Great balls of fire

HOT ACT: Self-declared Australia's "King of Circus" Roy Maloy smashes the world fire-breathing record yesterday. Picture: LEIGH WINBURN

MORE than 500 fireballs were hurled into the air by Australian circus king Roy Maloy as he attempted his fifth world record yesterday.

In front of an awestruck audience at the Brighton Christmas Parade, he breathed 501 fireballs within 28 minutes, beating the previous record of 100 fireballs in an hour in a performance that he describes as "extreme circus".

"There's a lot of danger involved," he said.

"I've been burned a few times.

"I lost all the skin off the back of my hand once and I've lost my fringe as well."

Based in Melbourne, Maloy, whose shows also include knife-throwing and sword-swallowing, will attempt to walk a kilometre on stilts in under 9.35 minutes at the Stanley show today.

elizabeth.lord@news.com.au

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Ambo boost call to aid responses

AMBULANCE crews must be boosted to improve Tasmania's emergency response times, says an internal report released yesterday.

The report calls for an urgent increase to crews and stations to bring down the emergency waiting times in Hobart and Launceston.

Denison Independent MP Andrew Wilkie condemned the State Government for failing to implement the main recommendations of the report done for Ambulance Tasmania.

"Tasmania has one of the worst capital city response times in the country," Mr Wilkie said.

"Instead of acting, the State Government has sat on the report that recommends a solution to this health problem for two years and the Tasmanian community is paying the price," Mr Wilkie said.

The report says: "The first priority is to raise emergency response standards in Hobart and Launceston by 2011-12."

It said an extra full-time crew was required in Hobart and Launceston bases, and three new stations were needed in the Hobart area.

Bryan Wilson of EMSPA, the Australian Paramedics Association, said the 2012 National Report on Government Services showed ambulance response times were among the worst in the country.

Among data referred to in the report released yesterday, two-thirds of emergency cases - including heart attacks - were not seen within 10 minutes in southern Tasmania.

That was despite a target used overseas and in South Australia of eight minutes in 90 per cent of cases.

Health Minister Michelle O'Byrne said 15 new paramedics would be employed this month and 15 in April next year.

She said statewide response times improved from 11.4 minutes to 11.2 minutes in the past financial year and response times had improved in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.

Hobart's 2011-12 median wait time was 10.3 minutes.

"This report was commissioned as an internal planning tool and contained a raft of very useful information that we are already using," Ms O'Byrne said.

Among those, a first intervention vehicle was being trialled and was already improving response times.

Mr Wilkie said the government was only "tinkering around the edges".

Ambulance Tasmania said the eight-minute benchmark was not used in Tasmania nor many other jurisdictions.

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Public meeting on Sikh plan

The Chapel St Reserve will be the site of a public meeting later today about the proposed Sikh temple. Picture: TINA STAGG

A PUBLIC meeting about a proposed Sikh temple in Glenorchy is being held today at the Chapel Street Reserve at 6.30pm.

The Glenorchy City Council supports a proposal to dispose of part of the reserve so Tasmania's small Indian Sikh community can build a temple on the site.

On Sunday, a meeting at the reserve drew a crowd of about 30 people opposed to the temple.

Local resident Matthew Pettit said there had not been enough consultation and people in the neighbourhood had concerns about the visual impact of the temple, increased traffic, noise and operating hours.

The Sikh community had been working on plans for a temple in South Hobart for three years but earlier this year the Hobart City Council rejected the plan after community opposition.

Sikh spokeswoman Surinder Mahindroo said Tasmania was the only state or territory without a temple and some Sikhs were leaving the state because they had nowhere to worship.

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Man guilty of murder, arson

THE daughter of a murdered man has looked his killer in the eye and told him his evil deed has devastated an entire family.

Her voice cracking with emotion, Brittany Birrell-Williams looked straight at Stuart Barry Russell in the dock of the Supreme Court in Hobart and told him he was a messed up and dangerous man who had left a family stricken with grief at the loss of a beloved father, son and brother.

She said the crime was made even harder to bear by Russell's botched attempt to burn her father's body.

After a nine-day trial, Russell, 40, of Eggs and Bacon Bay, was found guilty of murdering 46-year-old Brett Williams at the southern seaside town last December by a unanimous jury decision this afternoon.

He was also found guilty of attempted arson.

A single hand clap rang out from the public gallery packed with Mr Williams' family as the verdict was announced.

Russell blinked, briefly looked puzzled and grimaced. He repeatedly wiped tears from his eyes as his sentencing hearing unfolded.

In a drunken and unprovoked attack in Mr Williams' kitchen, Russell stabbed the older man four times.

He struck the fatal blow with a steak knife through Mr Williams' heart.

After conducting a bizzare memorial service over the body, Russell returned in an unsuccessful attempt to set a fire to conceal the crime.

He was arrested the following morning.

Ms Birrell-Williams concluded her victim's impact statement with a message for her father: "You can rest in peace now dad."

Moments after Ms Birrell-Williams' powerful speech, Russell's lawyer Kim Baumeler said he had instructed her to say nothing in mitigation on his behalf.

