Retail reprieve for mussels

THEY say timing is everything, and the timing of Spring Bay Mussels' algal toxin discovery and global product recall could not have been worse.

It follows an export ban on diseased Tasmanian abalone earlier in the year, and comes in the same week authorities raised fears over the safety of wild oysters from the Tamar estuary and allegations that Seafish Tasmania may have polluted the waters off Triabunna.

The discovery also came just weeks after Spring Bay Mussels secured a deal to supply supermarket giant Coles with a new gourmet homebrand bagged product range.

Coles Cooked Mussels in Tomato and Herb Sauce and Coles Cooked Mussels in Cream and White Wine sauce had only been on the shelf for two weeks when Spring Bay was forced to notify customers of the toxin discovery and recall all of its exported product.

Deputy Premier Bryan Green said the State Government took the situation very seriously.

Mr Green said comprehensive analytical testing had been undertaken to better understand the extent and impacts of the recent naturally occurring algal bloom.

"Industry and government have and will continue to work closely together to protect and grow our aquaculture industry, including by determining whether any additional measures need to be put in place," he said.

"We hope to have the testing results over the next few days."

Coles says it will stick with the Tasmanian seafood company despite its "horrible luck".

Coles merchandise director John Durkan said the company would continue to stock the line when it was again available.

"These things happen. The algae which caused the problem is naturally occurring and nothing to do with the company," Mr Durkan said.

"It has not changed our perception of Tasmania as a place producing clean, green and safe food."

Neil Stump, chief executive of the Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council, said shellfish were filter feeders that could be the "canary in the coalmine" in regard to waterway conditions.

"It is reassuring to hear a major customer like Coles is staying with Spring Bay Mussels," Mr Stump said. "It would be unfortunate if Tasmania's reputation was tarnished.

"But hopefully the quick response of Spring Bay Mussels to their situation and the rigorous testing being undertaken in the wake of the event will reassure customers that there are strict, quality assurance systems in place here."

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Twisters, hail, rain hit Hobart

TORNADOES, torrential rain and thick hail rampaged across the state yesterday.

The wild weather forced the evacuation of a childcare centre and a call centre but most of the state escaped relatively unscathed.

The South and East were hardest hit, with conditions worsening on the East Coast last night but the Midlands and the North also reported dramatic weather.

At least three tornadoes were reported -- and photographed -- by stunned onlookers as thunderstorms swept across Hobart and its outer suburbs.

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Flash flooding forced children to be evacuated from CareBears Cottage Childcare at Mornington.

The storm also caused evacuation of 570 workers from the Vodafone call centre at Kingston.

Vodafone spokeswoman Karina Keisler said rain came through overhead light fittings and flooded the building.

The tornadoes provided a once in a lifetime experience for many of those who spotted them.

Cambridge office worker Colin Hepher said his colleagues went to their window when rain started bucketing down mid-morning.

"We were there for four or five minutes watching the tornado coming towards us," Mr Hepher said.

Acton Park resident Imogen Norris, 17, and her family were also lucky enough to witness the event.

"It suddenly got really dark and started pouring with rain and then it started hailing," she said.

"Then the rain started to subside a bit and we looked up in the sky and there was a weird-shaped cloud and all of a sudden it started spinning and we thought 'no, it can't be a tornado'."

Luckily the tornadoes -- two out towards the airport and one above the tip at South Hobart -- do not appear to have caused any significant damage.

But the torrential rain caused flooding in areas including Kingston and Mornington, largely because of overflowing drains, said State Emergency Service southern regional manager Mark Nelson.

Heavy hail blanketing roads also caused problems for motorists across suburban Hobart.

The Bureau of Meteorology cancelled its severe thunderstorm warning just after 3pm yesterday.

Senior forecaster Tim Bolden said tornadoes were not that unusual in terms of weather events but said he could not remember the last time there were twisters over Hobart.

The bureau reported 7mm of rain in Hobart city to 3pm with 9mm at Hobart airport.

