Flowing with festive cheer

Revellers packed Salamanca Place last night.

THOUSANDS of Hobart revellers started putting the "merry" into this year's Christmas holiday period last night.

There was a bumper and boisterous crowd at Salamanca for the traditional Christmas break-up drinks.

Police estimated about 10,000 people took advantage of the mild weather and clear skies to converge on the Hobart waterfront.

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The Salamanca lawns were transformed into a street party, with live music, barbecues and vans serving alcohol.

Police Inspector Glen Woolley, officer in charge of Hobart, said it was a lively but orderly crowd.

"Overall the crowd is well behaved, considering the large number of people," he said.

"So far it's a jovial crowd and we just hope it stays that way," he said.

Insp Woolley said the good behaviour was partly because of the strong police presence, with 22 police patrolling the waterfront last night.

Police had made four arrests for disorderly conduct up until 9.30pm.

Insp Woolley said it was the largest gathering he had seen in the three years he had been patrolling Salamanca pre-Christmas Friday nights.

The holiday drinks have been a tradition in Salamanca for nearly 30 years, with thousands gathering on the lawns across from Knopwoods Retreat.

While the outside drinking area was still enclosed by a 1.2m barrier fence last night, the area was less fortress-like than the past seven years when a 1.8m "cage" had been erected.

Knoppies licensee Kate Cawthorn praised the lower barriers.

"It has more of a festival feel, we're really happy with it," she said.

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Snapshot shows healthy state

THE latest snapshot of Tasmania is in, and the news is mostly good.

We are richer and smarter than two years ago. We call ourselves optimists, but we can be a little tight with the purse strings. We don't trust governments, but we reckon we lead full and busy lives.

Every year leading advertising company Clemenger puts together a comprehensive snapshot of the habits and mood of the nation.

Based on quarterly Roy Morgan surveys of more than 50,000 people, it identifies the traits we share and the things that set us apart from each other.

Clemenger's report, The State of Tasmania, reveals locals are generally upbeat about their lives, particularly in Hobart, where the proportion of people counting their glass as half-full approaches 80 per cent. But drill down deeper and the picture becomes more nuanced.

While Tasmanians are more likely than other Australians to feel financially stable and are less likely to have cut down on their spending, a strong and growing majority believe the gap between rich and poor is growing.

And despite the global financial crisis receding in the rear view mirror, the number of people believing the economy is in freefall is growing.

Far more than Australians elsewhere, Tasmanians don't trust governments. Only a small minority in each region report that they trust the current Federal Government and distrust is significantly higher in the state's North-West, something that may spell trouble in the key marginal seat of Bass.

And we are more likely to believe corruption is a major problem, with up to 60 per cent agreeing.

The Clemenger report revealed distinct differences between the state's three regional centres of Hobart, Launceston and Burnie/Devonport.

"The Hobart region showed optimism in terms of the economy and the future of Tasmania, despite a feeling of financial instability. The Hobart demographic is characterised by older households of white-collar workers, managers and professionals who value social interaction, new opportunities and knowledge," the report concluded.

Interestingly, Launceston emerged as a more liberal, health-conscious, environmental hub.

"The Launceston region showed an increase in income and a shift towards a more health-conscious consumer," the report said.

"This involves the consumption of organic and additive-free foods, as well as increasing concern for the environment.

"The Launceston demographic is characterised by the mid-life households of skilled workers who value security, reliability and family.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the state's North-West emerged with its own distinct identity too.

"The Burnie/Devonport region showed increasing disregard for their health, as well as a large degree of distrust and dissatisfaction with the Government," the report said. "[The] demographic is characterised by young-parent households of skilled workers who value security, reliability and family."

READ THE FULL COVERAGE IN TODAY'S SATURDAY MERCURY ...

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Abuser's jail term increased

A MAN involved in one of the most horrific cases of sexual abuse to come before the Tasmanian courts has had his sentence increased on appeal.

The Court of Appeal today added another three years to his jail term, describing the initial sentence as inadequate.

The 35-year-old man pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person under the age of 17 years, eight counts of producing child exploitation material and two counts of possessing child exploitation material and a jury found him guilty of three counts of rape.

The offences were committed between 2008 and 2001 when the victim was aged between 14 and 17. She was his stepdaughter.

He made video and audio recordings of the abuse and threatened the girl he would put the images on the internet if she reported him.

Justice David Porter sentenced the man to seven years in jail with a minimum term of four.

But in his decision on the Crown appeal, Chief Justice Ewan Crawford said the sentence was too lenient.

"Rapes on 21 different occasions alone demanded a much more severe sentence," he said.