Justice Peter Evans will sentence Russell tomorrow.

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Dodgy tender ends in jail

A FORMER Southern Water engineer has been jailed for corruption.

Anton Cristofer Colev, 35, of Kalgoorlie, was found guilty of corruption in business by a jury in the Supreme Court in Hobart last month.

The charge related to a pipeline duplication project at Margate for which Colev was a project manager.

Four companies submitted tenders for the Southern Water project in March last year, ranging from $800,000 to $1.7 million.

Colev met a representative from the lowest bidder, Spectran, after the tenders had closed, told them they were the preferred tenderer and encouraged them to lift their price from $800,000 to $1.3 million.

He told the company to include work which was being done by Southern Water and to include a fixed price on other work to save him the trouble of assessing its scope.

Spectran submitted a revised bid after the final deadline had closed.

Colev then allegedly removed the next lowest tender from a tender box along with Spectran's original tender, replacing it with their revised bid.

Two other tenders -- priced at $1.4 million and $1.7 million -- were left.

Colev was a member of the panel which subsequently selected Spectran as the winning bidder, the court heard.

Soon after they were informed of their success, Colev sent Spectran an email seeking a cash payment of $10,000 as a first payment for what he called "consulting work".

Justice Helen Wood sentenced Colev to 12 months in jail, but suspended the final eight months of the term on the condition he be of good behaviour for two years.

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Preparing for a fire crisis

MOST Tasmanians are well informed about bushfire safety but that doesn't translate into being well prepared, says local expert Damien Killalea.

The Tasmania Fire Service's director of community fire safety believes a relatively small proportion of the state's population will be sufficiently prepared if a major bushfire strikes.

The state has experienced its first taste of bushfire season 2012-13 in the past week, with blazes raging at Musselroe Bay, Poatina and the Central Plateau. Firefighters were also mobilised at Glenlusk, Forcett, Glen Huon and Geeveston, all in the state's south.

Mr Killalea said the permit season had started four weeks ahead of schedule.

"The bush is drying out much sooner than expected and the grasslands are also starting to dry out," Mr Killalea said.

"When that happens fires will be able to travel out of the bush and into the grasslands, where they travel so much quicker.

"That can be very dangerous."

To find out how best to fire-proof your property, join Mr Killalea tomorrow (Thursday) for a live blog at 11am.

For more information on putting together a plan, click here to access the TFS's website.

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Job losses cut deep, says union

CPSU national deputy secretary Rupert Evans told the rally federal budget cuts were being felt disproportionately in Tasmania. Picture: KIM EISZELE

ABOUT 70 federal public servants rallied in Hobart today to demand an end to job losses in Tasmania.

They stood in a circle of mutual support, holding paper cut-outs of figures representing 500 colleagues who had lost their jobs since 2008.

Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) regional secretary Paul Blake said 126 federal public service jobs disappeared in Tasmania last financial year. Nationally, the public service grew slightly in the same period.

Budget cuts and centralisation had affected a range of federal services, from Centrelink to the Australian Taxation Office. Latest example was the ABC television production unit.

"Department heads and bureau chiefs can't handle having jobs they can't see in front of them," Mr Blake said.

"This is about sending a strong message to ABC and public sector management that Tasmanians need these quality jobs."

CPSU national deputy secretary Rupert Evans said federal budget cuts were being felt disproportionately in Tasmania and they had a devastating effect on the local economy.

"For every public service job lost, another two to three indirect jobs are lost," he said.

"The technology exists to do any job in the public service anywhere in Australia so why not here? The Australian public service is not the mainland Australian public service."

Senator Lin Thorp also spoke at the rally in St David's Park.

She said Tasmanian Labor senators were doing all they could to save the local ABC TV production unit.

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Souped-up forensic services

Tasmania Police issued a warning last month that opportunistic thieves have been breaking into homes while the owners are still inside or briefly absent in their quest for valuable jewellery.

BUSTING burglars may become easier thanks to an equipment upgrade at Forensic Science Service Tasmania.

FSST – which services clients including Tasmania Police, the DPP's office, defence lawyers and coroners – unveiled about $320,000 worth of new and upgraded equipment at its New Town headquarters today.

Funded by the State Government, it includes a near-new Scanning Electron Microscope which allows scientists to analyse small glass and paint particles to see if they match material found at a crime scene.

This could be used, for example, to match paint from an offender's crowbar to paint on a window or door at a burglary scene.

Assistant Police Commissioner Phil Wilkinson said the SEM was bought at less than half its original price from a UK laboratory that was closing down.

"Police rely on timely and accurate results from FSST scientists in identifying offenders and solving crime," he said in a statement.

"The new equipment will increase the throughput and accuracy of results."

Police issued a public warning early last month about opportunist thieves breaking into homes while the owners were still inside or briefly absent in a quest for valuable jewellery.

Bellerive CIB later announced it had arrested and charged 15 alleged offenders since September 1 over burglaries in the Warrane, Lindisfarne, Howrah and Tranmere areas. 

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Forum on smoke-free future

A FORUM in Hobart today is investigating new approaches to tackle Tasmania's continued high smoking rates.

