Bowls gender uproar

REGIONAL bowls organisations are likely to defy a Bowls Tasmania directive that gender-specific pennant competitions be abolished next season.

The changes will allow men and women to play in any team at any level without being bound by present rules that require them to play bowls on separate days in separate competitions.

Men and women can play together in barefoot and lower-tier competitions, but pennant is men only and women only.

The break from the tradition of men-only and women-only competition has angered many bowlers who want to keep Thursday as ladies' pennant day and Saturday for the men.

Bowls Tasmania South this week told Bowls Tasmania it would not introduce non-gender specific pennants next season.

A Bowls Tasmania South survey found most emembers were against abandoning separate pennants.

Secretary Rob McGuire said almost half the group's 970 players responded to the voluntary survey, indicating great interest in the issue.

Mr McGuire said while he could not rule out members accepting mixed gender pennants in future, the change for next season had been received as a Bowls Tasmania directive and was issued without due consultation.

He said older players were those most against it.

"Generally, older people don't like change and it would be fair to say that there were more older people playing bowls than younger people," he said.

"I believe we cater for all comers in Southern Tasmania by having the women's and men's during the week, the men on Saturday and the mixed competition on Saturday."

North Western Tasmanian Bowls Association secretary Glen Stephens said while the branch was yet to vote on the issue, a members' survey indicated most favoured continuation of gender-specific bowls.

Bowls Tasmania chief executive Maxine Viney said the national push to remove the gender split in pennant competitions was driven by young players.

In Victoria and South Australia, mixed gender pennants are now played after anti-discrimination court cases.

"The younger generation coming into bowls, they don't see the gap between men and women," Ms Viney said.

"As they take a more active role in bowls, they see the advantage of the changes, and ask why do we need to have a separate pennant for men and women?

"Why can't we all play together because it's not a game of physical strength? They are the ones who are pushing it."

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A struggle for shelter

Common Ground in Campbell St, Hobart.

TASMANIA'S homelessness services say they are still struggling to meet demand, despite more affordable accommodation being provided and extra effort being made to tackle the problem.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that between the 2006 census and 2011 census, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Tasmania increased from 1145 to 1579.

The majority of homeless Tasmanians live in supported accommodation (480) or are staying temporarily with other households (499).

The remaining are in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out (156), staying in boarding houses (236) or are living in severely crowded dwellings (183).

Shelter Tasmania executive officer Pattie Chugg said the arrival of winter would bring home how many people needed somewhere warm and safe to sleep.

"Homelessness services report there is higher demand for their services than can meet need. There is a real concern for people without a safe and secure home all year round but winter highlights this even more," she said.

While housing stress is still a significant issue, the public housing waiting list in Tasmania is following a downward trend.

The Department of Health and Human Services quarterly performance report for March 2013 shows in the six months to December 31 the number of people housed increased by 6.7 per cent.

It showed that the waiting list at December 31 had decreased 22.8 per cent from the same time last year, to 2163 (2801 at the end of 2011), the decline partly attributed to the addition of 1400 new affordable housing properties.

Category 1 housing applicants, those in greatest need, faced an average wait time of 17 weeks, down from 19 weeks at the end of 2011.

Ms Chugg said a government reform combining public and community housing had helped get people housed.

She said with such strong demand for housing it was surprising that Common Ground mixed housing properties in Hobart were still not fully tenanted.

There are 80 people housed across Common Ground sites in Goulburn and Campbell streets, which provide 97 units between them.

blair.richards@news.com.au

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Tassie losing big works battle

IT is the battleground on which the next state election may well be fought: Is Tasmania open for business?

Whether it is a difficult investment environment, red tape, green tape, NIMBYs or planning delays, the state is dotted with major projects taking years to get off the ground.

Hobart's Myer development, Parliament Square, Pumphouse Point ... the list goes on.

The $2 billion Gunns pulp mill project is testament to the state's sometimes uncanny knack for failing to get a major project from concept to reality.

Liberal Leader Will Hodgman pins the blame for the high number of stalled projects on the Government.

"Only the Liberals have a plan to create a simplified, single statewide planning system, a plan to cut the red and green tape that is holding these projects back," he said.

Premier Lara Giddings said the State Government was committed to maintaining an attractive investment environment.

