Launceston
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Scientists discover wombats on Tasmania's islands are one of three subspecies
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A small island off Tasmania's coast has become a haven for a subspecies of wombat only found on one other island in Australia, and they're one of three genetically different wombat subspecies.
Topics: community-and-society, environment, conservation, national-parks, environmental-management, animals, animal-science, marsupials, biology, dna, dna-testing, genetics, tas, flinders-island-7255, maria-island-7190, launceston-7250, hobart-7000, university-of-tasmania-7005
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Doctor calls for free meningococcal B vaccine after baby diagnosed with disease
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A doctor calls on either the State or Federal Government to fund a free meningococcal B vaccine after a 10-month-old contracted the disease in the state's north.
Topics: health, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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'What's the point?': Incomplete fish farm panel 'green light' condemned (photos)
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A decision progressing Petuna's fish farming application in Storm Bay is questioned over concerns that biosecurity, boating and environmental issues were not properly scrutinised.
Topics: fishing-aquaculture, environment, environmental-impact, environmental-management, government-and-politics, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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Is the rise of free camping killing the traditional caravan park? (photos)
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Clayton McCuddon has been in the caravan park industry for just three years, but he's already considering giving it away, saying he can't compete with free and low-cost camping sites — both official and unofficial — springing up around Tasmania.
Topics: community-and-society, community-organisations, lifestyle-and-leisure, travel-and-tourism, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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Veteran with PTSD rejected from businesses because of assistance dog
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David Cantley relies on his dog Buddy to get him through difficult moments, but the 54-year-old veteran, who lives with PTSD, says he's been rejected from numerous businesses for having his accredited assistance animal by his side.
Topics: charities-and-community-organisations, defence-and-national-security, veterans, mental-health, animals, human-interest, hobart-7000, launceston-7250, st-helens-7216
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The boss of Tasmania's former timber giant Gunns dies aged 75
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John Gay, the man who was at the forefront of Gunns' controversial plans to build a pulp mill in Tasmania's Tamar Valley, has died.
Topics: community-and-society, death, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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Launceston woman sentenced to five-and-a-half years' jail for trying to cover up murder
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An aspiring teacher who helped to cover up the murder of Launceston man Jake Anderson-Brettner has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years' jail.
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, crime, murder-and-manslaughter, prisons-and-punishment, tas, launceston-7250, hobart-7000
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Tasmania becomes first state to make gender optional on birth certificate (photos)
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Tasmania's Lower House passes the Marriage Amendments Bill after Liberal speaker Sue Hickey votes with the Opposition parties to allow debate, with transgender campaigner Martine Delaney declaring the changes will save lives.
Topics: gender-roles, social-systems, laws, law-crime-and-justice, government-and-politics, state-parliament, tas, launceston-7250, hobart-7000
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Call for forced council mergers in Tasmania after latest amalgamation voted down
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Tasmania's latest council merger attempt has failed, and with 29 councils for a population of just 520,000, there are calls for the Government to reconsider its policy of voluntary amalgamation.
Topics: government-and-politics, local-government, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250, sorell-7172, eaglehawk-neck-7179, port-arthur-7182
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Private burnoff blamed for Dolphin Sands bushfire (photos)
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Fire investigators blame an escaped hazard reduction burn by a landowner on private property for the Dolphin Sands fire.
Topics: bushfire, coles-bay-7215, hobart-7000, tas, launceston-7250
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Residents evacuated as bushfire on Tasmania's east coast reaches emergency level
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All but three residents are evacuated from Dolphin Sands on Tasmania's east coast, after an uncontrolled bushfire is upgraded to an emergency level warning.
Topics: bushfire, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250, coles-bay-7215
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Hobart set to extend smoke-free zones, with councillor aiming for full city ban (photos)
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Hobart's council is set to increase the boundaries of smoke-free areas around the CBD to include three city blocks and a number of green spaces, with the councillor behind the push saying it's likely smokers violating the rules will be hit with an infringement notice and a fine.
