Call to keep our kids safe

A LAX attitude to the use of seatbelts and child restraints has been blamed for the high rate of child deaths in road accidents in Tasmania.

The RACT says Tasmania has the highest rate per capita of child death from transport-related reasons in the nation.

On average, 37 children under seven years old are injured or killed while passengers in vehicles on our roads each year.

The peak motoring group, in collaboration with the Council for Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity, is working on an education campaign to try to reverse the startling statistics.

The council is involved in investigating the deaths of children in Tasmania aged between 29 days and 17 years.

RACT spokesman Vince Taskunas said a significant percentage of car passengers involved in serious casualty crashes were not wearing seatbelts or an age-appropriate restraint.

Mr Taskunas said RACT community vehicle safety checks often found poorly fitted or age-inappropriate child restraints in cars.

Council chair Michelle Williams said the incorrect use of child restraints had been a factor in deaths of young children examined over a number of years.

"In 2011, one young child died as a result of injury sustained during a road accident. The toddler was a rear seat passenger wearing only a lap belt," Dr Williams said.

"Every road death is a tragedy. The death or serious injury of a child who may have been saved by appropriate child restraints or belts is a catastrophe."

Dr Williams said the incorrect use of restraints was common and the community needed to be constantly reminded about the risks.

Legally, all children under seven travelling in a car must wear an approved child restraint which is properly fastened and adjusted.

Tasmania Police recorded 4379 seatbelt and child restraint offences in 2011-12.

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Bid to free detainee, aged 11

REFUGEE advocate Greg Barns has called for the urgent release of an 11-year-old boy from the Pontville detention centre.

The Australian Lawyers Alliance director demanded the child be removed from the "shameful jail for kids" into community care before the boy suffered "irreversible psychological harm".

The revelation that children so young are behind the centre's cyclone fences comes days after Immigration Minister Tony Burke signed off on the release of 18 young men and prepares to release a further 18.

"I have actually met with this boy during my visit to Pontville last week," Mr Burke told reporters this morning.

"The situation here is one where in the ordinary course someone who is 11 years old, regardless of how long he's been in detention, I would have put him right to the front of availability for community places and that was my first instinct.

"The challenge here is he's with two cousins and to find community detention for three people takes longer than to find it for one, and I'm reluctant to break up that family group."

Mr Barns, who was recently appointed to a Tasmanian government committee on reforming child protection laws, said to continue to keep the child or any other child in detention not only endangered their wellbeing but was in breach of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"It's great that … Tony Burke has just signed off of on the release of 18 young asylum seekers from Pontville, but what about the remaining 400 or so being held throughout Australia -- 300 or so of whom are still in this state?" he said.

The ALA says recent incidents of youths acting out in frustration at the Pontville centre would continue until all children were safely rehoused in the community.

Mr Barns, who is a columnist for the Mercury and campaign director for the Wikileaks party, called on Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings to intervene personally to end the detention of vulnerable young people at Pontville.

"Ms Giddings should tell the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Mr Burke that her Government will work the Commonwealth to immediately close this shameful 'jail for kids'," he said.

The ALA says the Commonwealth has a duty of care when people arrive on Australian shores to protect their mental and physical wellbeing.

"This is even more crucial when we are talking about impressionable youth," Mr Barns said.

"The (Federal) Government has already opened itself up to more than $25 million in compensation because of its treatment of asylum seekers."

Mr Burke said the boy and his cousins were staying in a separate area to other detainees.

"I'm not pretending it's what we would want as permanent accommodation, but right now I want to wait until we can get a community place so that we can move all three people together.

"I think that's a better outcome than separating the 11-year-old from the only relatives that he currently has."

zara.dawtrey@news.com.au

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Tassie signs education reform

TASMANIA has today signed up the the Federal Government's national education reforms.

Federal Education Minister Bill Shorten made the announcement this afternoon.

Mr Shorten said the deal would deliver improvements for each of the 81,000 school students in the state.

