Tasmanian Times

30/12/2024

50 years have passed since the last passenger rail service in Hobart. Hobart Northern Suburbs Railway say it was the wrong decision then and has been compounded by poor transport strategy ever since.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/12/marking-50-years-since-end-of-hobart-passenger-rail/

24/12/2024

Tasmania is not as isolated from climate change and its effects as one might think, writes Scott Bell.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/12/were-all-suffering-habitat-loss/

Globally there appears to be a housing crisis, with many communities facing their own country specific challenges. People, families, are suffering. How can this be? Well, authorities quote rising costs of food, and electricity and gas and fuels, mortgage stresses, failure of real wages to meet basis...

21/12/2024

Bruce Mountain, of the Victoria Energy Policy Centre, has politely handed a gr***de to the Tasmanian Select Inquiry on Energy Matters - with the pin removed.
Having forensically checked the claims of economic benefit from TasNetworks’ Project Marinus, Professor Mountain reveals their numbers are close to fictional ... and Tasmanians will be paying for the fiction with their power bills.

Bruce Mountain, of the Victorian Energy Policy Centre (VEPC), has politely handed a gr***de to the Tasmanian Select Inquiry on Energy Matters – with the pin removed. Having forensically checked the claims of economic benefit from TasNetworks’ Project Marinus, Professor Mountain reveals their num...

18/12/2024

On behalf of Tasmanian Times and our readers we extend our sincerest condolences to Rebekah Pentland and her family for the loss of dear Emmett.

Statement – Rebekah Pentland, independent MHA for Bass, 18 December 2024 — untitled — “On Monday December 16 Alex and I said hello and sadly goodbye to our baby boy, Emmett James Pentland. It’s been an incredibly difficult time for my beautiful family who I thank for their unwavering love ...

11/12/2024

A coalition of community groups have penned a strongly-worded protest against the Rockliff Govt's attempts to open the door for destructive logging operations into large tracts of forest purportedly reserved and protected.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/12/community-groups-slam-39000ha-forest-sellout/

Joint Statement – various groups, 11 December 2024 Protect Lutruwita / Tasmania’s Forests Location of 39,000ha of high conservation value forest potentially being handed over to Tassie loggers revealed The Rockliff Government is attempting to open the door for destructive logging operations into...

03/12/2024

This year's McKinnon poll reveals a decline in traditional political partisanship, but growing public concern about issue-based polarisation driven by social media and divisive politics.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/12/partisanship-polarisation-and-social-cohesion-in-australia/

Report – Susan McKinnon Foundation, 29 November 2024 Partisanship, polarisation and social cohesion in Australia The McKinnon Poll seeks to encourage better policymaking by providing a richer and more in-depth understanding of public opinion as an input into the policymaking process. This year’s...

02/12/2024

Relationships Australia Tasmania & Healthy Tasmania have launched the 2025 Neighbours Every Day community grants.
Communities are invited to apply for funds up to $1500 to support neighbourly activities that increase social connections & reduce loneliness.

Media release – Relationships Australia Tasmania (RA Tas), 3 December 2024 Neighbours Every Day Grants Now Open Relationships Australia Tasmania (RA Tas) and Healthy Tasmania have once again joined forces to launch the 2025 Neighbours Every Day community grants. This initiative invites Tasmanian c...

02/12/2024

Over half Tasmanian businesses are expecting the (local) economy to weaken over the coming 12 months according to the latest Chamber of Commerce survey.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/12/tas-businesses-expecting-economy-to-deteriorate

Media release – Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 1 December 2024 Tasmanian business community welcomes GBE reform The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is today releasing the results of its latest Tasmanian Survey of Business Expectations. TCCI CEO, Michael Bailey, said the sur...

28/11/2024

UTAS PhD students struggling with the cost of living are fuming over Chancellor Rufus Black's $1.1M salary.
They say UTAS has continually refused to raise the PhD stipends, which are currently $5 per week above the poverty-line.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/11/struggling-phd-students-fuming-over-stipends/

Media release – Ilaria Stollberg, Fair Go for PhD group, 27 November 2024 Struggling PhDs furious over UTAS Vice-Chancellor’s astronomical salary PhD candidates are outraged by the newly revealed UTAS Vice-Chancellor Rufus Black’s $1.11 million salary. This comes after UTAS has continually ref...

