Hobart Observer May 2021

A FREE PUBLICATION FOR THE HOBART MUNICIPALITY

MAY 2021

Independently owned and published by Cor Comms

LOVED entertainers John X and Colin Dean will be jumping on their Vespa motor scooters with a bunch of friends in November this year to raise money for a young Tasmanian suffering from an extremely rare condition.

Ride for Eddie will see the team travel around 1,500 kilometres over 10 days around the state on scooters, stopping in towns along the way to entertain locals.

THE FULL STORY PAGE 2

From left, Eddie’s grandfather Colin Dean, Eddie’s grandmother Lyn Dean, Eddie’s great grandmother Betty Dean, Eddie’s mum Jessica McDonald, Eddie McDonald and Eddie’s great grandfather Jim Dean.

ENTERTAINERS TO RIDE THE STATE FOR EDDIE

Changes to boost parking availability WILLS & ESTATES DISPUTES

Despite a Will Maker’s best intentions, disputes and challenges can happen regarding their Estate after they have passed away.

Give us a call today to discuss your situation.

CHANGES to parking on Elizabeth Street in North Hobart have taken effect to improve parking availability at peak times.

The time limit for on-street parking between Federal and Burnett streets has been increased from 15 minutes to 30 minutes to be more useful for people accessing businesses along the primary retail and dining strip for short visits.

STORY CONTINUES PAGE 2

8 Gregory Street, Sandy Bay, Tas 7005 P.O. Box 224, Sandy Bay TAS 7006 paula@paulasutherland.com.au (03) 6224 1376

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2 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

Community News

Public transport on agenda

Anna Reynolds City of Hobart, Lord Mayor IT’S been a busy few weeks with the surprise state election meaning we had to put forward the City of Hobart’s ideas and priorities for all the candidates to consider.

There are many things that affect life in Hobart that we don’t control or have the budget to fix.

So a big part of my job is liaising with State and Federal Governments, elected MPs and departments to try and get Hobart issues and priorities looked after.

Public transport is one important example.

Great cities work well because they have a range of choices for getting around.

Most of us need a car for many journeys, but wouldn’t it be great if there were more options available to us for making particular trips or getting to certain destinations?

For example, imagine being able to catch a ferry to have lunch with friends in Lindisfarne or if students could catch a light rail to and from the high schools in New Town and Glenorchy?

Furthermore, catching a comfortable and affordable bus to work in the city could save many of us the stress and cost trying to find a carpark.

The Tasmanian State Government currently spends less per person on public transport than any other state or territory in Australia – and it shows.

In Greater Hobart, that under-funding has led to a situation where around 80 per cent of journeys to work are made by car, leaving our city both congested and polluted.

We’re working hard to change this.

I joined with the other Greater Hobart Mayors and urged candidates in the state election to commit to a better public transport system for Hobart.

I’m pleased to see some positive announcements during the election that we can work with and build on.

One of the things we are doing as a City to lead the way, is looking for an innovative and affordable bus shelter design to make catching public transport more comfortable.

There are 2000 bus stops in Greater Hobart but only 73 shelters and there’s been no state budget for providing them.

In the last six months, we’ve run a design competition for students, architects and anyone with good ideas to find an innovative and practical bus shelter that suits Hobart’s conditions.

We’ve been overwhelmed with dozens of great entries and so now we’re asking the community to vote on your favourite so we can give the People’s Choice Award for the most popular design – you can see the designs and vote at the Council Service Centre (corner of Davey and Elizabeth Streets) during business hours until 18 May.

ENTERTAINERS TO RIDE THE STATE FOR EDDIE FROM FRONT PAGE

Edward ‘Eddie’ McDonald was born in 2017 and was diagnosed with Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia (PCH) Type 4, the only known case in the world.

The condition is so rare that there are only five cases of other types of PCH currently diagnosed in Australia.

Eddie feeds through a gastric tube, doesn’t talk and will likely never be able to use his hands.

His condition also means that he will never walk, so a wheelchair will be a big part of his life.

Colin Dean said as he gets older, Eddie will be too big to lift in and out of the car, so the riders will be raising funds to purchase a vehicle that is converted to take a wheelchair hoist as well as other mobility needs.

The target for the appeal is $85,000.

