Heartfelt congrats from GG

GOVERNOR-GENERAL Quentin Bryce has sent Australia's heartfelt congratulations to the royal family on the birth of the new prince.

The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a baby boy overnight, Australian time.

Prince William was present for the arrival of his son, who is third in line to the British throne.

"The birth of a baby is an experience to celebrate and cherish," Ms Bryce said in a statement.

"On behalf of all Australians, I send heartfelt congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on this joyful occasion.

"We wish the new parents every happiness and send warm greetings of welcome to the little prince."

The Australian Republican Movement also sent its best wishes to the people of the United Kingdom on the birth of "their future monarch".

"We look forward to a future day when an Australian Head of State can stand beside the British monarch as friends and equals, cheering for our team just as the British Head of State cheers for the British team, in friendly rivalry," national director David Morris said.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says all Australians will share the royal family's joy.

Mr Rudd says it's a happy day for the nation's close friends in Britain and across the Commonwealth.

"On behalf of all Australians, Therese and I extend our warmest regards to the new parents, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge," he said in a statement.

"We share in the joy of the royal family, particularly Prince Charles, on the birth of his grandson and Queen Elizabeth II on the birth of her great-grandchild."

Mr Rudd said Prince William held a special place in the hearts of many Australians given his first visit down under as a baby himself.

"In more recent times, Prince William demonstrated deep compassion when he met with families in Victoria who had lost everything during the Black Saturday bushfires of February 2009," Mr Rudd said.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's son would be the happiest day of their lives.

He and wife Margie sent their congratulations and best wishes to the royal couple.

The long-time monarchist expects all Australians would share their joy in the birth of the new prince.

"While there will come a time to contemplate the constitutional duties that await the young prince, today we simply welcome a baby boy into the world and share the joy of this young family," Mr Abbott said in a statement.

"I am sure that over the course of his life, the prince will, like the rest of his family, develop a deep affection for our country, as we already have for him."

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Found: one fan-forced ferret

ANIMAL rescue officers are looking for the owners of a ferret that popped out of an overhead kitchen exhaust fan in a Sydney home.

The owner of the Bondi unit had initially called a pest removal company yesterday, thinking a possum was stuck in her roof.

But when workers found the ferret in the rangehood they refused to go near it, leaving the astonished resident to call the RSPCA.

The feisty ferret was eventually prised free by RSPCA inspector Flett Turner.

The resident of the flat said she didn't know of any ferret owners in the complex.

"She's just so friendly, so she's obviously someone's lost family ferret," Mr Turner said of the furry friend.

"We really hope that her owners come forward so that they can be reunited with their missing pet."

The ferret is being cared for at the RSPCA animal shelter at Yagoona.

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Man denies tourist sex attack

A 35-YEAR-OLD man has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a Victorian tourist after New Year's Eve celebrations.

Mathew Luke Johnson, of Hobart, is facing one count of aggravated sexual assault over the alleged attack in the Parliament House car park in the early hours of January 1 this year.

The prosecution alleges the 27-year-old complainant was so intoxicated there was "no way she was remotely able to give consent".

Crown prosecutor Tony Jacobs told the jury the woman -- a school teacher who was here on holiday -- "was completely helpless".

But defence lawyer Kim Baumeler asked the woman if she had consensually kissed Mr Johnson outside a nightclub before the alleged assault.

The complainant said she could not remember but agreed that that was what she had told police.

Ms Baumeler suggested it was the complainant who led the accused into the car park and at that stage she was still able to provide consent.

The trial, before Justice Alan Blow, is continuing.

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'Jesus weeps' over policy

A SENIOR Anglican bishop has told the Prime Minister "Jesus weeps" over the Papua New Guinea asylum seeker policy.

The Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, has taken to Twitter to question Kevin Rudd's decision to refuse boat arrivals a chance of settling in Australia.

