddings received assurances Tasmania would not lose out on $105 million in GST funding.

Ms Giddings has also negotiated that the lion's share of state funding in the first three years of the six-year deal flows to public schools first.

The Commonwealth will balance the ledger in the first few years to ensure private schools get the same level of funding.

But exact details of the funding flow are not available as yet.

The broad vision of the Better Schools Plan is to create a national curriculum, ongoing teacher training, better communication with parents and funding based on student needs.

Tasmania became the fourth jurisdiction in the country to sign up to the plan, after NSW, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

Mr Shorten told the media in Hobart yesterday the plan would give disadvantaged students additional help but would also allow gifted students to reach their full potential.

The plan aims to take Australian schools into the top five in the world.

Tasmanian public schools will receive $233 million in funding, Catholic schools $96 million and independent schools $51 million over the next six years.

The State Government will contribute $130 million to the reforms, with $95 million going to public schools, $23 million for Catholic schools and $12 million for independent schools.

The Commonwealth will contribute $250 million over six years with $138 million for public schools, $73 million for Catholic schools and $39 million for independent schools.

"Better Schools Plan represents the biggest single injection into the education system in Tasmania's history," Ms Giddings said.

"This has been a long and, at times, difficult negotiation but we have always been motivated by the same objective to give Tasmanian students the best education possible," Ms Giddings said.

State Education Minister Nick McKim said the Government would work with principals, teachers and school communities to determine how the additional funds should be spent.

"There is strong evidence to show that targeting investment to local needs and working in partnership with parents and the local community is the key to reducing educational disadvantage," he said.

Mr Shorten said the agreement would benefit principals and teachers, who will see improved workforce flexibility and productivity, more training and support, and greater autonomy in decision making in schools.

matthew.smith@news.com.au

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NBN lures hi-tech crowd

BUSINESS people and professionals are moving to Tasmania from interstate and overseas to take advantage of the state's early National Broadband Network roll-out.

Bass Labor MHR Geoff Lyons said he knew of people from as far away as the US, Western Australia and Sydney who had moved to Tasmanian towns where NBN optic fibres had been rolled out first.

Mr Lyons said high-speed internet and the Tasmanian lifestyle should prove an irresistible combination for professionals who could perform high-powered jobs from home.

IT manager Lionel Walters, of communications giant Cisco Systems, has worked from home at Deloraine since moving his family from Sydney 18 months ago.

New parliamentary secretary for broadband Ed Husac said in Launceston yesterday that Tasmania's NBN roll-out was on track to be finished in 2015, with the connection of just over 200,000 premises.

Digital Tasmania spokesman Andrew Connor said the optic fibre roll-out and its uptake by consumers had been accelerating.

More than 50 per cent of Kingston premises had signed up to optic fibre services.

Mr Husac hit the start button for NBN wireless services, which is now available to small communities surrounding 19 Tasmanian towns.

The Federal Government-owned Telco NBNCo also launched its newest optic fibre network, which connects 4300 premises in Launceston.

It increases the number of premises connected to optic fibre to more than 20,000.

The fixed wireless technology networks will connect a further 10,600 homes to the NBN in areas including Snug, Cygnet, Huonville and Sorell.

Darren Alexander, a director of TAS NBNCo and chief executive of Autech, a Launceston technology business with world-wide markets, said NBN connections offered businesses good value.

"My business will be paying $105 a month. That's exactly $5 more than I'm paying now and it's going to be six times faster.

"That's what I call value for money," he said.

The faster connections would enable him to spend more time in Launceston while communicating via video conferencing.

TasICT executive officer Dean Winter yesterday said he was disappointed the Department of Broadband and the Digital Economy had cancelled this month's NBN business forums in Hobart and Launceston.

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Truck fire on Midland highway

POLICE are warning of a potential hazard on the Midland Highway after a log truck's brakes caught fire just before 6am today.

The trailer has been immobilised about 3km south of Epping Forest in the north-bound lanes.

The fire service is at the scene and police were on their way early today to direct traffic.

Motorists are advised to take extra care when driving in the area as there may be emergency service workers on the road.

Meanwhile, police have attended yet another suspected arson attack overnight.

The Tasmania Fire Service was called to a structure fire in Ballyhooly Road at Mangalore, north of Brighton, about 9pm yesterday and found a shed on the property fully alight.

Damage is estimated at $40,000.

Police and the TFS established a fire watch overnight after determining the blaze was likely to have been deliberately lit.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or investigators at the Bridgewater CIB office on 6268 4100.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned frost on susceptible roads will make driving conditions dangerous this morning in parts of the North-West Coast, Central North, North East, Western, Central Plateau, Midlands, East Coast, Upper Derwent Valley and South East forecast districts.

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Bottleshop plans concerns

PLANS for a new bottleshop in Rokeby have raised the ire of a church welfare agency and the hotel and restaurant industry, which both say Hobart's Eastern Shore has more than enough liquor outlets already.

The St Vincent de Paul Society has a Vinnies op shop right next door and is seeking support from volunteers to picket the proposed bottleshop on South Arm Rd if it opens.

"We'd want to fight it with a passion," St Vincent de Paul southern regional manager Tony Brennan said.

The Tasmanian Hospitality Association has sent letters to residents making them aware of the liquor licence application and showing a map of the 10 other bottle shops within a 6km radius, including one a few hundred metres away. The map also showed Rokeby High School across the road.

"These off-licences seem to pop up everywhere," THA general manager Steve Old said. "When do we reach the point when there is one too many?

"We are not sure it is in the best interests of the community."

Mr Old said community benefit should be a key factor when licensing was decided on.

"We want to sit down with the State Government and have a sensible discussion about it."