“As his grandfather, I would love to purchase the vehicle myself, but that isn’t possible,” Mr Dean said.

“I have a Vespa, which means wasp in Italian, and thought riding around Tasmania with a bunch of friends to take the sting out of Eddie’s problems and raising money for the vehicle was the next best option.

“We will be joined on the trip by crack support vehicle driver Andrew Colrain to perform as ‘Croon’ in pop-up concerts as we travel.”

The team will be warming up with regular group rides to regional towns in the months leading up to the event and would love Vespa riders to join them in the fun.

Ride for Eddie has partnered with Variety The Children’s Charity and all tax deductible donations will be through their online facility.

For more information, to follow progress or to donate, visit https:// tasfundraising.variety. org.au/support-afundraiser/ride-for-eddie or the Ride for Eddie Facebook page.

ROBERTS & PARTNERS LAWYERS • • • •

Wills Estates Conveyancing Litigation

Changes to boost parking availability FROM FRONT PAGE

The changes follow a unanimous decision of Hobart City Council late last year based on feedback from traders and residents.

Paid parking will be introduced on Elizabeth Street during peak times from 17 May 2021 to encourage turnover, providing more parking availability for short stops such as picking up takeaway meals, and discouraging food delivery drivers from tying up premium parking spots.

Parking meters are currently being installed.

The cost to park will be $1 for the maximum 30 minutes and will be applied daily from 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm.

Parking will be free of charge at other times within the signposted controls, but the half-hour time limit

will remain between 9am and 9pm.

Parking has already been made free of charge after 6pm for the 128 offstreet parking spaces at Condell Place and Lefroy Street to make dining out in the precinct more inviting and convenient.

Prior to 6pm, a reduced rate of $2 per hour applies for parking in the off-street

facilities, at which parking is available for up to three hours.

Payment for parking can be made at the meter by cash or credit card, or by using the EasyPark app, which is available for free from the App Store and Google Play and allows the user to easily pay only for the actual time used.

North Hobart Streetscape.

North Hobart Parking Changes Condell Place and Lefroy Street car parks • Decrease in fees to $2 per hour

1 Stanton Place, Cambridge

• Free parking after 6 pm (3 hour limits apply until 8 pm)

(03) 6248 4144

Elizabeth Street between Federal and Burnett Streets

admin@rplawyers.com.au HOBART & SYDNEY OFFICES

• On street parking time increased to 30 minutes

ADVERTISEMENT

• Paid parking from Monday 17 May 2021

SENATOR

WENDY ASKEW LIBERAL SENATOR FOR TASMANIA

• Fees only apply during peak periods, 11 am - 2 pm and 5 pm - 8 pm

46 Cameron Street (PO Box 97) Launceston TAS 7250

Skip the meter and pay from anywhere only pay for what you need.

03 6331 8501 Senator.Askew@aph.gov.au SenatorAskew

hobartcity.com.au/parking Authorised by W. Askew, Liberal Party of Australia, 46 Cameron St, Launceston TAS 7250.

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Responsibility for all election comment in this edition is taken by Nicolas Turner, Level 2, 152 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000. Political advertisements published in this newspaper are done so on a commercial basis.

Hobart Observer MAY 2021 3

Community News

Variety hungry for books this May

Variety Tasmania chief executive officer Mohammad Aldergham feeding the Variety Book Monster with pre-loved books for the annual Variety Monster Book Fair.

THE Variety Book Monster has returned to all Shiploads stores statewide in May, hungry for quality pre-loved books, DVDs, games and puzzles.

All items fed to the Variety Book Monster will be sold at the annual Variety Monster Book Fair that will be held from 13 to 15 August 2021 at Princes Wharf 1.

Monster May opened on 1 May and will run until 31 May, with people being encouraged to head into their local Shiploads to donate.

“After a COVID break for 2020, the Variety Monster Book Fair is back,” Variety Tasmania chief executive officer Mohammad Aldergham said.

“Due to the success of the Monster Book Fair in 2019, this year we are anticipating it being bigger and better than before, and due to popular demand, we will be running it over three days in August at PW1.

“We will be celebrating inclusion and literacy and raising funds to help

empower Tassie kids who would otherwise fall through the gaps in the system.

“Not only will we have a range of quality books, games, puzzles and DVDs at unbelievable prices, but we will also have various activities for young and old running across the three days.”