Opening the "A Smoke-Free Community -- Is It Possible?" forum at the University of Tasmania this morning, Health Minister Michelle O'Byrne said the state's smoking rates remained too high.

Speakers at today's forum include Cancer Council Victoria CEO Todd Harper, Australian Council on Smoking and Health president Professor Mike Daube, ASH Australia chief executive Anne Jones, and local experts from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.

"This forum will help shape change and policy formation around tobacco control and prevention for many years to come," Ms O'Byrne said in a statement.

"It's being held as part of the Australian Government's program to promote public interest in and action on tobacco control -- something Tasmania strongly supports.

"The recent Australian Health Survey results were yet another wake-up call for Tasmanians, showing only a slight decrease in the state's smoking rate.

"We are making some in-roads, but the number of Tasmanians still smoking remains unacceptably high."

Ms O'Byrne said the State Government had moved to reduce smoking in many public areas.

She cited the new ban on smoking between the flags on patrolled beaches, adding to earlier bans in locations like bus malls, playgrounds and sport grounds.

"For the first time this year, Carols by Candlelight services will be smoke-free, sending a clear message to our children that they can enjoy themselves without being exposed to second-hand smoke."

Read Elizabeth Lord's story in tomorrow's Mercury.

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Caution on online credit

Police are investigating a number of online scams in Tasmania following reports of goods being purchased using stolen credit cards. Picture: THINKSTOCK

TASMANIAN shoppers need to be on guard when giving credit card details to online retailers this festive season.

Police are investigating a number of online scams in Tasmania following reports of goods being purchased using stolen credit cards.

"People need to be vigilant at all times in order to protect themselves against fraud," Tasmania Police fraud and e-crime division Detective Sergeant Natasha Leaman cautioned last week.

The warning follows recent Australian Federal Police arrests of international organised crime members who have been charged with stealing the credit-card data of up to 500,000 Australians.

Thousands of counterfeit transactions were carried out in numerous overseas locations including Europe, Hong Kong and the US.

Banks have agreed to shoulder the burden of the losses which totalled about $30 million but consumers have been put on high alert to protect their details.

Australians lost $4.8 billion an average of $212 per citizen through direct cash and lost productivity to online criminals last year, a Norton cybercrime report has found.

While some online hackers emptied bank accounts in one hit, the majority were silently fleecing bank accounts of small amounts, leaving the victims none the wiser.

A recent study showed one in four Australians has been a victim of credit-card fraud or had money taken from their bank account.

Despite this, the study by software company Kaspersky Lab found that three out of four Australians would still buy Christmas presents online this year.

Product specialist Wayne Kirby said scammers preyed on people during the Christmas season.

"It's a time when people are busy ... shopping online and generally sharing a lot of content via email or social media," he said.

"Before clicking on any links or opening any attachments, ask yourself, is that email from a legitimate company.

"Thinking before your click can save your computer, your credit-card details and also your privacy. Scammers will prey on unsuspecting victims who trust easily and fall for financial or personal hardship stories."

Fake emails and website pages are often used.

Additional reporting Ken McGregor

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Toy run touched by tragedy

SOUTHERN Tasmania was brought to a standstill yesterday as 8000 motorcycles snaked their way into Hobart on the 33rd Toy Run.

But the event, which grows larger each year, was marred by tragedy with the death of an Ulverstone motorcyclist at Conara.

Riders travelling from the north of the state experienced lengthy delays on the Midland Highway after the 45-year-old woman apparently crashed into a roadside railing about 10.40am.

The woman died at the scene.

Police investigating the crash said high winds were reported by other motorcyclists in the area at the time and could have been a factor in the accident.

Riders from around the state converged on the Derwent Entertainment Centre about noon and began riding along the Brooker Highway into Hobart.

Many were unaware of the tragedy that had taken place as they waved to onlookers and threw sweets to thousands of people who lined the route.

Arriving at Parliament House lawns on classic Harley-Davidsons, sidecars and motorised pushbikes, the bikers donated toys, food and money to the Salvation Army for the state's needy children and families.

Southern Motorbike Riders Association president Dean Horsey said there was a sombre mood at the gathering and a minute's silence was held for the rider before festivities began.

Numbers at this year's event increased by more than 500 participants on previous years as the Toy Run grows in popularity among the motorcycling community.

"It brings the motorcycle community together for a good cause," Mr Horsey said.

Damian Thompson, of Ulverstone, has been taking part since his first run in 1979.

"It's a really good opportunity to help the little tackers," he said.

"Every person here does it for the same reason, it's a chance to give back to the community."

A motorbike enthusiast of 54 years, John Wallander, of Gravelly Beach, has participated in the run seven times.

"It's beautiful if the bikers can raise a heap of money for charity for Christmas," he said.

Yesterday's crash was the second fatal crash on Tasmanian roads in less than 24 hours.

On Friday a woman was killed and five injured after a van rolled on the Arthur Highway at Copping.

The death brought the state's road toll to 28, compared with 22 at the same time last year.

Any witnesses to the bike crash are asked to contact Northern Crash Investigation on 6336 3936.

elizabeth.lord@news.com.au

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