Mr Brennan said he worried about the effect on the Vinnies shop.

"It is not just a clothing op shop," he said. "It is a centre of community assistance in a whole range of ways, through sales, donations and distribution of services. It is one of our most successful centres.

"People drop in, hang around or volunteer. A lot of the people who come to us are feeling very isolated and vulnerable."

Mr Brennan said the Catholic charity did not object to alcohol as such.

"We're not wowsers," he said. "But I do question why there is such an accumulation of liquor outlets and gambling venues in our poorer suburbs.

"We seem to think it is a good idea to make it harder for people in these areas to make good choices.

"The evidence is pretty clear that alcohol exacerbates crime statistics and is a contributing factor to domestic violence and mental health problems."

Vinnies also had issues with increased traffic affecting safe and easy access to the shop.

philip.heyward@news.com.au

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Less is more in power pricing

DISABILITY pensioner Merryn Duhig will pay more for her Aurora PAYG electricity than customers on the standard rate once new charges take effect on July 27.

The Snug woman will pay 24.27c per kilowatt hour between 6.30am and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays on a heating discount tariff compared to a standard PAYG price of 21.07c for concession card holders.

"It's wicked," Ms Duhig said."It's just off the show."

Aurora spokesman Richard Wilson said the only two timeslots in the heating discount pricing where prices were higher than the standard PAYG price for concession holders were on the weekend between 6.30am and 4pm.

"This customer is likely to be better off over all the timeslots over the entire year if she is a heating discount customer," Mr Wilson said.

Ms Duhig said she was "fobbed off" when she pointed the anomaly out to Aurora.

"They tried to convince me it was the economic regulator who set the pricing, so I rang them and they said 'No, that's balderdash'," she said.

"I am paying more than a standard customer and I'm on the pension. Aurora is passing the buck."

No customer was guaranteed PAYG was cheaper in all timeslots, Mr Wilson said.

"But it certainly suits people because they can be discretionary with their power."

Ms Duhig said a pensioner did not have much to be discretionary about.

"How you can be discretionary about your power use in winter time if your rate is higher than the standard?"

Mr Wilson said customers with concerns could call Aurora free on 1300 132003.

jennifer.crawley@news.com.au

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Hail hero Brian

BRIAN Gilligan certainly knows what it's like to face challenges in life. And it's this knowledge that allows the teachers' aide to communicate so well with the special needs students he works with at Hobart's Claremont College.

Mr Gilligan, 41, has cerebral palsy and needs a wheelchair.

He was taught at the former D'Alton unit in New Town and also pursued distance learning.

But instead of being a barrier, his own physical challenges have proved to be an asset when it comes to working with children with disabilities.

Mr Gilligan, of Moonah, is only paid for 16 hours a fortnight. But he finds the work so rewarding he volunteers his time to make it a four-day working week.

"I love my role," he said. "I have been here 12 years and while I work across the college I do focus on those students with special needs. They seem to accept me and listen to my advice."

He is restricted to teaching just one subject but works across the board in English, maths, food studies and computing.

Mr Gilligan was recently recognised by being named Tasmanian school volunteer of the year.

Now he has been nominated for a Pride of Australia medal in the Fair Go category.

"Everyone should have the chance to be the best they can be and all students should have the same opportunities," he said.

The Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian are seeking to recognise Tasmanians who inspire, show great courage, carry out acts of bravery or champion the notion of a fair go. Nominations close at 5pm on July 16. And they are still being sought in 10 categories: outstanding bravery, courage, heroism, community spirit (sponsored by Network Ten), child of courage, young leader, care and compassion, inspiration, environment and a fair go.

All Tasmanian category winners will be honoured at a state medal ceremony on September 15. State winners will then be eligible to take home the gold medal in their category at national level in Sydney on November 15.

Nomination forms are printed in the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian.

Readers can also nominate people and share their story online.

helen.kempton@news.com.au

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Family businesses feel pinch

A NEW survey of business confidence among family business owners shows many feel like they are surviving rather than thriving.

And while small business confidence in Tasmania has risen recently, the state's peak small business group says there is still a long way to go before confidence is fully restored.

The MGI Australian Family and Private Business Survey 2013 revealed a gloomy outlook among Australian family businesses. Key findings were:

• THREE-quarters of owners have experienced profitability and market conditions that had remained the same or declined in the past three years.
• LESS than 40 per cent of those surveyed have positive expectations of market improvement in the next 12 months.
• NINETY-one per cent of owners say they are dissatisfied with the Federal Government's support for family business.
• EIGHTY-three per cent feel the Federal Opposition is no better when it comes to supporting the sector.
• IN the past 10 years family businesses operating in the manufacturing sector have halved from 40 per cent to 20 per cent.
• IN the past three years the number of owners aged over 65 has increased from 12 to 25 per cent.

Lauren Chandler, of Hobart family business Chandlers Nursery, said the challenge for smaller family-owned businesses was to offer products and services that set them apart from larger competitors.

The Sandy Bay nursery was established in 1888, making it one of Tasmania's oldest family-owned businesses.

"We're really lucky, as we've been here for so long we really rely on the people that have been coming here for years," Miss Chandler said.

Miss Chandler, 28, said she rejoined the family business earlier this year after working in other industries because she felt confident Chandlers had a good future.

She said a growing interest in gardening and backyard vegetable growing, along with a loyal long-term clientele, kept Chandlers going strong.

"I'm confident we will be here for another 125 years," she said.

Tasmanian Small Business Council executive officer Robert Mallett said succession planning was a major factor for family businesses.

He said while the Sensis Business Index released last week showed a rise in business confidence in Tasmania, it was from such a low base that confidence could still not be considered strong in Tasmania.

blair.richards@news.com.au

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