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Aboriginal community wants petroglyphs returned
The Aboriginal Land Council has demanded the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) and the State Government apologise for removing petroglyphs from the north-west coast more than fifty years ago.
Scientists sawed off two large pieces of rock art during an expedition in 1962.
The pieces were put on display in the museum before being stored in a warehouse on Hobart's eastern shore.
Now, members of the state's Aboriginal community are demanding TMAG return the artefacts to the north-west coast immediately.
The ALCT's chairman Michael Mansell said the archaeological artefacts were of "huge cultural significance to the state's First Nations people".
The State Government said it was up to TMAG to comment on the issue.
TMAG said discussions with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community about the future of the petroglyphs were ongoing.
Tasmanian elective surgery wait times worst in nation
New data shows Tasmania has the unenviable reputation as having the longest median wait times for elective surgery in the country.
Data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows Tasmania has the highest median wait time across the nation for patients being admitted for their listed surgery — sitting at 57 days.
The data also reveals the number of patients admitted within clinically recommended timeframes was around 60 per cent, the worst in the country.
Robbie Moore from the Health Services Union said the data was embarrassing for the Government.
"It's gone beyond a crisis," he said.
In a statement, the Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the Government had fought hard to bring forward Commonwealth funding for elective surgery and endoscopies
Ta Ann timber mill to re-open next year
A southern Tasmanian timber mill damaged by last summer's bushfires will partially re-open by March, but is still waiting for a full insurance assessment.
Ta Ann's facility at Lonnavale, in the Huon Valley, has been closed since January after bushfires damaged its log processing equipment and caused the site to lose power.
More than 30 permanent and casual workers lost their jobs.
Now Ta Ann has announced it will re-start its green veneer mill by March, requiring 15 employees, most of whom already work for the company.
In a statement, Ta Ann Tasmania's General Manager Robert Yong said the insurance claim for other damaged equipment was still outstanding.
Ta Ann has spent more than $5 million on new equipment since the fires.
Call for Tas Government to move on pill testing
Tasmania's Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council (ATDC) says the State Government has more than enough evidence to trial pill testing.
An independent review of a pill testing trial at the 2019 Groovin the Moo festival in Canberra found not only did the practice work, but it was a model that could be rolled out across the country.
The research was commissioned by the ACT Government and carried out by researchers from the Australian National University.
ATDC CEO Alison Lai said the conversation should now shift from 'why' to 'how' a trial could be rolled out.
"Discussions to date between the Tasmanian Government and those who are seeking to see pill testing introduced has been revolving around a desire to see more evidence, about ensuring that it doesn't condone drug use or doesn't tell people that drugs are safe," she said.
"We now have that information."
Phone-wielding drivers nabbed
Tasmanian police officers on unmarked motorbikes have helped nab more than 1,000 drivers using their mobile phones behind the wheel in the past five months.
A new $200,000 advertising campaign to curb the dangerous habit has begun in Hobart.
The Road Safety Council of Tasmania said distraction caused a quarter of serious and fatal crashes in Tasmania.
"If you turn away from the wheel for a mere two seconds and you're in a 60 kilometre an hour zone, you'll travel about 33 metres," said the council's chair Garry Bailey.
"If you're travelling at 100kmh, you'll travel about 55 metres — that's the length of an Olympic pool. At 100kmh, someone's going to die."
Commander Tony Cerritelli said the police crackdown would continue.
"Success will be in hopefully reducing the detections but also reducing the fatalities," he said.
Weather
Today's forecast is for showers, contracting to the west in the evening, and light winds.
Thursday will be cool and showery.
A full and updated list of warnings can be found on the Bureau of Meteorology's Tasmanian Warnings summary webpage.
As of 7:00am the Pinnacle Road to the summit of Hobart's kunanyi/Mount Wellington was open to the summit.
Check the council website for the updated status of Pinnacle Road.
| Forecast * all temperatures in Celsius | Maximum | Minimum |
| Burnie | 19 | 11 |
| Cape Bruny | 17 | 9 |
| Devonport | 19 | 12 |
| Hobart | 23 | 10 |
| King Island | 17 | 11 |
| Flinders Island | 19 | 12 |
| Launceston | 22 | 12 |
| Liawenee | 16 | 5 |
| Port Arthur | 21 | 8 |
| Smithton | 16 | 10 |
| Swansea | 23 | 9 |
| Queenstown | 19 | 7 |
Source: Bureau of Meteorology