"Their nature and circumstances cried out for a much longer term of imprisonment by way of general and personal deterrence, retribution and denunciation.

"The gross breach of trust by the respondent and the harm he caused the complainant also demanded a much more severe sentence."

He quashed the original sentence and ordered the man serve 12 years in prison, with a minimum non-parole period of seven years.

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Help at hand for injured boys

A BROAD cross-section of the Tasmanian community has banded together to set up a trust to help two little boys who were severely burnt in a car explosion in Burnie earlier this month.

Family friends, groups of mothers, service clubs and churches have joined forces to form the Fletcher and Spencer Support Committee to co-ordinate fundraising activities and other aid for the eight- and five-year-olds.

Police are still waiting to speak to the boys' father.

He is expected to be charged with attempted murder.

The 49-year-old man and his sons received burns to more than 25 per cent of their bodies in the car fire which happened in the backyard of their Shorewell home a fortnight ago.

The boys remain in a critical but stable condition in intensive care in the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.

Their father is being treated in the ICU of the Royal Hobart Hospital and his condition has been downgraded from critical to serious.

However, police expect it will still be weeks before they can interview him about the incident.

The Vice-District-Governor of Lions Tasmania, George Bugeja, will chair the committee, which has already received offers of help from local businesses, individuals, entertainers and celebrity chefs.

Tins will be placed on the counters of some businesses to collect money for the appeal and donations can also be made at the ANZ bank.

The Fletcher and Spencer Trust has been set up to administer the donations received to ensure all money will be spent in the best interests of the boys.

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Man charged over murders

A MAN has appeared in a Hobart court charged with two counts of murder over the deaths of a couple at Mountain River, south of Hobart.

Nicolau Francisco Soares, 27, of no fixed address, appeared before Magistrate Michael Daly shortly before 4pm today.

The West Australian man did not enter a plea or apply for bail.

The magistrate adjourned the case until 9.30am on January 7.

Mr Soares was remanded in custody.

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Two dead on rural property

Dr Del Weston was found dead. Inset: Officers at the scene of the alleged double murder in Bennetts Rd, Mountain River, this morning.

THE nation's leading health economist and his academic partner are dead after being murdered at their idyllic Mountain River property, south-west of Hobart.Professor Gavin Mooney, 69, and Dr Del Weston , 62, were  found dead early yesterday with severe blunt -force trauma to the head in the lounge room of their secluded Bennetts Rd home after their alleged killer rang triple 0.

The 27-year-old man charged with the double murder is Dr Weston's son by a previous relationship.

Nicolau Francisco Soares did not enter a plea when he appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court this afternoon and was remanded in custody.

All three family members are previously from Western Australia with Prof Mooney and Dr Weston moving to Tasmania to enjoy semi-retirement in September last year.

It is the second double murder in the state's south in four days and the third this year after a Hamilton couple was shot dead on Sunday and a man and woman were stabbed to death in Launceston in August.

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Accessory's sentence stands

A MAN who helped a killer hide the body of a murder victim has lost an appeal against the severity of his jail term.

Sean Timothy Hudson, 37, of Ravenswood, was convicted in May of assault and being an accessory after the fact in the murder of 43-year-old father-of-six Scott Rock in Launceston on March 29 last year.

Neville Lindsay Whiting, 32, stomped and jumped on Mr Rock's head and left him to die before dumping his body near a bush track and setting it on fire.

Whiting was sentenced to 20 years' jail.

Hudson punched Mr Rock to the ground. After the fatal attack, Hudson helped load the victim into a car that he later cleaned when the body had been dumped.

Defence lawyer Adrian Hall told the Court of Criminal Appeal in Hobart that Hudson's 7 1/2-year jail sentence was excessive.

He said Hudson's crime was limited and did not aid the killer ultimately to escape detection.

But Justices Alan Blow, David Porter and Helen Wood disagreed, handing down their decision today.

They said Hudson had been imprisoned before and had breached the conditions of suspended sentences and probation, warranting an extended non-parole period.

They said the sentence could not be described as manifestly excessive.

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Trial over teen's road death

A NEW Norfolk man will face trial next year over the road death of a schoolgirl in the Derwent Valley last February.

Bradley John Chaplin, 27, has pleaded not guilty to negligent driving, driving without due care and attention, speeding, and driving with an illegal drug in his system.

The charges were laid after the death of Glenora High School student Ashley Edmonds on February 29.

The 13-year-old was killed when she was hit by a utility after getting off a school bus on Gordon River Rd at Karanja.

The Hobart Magistrates Court today heard the case would take up to five days and involve a number of young witnesses.