To support the event, people can feed their pre-loved, good quality books, DVDs, boardgames and puzzles to the Monster at any of the Shiploads stores across the state, including the Sandy Bay store, throughout May. The Variety Book Monster will visit each of the Shiploads stores during May. “it’s a really good cause and the customers love it – we always get a lot of books that help a lot of people out,” Shiploads Sandy Bay store’s Damian Morozoff said.

“It’s great for children in need and for something that doesn’t really take a lot of effort to do, it does a lot of good.”

To join the discussion and suggest your ideas for making it the best bookfair event on the calendar, visit the Variety

Monster Book Fair event page on Facebook.

Variety Tasmania has one of the widest children’s charity charters.

Its mission is to support children who fall through the gaps of the system through tangible grants to Tasmanian

children under 18 years of age who are sick, disadvantaged or have additional needs.

Every donated book,

DVD and puzzle will enable Variety to raise much needed funds to continue their work for Tassie children.

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4 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

Community News

Art exposes statue’s dark past CELEBRATED Tasmanian Aboriginal artist Allan Mansell was the first contributor to an arts project designed to encourage public conversation about the future of the William Crowther statue in Franklin Square.

Artists were invited last year to submit proposals for temporary artworks to be installed on or near the statue, with four selected to be displayed over a 12-month period.

The statue of Crowther – which has stood in Franklin Square since 1889 – is seen as contentious by many because of Crowther’s desecration of the remains of Aboriginal man William Lanne, also known as ‘King Billy’.

“This project is an action in the City of Hobart’s Aboriginal Commitment and Action Plan and is part of a broader commitment to telling a more complete and truthful history of our city,” Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said.

“We look forward to seeing the impacts

of these artworks in promoting awareness, discussion and empathy for others within our community.”

Allan Mansell is a well-known Tasmanian Aboriginal artist whose work has been sold to collectors around the world.

His work for Franklin Square is entitled ‘Truth Telling’ and has temporarily transformed William Crowther into William Lanne by placing a covering over his head, an Aboriginal flag in his hand, and covering the existing text with an alternative narrative.

The artist said this project was a chance for him to be able to rectify past wrongs.

“I’m driven by putting the wrongs right and telling the truth of our history,” he said.

“I’ve spent all my life battling white bureaucracy and telling the truth of what happened, as it isn’t happening in our schools and libraries.

“Aboriginal people have been fighting all

our lives, for our right to be a person, for our rights to our land and our waterways.

“What happened to Lanne happened to many of our ancestors as they fought to keep their lands.

“This is the truth of what happened.”

Dutch-born William Crowther was a 19th century naturalist and surgeon and briefly Premier of Tasmania, but is also known for mutilating the remains

of Tasmanian Aboriginal man William Lanne in the 1860s.

Lanne was well regarded as an advocate for his community.

The partner of ‘Queen’ Truganini, he became known as King Billy and the native plant the ‘King Billy Pine’ is named after him.

He died in 1869, aged 34.

The ‘Crowther Reinterpreted’ project will deliver four temporary artworks, from

solo arts practitioners or small teams of artists, with priority given to Tasmanian Aboriginal artists.

The further three successful artworks will be produced by Tasmanian filmmaker Roger Scholes working with Professor Greg Lehman, Hobartbased artist and writer Julie Gough, and Hobart journalist and photographer Jillian Mundy.

Each of the four

artworks will be in place for up to two months.

The artworks themselves, along with the community feedback and discussion they provoke, will help to

inform a permanent response to the statue.

To contribute to the discussion or provide feedback on the artwork, visit yoursay.hobartcity. com.au.

Tasmanian Aboriginal artist Allan Mansell with his art project titled ‘Truth Telling’.

All Tasmanian organisations and individuals that have made a commitment to work health, safety, wellbeing and injury management are invited to enter the 2021 WorkSafe Tasmania Awards.

Whether you’ve developed a workplace health and wellbeing initiative, an injury management system or created an innovative work health and safety solution, the Awards are a great opportunity to gain recognition amongst your peers.