"Mr Prime Minister, Jesus weeps. Whatever you do for the least of these..." Bishop Harrower wrote.

The Bishop told ABC Radio Mr Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott should be finding a more compassionate solution.

"(I'd like to) bang two heads together in a good and godly way," he said.

"I'm appalled at both of our major parties and the two men leading them, who are Christian men, who are making these decisions."

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Rains bring welcome relief

Farmers have welcomed recent heavy rains.

FARMERS have stretched out their arms and may have even danced in the rain.

The welcome rains have topped up dams, moistened dry soils and might even have a positive effect on livestock markets.

Dave Jones, a dairy and mixed cropping farmer from Hamilton, said rain over the past few days will help break down dry soil for pasture and crops.

"It will help put moisture into the soil profile," Mr Jones said.

He resumes milking on September 1 after drying off 400 cows because of the lack of rain over winter.

Tara Mendham, who has a PhD in agriculture and welcomes visitors to her Taras Richmond Farmstay, said about 60mm rain had fallen over the weekend.

"We had to irrigate in June, and we have never done that before, so this rain is really good," Dr Mendham said.

"Up to now we have had hardly any rain, we have been forced to feed out hay to the sheep."

Dr Mendham, a member of the Coal River Sustainable Living Group, said it is good for lucerne hay growth and pasture for her merino super-fine wool sheep.

Forcett farmer Brad Grattitdge sowed 50 hectares of poppies last week.

"This rain is fantastic, and is great for any crops just sown," Mr Grattitidge said.

"It might even help the livestock market and with the rain topping up dams puts us in a good position for spring.

"Even my lambs born weeks ago are loving it."

• Read more rural stories in Tasmanian Country, out every Friday.

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Royal baby on the way

Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. Picture: AP

THE Duchess of Cambridge has gone into labour.

Palace officials say Prince William's wife, Kate, has been admitted to the hospital in the early stages of labour.

Royal officials said that Kate travelled by car to St. Mary's Hospital in central London. Kate is expected to give birth in the private Lindo Wing of the hospital, where Princess Diana gave birth to William and his younger brother, Prince Harry.

The news that what had been dubbed by bored journalists 'the Great Kate Wait' was finally over was announced in a brief statement from Kensington Palace at 7.30am after rumours she had been spotted began circulating.

The statement read: "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted this morning to St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London, in the early stages of labour.

For the latest updates visit News.com.au

"The Duchess travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge.''

The baby will be third in line for the British throne - behind Prince Charles and William - and is anticipated eventually to become king or queen.

The medical team will be led by royal gynecologist Dr. Marcus Setchell.

The child will be the first for William and Kate, who married in 2011 after a long courtship.

It is not clear if Kate will have a natural birth or deliver by a planned cesarean section.

Royal watchers must wait to be told of the baby's arrival from the palace, which is planning to reveal the news through a mixture of tradition and social media.

Palace officials have said that the first hint will come when a royal aide emerges from the hospital with a signed bulletin carrying the Buckingham Palace letterhead. The bulletin will be given to an official who will be driven to Buckingham Palace, where it will be posted on an easel in public view in front of the building.

At the same time the bulletin is posted, there will be an official announcement on Twitter and the media will be formally notified. The document will give the baby's gender, weight and time of birth.

It could be some time before the baby's name is made public. When William was born, a week passed before his name was announced. Charles's name remained a mystery for an entire month.

But it is the baby's gender that is of particular interest because the prospect of Kate's pregnancy prompted a change to laws of succession to ensure a daughter would not be passed over for the crown by a younger brother. Boy or girl, the child will be third in line to the throne and the prospective future monarch.

The birth of a new heir to the throne has been breathlessly anticipated since William and Kate wed on April 29, 2011, in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

When news of a royal pregnancy was announced, there was rejoicing in many households in Britain and throughout the world.

Despite a rough start to the pregnancy, when she was taken to hospital for acute morning sickness, the 31-year-old Kate made a number of public appearances that were halted only near the end of her term.