Tasmania is the fourth state to sign up to the reform package.

"The Heads of Agreement that provides the detail of this reform for Tasmania which will see annual funding allocations for Tasmanian schools rise to $1.4 billion in 2019," Mr Shorten said.

"Over the six years of the new agreement, the Australian and Tasmanian governments will invest more than $380 million in extra funding between 2014 and 2019.

"These indexation arrangements mean all schools in Tasmania -- government, independent and Catholic -- will see fair funding growth each year."

Mr Shorten said the Federal Government would boost school funding by 4.7 per cent each year throughout the agreement while the State Government will increase its funding by 3 per cent each year.

MORE TO COME...

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Crash takes out traffic lights

MORRISON St near the Hobart waterfront was blocked for several hours after an accident today.

A crash just after 11am resulted in traffic lights being broken at the Elizabeth St intersection.

The bottom block of Argyle St was closed and police warned the closure might stay in place for several hours while the lights were repaired.

Two people were taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital with suspected minor injuries as a result of the two-vehicle crash.

Both injured parties were in the same vehicle.

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Push to shore up ferry plan

Clarence Deputy Mayor Jock Campbell says commuters need a back-up option to the Tasman Bridge.

GREATER Hobart is crying out for a fast and efficient ferry service between the CBD and Bellerive, says Sustainable Transport Minister Nick McKim.

Mr McKim today joined Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Thomas and Clarence Deputy Mayor Jock Campbell to announce a $30,000 formal consultation process on the ferry plan.

Potential operators and key stakeholders will soon be invited by the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources to discuss how best to run a viable and sustainable service.

"Two cities like Hobart and Bellerive are crying out for a fast and efficient mass-transit ferry service," Mr McKim said in a statement.

"I'm pleased to announce that I'm working with the two relevant councils to make that happen.

"In May, I agreed to part-fund a formal engagement process with would-be operators. Both councils have shown real enthusiasm for this concept and I warmly welcome their joint funding."

Mr McKim said he was also continuing to work with Transit Systems on its submission for a ferry service up the Derwent River.

Rick Metcalfe, the man behind plans for a River Derwent commuter ferry service, recently told the Mercury he had three vessels ready to transport up to 3000 passengers a day along the river from stops as far afield as Kettering, Bruny Island, South Arm and Bridgewater.

Captain Metcalfe has been invited to Mr McKim's office this week to discuss the submission.

Meanwhile, council heads from the eastern and western sides of the river agree that a new commuter ferry service is essential.

"An integrated ferry public transport network is the missing link for Greater Hobart sustainable transport options and one that the public quite rightly expects to be addressed," Ald Thomas said.

Ald Campbell said the city needed a back-up option to the Tasman Bridge.

"It would be great to see a mass-transit a ferry service running between the two cities," he said.

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Airport on upward trajectory

HOBART'S International Airport has recorded its busiest 12 months to date, hitting the two million passenger mark for the first time.

With a 12 per cent increase in passengers for the 2012-13 financial year, the airport is now looking at ways to boost tourism numbers even more by adding direct flights to more locations and creating a better experience for visitors.

After a $30 million upgrade to the runway, the next project on the agenda is to rejuvenate the departure and arrival areas.

An announcement on redevelopment plans is expected before Christmas.

Read more in tomorrow's Mercury ...

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Family businesses feel pinch

A NEW survey of business confidence among family business owners shows many feel like they are surviving rather than thriving.

And while small business confidence in Tasmania has risen recently, the state's peak small business group says there is still a long way to go before confidence is fully restored.