She said Tasmania enjoyed the lowest land costs, the lowest business licensing costs and the lowest tax burden of any state.

"The vast majority of major projects awaiting construction already have all the necessary planning approvals in place," she said.

"Difficulty obtaining finance is the most significant hurdle that any project faces."

Ms Giddings's office provided a list with $1.4 billion of developments now under way – 72 per cent of which are funded by the government sector.

Tasmanian Industry Group executive director Daniel Leesong said developers needed a great deal of patience to see their projects through.

"There's no doubt the issue around potential for sovereign and government risk – political risk is very apparent within Tasmania," he said.

"You can see that in a number of developments that have been frustrated either through vexatious appeals or through political intervention, which hasn't been particularly helpful.

"Parliament Square is probably the best example.

It's gone through all the necessary approvals.

It's investment-ready, but then gets stalled through what can only be described as people trying to use the system to stop developments that are ready to go."

Property Council of Australia executive director Mary Massina said green and red tape, and duplication between levels of government, were big issues.

"The planning issue is a major one, and if you look at environmental or heritage assessments – that process is quite lengthy," she said.

"The planning malaise is really a large one."

Ms Massina said Tasmania had to work harder to get the results it needed to have a strong and vibrant economy.

"Even if you were to look at it in terms of attracting mainland investors – whether they want to buy a home or a shack, let alone pulling major developments – you have to look at your market and your tax and planning regimes and your infrastructure and at how competitive we are with other jurisdictions," she said.

"Our market is smaller than the likes of Melbourne or Sydney or Brisbane so when we need to attract investment we have to be more flexible and nimble on our feet and go over and above in terms of providing economic development policies."

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief economist Phil Bayley said planning wasn't entirely to blame.

"Tasmania, in a lot of cases, can be one of the quicker jurisdictions.

One of the problems we've identified is that appeal rights are available to a much wider group of people than in other jurisdictions.

"Confidence in the Tasmanian economy is holding back projects.

"When you overlay challenges like planning, people look at it and think it's too hard."

STATE OF PLAY

MYER REDEVELOPMENT
$100 MILLION
DELAYED

Hobart's Myer department store was destroyed by fire in September 2007.

The proposed redevelopment is not expected to reopen for shoppers until Christmas 2014.

The Mercury this week reported the latest hold-up is due to wrangling over the cost of water and sewerage connection.

PARLIAMENT SQUARE
$100 MILLION
DELAYED

First announced in 2008 the redevelopment has been delayed by a series of planning appeals which aimed to save the state office block at 10 Murray St from demolition.

Construction on the project is tipped to start before Christmas and be completed over four years, providing 400 direct and indirect jobs.

PARANVILLE
$900 MILLION
DELAYED

Construction of a $900 million Eastern Shore housing development is hoped to begin by the end of this year.

About 2000 new residents are expected to eventually settle on the 158ha rural site near Clarendon Vale, slated for the suburb of Paranville.

The development is a key part of the state's push into Asia by attracting hundreds of mainly Korean language students and migrants.

MT WELLINGTON CABLE CAR AND VISITOR CENTRE
$40 MILLION
SLOWED

Investors and manufacturers are lined up, but project is awaiting approval from Wellington Park Trust and State Government.

Proponent Adrian Bold has been pursuing the project for two years.

Mr Bold says the project is ready to proceed as soon as approvals are gained and could be built in just 18 months, but he expects to spend another two or three years in the planning process.

SEVEN MILE BEACH GOLF DEVELOPMENT
$15 MILLION
SLOWED

Professional golfer Matt Goggin is seeking to develop two courses on 300ha of land on the eastern side of Seven Mile Beach.

The plan involves the construction of one or two public golf courses and a clubhouse, estimated to cost between $10 million and $15 million.

The project is bogged down in the planning process and is proceeding slowly.

SPRINGS VISITORS CENTRE
$3.5 MILLION
ON HOLD

Robert Morris-Nunn first came up with the plans for a visitors centre at the Springs response to a Hobart City Council request in 1999.

The project is ready to proceed but stalled awaiting funding for infrastructure works.

