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Tears in court over drug sentence
An American citizen who was found with drugs in his cabin on a cruise ship docked in Hobart has wept as the facts of his crime were read to a Hobart court.
Singaporean man Hon Kong Yong pleaded guilty in the Hobart Magistrates Court to importing a border-controlled drug in February this year, after sniffer dogs detected the smell of drugs on his backpack while disembarking from a cruise ship docked in Hobart.
The 53-year-old sobbed as the court heard of his arrest by Australian Federal Police officers at Macquarie Wharf.
A later search of his cabin found six vials of the drug GHB, which Magistrate Reg Marron later described as "clearly amounting to personal use".
Defence barrister Garth Stevens told the court the man was experiencing a mid-life crisis when he purchased the drugs in the US and has been shattered by the incident.
He told the court Yong faces possible deportation over the incident.
Magistrate Marron was forced to record a conviction under Commonwealth laws and ordered Yong be of good behaviour for two years.
Native English speakers lagging behind in NAPLAN
The latest NAPLAN results show Tasmanian students from non-English-speaking backgrounds are outperforming native English speakers.
At Glenorchy Primary School in Hobart's northern suburbs, 30 per cent of students are learning English as an additional language (EAL).
Teacher Ben Gardner says many migrant families value education highly.
"For some families, it's the first time in their lineage or their family to have an opportunity to have a world-class education. We find that actually many of the EAL students thrive because they really want to learn."
IMAS plastics spill
Staff at Hobart's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies are searching nearby beaches for plastic debris, after an accident involving one of the institute's water tanks.
IMAS says the water tank was being cleaned for research when, due to operator error, it overflowed, spilling plastic parts.
While much of the material was swept up, some items escaped down a nearby drain and have washed up on local beaches.
In a statement, IMAS says staff have been conducting daily searches on local shorelines and will continue the practise until at least the end of the week.
Council deeper in debt over pipeline
The Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council on Tasmania's east coast has voted to borrow more money to complete a $6 million dollar pipeline.
The council ran out of money finishing the Prosser Plains Raw Water Scheme, which would supply freshwater to salmon giant Tassal's Okehampton Bay fish farm operations which use the water to bathe their fish to ward off disease.
The council initially asked Tassal to make up the $600,000 shortfall, but the money was not forthcoming.
Under the advice of lawyers, the council sought a loan for that amount.
It later estimated the amount needed was actually $761,000, with councillors voting last night to borrow the additional $161,000.
Tasmanian weather
Wednesday's forecast is for wind and rain increasing, cool-to-mild in the west. Rain/showers, cool in the east.
Thursday: Showers, cool in the south. Late showers, cool-to-mild in the north-west. Mostly cloudy, cool in the north-east.
Friday: Showers, cool in the south-west. Clearing showers, cool in the south-east. Mostly cloudy, cool-to-mild in the north.
Saturday: Showers, mild in the south-west. Windy on the highlands. Mostly sunny, warm in the south-east. Mostly sunny, mild-to-warm in the north.
A full and updated list of warnings can be found on the Bureau of Meteorology's Tasmanian Warnings summary webpage.
Updated information about fires and permits can be found on the Tasmanian Fire Service website.
| Forecast * all temperatures in Celsius | Maximum | Minimum |
| Burnie | 18 | 11 |
| Cape Bruny | 15 | 10 |
| Devonport | 18 | 12 |
| Hobart | 17 | 12 |
| King Island | 17 | 11 |
| Flinders Island | 20 | 13 |
| Launceston | 19 | 13 |
| Liawenee | 8 | 2 |
| Port Arthur | 16 | 10 |
| Smithton | 16 | 11 |
| Swansea | 19 | 11 |
| Queenstown | 14 | 8 |
Source: Bureau of Meteorology