The MGI Australian Family and Private Business Survey 2013 revealed a gloomy outlook among Australian family businesses. Key findings were:

• THREE-quarters of owners have experienced profitability and market conditions that had remained the same or declined in the past three years.
• LESS than 40 per cent of those surveyed have positive expectations of market improvement in the next 12 months.
• NINETY-one per cent of owners say they are dissatisfied with the Federal Government's support for family business.
• EIGHTY-three per cent feel the Federal Opposition is no better when it comes to supporting the sector.
• IN the past 10 years family businesses operating in the manufacturing sector have halved from 40 per cent to 20 per cent.
• IN the past three years the number of owners aged over 65 has increased from 12 to 25 per cent.

Lauren Chandler, of Hobart family business Chandlers Nursery, said the challenge for smaller family-owned businesses was to offer products and services that set them apart from larger competitors.

The Sandy Bay nursery was established in 1888, making it one of Tasmania's oldest family-owned businesses.

"We're really lucky, as we've been here for so long we really rely on the people that have been coming here for years," Miss Chandler said.

Miss Chandler, 28, said she rejoined the family business earlier this year after working in other industries because she felt confident Chandlers had a good future.

She said a growing interest in gardening and backyard vegetable growing, along with a loyal long-term clientele, kept Chandlers going strong.

"I'm confident we will be here for another 125 years," she said.

Tasmanian Small Business Council executive officer Robert Mallett said succession planning was a major factor for family businesses.

He said while the Sensis Business Index released last week showed a rise in business confidence in Tasmania, it was from such a low base that confidence could still not be considered strong in Tasmania.

blair.richards@news.com.au

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Hail hero Brian

BRIAN Gilligan certainly knows what it's like to face challenges in life. And it's this knowledge that allows the teachers' aide to communicate so well with the special needs students he works with at Hobart's Claremont College.

Mr Gilligan, 41, has cerebral palsy and needs a wheelchair.

He was taught at the former D'Alton unit in New Town and also pursued distance learning.

But instead of being a barrier, his own physical challenges have proved to be an asset when it comes to working with children with disabilities.

Mr Gilligan, of Moonah, is only paid for 16 hours a fortnight. But he finds the work so rewarding he volunteers his time to make it a four-day working week.

"I love my role," he said. "I have been here 12 years and while I work across the college I do focus on those students with special needs. They seem to accept me and listen to my advice."

He is restricted to teaching just one subject but works across the board in English, maths, food studies and computing.

Mr Gilligan was recently recognised by being named Tasmanian school volunteer of the year.

Now he has been nominated for a Pride of Australia medal in the Fair Go category.

"Everyone should have the chance to be the best they can be and all students should have the same opportunities," he said.

The Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian are seeking to recognise Tasmanians who inspire, show great courage, carry out acts of bravery or champion the notion of a fair go. Nominations close at 5pm on July 16. And they are still being sought in 10 categories: outstanding bravery, courage, heroism, community spirit (sponsored by Network Ten), child of courage, young leader, care and compassion, inspiration, environment and a fair go.

All Tasmanian category winners will be honoured at a state medal ceremony on September 15. State winners will then be eligible to take home the gold medal in their category at national level in Sydney on November 15.

Nomination forms are printed in the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian.

Readers can also nominate people and share their story online.

helen.kempton@news.com.au

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Porte jumps to second on Tour

RICHIE Porte has surged to second place behind favourite Chris Froome after Stage 8 of the Tour de France.

Froome clobbered his rivals on the 195km stage from Castre to Ax-3-Domaines, finishing 51sec ahead of Sky teammate Porte and Movistar's Alejandro Valverde to rip the yellow jersey away from Orica-GreenEDGE's Daryl Impey.

The Briton's crushing victory left him 51sec ahead of Tasmania's Porte on the general classification. Valverde is third, 34sec behind Porte.

Canberra's Michael Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff) is 10th overall, at 2min,40sec.

But while Porte was riding high, fellow Aussie Cadel Evans saw his 2013 Tour hopes obliterated after an abysmal day, falling 4min36sec off the pace in 23rd.

Dual champion Alberto Contador was another high-profile casaulty, tumbling to 1min51sec behind Froome.