Defence lawyer Chris Gunson said he was discussing with the prosecution ways to take evidence from those witnesses without causing additional trauma.

He said he had also sought a reconstruction of the crash from an accident expert and would be calling into question evidence of his client's reading for tetrahydrocannabinol -- the active ingredient in cannabis.

Magistrate Olivia McTaggart said she would conduct a visit to the scene of the crash as requested by the defence before a further mention of the case on February 26.

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Students receive finals marks

MORE than 3000 students have achieved their Tasmanian Certificate of Education this year.

Among them are about 100 students whose mark of 98.45 or more put them in the top 1.5 per cent of their age group in Australia.

They were among 12,605 students given results this week by the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority, which runs exams and assessment for years 11 and 12 and vocational subjects.

The 3085 who achieved a TCE was up from 2715 last year.

"There have also been more Qualifications Certificates issued to Year 12 students, up from 4740 in 2011 to 4973 in 2012," Education Minister Nick McKim said.

And 2290 students received an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) this year, making them eligible to apply for a place at university, up from 2287 last year.

"The positive trend continued with 1676 Year 10 students also receiving a result in one or more TQA accredited courses -- up from 1459 last year.

"I am sure that many students are now relieved and can start making decisions on their future.

"The good results are a testament to their hard work and the dedication of their teachers."

Students receiving an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 98.45 or above:
(in alphabetical order - only students who chose to release their names to the media).

ABETZ, JEREMY, Calvin Christian School
ALLENDER, MIRANDA, St Michael's Collegiate
ANDREWARTHA, KATE, Hobart College
BADCOCK, CHLOE, The Don College
BAKES, EMMA, Leighland Christian School
BARNETT, NINA, Launceston Church Grammar
BASSETT, ALICE, Launceston Church Grammar
BEASLEY, HERMIONE, The Friend's School
BLACKWOOD, ISOBEL, Scotch Oakburn College
BLEATHMAN, FREYA, St Michael's Collegiate
BOHMER, MATTHEW, The Friend's School
BOWEN, SCARLETT, The Friend's School
BROWN, DANIELLE, Elizabeth College
BURGESS, NICOLA, Guilford Young College
BUTLER, PATRICK, The Friend's School
CALLAWAY, LIAM, Rosny College
CHUNG, OLIVIA, The Friend's School
CONNELLEY, NICHOLAS, Launceston Church Grammar
CONNOLLY, GEORGE, Guilford Young College
CREWS, ANNA, Scotch Oakburn College
CROFTS, SAMUEL, Hobart College
DAMBACHER, BROOK, Hobart College
DAVIE, CAITLIN, The Friend's School
DAVIS, KATHERINE, The Friend's School
DAVY, KATELYN, Elizabeth College
DELPORT, DOMINIC, Scotch Oakburn College
DODDS, BENJAMIN, St Brendan Shaw College
DUB, NIKITA, Hobart College
EADIE, LAUREN, Launceston Church Grammar
ETHERINGTON, CHRISTOPHER, Hobart College
FEI, HAOXIANG, Launceston Christian School
FIELD, RAYMOND, Newstead College
FOSTER, ALICE, Rosny College
FOSTER, SAMANTHA, Rosny College
FU, CHAU WA, Rosny College
GRAY, RYAN, Hobart College
GUNN, JAMES, The Friend's School
GUPTA, MEHR, The Friend's School
HAMILTON, SAM, Marist Regional College
HENNESSY, ROBERT, Rosny College
HENRY, CLARE, Elizabeth College
HOLLOWAY, DONALD, The Hutchins School
HUNN, NICHOLAS, The Friend's School
ILLINGWORTH, JOSHUA, St Patricks College
JEANNERET, RUTHIE, St Michael's Collegiate
JOHNSTON, SAMUEL, The Hutchins School
JOHNSTON, THOMAS, The Hutchins School
KEENOO, AKSHAN, Launceston College
KIM, JUE WAN, Newstead College
KUNASEGARAN, KARTIK, Launceston Church Grammar
LADLOW, OLIVER, The Friend's School
LANGE, JACQUELINE, Rosny College
LI, SHARNNA, The Friend's School
LORD, WILLIAM, The Hutchins School
LUCAS, AMY, Calvin Christian School
MACKAY, DUNCAN, The Friend's School
MACKEY, LUCY, The Don College
MAHER, WILLIAM, Elizabeth College
MANSFIELD, GABRIELLE, The Don College
MANTHEY, MICHAEL, Hobart College
MARSHALL, LACHLAN, Elizabeth College
MARSHALL, MADELINE, Marist Regional College
MCCULLOUCH, AISLING, The Don College
MCGUINESS, PETER, Hobart College
MCMENIMAN, JOHN, The Hutchins School
MCNAMARA, THOMAS Launceston Church Grammar
MCPHAIL, TESS, St Marys College
MCVILLY, NICHOLAS, The Hutchins School
MILNER, JAMES, The Friend's School
MOLLROSS, IMOGEN, St Michael's Collegiate
MORRIS-BAGULEY, HARRIET, The Friend's School
MURPHY, ELIZA JO, Elizabeth College
NANKERVIS, BRODIE, Launceston College
NGUYEN, HA, Newstead College
NOLAN, JESSE, The Friend's School
NOTHROP, REBECCA, Launceston College
O'DONOVAN, LIAM, Hobart College
OTLOWSKI, MONICA, St Michael's Collegiate
PALMER, SAMUEL, Guilford Young College
PARROTT, KATHERINE, Hobart College
POLGLASE, LOUISA, St Michael's Collegiate
REMASH, DEVIKA, Elizabeth College
ROBERTS THOMSON, IAIN, Leighland Christian School
ROPER, DARIEL, The Friend's School
RYAN, GEORGIA, Guilford Young College
SCHADE, NICHOLAS, Rosny College
SCOTT, EMILY, St Michael's Collegiate
SMITH, ROBERT, Leighland Christian School
STENNARD, ELSPETH, Guilford Young College
STRINGER, FELICITY, Hobart College
SUDHAKARAN, AISHWARYA, Scotch Oakburn College
SUMMERS, ELEANOR, St Marys College
TENNI, ELLA, Hobart College
THALAIVASAL, PAUL, Rosny College
VAN DONGEN, ALISON, The Friend's School
WAGLAND, ALEXANDER, Hellyer College
WALDHAUSER, GEORGIA, Marist Regional College
WESTBURY, DANIEL, The Hutchins School
WOOD, OLIVER, The Friend's School
YANG, JEREMY, The Hutchins School

