SA police broaden search

THE search for missing Adelaide woman Rachael Moritz has spread to Tasmania.

Ms Moritz has been missing since just before Christmas, although the 20-year-old may have contacted her father briefly by phone on New Year's Day.

South Australia Police today said they believed the missing woman's Mazda sedan was used in the shooting of Jason De Ieso in November.

The car was later found burn out at Kangarilla, south of Adelaide.

"The car was reported stolen and police are confident that Ms Moritz was not present at the murder scene," police said in a statement.

Mr De Ieso, 33, was shot dead when a group of men walked into his Adelaide paint and panel shop armed with guns and fired several times.

In the search for Ms Moritz, police said they now had information suggesting she was interstate.

An unconfirmed report put her at Adelaide Airport on December 23 in the company of a middle-aged woman.

Police said they had no information to suggest she was being held against her will, despite ongoing concerns from her family.

Officers are keen to speak to Ms Moritz to confirm she is safe and well.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or click here.

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Attempted murder charges laid

A BURNIE father has been charged with attempted murder over a car explosion last month in which he and his two sons were badly burned.

Paul Brian Edward Connelly, 49, was charged in a special bedside sitting of the Hobart Magistrates Court at the Royal Hobart Hospital today.

Mr Connelly has been in hospital since the explosion at the Burnie suburb of Shorewell Park on December 5.

He has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of grievous bodily harm.

Mr Connelly, who remains in hospital in a serious condition, was remanded in custody to appear again in the Hobart Magistrates Court on January 23.

The two boys, aged five and eight, are in a serious but stable condition in the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne with burns to about 25 per cent of their bodies.

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Guilty plea over assault

A UNIVERSITY student has been given a bond for punching another young woman in a Hobart nightclub.

Alexandra Fountain, 21, of Broadbeach, Queensland, appeared before the Hobart Magistrates' Court today where she pleaded guilty to common assault.

The court heard Fountain was extremely drunk when she tried to enter the VIP section of Hobart nightclub Mobius on April 10, 2011.

When a staff member denied her entry, Fountain became angry and punched the woman in the face.

The court heard the former St Michael's Collegiate student was now studying business and communications at Griffith University and was very regretful for her actions which came about after she had consumed upwards of eight vodkas and ran into a former boyfriend.

Magistrate Olivia McTaggert said the court dealt daily with people who made bad decisions when drunk, but she did not think Fountain was likely to reoffend.

She placed Fountain on a 12-month good behaviour bond and did not record a conviction.

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Total fire ban likely

THE Tasmania Fire Service is likely to declare a total fire ban for tomorrow and Friday, with temperatures set to soar into the thirties.

Windy conditions are also forecast for Friday, putting the state's firefighters on high alert amid very dry conditions.

Fire hot spots include Tasmania's South-East, the Derwent Valley and the East Coast, with danger ratings increasing to very high and severe across much of the state.

TFS chief Mike Brown today advised members of the public to make sure any fires lit on their properties during the past week were completely extinguished.

"This means making sure fires that have been extinguished are cool to touch and checking the fire is not burning in the root systems of plants," he said in a statement.

"Special care must be taken when using machinery that emits sparks, such as mowers, slashers, grinders and other cutting tools, as this type of activity have the potential to start fires".

Mr Brown also said campers should not light fires over the next two days. Outdoor cooking would be limited to electric or gas barbecues.

"In the event of a total fire ban, there must be no fires lit in the open," he said.

"Bushwalkers may only use gas cookers and they must only be used in areas free from any combustible material for a distance of 1m.

"Cookers using solid or liquid fuels must not be used on any day of total fire ban.

"The TFS reminds the community that it is a criminal offence to light a fire on a day of total fire ban."

For up-to-date information on fire safety and the latest warnings, click here.

All fires should be reported by dialling 000.

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Man accused of new year rape

A 35-YEAR-OLD man is expected to face court later today over an alleged sexual assault in the grounds of Hobart's Parliament House early this morning.