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Drunken dispute led to murder

The Stainforth Court public housing units at Cornelian Bay.

THE bashing murder of a man at a public housing estate was not premeditated but appeared to have sprung from a sudden drunken dispute, the Supreme Court in Hobart heard today.

Jamie Peter Smart, 32, of Glenorchy, and Rhys Louis Gardner, 19, of Bellerive, went to Shayne Anthony Waller's Stainforth Court unit at Cornelian Bay on February 18 last year after a night of drinking.

While they were there, a fight broke out. Michael David Williams, 39, of Kingston, was killed and Mr Waller, 52, was seriously injured.

Smart and Gardner were found guilty of murder and assault by a Supreme Court jury in September.

Gardner's lawyer Greg Richardson today said his client had been deserted by his mother when he was seven months old and had been raised by his strict father -- a violent alcoholic ex-sailor who suffered from depression.

He said on the night of the attack, Gardner had consumed a large quantity of beer and spirits.

"He was intoxicated, there can be no doubt about that at all. How we was still standing up is difficult to understand," he said.

Through a series of chance encounters in the early hours of the morning, the accused men ended up in Mr Waller's unit.

Mr Richardson told the court Gardner had joined in an assault started by his co-accused on Mr Waller and was unsure how Mr Williams came to be attacked.

"Mr Gardner says he doesn't have the faintest idea why he jumped in, he just did.

"What happened was totally unplanned."

He said Gardner had written a letter of apology to the families of both victims.

Smart's lawyer Todd Kovacic said his client had not gone to the unit with the intent of harming anyone and was also affected by alcohol.

"There was no intention of doing any harm to anyone in the unit. They went up there for a drink, a fight started and it got out of hand," he said.

He said his client had taken steps to beat his alcohol problem and urged the judge to show some leniency.

Justice David Porter will sentence the men on November 23.

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Party passion ends in mayhem

A MAN who filmed his topless girlfriend kissing another woman flew into a drug-fuelled rage when she kissed another man, the Supreme Court in Hobart has heard.

Garry James Brody, 28, of Snug, pleaded guilty today to five counts of assault, destroying property, cruelty to animals, driving offences and car theft.

Prosecutor Heather Mannering told the court that Brody had been drinking and taking amphetamines when he and some friends went to a party at Kaoota, near Sandfly, on September 12 this year.

Later, the partygoers all had their tops off and Brody filmed his girlfriend kissing another woman.

But when she kissed another man he became angry. Brody assaulted his girlfriend after striking the man with an iron bar.

When another woman tried to intervene, Brody attacked her, punching and choking her before stomping on her head and turning on another man.

He then picked up his girlfriend's dog and threw it across the room, kicked in a bathroom door where another party-goer was hiding and smashed a mobile telephone on which someone had called police.

Brody left the party, smashing a car window with a log and punching a passenger trying to flee his rampage.

The party-goers suffered injuries ranging from black eyes to bruising, Ms Mannering said.

Brody was arrested nearby and told police that he became aggressive when he combined amphetamines with alcohol.

Defence lawyer Tim Mills said Brody -- the father of two young children -- had suffered a difficult upbringing and struggled with drug abuse.

He said his client saw red when his girlfriend kissed another man and was remorseful for his actions.

Justice David Porter remanded Brody in custody for sentencing on November 14.

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Woolly times for royal heir

PRINCE Charles threw a fleece today as he got a feel for some of the world's finest wool on a sheep stud near Hobart.

With a little help from wool handler Lucy Byers, he gathered the newly shorn fleece off the floor and tossed it on the rack to be classed.

"He went quite well for a beginner," said Ms Byers, who throws up to 600 fleeces a day.

The prince took an interest in all aspects of Leenavale Stud near Sorell, just half an hour's drive but a world away from the city.