Contesting only his third Tour, Launceston's Porte again showed why he has long been regarded as Evans' successor as Australia's next grand tour contender.

Suspicions of a baton change have lingered all season as Porte compiled a host of impressive results, including a Paris-Nice victory, while being overshadowed only by Froome.

"The day went absolutely to plan," Porte said.

"We expected (Nairo) Quintana was going to attack and the attack went a little bit too far out and we just used our team absolutely perfectly.

"And for me today I think the standout was Pete Kennaugh. He just stepped up and I was able to save myself a little bit until the finale.

"Chris showed today he's the strongest guy who's here to win.

"It's just an incredible day.

"I think I've shown this year that I'm thereabouts. I've been second in most of the races that I've done now.

"This is the big one, but you can't get too carried away. It's a long way to Paris, but I enjoyed today."

Sky marshalled its forces on the bottom of the last climb and systematically blew all of its rivals to smithereens.

Porte was the second last rider to attack before Froome delivered the coup de grace.

"When I saw Quintana and Valverde were pretty tired, it made sense to set off at my own pace," Porte said.

"It's just one of those days that just went to plan and hopefully the next few weeks goes like that, too."

Froome demolished every rider in race, apart from Porte, as Team Sky put former winners Evans, Contador and Andy Schleck (4min) to the sword as Froome surged to victory.

The emphatic nature of Sky's performance removed any doubt the British outfit has the firepower to succeed absent defending champion Bradley Wiggins as Tour champion.

Evans was dropped 7km from the summit finish to plummet out of contention.

Impey finished 7min51sec behind Froome, ending an impressive spell in yellow as the mighty Pyrenees bared its fangs.

Australian-owned Orica-GreenEDGE's Impey and Simon Gerrans had spent four days in the maillot jaune after excellent team-work kept the big guns at bay.

But, as expected, the 195km stage from Castres caused a significant reshuffle.

Evans had suspected before the stage the race could be decided on the slopes of Ax-3-Domaines.

He was right - but unfortunately for all the wrong reasons.

"My worst day of the Tour while I'm healthy, nowhere in the mix and a few little problems," Evans said after grinding to the summit.

"Anyway, I wasn't at my best and certainly didn't expect to be this far off the best.

"Sky, they just rode a tempo that was just really consistent from when they started on the Pailhieres to when they hit the bottom of Domaines.

"They rode a really consistent pace and not many people could match it.

"On Pailhieres, I was already having a bit of a hard time and that put me a bit on my limit which, of course, is cause for concern.

"But Domaines isn't quite as high so normally ... when you're in the running for GC, 7k (to go) on a climb is not one you would normally get dropped on.

"On the last climb I had a few physical problems come into the mix there and I couldn't push myself to my maximum at that point.

"When you have 20 guys riding away from you, you know you're a long way off the pace."

From the moment the starter's flag dropped in Castre, the race exploded.

Bidding to emulate 2010 victory to the Pyrenean ski resort, Christophe Riblon (ALM) combined with Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil), Jean-Marc Marino (Sojasun) and Rudy Molard (Cofidis) to build an 8min lead before tackling the short climb to Coete de Saint-Ferreol.

Averaging 44km for the first hour, the quartet held a maximum gap of 9min50sec before Orica-GreenEDGE and Sky joined forces after 60km to cut the deficit.

And with Olympic track gold medallists Stuart O'Grady, Brett Lancaster and Geraint Thomas driving the bunch, the time gap soon dwindled.

Thomas was relentless, showing no sign of his fractured pelvis as he dragged Froome towards the head of the peloton.

Sky's main objective was to have Froome and Porte near the front after the intermediate sprint into Quillan before the mostly flat stage ramped towards Col Pailheres.

Badly injured two years ago when sent hurtling through a barbed wire fence by a French television car, Hoogerland was first through Quillan.

Andre Greipel claimed minor sprint honours behind the escapees, edging out green jersey holder Peter Sagan.

But the intermediate marker was the cue for the main players to react.