This year’s categories are: Category 1: Excellence in work health and safety systems Category 2: Excellence in implementing a work health and safety solution Category 3: Excellence in work health and safety culture Category 4: Excellence in contributions to work health and safety Category 5: Excellence achieved by a health and safety representative Category 6: Excellence in injury management Category 7: Excellence in an individual’s contribution to injury management Category 8: Excellence in a workplace health and wellbeing initiative Category 9: Excellence in a workplace response to COVID-19 All category entries are eligible to be nominated for the Leadership Excellence Award by the judging panel.

To find out more and submit your entry visit worksafe.tas.gov.au/awards Entries close – 31 May 2021 The WorkSafe Tasmania Awards are an initiative funded by the WorkCover Tasmania Board.

Hobart Observer MAY 2021 5

Community News

Wilderness run to promote Rescue Helicopter charity fundraiser MEMBERS of Tasmania’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew will be ditching their chopper and running the Overland Track in the World Heritage Wilderness later this month to promote the charity’s ‘30K for the month of May’ campaign.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Tasmania (WRHT), the charity fundraising arm of the state’s aero-medical rescue service, has set aside the month of May to raise $30,000 to purchase much-needed life-saving equipment and specialist training for the helicopters and crews.

To raise awareness of the campaign, eight crew members from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service will run the 65-kilometre Overland Track on May 28.

The runners aim to complete the distance in just 14 hours.

WRHT’s Laura Minutillo said the charity was proud to launch its ‘30K for the month of May’ campaign to fund vital equipment to enhance the helicopter rescue and medical retrieval service.

“We’re also proud that the crew members are so

passionate that they are undertaking this arduous run to promote and support our fundraising effort,” she said.

“Donations can be made via our website www.westpacrescuetas. com.au and donations over $2 are tax deductible.

“All the funds raised support the service in Tasmania and are used to buy equipment and provide training to ensure the helicopter aero-medical service given to Tasmanians and visitors to the state is world-class.”

Ms Minutillo said the ‘30K for the month of May’ campaign would fund essential equipment for the helicopter crew and support people rescued or evacuated to the hospital.

“In the past, WRHT’s fundraising and sponsorship have funded the purchase of nightvision goggles, cold-water immersion survival suits, winch equipment, marine life-vests, stretchers and a range of equipment, as well as specialist water evacuation training for the crews,” she said.

“The $30,000 campaign target will enable WRHT to continue to provide the equipment and

enhancements vital to ensure the service remains world-class and is available to support and protect the community, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is an integral part of Tasmania’s emergency services and is available to anyone in a dangerous situation.

“Our highly skilled crews are called out daily for a variety of assignments – from bushwalker rescue missions in Tasmania’s rugged World Heritage Areas to motor vehicle accidents or to assist in extracting people at risk in offshore waters,” Ms Minutillo said.

“We adhere to the highest possible standards for our crew, including paramedics, medical personnel, police specialist and pilots, and all undergo intensive training before joining the team and during their postings.”

Ms Minutillo said the State Government provided funding for Westpac Rescue Helicopter missions through the Department of Police and Emergency Management.

The funding was conditional on the service raising complementary

From left, Phil Vanderwal, Gary Whitehead, Chris Fahey, Chris Williams, Andrew Cottee, Caity Little, Rob Brittle and Adam Marmion. Photo credit: Andrew Wilson Photography.

funding to maintain its operations, secure firstclass rescue and medical equipment and train personnel.

“We have a great sponsor in Westpac, and other commercial supporters, but further sponsorship, as well

as donations and benefactions from the general public, are vital to the continued operation of our service,” Ms

Minutillo said.

“Hopefully, our ‘30K for the month of May’ campaign will add to this.”

ChatTY coffee fundraiser “Banjo’s is a familyowned business that puts the community at the heart of everything we do, so we’re proud to encourage conversations and connection and help improve the mental health of Tasmanians,” Banjo’s Bakery Café managing

director Jessica Saxby said.

“Whether you meet up with friends and family for a coffee or pastry, or speak to one of our friendly staff, we rally the community to get behind this worthy organisation and open up about how they are feeling.”

Coffee sparking conversations about mental health BANJO’s Bakery Café has launched their seventh year in partnership with Tasmanian positive mental health organisation SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY to raise awareness for mental health.

For every sale of a large coffee over the month of May, 50 cents

will be donated to the organisation.