26/11/2024

Free trees are being given out by Hobart City Council in return for input into its new Urban Tree Strategy.

Media release – Hobart City Council, 27 November 2024 Grab a free tree and help guide a new Hobart urban tree strategy Hobartians are being urged to grab a free tree from a pop-up urban forest in the Elizabeth Street Mall over the next two days and have their say on the development of a […]

21/11/2024

A new road safety campaign is addressing the critical issue of driving tired, with research revealing that drivers who get less than five hours of sleep are four times more likely to be involved in a crash.

Media release – Road Safety Advisory Council (RSAC), 22 November 2024 Wake Up Call for Tired Drivers A new road safety campaign is addressing the critical issue of driving tired, with research revealing that drivers who get less than five hours of sleep are four times more likely to be involved in...

18/11/2024

Clarence Council have blasted the Tasmanian govt over the decision to move the proposed AFL team's training centre from Rosny to Kingston, with Mayor Blomeley saying that the "negotiation and consultation practices undertaken by the Government in respect to the High Performance Centre have been extremely disappointing, bordering on unconscionable."
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/11/broke-govt-moves-afl-training-centre-to-cheaper-kingston/

10/11/2024

Irish culture will have a big day out in Hobart next Saturday with the hosting of the Australasia Gaelic Games Regional Championships of Gaelic football. During the lunch-time interval, Irish traditional music and dancing will be provided as entertainment.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/11/hobart-to-host-gaelic-football-fest/
Tasmanian Gaelic Football and Hurling Association - TGFHA

Hobart is hosting the Australasian Regional Championships of Gaelic football at Rugby Park on Saturday 16 November

31/10/2024

Disability Voices Tasmania has criticised a decision by the Tasmanian Government to delay the implementation of important changes to improve housing accessibility, apparently due to building industry lobbying.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/11/disability-voice-delay-in-accessible-housing-standards-unacceptable/

Media release – Disability Voices Tasmania, 1 November 2024 Delay in adoption of new accessible housing standards unacceptable A decision by the Tasmanian Government to delay the implementation of important changes to improve housing accessibility has been criticised by Disability Voices Tasmania....

31/10/2024

Variety the Children's Charity TAS' Carols by Candlelight is moving to Glenorchy's Tolosa Park this year, a venue with a larger capacity.
Hosted by John Xintavelonis, the event will take place on Saturday 21 December.

Media release – Variety Club, 31 October 2024 A NIGHT OF FESTIVE CHEER TO BENEFIT TASSIE KIDS Presented by 7HOFM and John X Presents, Variety’s Carols by Candlelight will this year be held at the new venue of Tolosa Park on Saturday 21 December. Variety Tasmania CEO Mohammad Aldergham said it wo...

28/10/2024

A new Anglicare report - Stretched Too Far - reveals the cost-of-living crisis has pushed many low-income Tasmanian families into deeper disadvantage.
It also shows a growing number of Tasmanian families seeking help because of mortgage stress.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/10/cost-of-living-crisis-punishing-low-income-families/

Media release – Anglicare, 28 October 2024 Stretched Too Far: Children and families surviving the cost of living crisis in Tasmania Anglicare is calling for more help for Tasmanian families trying to shield their children from the effects of financial hardship. Stretched Too Far, a new report abou...

24/10/2024

Illustrator Jedda Robaard and author Johanna Bell, both Tasmanians, have won the 2024 Environment Award for Children’s Literature (EACL) in the Fiction and Picture Fiction categories respectively.

Tasmanians Jedda Robaard and Johanna Bell have won the 2024 EACL for Fiction and Picture Fiction.

16/10/2024

It's not too late to get involved in the 11th Annual Bird Count taking place this week.

Media release – Birdlife Australia, 16 October 2024 The Aussie Bird Count is here! The 11th annual Aussie Bird Count began Monday 14 October and runs through to Sunday 20 October. One of Australia’s largest citizen science projects, the Aussie Bird Count invites participants of all ages to spend...