Charles lingered for some minutes, admiring the lovely setting of the farm and its lush spring pasture, watching kelpie Ziggy and his mates work the sheep and talking with farm manager Brent Thornbury, whose family had farmed in the area for four generations.

Inside the shearing shed, the prince chatted to the wool classer and handlers and shook the hand of each shearer.

Later Mr Thornbury described the prince as "very laid back" and "very interested" in the stud, which produced the soft, super-fine merino wool used in suits and designer clothing.

Wool is close to the prince's heart.

Two years ago he initiated the worldwide Campaign for Wool, to encourage consumers to use this sustainably produced natural fibre.

While at Leenavale, he had afternoon tea with some of the country's leading wool producers and promoters at a function hosted by Australian Wool Innovation, owners of the famous Woolmark Company, which promotes the Australian product and has one of the most recognisable logos in the textile business.

Australian Wool Innovation CEO Stuart McCullough said the prince's visit to Leenavale was a big deal for the industry.

"Prince Charles has been into sustainability for 20 years and we're just catching up. He's also a wool grower and he wears woollen clothing.

"Most of the world's apparel wool comes from Australia and Tasmania is at the pinnacle of the fashion triangle.

"It's a wonderful, natural, biodegradable and sustainable fibre."

Mr McCullough said the number of sheep in Australia had dropped from 180 million in 1991 to 70 million today and there was a need to get more growers into the business.

philip.heyward@news.com.au

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The fire that never was

THE Tasmania Fire Service has been left red-faced after transmitting an emergency bushfire warning in error to media outlets across the state.

According to the "Watch and Act" media alert â€" issued about 2.30pm today in rainy conditions -- the faux fire was burning out of control near the Midland Highway and threatening homes in the tiny township of Melton Mowbray, about 55km north of Hobart.

Residents were told to activate their bushfire plans. If they planned to leave, they were advised to do so immediately. Residents away from home were told not to return.

Tasmanians were also warned to expect potentially dangerous conditions on the state's major arterial route, with embers and smoke on the road.

The warning was, however, part of a training exercise.

At 2.50pm, TFS chief Mike Brown issued an urgent alert cancelling the warning and advising there was, in fact, no fire.

"A recent Watch and Act message transmitted during a media training exercise approximately 2.30pm referring to a bushfire out of control on the Midland Highway, Melton Mowbray, was transmitted in error," Mr Brown said in a statement.

"There was no such incident.

"I ask that any further transmissions by media channels, both radio and print, cease immediately."

But the TFS admitted the warning had already been transmitted via the designated radio stations and calls had been received from concerned members of the public.

"It's disturbing to think an error of this magnitude could occur," a Melton Mowbray resident told the Mercury.

"We know how to respond if there's a bushfire. In this case it was quite obvious there was not.

"If they'd told us Melton Mowbray was flooding, we'd have believed that given the weather.

"But anyone hearing that message would have rightfully been worried by what they heard."

 

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Gambling help for schoolkids

STUDENTS will be educated on the risks of problem gambling as part of a program targeting schools.

The two-pronged attack will support teachers to help students whose families are affected by gambling, whether by poverty or anger and distress at home.

Videos would also help students understand how gambling works, amid growing exposure to advertising and encouragement to gamble.

The State Government launched the program today.

Human Services Minister Cassy O'Connor said the new videos would help teachers and support staff.

"It's more than just an individual who is affected by problem gambling. It often also affects their families and their communities, with children and young people often the hardest-hit," Ms O'Connor said.

"The impacts of problem gambling can ... put a significant strain on family relationships, leading to anger and family violence.

"School social workers, teachers and school community leaders are ideally placed to identify students affected by problem gambling and to provide them with the help they desperately need.

"These DVDs and web videos will be an invaluable resource in helping teachers and support staff to identify those students and respond appropriately."

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education and Skills, Paul O'Halloran, said the videos would also help youths get a better understanding of the dangers of problem gambling.

"While it's illegal for people under 18 to gamble in Tasmania, some do find ways to take part," he said.

