Cage fighter behind bars

AN experienced cage fighter has been jailed over a vicious and unprovoked attack on a stranger in a Hobart nightclub.

Joseph Michael Tullo, 21, of Cradoc, had earlier been convicted by a jury of grievous bodily harm over the assault at the Observatory Bar on December 21, 2012.

The Supreme Court in Hobart was told Tullo's victim had been sitting in the bar talking to a woman when the attack happened. The next thing he remembered was being flat on his back bleeding.

The victim suffered a broken jaw, a fractured throat, lacerations to the head and chipped teeth in the attack, which was captured on CCTV inside the waterfront venue.

Justice Robert Pearce said Tullo, a strongly built and experienced fighter, had inflicted forceful blows on a victim who did not defend himself.

The judge sentenced Tullo to three years and six months in jail, with a non-parole period of 21 months.

Tullo was also ordered to pay $2867 in compensation to the bar where the assault occurred.

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Labor leadership ballot tonight

KEVIN Rudd has won the Labor leadership spill, beating Julia Gillard 57 votes to 45.

Deputy prime minister Wayne Swan has quit as has Senate leader Stephen Conroy.

The Australian has reported that Penny Wong has been elected as Labor's new leader in the Senate.

Sky News reports that Anthony Albanese and Simon Crean are currently contesting the deputy prime minister position.

Ms Gillard went on live TV this afternoon and called a ballot for the Labor leadership to resolve the leadership issue, even though she hadn't been formally challenged.

"All of these issues need to be resolved tonight," she said.

"We cannot have the Government or the Labor Party go to the next election with a person leading the Labor Party and a person floating around as the potential alternate leader."

That was why the loser must retire, she said.

Read more at news.com.au

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Kickbacks, conspiracy, rorts

KICKBACKS to public servants, a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and a 10-year travel expenses rort have been revealed in a report by the Tasmanian Integrity Commission.

Commission CEO Diane Merryfull released an Investigations Report as part of a bid to be more transparent about the work of the anti-corruption body.

Releasing the report today, Ms Merryfull said she was not concerned that none of the investigations had resulted in criminal charges.

"We're not disappointed. It's not our job to make decisions like that. The Act provides that we gather the information and refer it to those people who make those decisions," she said.

"They make their decisions based on their operating responsibilities. We don't feel disappointed or otherwise about their decisions."

The first of the three investigations revealed $2 million worth of stock for the stores and canteen at Risdon Prison had been sourced without compliance with procurement policies between 2008 and 2011.

Stocktakes were not carried out, over-ordering was written off and inmates were allowed to use prison computers, the internet and make unauthorised telephone calls, the report found.

Staff bought unauthorised items for prisoners - including contraband items - and stock was removed for personal use.

And one staff member received kickbacks from providers including a Playstation, tickets to football matches, gift cards and a golf club.

The Integrity Commission noted that while the misconduct was easily identifiable by supervisors, no meaningful attempt was made to deal with the issues.

The second case concerned a Department of Justice employee - who the Mercury understands to be a prison officer - accused of having "inappropriate contact" with a client.

The officer denied the accusation and produced a statutory declaration from their partner providing an alibi.

The Integrity Commission discovered EFTPOS transactions showed the officer had lied about their whereabouts.

When confronted, the officer admitted asking for the false statutory declaration and the partner admitted lying.

The officer was sacked. Police decided to take no action over the false declaration.

The third case revealed in the report concerned a public servant who had made 50 suspect claims for travel expenses totalling $10,000 over 11 years.

The report noted that the manager was unable to explain why some claims were contradicted by documentary evidence and resigned upon becoming aware of the investigation so no disciplinary action could be taken.

That matter has been referred to Tasmania Police.

david.killick@news.com.au

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Driving death case adjourned

A CASE against a Queensland man charged with negligently causing the death of three people last year when the trailer of his truck detached and crashed into a bus has been adjourned today.

Harvey John Charnock, 55, of Waverley, Queensland, is yet to plead to a charge of causing death by negligent driving of three Cancer Council bus passengers on September 12, 2012.

Defence counsel John Fraser told Magistrate Simon Brown that Mr Charnock's flight from Brisbane had been delayed and he missed a connecting flight from Sydney.

Police prosecutor John Parker was content to allow the case to be adjourned until tomorrow at 10am.

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Not-guilty plea to GBH

A CLARENDON Vale man shot a teenager in the stomach shortly after someone smashed in his front window with a fire extinguisher, the Supreme Court has heard.

Ronnie Edward Jackson, 40, has pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on October 22, last year.

A Hobart jury today heard Mr Jackson's neighbours were arrested the day before and people in the area blamed him for dobbing them in.

A crowd gathered in the street yelled at Mr Jackson and rocks were thrown on his roof.

Crown Prosecutor Patrick Dixon said about 10.30pm a car was pushed onto the nature strip in front of his house and set alight.