This year, Banjo’s is aiming to beat last year’s fundraising efforts of $28,846, or 57,692 large coffees sold, to raise vital funds for SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY’s education and awareness programs.

“Stay ChatTY is thrilled

to partner again with Banjo’s Bakery Café for our seventh coffee month,” SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY found Mitch McPherson said.

“A month filled of important awareness around a topic many still feel too uncomfortable to talk about.

“We hope that throughout May, many people take the opportunity to connect with someone that they may have not caught up with for a while – all of course whilst sipping a large coffee.

“Dollars raised allow us to continue to better

educate people around mental health and spark many more conversations across Tasmania.”

Despite the challenges faced in 2020, Tasmanians dug deep and Banjo’s sold 4,647 more large coffees during September 2020 when compared to May 2019’s SPEAK UP! Stay

A local not-for-profit organisation celebrating 30 years of supporting Tasmanians.

Services provided include: • family dispute resolution/mediation* • counselling and psychological services • workplace assistance (i.e. EAP).

From left, Michael Kelly, Izzy Vrighella, SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY found Mitch McPherson, James Rice and Natasha Cloak.

*This activity received grant funding from the Australian Government.

6 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

Community News

Cat out of the bag for Terrapin’s schools tour TERRAPIN puppeteers have been busy rehearsing in studio for the launch of its 2021 schools tour program of ‘Scaredy Cat’, which will premiere in more than 65 Tasmanian schools around the state in terms three and four.

Scaredy Cat tells the story of a rodent-hunting cat who is afraid of mice.

Terrapin Artistic Director Sam Routledge said the schools tour marks Terrapin’s return to inschool programming after being forced to postpone planned visits in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re thrilled to be returning to tour Tasmanian schools in 2021,” he said.

“Visiting schools is a critical part of our work in reaching audiences in all corners of the state.

“This year we’ll even be travelling to Flinders Island, bringing performance and workshops to students there.”

Terrapin’s schools tour will reach 15,000 students this year, having visited more than 180 schools in the past 15

years.

Terrapin has also welcomed Blundstone as its new Access Partner.

Blundstone’s support will allow Terrapin to grow the reach of the tour to 14 additional schools in remote and regional locations, bring Scaredy Cat to 4000 extra students.

“As a proud Tasmanian family business, we are pleased to support the work of Terrapin and to assist more kids around Tasmania to have the chance to experience and enjoy their creativity,” Blundstone joint chief executive officer Adam Blake said.

“Since we started in 1870, we have sought to be a positive and contributing member of our local community.

“We are thrilled to be a part of taking this world-class troupe to all the corners of our island home.”

Scaredy Cat, written

by Finn O’Branagain, is a funny, fantastical story of courage and friendship across generations.

Terrapin resident designer Bryony Ander-

From left, Bella Young, Scaredy Cat, Lucy McDonald and Felicity Horsley.

son has created a cast of lively puppet characters that includes Scaredy Cat, three marauding mice and creaking, elderly furniture.

Puppeteer Felicity Horsley said she was really excited to visit schools across the state and per-

form for students.

“I think the beautiful thing about performance in general is the level of characters and animating, and having characters come to life,” she said.

“Here we have an arm chair and kitchen cabinet come to life – we’re

making the inanimate animate, and I think that’s something children’s imaginations are able to do really easily.

“You need to have not only the physical skill to animate the puppet, but also be able to bring that level of emotion that the

cat is going to go through and show the transformative journey it goes through.”

Terrapin has been touring Tasmanian schools since its inception.

Established in 1981, the company is known for innovation and quality.

Its core activity is the creation of new original works of contemporary puppetry for children, families and intergenerational audiences.

Beyond its school program, Terrapin creates work for theatres, festivals and public spaces.

New public space fosters free speech FREE speech has a new home in Hobart, with residents invited to have their voices heard at a new and improved Speakers’ Corner.

Located in the new Salamanca Plaza, it is hoped the space will attract a variety of speakers and encourage healthy debate and discussion within the community.

“Speakers’ corners have long featured in cities across Australia and

other parts of the world as a platform for public free speech,” Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said.

“The most famous speakers’ corner is in Hyde Park in London, where people have expressed their views about the government, war, voting rights and even Sunday trading.

“The use of speakers’ corners has dwindled over time, and the rise of social media has provided an

alternative – albeit less personal – platform to share opinions and ideas.