The man has been charged with rape over an incident allegedly involving a 26-year-old woman.

He is expected to appear in an out-of-hours sitting of the Hobart Magistrates Court this evening.

Forensics police examined the scene this afternoon.

The area was cordoned off with crime-scene tape.

Police have appealed for anyone who may have seen a female in distress between 1.30am and 3am today in the vicinity of the Parliament House car park or lawns to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or police on 6230 2111.

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Kid zone under threat

Young ones having bundles of fun on Parliament House lawns today. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

THE popular Kids in the Park program could be lost from the Taste Festival if a committee insists on cutting back Parliament House lawn space and stalls, the event organisers said today.

Festivals and tourism special committee joint chair and Hobart City Council Alderman Peter Sexton said the organisers only found out in September they could go ahead with the full activities this year, leaving some stallholders in limbo.

Now a letter from the Parliament House Joint Committee has warned that only half the lawns could be used next year and the food stalls should be up for discussion.

"If we had only two quadrants, we wouldn't be able to run Kids in the Park. Most of these activities couldn't be put on," Ald Sexton said.

"Kids in the Park is one of the reasons why the overall Taste is so successful.

"We've created a utopia for children and families, as one mother said. It's fully self-contained."

The area does not allow alcohol.

But parliamentary committee chair and Labor MP Michael Polley said 50 per cent of the area must be kept free for the general public.

"We've allowed all their activities, 50 per cent of the area (two quadrants) and a big screen for the cricket," Mr Polley said.

"There's no problem with that.

"They were originally asking for 14 food stalls. The committee is concerned about it becoming too commercialised."

He said the committee would be discussing the number of stalls and whether there was a better option for the future.

The HCC has to apply to the parliamentary committee for approval for use of the lawns.

About 7000 people a day take part in Kids in the Park, which includes many free activities.

Ald Sexton said planning had already started for the next Taste and Kids in the Park.

"We feel it's essential that families have easy access to food and beverages suitable for children without having to cross into the packed Princes Wharf No. 1."

He said the renovations to Princes Wharf No. 1 shed had also restricted the number of food and drink stalls at the main site.

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Our own instant millionaire

A DEVONPORT man will enter 2013 as a millionaire after winning $1.4 million in TattsLotto's $30 million Megadraw at the weekend.

The man was one of two Tasmanians to collect winnings in the Megadraw. The other lucky man was from the Launceston suburb of Newstead.

The Devonport man bought his winning unregistered QuickPick entry from Centre Newsagency and Lotto in the Woolworth's Arcade in his home town.

He told Tatts officials it would change his life.

"When I checked the TattsLotto results in the newspaper, I just kept crossing the numbers off one by one. I started thinking 'well, this looks promising'," he said.

"Now I will be able to buy a lot of things I couldn't afford before."

He also intends to travel.

In the 2012 calendar year, 10 Tasmanian have scored division-one prizes totalling more than $11.5 million.

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One dead in Bay of Fires crash

ONE person is dead and two are trapped after a head-on collision at a popular holiday spot in Tasmania's north-east.

Police said the crash happened this afternoon on Gardens Rd, The Gardens, near Swimcart Beach.

The area, near St Helens, is a popular destination over the Christmas and New Year period.

Emergency services are at the scene.

The road is closed and police have advised motorists to avoid the area.

It is Tasmania's third road death over the festive period and takes the 2012 road toll to 32 -- eight more than at the same time last year.

Read more in tomorrow's Mercury.

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Burma crash duo vow to return

THEY escaped the burning wreckage of a plane crash in Burma, but Tasmanian Stuart Benson and South Australian girlfriend Anna Bartsch plan to return to the country to complete their unfinished holiday.

The couple arrived in Australia yesterday morning, greeted by relieved family and friends, four days after they walked away from the charred ruins of a flight that crash-landed in a paddock in Heho in central Burma, killing two people and injuring 11.

Speaking at Adelaide Airport, they said they were eager to go back and see the sights they missed when their two-week getaway was cut short on Christmas Day.