About 1.45am his front window was smashed and a fire extinguisher was discharged into his house.

The court was told Mr Jackson took a single-barrelled 12-gauge shotgun, loaded it and went outside.

The weapon discharged and a 15-year-old boy nearby was hit, causing serious abdominal wounds including a lacerated liver and colon.

Mr Jackson told police he had stumbled when the boy threw a fire extinguisher at him and the gun had gone off accidentally.

"I don't think he would have been shot if he hadn't thrown the fire extinguisher at my leg," he told police.

The trial, before Justice Stephen Estcourt, is continuing.

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Report queried Gunns' health

THE former chairman of timber company Gunns, John Gay, has appeared in a Launceston court charged over insider trading.

He has pleaded not guilty.

The author of a report for the Australian Securities and Investment Commission says a management report from October 2009 painted a different picture of the company to the information made public.

Wayne Lonegan, a corporate valuer, has told the Launceston Magistrates Court a comparison of figures from the 2008-09 and 2009-10 financial years would have affected the share price.

"The company had been historically profitable," Mr Lonegan said.

"What they're now looking at ... is a very significant deterioration.

"That's a very serious situation."

Mr Lonegan said stockbrokers were forecasting a modest downturn in profits, while Gunns management was expecting a decline of more than 100 per cent.

Mr Gay has pleaded not guilty to two charges of insider trading in which it is alleged he sold 3.4 million shares, worth around $3 million, with knowledge about Gunns' performance that was not generally available.

Gunns reported a 98 per cent deterioration in half yearly earnings in February 2010 and its share price plummeted.

The preliminary proceedings hearing continues on Monday afternoon.

Mr Gay's trial is scheduled for the Tasmanian Supreme Court in August.

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Boy drowns in fishing tragedy

A FATHER and son fishing trip has ended in tragedy at Bicheno with a man and his six-year-old son being swept off rocks by a wave.

Police last night confirmed the boy had drowned, while the search for his father was ongoing late last night.

The father and son, who were understood to be holidaying at Bicheno, on the state's East Coast, were reportedly fishing from rocks near the esplanade boat ramp when they were swept into the sea about 5pm.

Witnesses raised the alarm, sparking a major air and sea search involving a police rescue boat and the Westpac Police Rescue Helicopter. The body of the boy was pulled from the water about 7pm.

Bicheno By The Bay motel owner Andrew Thomas said the father and son were visitors who had been staying at the motel as part of a group.

The wife and mother of the two is believed to have been with the group.

Mr Thomas said the father and son had been fishing off rocks across the road from the motel when they were swept away.

He said although the weather was fine at Bicheno yesterday, there was a large swell that had been created by recent bad weather.

He described the spot where the pair were swept away as a sloping, rocky area.

He said while it was not a popular fishing spot, people did fish there from time to time and the water off the rocks was frequented by snorkelers and divers.

Mr Thomas said while the rocks were not known to be particularly dangerous, the surface of the rocks could be slippery.

"There is lichen and moss and algae there, it's slippery and people do have to be careful," Mr Thomas said.

Police investigations into the incident are continuing and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

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Nude swim a cheeky event

EXHILARATING. Freezing. Amazing.

That is how Dark MOFO artistic director Leigh Carmichael described his festival's inaugural nude swim which took place at first light off Long Beach in Sandy Bay today.

Hundreds of hardy souls wearing nothing but red swimming caps took to the River Derwent for the event.

Approaching the beach en masse with a cheer that broke the dawn silence, the group discarded their white towels as orange flares signalled the beginning of the winter solstice celebration.

Then began a mad charge for the water, which at 12C was considerably warmer than the heavily frosted beach the swimmers left behind.

After three minutes it was all over, as swimmers waded back out of the water.

Some raced for towels, while others were content to huddle naked around the barrels of fire dotting the beach.

Keeping a close eye on proceedings were two police boats and a small flotilla of surf lifesavers on boards.

Safety concerns meant the nude swim was staged in two parts -- 150 swimmers at dawn, followed by another 50 half an hour later.

"I don't normally swim at all in the ocean, so that was pretty brave for me," Mr Carmichael said.

"The community spirit was amazing. I think we've had a community spirit the entire festival and this really finishes it off. I'm really happy.

"This was about embracing the cold and the winter, and just celebrating as a community this time the year and the solstice."

Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Thomas was one of the first into the water, which took place on the shortest day of the year.

"It was a fantastic community effort," a bare-chested Mr Thomas told the media.

"This is just Hobart. We've broken so many barriers this week. We've proven that people will start looking to come here for weekends, rather than the old idea of pushing people away.

"I'd go out again"

Finally, a small group of about 20 clothed swimmers took to the water for the "prude" swim.

Then it was straight back to a heated room for hot chocolate, hot water bottles and most importantly, clothes.

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