“Through reinvigorating Hobart’s Speakers’ Corner, we hope to encourage people to bring back the art of public speaking and the concept of stimulating debate and discussion through the spoken word.

“We would also like to see creative people, such as poets and authors, using the space to share interesting and thought-

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provoking works to inspire others.

“If you have something to say, Speakers’ Corner gives you the opportunity to say it.”

The new location has been established as part of the pedestrian upgrades to Salamanca Place to provide an improved experience for both speakers and listeners and will be subject to a sixmonth trial period.

Community, Culture and Events Committee chair Councillor Zelinda Sherlock said Speakers’ Corner could be used for any peaceful and lawful public address.

“This might be to raise awareness about a cause you’re passionate about, providing an educational lecture on something you’re interested in, or driving discussion on an important topic,” she said.

“Or it might be simply wanting to share something you’ve created with an audience, or to gain some experience in public speaking.”

Councillor Sherlock said it was important that audiences respect the rights of speakers to share their opinions.

“One of the biggest ongoing challenges we face as a society is how to accept opinions that differ from our own,” she said.

Young Dawkins at the Speakers’ Corner launch.

“The concept of free speech only works when we respect the right of others to have their say, even if we don’t agree with it.

“Speakers’ corners were traditionally established to allow civilised public debate and discussion, without discrimination or oppression, and we hope that tradition will continue in Hobart.”

The new Speakers’ Corner is available for public speech between

10am and midday, Monday to Friday.

Speakers can book a 30-minute session online at hobartcity.com.au/ speakerscorner or by phoning 6238 2711.

Permits must be displayed while speaking and the provisions of the Anti-Discrimination Act apply to all speakers.

Speakers can display pamphlets and other reading material, but are not to approach listeners.

Interested audience

members may approach the speaker for more information.

Members of the public are invited to provide feedback on the new location and times and the use of Speakers’ Corner by visiting yoursay.hobartcity. com.au.

The six-month trial will conclude at the end of October and feedback received will help determine the ongoing arrangements for Speakers’ Corner.

Hobart Observer MAY 2021 7

Community News

Electric scooters to offer zippy city transport option A ZIPPY new way to get around is on the cards for Tasmania’s two largest cities.

Electric scooter pointto-point hire has been identified as a personal transport option for safely moving around the cities of Hobart and Launceston.

The respective councils are about to jointly launch an Expressions of Interest process to find a suitable supplier and operator for a 12-month trial of the transport technology, which would operate on an app-based, user-pays basis within defined geographical zones.

The introduction of micromobility options is identified in both the Sustainable Hobart and Connected Hobart action plans and aligns strategically with the Greater Launceston

Transport Vision and Work Plan and the Draft Launceston Transport Strategy.

“Electric scooters are convenient, compact, environmentally friendly and don’t contribute to the growing congestion on our roads,” Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said.

“The most effective way to bust congestion is to provide more transport choices.

“Scooters may be useful for people who need to move around the city during the day, but could otherwise leave their car at home, or commuters who live close to the city.

“It’s also a fun and easy way for tourists to move around and would contribute to the overall experience of Hobart and Launceston.”

E-scooters have proved

successful in other Australian capital cities, including Brisbane where there are two operators who have reported around 5000 trips a day combined.

Controls on how they are operated and where they can be parked will be considered as part of the Expressions of Interest and tweaked during the trial period.

“There will be the opportunity to apply exclusion zones for safety and amenity and we’ll be looking for feedback from the broader community,” Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said.

The successful vendor will need to demonstrate safety, software reliability and device maintenance measures, and usage data will be provided to the Cities of Hobart and Launceston to help assess

the success of the trial.

Pending the outcome of the Expressions of Interest, it is proposed that the 12-month trial commence by the end of this year.

Under Tasmanian road laws, electric scooters with a maximum power output of 200 watts are permitted on shared paths and on roads with a speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour or less.

The Cities of Hobart and Launceston will continue to work with the State Government to address regulatory barriers – as interstate capital cities have done – particularly as significant changes are being made to the National Transport Commission’s guidelines on micromobility devices.

From left, Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds and Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten test out the electronic scooters.