Topics: smoking, health, heart-disease, respiratory-diseases, diseases-and-disorders, health-policy, healthcare-facilities, local-government, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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Tasmanian Treasurer foreshadows half-a-billion-dollar budget black hole
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Tasmania will receive a $560-million hit to the state budget because of lower-than-forecast GST receipts and stamp duty revenue, with the Treasurer unable to explain how the hole will be filled.
Topics: government-and-politics, state-parliament, community-and-society, hobart-7000, tas, launceston-7250
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Hobart Airport eyes flights to New Zealand, Asia, as $200m expansion plan unveiled
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The Hobart International Airport will double its annual passenger numbers within a decade under a new multi-million-dollar expansion plan, but passengers will still have to brave the Tasmanian elements to get from the plane to the terminal.
Topics: industry, air-transport, travel-and-tourism, building-and-construction, business-economics-and-finance, urban-development-and-planning, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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'It's not easy to run a live music venue': Why the Laskey brothers got out of the game
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In 1985, twin brothers David and Richard Laskey took a leap of faith and bought the Dog House Hotel. It was an era when Hobart's live music scene was arguably as vibrant as anything the mainland had to offer, so where did it go?
Topics: music, bands-and-artists, arts-and-entertainment, history, community-and-society, hospitality, hobart-7000, tas, launceston-7250
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Police to search new sites for body of pregnant mother in Tasmanian cold case
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Tasmania Police announce a new $250,000 reward for information on the disappearance of Helen Munnings, who went missing in 2008, and will search a number of new sites in Tasmania's north-west for her body.
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, crime, community-and-society, police, burnie-7320, tas, launceston-7250, hobart-7000
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Wind farm on Tasmanian beef property to send renewable energy to national grid
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For more than half a century, Royce Smith's family has produced premium grass-fed beef at blustery Granville Harbour — the perfect place to diversify with a wind farm.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, wind-energy, beef-cattle, energy, zeehan-7469, launceston-7250, strahan-7468, hobart-7000
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Racing legend John Youl turned his paddock into racing track — now his legacy lives on
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What was once a sheep paddock has now become one of Tasmania's legendary racing circuits — where the legacy of driver John Youl continues to live on.
Topics: sport, motor-sports, human-interest, tas, launceston-7250, hobart-7000
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Bill Shorten says Labor is ready for election campaign Video
Video
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Bill Shorten says Labor is ready for an election campaign, whenever Prime Minister Scott Morrison decides to call the poll.
Topics: federal-government, federal-election, launceston-7250
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So many people worship at this mosque, dozens pray in the car park
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Hobart's only mosque fits just 300 people, but with Tasmania's Muslim population on the rise, Friday prayers have become a little crowded.
Topics: community-and-society, religion-and-beliefs, islam, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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Dark Mofo to bring back controversial cross display, but they may not be inverted (photos)
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Last year's controversial display of crosses is due to return to MONA's Dark Mofo festival, but in a move welcomed by Christian leaders, organisers are considering reversing them so they do not appear in inverted form.
Topics: arts-and-entertainment, contemporary-art, events, community-and-society, popular-culture, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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Tasmania's transgender community celebrates legislation milestone
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Landmark legislation making gender optional on birth certificates is set to pass the Tasmanian Parliament, after a marathon debate to finalise amendments to the controversial bill.
Topics: lgbt, children, community-and-society, family-and-children, parliament, state-parliament, government-and-politics, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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'I stopped the wash and there she was': Missing kitten shows up in washing machine
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When the Burr family's cat Poppy went missing, they found the six-month-old kitten in the unlikeliest of places.
Topics: animals, human-interest, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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The pros and cons of private health insurance as you age Explainer
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After the ABC reported on the case of a 78-year-old woman who was turned away from a private hospital emergency department, many readers were left asking whether health insurance was it was worth it for older Australians. So, what are the benefits and do you need it?
Topics: older-people, health-insurance, health-administration, health-policy, healthcare-facilities, tas, australia, launceston-7250, hobart-7000
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What are Hobart's most famous ghost stories?
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The dark convict past of Australia's island state has created fertile ground for tales of the paranormal to bloom, and stories of and haunted houses have trickled down through generations.
Topics: community-and-society, history, offbeat, hobart-7000, launceston-7250