Since the duchess has cut back on her royal duties, media outlets have been clamoring for position outside of the hospital in anticipation of the birth, jockeying to secure the best vantage point for filming William and Kate emerging, babe in arms.

Officials have said that William plans to take two weeks' paternity leave and then return to his military duties as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot in Wales.

His tour of duty is scheduled to wrap up around September, and he and Kate are expected to move from their isolated cottage on the island of Anglesey off the coast of Wales to Kensington Palace in central London.

But major refurbishment works at the palace likely won't be finished until at least a month or two after the infant is born - meaning that William and Kate will most likely have to make do with their current temporary home in London, a two-bedroom property at the palace.

Come autumn, however, the family will be able to move into their permanent London home, Apartment 1a at Kensington Palace - a four-story house with a nursery, 20 rooms and a private garden.

- with wires

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Embrace wisdom of the ages

TASMANIA needs to shake off the idea that an ageing population is a problem, says the curator of the Disruptive Festival of Ideas.

The four-day event -- part of the Festival of Voices -- finished yesterday with an "unconference" that gave the audience a chance to talk about what they want to happen in the state.

"We have the largest concentration of wisdom in Australia," curator Bill Aronson, of the Scala Institute, said. "Yes, there are some practical issues that we have to take care of around health, but we're talking about how we can take that wisdom of thousands and thousands of years and use it as a resource."

Encouraging Tasmanians to speak up and get involved in discussions about how we can, and should, shape our state for the future, the new festival has been packed full with a host of engaging and provocative speakers leading the discussions.

Mr Aronson said the Festival of Ideas had exceeded his wildest expectations and plans were already progressing well for the future.

The four-day event will be followed by a 12-month program to bring people together to find solutions and outcomes for the state.

"The Step Up program will be about what we want the future of Tasmania to be and what are the practical steps we're going to have to take to get there," Mr Aronson said.

"We're putting together a group of 500 people who will be a powerhouse of creativity. Imagine you're an organisation with a challenge and you want to rethink something and don't know how to do it, you'll be able to throw that into this group and get 500 different opinions and ideas."

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Hopes to salvage Viking boat

ONE of the biggest drawcards from February's Australian Wooden Boat Festival is now languishing at Franklin in need of some TLC.

The 11-tonne pine and oak Viking boat Rusich made a 13,500 nautical mile journey from the Volga to the Derwent for the festival.

But the adventurers who brought it to Tasmania on a journey of goodwill have reluctantly gone back to Russia without it because it is unseaworthy for open ocean sailing without about $25,000 of repairs.

The Russians who built the boat as a non-profit venture cannot afford it.

A consortium of local marine heritage enthusiasts hope to convince federal authorities to waive hefty import-export fees in the interests of acquiring the vessel as a tourist attraction for Southern Tasmania.

Ship broker Laurence Burgin, of Franklin Marine, said it was difficult to value the boat, but a couple of experts had estimated it at around $80,000.

Franklin resident James West, 62, who has Russian heritage and speaks the language, has been keeping in touch with the Rusich's owners on behalf of the would-be buyers.

The boat is currently under a Customs Control Permit that expires in October. For the boat to be able to be sold it must be officially "imported" to Tasmania and be subject to significant federal taxes.

Mr West said import taxes, GST and other fees could amount to more than $15,000.

He said supporters of the Rusich had been lobbying MPs and were in contact with Customs hoping the fees could be waived.

"It would be a magnificent gesture by the Australian Government if this could be the case, as it would save the intending purchaser [significant funds] which could be put towards the cost of repairs and the restoration of the magnificent vessel," he said.

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Fading snaps tell migrant tales

FOR the past 38 years, Nicola Goc has been enchanted by her mother-in-law's tales of migration from Poland after World War II.

