News from Tasmania
Launceston weather forecast: The city can start to dry out today, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a mostly sunny day with a top temperature of 16 degrees. Rain isn’t far away, however, with a chance of showers this evening before up to 15 millimetres of rain tomorrow.
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The Examiner’s top stories
Police boat contract joust Tasmania Police sent representatives to Western Australia three times before a Geraldton company was eventually awarded a contract for the force’s new state-of-the-art police boat, a Right to Information document shows.
TRC Hotel hold-up accused arrested A 33-year-old Ravenswood man has been charged following an alleged armed robbery at the TRC Hotel in Launceston on Sunday.
Vigil for women affected by violence Women and children who have been killed or suffered because of family violence will be remembered at a candle lighting vigil in Launceston on Wednesday night.
Wild wet’s destruction Treacherous seas, fallen trees and strong winds lashed Tasmania for a second straight day on Tuesday, causing damage across the state and onboard the Spirit of Tasmania.
Life membership for Dunphy Peter Dunphy’s long-time loyalty and service to the North Launceston Football Club has been rewarded with the presentation of a life membership award by the club at their annual guernsey presentation earlier this season.
Federal Budget 2016
The budget and Tasmania
The federal member for Bendigo has characterised the Turnbull government’s budget as placing the interests of big business over battlers. But her Liberal counterpart says wins for small business, job creation and superannuation offsets for low-income earners were the big talking points from tonight’s budget. Read more here.
State of the nation
Need a national news snapshot first thing - well, we have you covered.
► BALLARAT: A man is leading a push for roadside barriers to be installed along a deadly stretch of road. VicRoads confirmed their were nine casualties along Remembrance Drive, between Dyson Drive and the Western Highway over a five year period. More here.
► NOWRA: A paediatrician at Shoalhaven Hospital has been formally reprimanded over the death of a six-month-old boy under his care. A Professional Standards Committee Inquiry officially cautioned Dr Toby Greenacre and ordered him to complete an advanced paediatric life support course in light of the boy’s death in 2013. More here.
► KARATTA: Bella has become a minor celebrity after her quirky eating habits were captured on film. With each chew of the eucalyptus leaf, the koala’s eyes dart towards the outside of her face, before retreating back in at the end of the chew. More here.
► BUNBURY: Families with children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis will have to pay $250,000 a year if they want to access a revolutionary new drug that improves the condition’s symptoms. More here.
► WAGGA WAGGA: More local users are being coaxed into the dangerous grip of ice as the cost of the illegal drug crashes. It comes as a Riverina drug counsellor revealed young people are prostituting themselves out to fuel their addiction to ice. More here.
► Chinese farming business Dakang Australia has withdrawn its joint venture application to the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) to buy the huge 120-year-old S. Kidman and Company pastoral estate. More here.
► DEVONPORT: A passenger on Monday night’s Spirit of Tasmania crossing from Melbourne to Devonport has described the voyage as “carnage” after several vehicles were were damaged. More here.
► JULIA CREEK: Julia Creek’s Dirt N Dust festival has hit back at the New York Post’s criticism of its Best Butt Competition. In a video entitled “A reBUTTal to the New York Post” the Festival took a tongue-in-cheek response to the American claim that our posteriors left a bit to be desired. More here.
National news
► After 43 years in Parliament, Philip Ruddock – the Howard government's controversial immigration minister who gained notoriety for the children-overboard scandal in 2001 – proved he was also master of the art of understatement. More here.
► NSW Police will have the power to detain and question terrorism suspects as young as 14 for up to two weeks without charge under new "investigative detention" laws to be unveiled by Premier Mike Baird. More here.
► The rise of mobility scooters in Australia is putting people at risk of serious injuries and death, prompting calls for helmets and other protective measures to be considered. More here.
► Wild winds of up to 122 kilometres per hour uprooted trees, left thousands of people without power and damaged buildings as Victoria was battered by severe weather conditions on Tuesday. More here.
National weather radar
International news
► JAKARTA: Yuyun, a 14-year-old student from a small village in Sumatra, was walking home in her school uniform on April 2 when she was dragged into a forest and allegedly gang raped and murdered by 14 males. More here.
On this day
The faces of Australia: Alexandra Shaw
It was on Alexandra Shaw’s second solo flight over Bunbury last year that things went wrong when the trim controls of the light aircraft she was flying began to misbehave.
The Bunbury Grammar student was just 15 years old at the time and too young to drive when she found herself alone with a malfunctioning aircraft 500 feet above the earth as she was lining up to land. Read more here.