Digital Doorknockers needed for Salvos Red Shield Appeal THE Salvation Army is calling on the local community to volunteer with the annual Red Shield Appeal as they seek to recruit 10,000 ‘Digital Doorknockers’ across the country.

Now in its 56th year, The Red Shield Appeal is The Salvos’ flagship fundraising appeal which aims to raise $32 million to fund more than 2000 centres and services across Australia.

In Tasmania, The Salvos are aiming to

raise $200,000 from the community door-knock, shopping centre stands and events, with funds raised locally staying local.

Following the devastating impact of COVID-19 in 2020, The Salvos are seeing some of the greatest need in their history, making this year’s Red Shield Appeal vitally important.

The Salvos need community members to volunteer for the

From left, Nicole and Johnmark Snead.

Red Shield Appeal this May in their local area, where all local funds raised will stay in the community.

“The community of Hobart have always faithfully backed The Salvos, and this year we need people to volunteer and raise funds to ensure that we can continue the work in the community for years to come,” Salvos Captain Johnmark Snead said.

“Last year, through

the generous support of the community during the Red Shield Appeal, we were able to support a range of local programs including providing laundry and shower facilities for homeless people in Hobart and supporting our community meals program.”

Money raised locally this year, will help enable Salvos to continue to help those who are vulnerable and marginalised in

the city by providing ‘wrap around’ services that sit alongside existing programs like the community meals, emergency relief and the rehabilitation program that runs in conjunction with The Bridge in the city.

“It will also allow us to enable bring social programs on site in the city,” Captain Snead said.

The Salvos are encouraging the community to become ‘Digital Doorknockers’ by creating an online fundraising page to raise money for their local Salvos.

To become a Digital Doorknocker, visit https://digitaldoorknock. salvationarmy.org.au/t/ hobart-salvos, create your personalised page and share it with

your family, friends and fellow community members.

The Salvos are also in need of 20,000 inperson volunteers for this year’s Red Shield Appeal to collect in the community.

To volunteer inperson, contact your local Salvos on (03) 6231 5440.

Last year, The Salvos across Australia provided more than one million occasions of care to those in need, supported more than 40,000 people experiencing homelessness, distributed 1.5 million meals through our homelessness services, gave more than 43,000 occasions of care to those experiencing family and domestic violence, and distributed

almost $100 million worth of financial assistance to people doing it tough.

“The Salvos cannot do what we do without the generosity of the public in our community,” Captain Snead said.

“If you have the means, please consider donating to the Red Shield Appeal or become a volunteer this year.

“Your generosity and support will help us to leave no one in need.”

To donate or volunteer for The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal, or if you need support from Salvos, visit salvationarmy.org.au or phone 13 SALVOS. People can also donate at any Salvos store.

8 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

Community News

Uplifting relief for patients AN uplifting gift from the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) to Tasmanian paramedics is sure to provide welcome relief for patients who take an unexpected tumble.

The order’s Moonah-based lodge, which has just six financial members and focuses on raising funds for various community causes, recently raised about $3,000 to buy an ELK emergency lifting cushion.

While handing over the ELK to Ambulance Tasmania’s southern regional manager Andrew Porter, RAOB immediate past grand primo David Shuttler thanked Independent Clark MP Andrew Wilkie for his contribution to the important cause.

Mr Porter said the device made lifting and manoeuvring patients a lot safer and easier, reducing the risk of further injury from manual handling and allowing patients to maintain their dignity in often distressing situations.

“We use the ELK about 20 times a week in the southern region alone,” he said.

“Every one we get makes a really big difference.”

The RAOB’s donation means the southern region now has five ELKs available.

Mr Wilkie said he would campaign for every Tasmanian ambulance to have one on board.

“I believe this relatively low-cost item should be standard issue in all ambulances, so they would no longer need to call to base to collect an ELK when one is needed,” he said.

“This modest investment would benefit patients, who could be assisted without delay, and save valuable time for a service which is under enormous pressure.”

Mr Shuttler, who is in his 80s and joined the RAOB more than 55 years ago, said the ELK project was sparked by comments made by a paramedic who helped his wife after a recent fall.

“He said the next time you have to call an ambulance, ask them to bring an ELK as not many ambulances have them,” Mr Shuttler said.

“I am sure they will find a great deal of use for it.”

David Shuttler, from the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, hands over the ELK emergency lifting cushion to Ambulance Tasmania’s southern regional manager Andrew Porter.