A cherished biscuit tin full of old black and white photographs offers a pictorial essay of the emotion-charged pilgrimage, which began the day the war started, when the 16-year-old was taken by Nazis and separated from her family.

The series of well-thumbed snapshots offer a precious reminder of life in Poland and new beginnings in Tasmania.

And they give a remarkable insight into a bygone era, especially for the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of migrants who want to learn more about their heritage.

Which is what spurred Dr Goc to start a research project centred around the photographs and stories of migrant women in Tasmania.

The University of Tasmania senior lecturer in journalism and media studies has received a grant for the study "Snapshot Photography, Female Subjectivity and the Migrant Experience", which will culminate in a photographic exhibition at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery next year.

She is calling on migrant women to come forward and share their stories as part of the project.

Dr Goc would like to hear from Tasmanian women from English and non-English speaking backgrounds who migrated to Australia in the post-World War II period.

She is also interested in speaking to women who have snapshots that were sent to them from family and friends in their country of origin.

"Snapshot photographs play a central role in recording our lives and in this project I am particularly interested in the ways in which family snapshot photographs have helped migrant women both to maintain connections with the lives they left behind and to make meaning of their new lives in Australia," Dr Goc said.

"Migration is a fundamental feature of our times and it always involves displacement and loss.

"At the most intimate level this sense of displacement and loss is often expressed through the importance placed on faded family snapshots, arguably one of the most revered material objects to be found in a migrant's home."

Dr Goc has already amassed a selection of old photos, which offer an insight into post-war life.

Flicking through the faded, often coffee-stained images at her Sandy Bay home, she recounts the tale of an American nurse who fell in love with an Australian man in Saigon during the Vietnam War and later came to Australia with him.

Other shots include a family portrait taken in France during the 1930s; numerous funeral portraits of Eastern European families; seaside antics of a family from Argentina enjoying a trip to the beach; and an image of a baby with his Bulgarian grandmother just days before he migrated to Tasmania with his parents in the early 1950s.

The problem is that most of the photos she has are anonymous - they were collected from car boot sales, garage sales and auctions, leaving Dr Goc to rely solely on the brief descriptions handwritten on the back.

"The anonymous ones tell me something but not what I really want to know ... which is why I'm very keen to talk to the women themselves," she said.

She has collected albums full of old photographs as well as collecting the old snapshot cameras used to take them.

Dr Goc said women who migrated to Australia after World War II had been largely ignored in migration research, so her project aims to redress this.

She said while most migrant men got jobs and worked hard to build a name for themselves in their new homeland, migrant women often worked away quietly in the background for little recognition, despite being the backbone of the family.

Anyone interested in participating in the research project can contact Dr Goc on 6226 2473 or email Nicola.Goc@utas.edu.au

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Health hinders sex fiend

A NOTORIOUS sex fiend seeking release from an indefinite jail term was not physically capable of committing similar crimes if released, his lawyer says.

Ian Robert Smith, 42, was in the Supreme Court before Justice Shan Tennent to argue against the dangerous criminal declaration that has kept him in Risdon since 1995.

Yesterday Smith's lawyer, Greg Barns, claimed that although his client was keen to begin a sex-offenders treatment program in prison, a chronic heart condition prevented him from completing the 100m journey to the jail's treatment centre on foot.

Mr Barns also said that his client's bad health meant that he was a physically diminished version of the person jailed nearly 18 years ago, and therefore less able to commit similar crimes of violence upon release.

Opposing the application, Crown Prosecutor Patrick Dixon detailed Smith's shocking history of sex offences dating back to the 1980s, which resulted in three terms of imprisonment.

In 1995 Smith was found guilty of two counts of rape and one of aggravated sexual assault on a 24-year-old woman.

In prison he has committed offences against female staff members.

"The applicant's victims have included women, adolescents and children," Mr Dixon said.

"[He] has failed to convince the court the dangerous criminal declaration is no longer warranted and his application should be dismissed."

Justice Tennent reserved her decision.

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