NORTHERN SUBURBS LIGHT RAIL
$100 MILLION
STALLED AND UNFUNDED

A high-level task force has been established to chase federal government funding.

Project faces critical deadline in upcoming round of Infrastructure Australia grants.

Coalition has indicated a reluctance to fund urban passenger rail projects.

BROOKE ST PIER REDEVELOPMENT
$10 MILLION
PROGRESSING

Delayed in the planning process, the Hobart development is back on tracks after a funding agreement between government and proponents.

AIRPORT SHOPPING CENTRE
$100 MILLION
ABANDONED

Planned $100 million retail outlet near Hobart Airport that was abandoned due to inability to secure investors.

The Hobart Capital + Home factory outlet and homemaker centre at Mornington would have created 700 jobs.

david.killick@news.com.au

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Left in casualty for days

THE Royal Hobart Hospital has ordered a review into why a patient spent two days waiting for treatment on a trolley in its emergency department.

Kingston man David Dawes said despite having private health cover and always paying his Medicare levy, he was forced to lie on the trolley and a chair in the public hospital while he waited for a bed.

"There were other people waiting to go upstairs to a ward too, it's disgraceful," he said.

The hospital said the length of time Mr Dawes, 56, had to wait for a bed was unacceptable and it would investigate the matter.

Mr Dawes first went to hospital after an accident left a drill bit in his foot.

The Hobart Private Hospital had no access to an orthopaedic surgeon that day so he had his operation in the Royal.

But a week later his GP said his sore, reddened leg was infected and sent him back to hospital – where he waited, and waited.

Mr Dawes said he went to the Royal at lunchtime on Monday, April 8 and was not sent to his own room until late on Wednesday, April 10.

Tasmanian Health Organisation South chief executive Jane Holden said Mr Dawes waited 46 hours.

"Mr Dawes spent an unacceptable amount of time in ED awaiting a ward bed," Ms Holden said.

"This length of stay in ED raises serious issues, which have been referred for clinical and operational review."

The Hobart Private Hospital said orthopaedic specialists who accepted referrals from its emergency department might sometimes be unavailable and in such cases they would advise and organise a transfer to the RHH.

Mr Dawes said he spent a day and a half on a trolley in the RHH then another day in the children's emergency section on a reclining chair that was so badly positioned he was having physio for back pain.

"I couldn't adjust it and I was sitting on timber," he said.

He was on a drip and having observations taken and said he was only given sandwiches until he demanded a meal.

His sister Judy Bishop said she felt sorry for nursing staff who often ended up working extra shifts, but that it must put patient care in jeopardy.

"This must happen to people all the time, we aren't an isolated case," she said.

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Launceston man stabbed

A LAUNCESTON man is in hospital after being stabbed in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Police have today charged an 18-year-old man with causing grievous bodily harm as a result of the alleged altercation that is understood to have left the victim seriously injured.

The stabbing occurred on a public street - Pioneer Parade in the outer Launceston suburb of Ravenswood - where both the victim and the alleged offender live.

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Horror day on our roads

IT has been a horror day on the state's roads with a motorcyclist killed and police called to seven crashes in a matter of hours.

Police have confirmed a motorcycle rider has been killed on Durkins Rd at Quoiba in the North-West.

It is understood the bike and a trailer collided at 2.15pm.

As a result of the crash traffic remained banked up on Stony Rise Rd and motorists are asked to avoid the area for at least a couple of hours.

The crash brings the state's road toll to nine compared to six for the same period last year.

Elsewhere in the state a log truck caused significant delays this morning when it rolled over on the Arthur Highway at Forcett, just outside of Sorell in the south.

Police said no one was injured in the accident but traffic flow was reduced to just half a lane while the site was cleared.

Officers were at the scene to direct traffic, with motorists advised to avoid the area if possible.

Hazardous road conditions after heavy overnight rain caused havoc on the roads this morning.

Officers attended at least seven crashes, starting just before 7am today.

The most serious was at Broadmarsh, near Brighton, where a car rolled over on Black Brush Rd about 6.55am.

An ambulance was called but it is believed the female driver escaped without serious injury.

Police said other minor crashes occurred at Forcett, Cygnet and Glenorchy.

Officers also attended a four-car pile-up on the East Derwent Highway, at Otago Bay, later in the morning. No one was seriously injured.