"This resource will help students better understand the risks involved, through classroom resources that help explain complex concepts like the 'house edge' in ways that students can relate to.

"This will help ensure they're less susceptible to some of the myths surrounding gambling."

The videos and support information are at knowyourodds.net.au/for-schools.

The Gambling Helpline is 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au

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Four more years, tweets Obama

Supporters of President Barack Obama cheer as they wait for Obama to appear on stage during the Obama election night watch party at McCormick Place in Chicago. Picture: GETTY

PRESIDENT Barack Obama has retained the presidency in a resounding and historic victory that has left Mitt Romney and the Republican Party in tatters.

The Democrat headquarters in Chicago are celebrating wildly, while the Republican watch party in Boston is in stunned silence.

The President claimed the 270 electoral college votes he needed to win when the key swing state of Ohio, always predicted to tell the story of the election, carried him over the line.

President Obama declared victory tweeting: "Four more years."

Counting has not yet ended and it seems the President will gather more than 300 votes to stamp this as an emphatic victory.

Perhaps most remarkably, President Obama appears to have a good chance of winning Florida, which carries 29 votes and was widely expected to be carried by Mr Romney.

Counting has not yet concluded in key urban areas of Florida, which are known to be Democrat heartlands. A loss in Florida would be humiliating for Mr Romney.

The Democrats will also retain their majority in the US Senate, and the Republicans will hold the lower house, meaning no changes to the status quo.

It seems, at the early stage, Mr Romney may also carry the overall majority of votes in the election, but the swing states were what mattered.

For comprehensive election coverage, visit news.com.au.

Read more in tomorrow's Mercury.

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Basher free after time served

A MAN who kicked an elderly stranger in the face has walked free from court after a judge ruled the three months he had already spent in custody was an adequate sentence.

Luke Ashley Woods, 26, of Devonport, had earlier pleaded guilty to assaulting the 72-year-old man.

Supreme Court Justice David Porter said Woods approached the victim at the Rosny bus mall, on Hobart's Eastern Shore, about 5pm on July 17, 2010, and called him a "f...ing wog, dirty dog, paedophile".

As the man tried to call police, Woods kicked him in the face. When he fell to the ground, Woods kicked him another four or five times.

The attack caused a spinal injury from which the victim had not yet recovered, the judge said.

Woods was spoken to by police soon after the incident but failed to appear at court. He was arrested in Devonport in August.

Justice Porter said Woods had suffered a difficult life because of his mother's drug addiction and had developed his own drug problem.

He also suffered from psychiatric difficulties but was remorseful and did not have a criminal record.

"The assault was a quite brutal one, unprovoked and unjustified," the judge said.

"It has caused ongoing symptoms of some significance to the complainant. Notwithstanding the lack of prior convictions, a term of imprisonment is appropriate."

Justice Porter imposed a seven-month jail sentence, but suspended the rest of the term on the condition Wood did not commit an offence punishable by imprisonment for the next two years.

david.killick@news.com.au

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Vincent wins mayoral race

Kerry Vincent, Sorell's new mayor, campaigning for a Bendigo Bank branch in the sprawling south-eastern town in 2010.

SORELL has a new mayor, with local businessman Kerry Vincent to head the council until the 2013 poll.

The results of the recent by-election were announced today by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.

Cr Vincent replaces Carmel Torenius, who held the position of mayor for 17 years before making a surprise exit from local government in late September amid a bitter dispute about plans for new $4.5 million chambers and council mergers.

At the time, Cr Torenius told the Mercury she resigned because she no longer had the respect and support of fellow councillors.

Cr Vincent, who has served on the council for three years, received 2823 votes to finish well clear of his closest rival, incumbent Councillor Kerry Degrassi, on 707.

Rob Leach was elected as a councillor ahead of other hopefuls Sharon Prior, John the Duke of Avram and Judy Young.

A total of 4759 electors voted in the poll, representing a return of 48.51 per cent.

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