BMC and Saxo-Tinkoff had similar plans for Evans and Contador, leading to a bottleneck of elite chasers as the breakaway was doomed well before the stage's high point.

At 2001m, Paiheres is the highest peak on the centenary tour and was always going to be the first serious test of the general classification contenders.

And so it proved with 15km of vicious corkscrews at an average gradient of 8 per cent.

Impey was left to his own devices as the demands of defending yellow took its toll on his teammates.

Riblon's solo attack coincided with the splintering of the bunch, leaving a host of big names strewn along the torturous route.

Robert Gesink (Belkin) was the first to emerge from Impey's yellow jersey group, followed by Thomas Voeckler.

Quintana (Movistar) formally ended Impey's stint as leader with a withering burst halfway up Paiheres, putting paid also to Voeckler, Gesink and Riblon,

The Colombian was first over Pailheres, collecting enduring fame, 5000 euros and the 'Souvenir Henri Desgrange' named in honour of the Tour's founder.

Sky had a majority in the chase group and used it to advantage, pummelling BMC's Tejay van Garderen - last year's best young rider - into submission.

The American's demise left Evans to fend for himself, prompting the Victorian to latch onto Contador's Saxo-Tinkoff outfit on the descent into Ax-les-Thermes.

The final climb to the finish was not as long Pailheres, but just as savage.

It was here that Froome and Porte took control - and Evans perished.

Earlier, RadioShack-Leopard camper's was searched by French police before the stage start in Castres.

Team spokesman Philippe Maertens said: "The police stopped our camping car that goes from hotel to hotel and checked it for two hours, and then left.

"The usual stuff, every year ..."

Italian Matteo Bono (Lampre) abandoned the Tour after failing to recover from a back injury suffered in a stage 7 fall.

JERSEYS

YELLOW
Team Sky's Christopher Froome claimed the yellow jersey after Daryl Impey was unable to go with the climbers as the Tour entered the Pyrenees.

GREEN
Not a day for the sprinters but Peter Sagan claimed what was left of the intermediate sprint points to extend his lead in the green jersey.

POLKADOT
Christopher Froome took yellow and the polkadot jersey but the KOM colours will be worn by Pierre Rolland, who is equal with Froome on 31 points.

WHITE
Twenty-three-year-old Nairo Quintana made an audacious move on the two climbs to move into the lead of the young rider classification.

CADEL WATCH
A disaster for Cadel Evans, who had no BMC teammates to help him as he watched his yellow jersey hopes disappear after conceding 4:13 to Froome.

THE AUSSIES
Richie Porte stamped himself a future Tour de France winner by sacrificing himself for Froome then riding away from the bunch to move into second overall, while Michael Rogers is 10th.

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Film probes Chappell death

A NEW 90-minute special investigation into the murder of Bob Chappell will screen on Foxtel later this month.

The documentary, produced by filmmaker and psychologist Eve Ash, is called Shadow of Doubt and digs into the evidence and witnesses that formed the case that resulted in the jailing of Susan Neill-Fraser for her partner's murder.

The special presentation includes interviews with Neill-Fraser's family, which is continuing to fight to prove her innocence, solicitor Barbara Etter, and a member of Tasmania Police.

Chappell was last seen alive on January 26, 2009, when he was working on the couple's yacht, moored at Sandy Bay.

The next morning, the yacht was found sabotaged and sinking. A small amount of fresh blood was found, but there was no sign of Chappell.

Neill-Fraser always maintained her innocence but was nonetheless convicted of Chappell's murder, the first time someone in Tasmania has been jailed for murder with no witnesses to the crime, no weapon, no forensic directly linking her to the crime, and no body.

Neill-Fraser is four years into her 23-year jail term.

The documentary, Shadow of Doubt, premieres on Foxtel's CI Channel (Crime and Investigation) on Monday, July 29 at 7.30pm.

timothy.martain@news.com.au

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