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Worker hurt in Bicheno blast

A MAN in his 60s has been badly injured in an industrial accident near Bicheno, Tasmania Police say.

Officers were sent to the scene on the state's East Coast this afternoon after reports of an explosion.

The incident occurred about 2pm in a quarry on a farming property about 5km south of Bicheno, police said in a statement.

The injured worker, who is in a critical condition, has been flown to the Launceston General Hospital by the Westpac Police Rescue helicopter.

No one else was injured in the incident, with police forensics officers and a mines inspector set to examine the scene this afternoon.

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Police suspect parental dispute

Police officers are continuing to search a home at Hamilton after a double murder yesterday. Picture: KIM EISZELE

POLICE believe a 59-year-old man suspected of a double murder at Hamilton was motivated by a dispute over his one-year-old child.

The only suspect in the killing remains in a critical condition in a medically-induced coma after undergoing surgery this morning at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

The two victims -- the 31-year-old mother of his child and her 34-year-old de facto partner -- were allegedly shot dead as they tried to flee when the alleged shooter entered the woman's Hamilton home about 5am yesterday.

The woman's nine-year-old daughter is understood to have witnessed the incident and called police on a mobile phone.

The suspected gunman was found next to his ute at Lachlan, about 40km from the murder scene.

The one-year-old infant was inside the vehicle.

Police today revealed officers had phoned the man, identified as the suspect by the nine-year-old, and were talking to him on his mobile phone moments before he shot himself in the head an hour after the double murder.

The New Norfolk, Ouse, and Hamilton communities were still in shock, locals said today, after learning of the couple's death yesterday via social and mainstream media.

The dead man's family lives in Ouse, while the woman is believed to be from the New Norfolk area.

Police officers remained at the Hamilton house today, searching the property and vehicles parked in the driveway for clues.

They are also trying to piece together the timeline leading up to the suspected shooter's arrival at the isolated homestead.

Anyone with information is urged to contact investigators on 1800 333 000.

zara.dawtrey@news.com.au

Read the full story in tomorrow's Mercury.

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Body found in Howrah dunes

SES volunteers comb the Howrah site where the body of a man was found by a member of the public earlier today. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

THE body of a man believed to be in his 60s has been found in sand dunes at Howrah, on Hobart's Eastern Shore.

Police said the body was found about 10am today in dunes adjacent to Wentworth Park at Salacia Ave.

The man's death is not believed to be suspicious and his identity has not yet been established.

"At this point there is no evidence to lead us to believe there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death," Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Bessell said in a statement.

"Police are inquiring into the circumstances. A thorough examination of the scene, including a line search, is being undertaken.

"Until we can determine the cause of death … we will continue to examine how the body came to be in the location and attempt to establish how the man died."

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