"Motorists are reminded to drive according to the road conditions, allow sufficient time to safely reach their destination and to maintain a safe distance between other vehicles," a police spokeswoman said.

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Car gets startled reception

A bystander looks shocked at the damage to Opteon in Castray Esplanade. Picture: LEIGH WINBURN

WORKERS at a Hobart office are recovering from the shock of seeing a Toyota Camry reversing into their reception area.

The vehicle's driver, who had been working on a building site nearby, is believed to have suffered a medical condition while moving his vehicle on Castray Esplanade, near Salamanca Place, about 12.30pm today.

Witnesses say the sedan suddenly reversed at high speed, smashing through Opteon Property Group's glass frontage and stopping just centimetres from the reception desk.

Opteon director Charles Brothers said it was a big relief none of the 30 staff members had been injured.

"Luckily our receptionist was out on her lunch break at the time," he said.

"It sounded like a bomb going off.

"It's just a good thing no one was in the boardroom or reception."

The driver was taken to hospital for treatment as his builder colleagues quickly went to the business's aid.

They removed the broken glass and twisted metal and boarded up the frontage so staff could get back to work.

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Near-misses on Targa day two

SLIPPERY conditions have caused several near-misses on day two of Targa Tasmania.

At least four cars crashed out of the 200-strong field as the tarmac rally wound its way through eight stages in the state's North-East. All crews escaped without injury.

Two cars rolled over, including Peter Avery's Mitsubishi Evo 8.

Avery lost control on the Elephants Pass stage, rolling off the road and into the bush.

The car came to rest upright, with the driver and his navigator, Trent Avery, emerging with barely a scratch.

The Targa recovery crew had to use a chainsaw to free the badly damaged vehicle.

Today's racing, which began in Rossarden, was due to wind up with the traditional Longford street stage this afternoon.

The accident-prone day follows an event opening marred by tragedy.

Newcastle driver John Mansell, 71, died yesterday when the Porsche Cayman he was driving hit a tree near Deloraine.

Tristan Catford, Mr Mansell's 26-year-old navigator, was seriously injured in the crash.

Read the full coverage in tomorrow's Mercury

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Mum's a legend, says Laura

RAISING four children, looking after a sick husband and travelling around the Midlands caring for others as a child health nurse ... it's all in a day's work for Tasmanian Mother of the Year Michele King.

The Campbell Town mother-of-four was nominated for the Barnardos Australia award by her teenage daughter Laura King-Grey.

Laura, a boarder at Newstead College in Launceston, said it was not until she left home this year to attend Year 11 in the city that she realised how much she depended on her mother.

"My mother is a legend," she said. "She has raised a large family in very difficult circumstances, with a sick husband."

Laura said her father was dealing with a neurological disorder and her younger brother Alexander was born with a heart condition and was not expected to survive infancy but, after multiple surgical operations and with the love and support of his family, had grown up to be a thriving Year 7 student.

Her mother had coped with all that as well as travelling far and wide caring for other mums and children as a child health nurse.

Ms King said her nomination was a total surprise.

"I feel quite humbled," she said. "Generally the work of mothers is not acknowledged. It was very nice of Laura to nominate me. I'm very fortunate to have fabulous teenagers."

The other nominee at today's ceremony, Annette Bennett, had her name put forward by 11-year-old daughter Selamawit, who was adopted from Ethiopia at the age of three.

In a tearful tribute, Selamawit said her mother had "saved my life" and given her the opportunity to love life and the courage to live her dreams.

"Family is not whose blood you carry but who you love and who loves you," she said.

Both mothers were presented with flowers and prizes by Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Thomas at the ceremony at MONA.

Ms King and Laura head to Sydney next month, where the Australian Mother of the Year is to be announced on May 10 -- just before Mother's Day.

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Chopper exercise over Hobart

The Westpac Police Rescue helicopter in action.

HOBART residents should not be alarmed by helicopters flying overhead tonight, police say, with a training exercise planned between 8pm and 10pm.

A similar exercise last year caused significant concern in the community, with low-flying helicopters angering some Hobart residents.

A police spokeswoman said this time around disruption to the general public was intended to be minimal and there should be no cause for alarm.

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