"There are a few more sights we're keen to see and we had a great time it's an amazing country," Ms Bartsch said.

"It certainly hasn't put us off going back and we hope it doesn't put other people off exploring the region."

Ms Bartsch, 31, and Mr Benson, 32, said they were thankful to arrive in Adelaide and excited by the prospect of some home comforts.

"I was a bit nervous boarding the flight from Singapore but I'm just glad it's all over," Mr Benson said.

"The tail-end of the trip (in Burma) was meant to be three days on a beach, so I'm looking forward to taking up that opportunity in the next trip."

The couple left Adelaide on December 18 and had been scheduled to return to South Australia tomorrow.

They were sitting at the back of the plane that crashed about 3km short of Heho airport.

Ms Bartsch escaped with a few minor sprains and Mr Benson sustained back pains.

"I don't think I've ever really had an experience when I've thought 'this is about it'," Mr Benson said.

"We were stuck inside for a bit while the plane was burning, at which point things were not looking great.

"The back injuries I've got are very common to what we'd see in the rollover of a Targa car.

"The wings coming off show what an impact it was."

Officials in Burma are investigating the cause of the crash, which happened when the Air Bagan Fokker 100 jet tried to land in heavy fog.

On Friday the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade revised the number of Australians in the plane crash from five to six. They included three Queenslanders and one dual-nationality citizen who did not live in Australia, a department spokesman said.

Mr Benson said the crash had replayed in his mind since Tuesday and that talking to other survivors about the ordeal had helped him cope.

"It was in the days following that it really hit home," he said.

"We were seeing all the photos come through and realised how bad it actually was."

The couple's luggage was destroyed. They have received some compensation and expect further reimbursement.

Mr Benson plans to return to Hobart to see his family in coming weeks.

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City gets Taste of traffic jam

TOP TASTES: Joe Bennett of Get Shucked Oyster Farm and Will Bignell of Tasmanian Highland Cheeses enjoy their fare. Their combined stall, which also included Craigow Wines/Tap Barley Beer/Belgrove Estate Highland Whisky was named best stall for 2012.

TASTE Festival organisers were unapologetic about parking problems yesterday when a perfect storm of multiple events created traffic snarls in and around Hobart's Salamanca precinct.

Tens of thousands converged for the Taste's second day, which coincided with the weekly Salamanca Market plus the Sydney-Hobart yacht race and the annual Antique Fair at City Hall.

The events bonanza created city traffic jams and along Sandy Bay and Hampden roads.

Long queues at the carparks, toilets and ATMs were inevitable because of the huge crowds.

Hobart City Council festival co-chairman Peter Sexton urged patrons to use common sense when travelling to events by organising shared transport and abandoning ideas of parking next to the venue.

"Parking is always an issue because people want to park at the front door," Ald Sexton said.

There were 800 free carparks in council's Argyle St and Centrepoint parks plus 700 at the Park and Ride in the Domain.

But he admitted there were signage problems with the Domain carpark, which was hidden behind the Moscow Circus.

Much of the Domain remained empty yesterday. He said more car parking and better communication would be a feature of next year's Taste.

He said a fraction of Taste patrons needed transport because many stayed in or close to the site.

"At any major event in the world, it's not possible to get there you have to use the bus or walk," he said.

Southern District Police Inspector Grant Twining said anyone who thought they could park close to such a big event was naive.

Insp Twining said the council had done a great job with Taste's traffic.

"It's congested simply because there's thousands of people here," he said. "You can get a park in Barrack Street five minutes away."

Police also received a number of queries from tourists unable to hail taxis yesterday.

The Salamanca taxi rank had been relocated to Kirksway Place and outside Customs House during the Taste.

More roads will be closed today between 9.30-10.30am for the Race to The Taste Fun Run.

Police have advised motorists to avoid Upper Domain Rd, Davies Ave, McVilley Drive,Tasman Highway, Davey St, Argyle St, Morrison St and Castray Esplanade.

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