100% Hobart Auction raising money for families in southern Tasmania and emotional and practical support.

Last year, the auction moved to an online bidding platform because of COVID-19.

After a successful auction, Hobart City Mission decided to continue with the online event, making it easy for people to register, bid and donate from a phone or computer.

Businesses from across Hobart and surrounding suburbs have generously donated items which can be bid for on 28 May.

The auction already includes big-ticket items such as vouchers for luxury accommodation, dining at some of Hobart’s best restaurants and family entertainment.

Local radio station 7HOFM will keep bidders updated throughout the day with all the details of the auction.

Hobart City Mission chief executive officer John Stubley said the 100% Hobart Auction was an exciting way for people to be involved in raising funds for people

struggling to put food on the table.

“By participating in the auction, you’re not only purchasing some amazing items and experience, you’re also making a real difference to people doing it tough in our community,” he said.

“Last year we had a great response, with people bidding very generously which was fantastic.

“We’d also like to say a very big thank you to all of the businesses who have already

donated an item to the auction and to 7HOFM for their support.

“There really is something for everyone in this year’s auction and we hope that lots of people join the fun.”

Registrations for bidding open on 14 May. To see a preview of all the auction items, visit https://app.galabid.com/ hobart/.

For more information on how to register, visit https://hobartcitymission.org.au/events/ or the Hobart City Mission Facebook page.

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HOBART City Mission and 7HOFM have partnered again to present the 100% Hobart Auction at the end of May (Friday 28 May).

The online auction will raise funds for Hobart City Mission’s Winter Appeal, providing support to those who are most vulnerable in the community.

The 100% Hobart Auction raises funds to support people who are experiencing hardship and homelessness through providing shelter, food, warm clothing,

Hobart Observer MAY 2021 9

Community News

Challenge encouraging students to read THE Premier’s Reading Challenge has officially kicked off for 2021, encouraging Tasmanian students to take up the challenge and read as often as possible during the 10 weeks.

The challenge is a great way to encourage children to read regularly and, in turn, set them up for the lifelong benefits that reading brings.

2021 marks Hawthorn Football Club’s fifth year of involvement in the challenge.

The Department of Education and Hawthorn are committed to helping students build the passion and skills they need for reading.

Hawthorn Football Club Tasmanian state manager David Cox said no matter what children aspire to do or be, reading and literacy skills would help get them there.

“Reading is one of those building blocks of life that’s so important in enabling children to realise their full potential,” he said.

“Hawthorn is proud to shoulder some of the responsibility, and opportunity, to encourage and excite kids to take up reading.

“We’ve been part of this community for 21 years, and we take our role as an organisation that can help improve young Tasmanians’ lives very seriously.”

All Tasmanian students from prep to grade six are encouraged to take part in the challenge, no matter what their reading level.

Parents are also encouraged to get involved, as helping your children choose books, reading to them and listening to them read are great ways to help

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From left, Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Colleen Reardon and Stacey Joseph, Connect 42 Just Moving On peer advisor Beck Jones, Connect 42 founder Rosie Martin, Tasmanian Community Fund’s Frank Barta, and Connect 42 project manager Penny Brewer.

Just Moving On gets moving CONNECT 42 has celebrated the official launch of ‘Just Moving On’, a through-care program to support people exiting prison to reconnect with family and build the literacy and life skills for education and employment.

Funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF) and Connect 42, Just Moving On will be delivered in partnership with the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to around 15 recently returned citizens.

Connect42 Founder and 2017 Tasmanian Australian of the Year Rosalie Martin said the program would support the recently returned citizens and up to 150 Tasmanians to develop pro-social skills in language, literacy and relationships – for themselves, their children and those others who they influence.

“Our aim is that by supporting the language and relationship skills to reconnect with community, we can support our participants to also take these skills into new and productive opportunities for employment,” she said.

“These are mums and dads who have asked us to teach them to read, they want to share books with their children.

“We want to give people the language that allows them to speak out, rather than act out, because everyone deserves a chance to change.”

Working in partnership with the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), the program will allow well-delivered throughcare which will reduce reoffending, support pro-social reintegration to community and deliver stronger, safer, more connected communities.

“With the TCF support, our TCCI partnership and the support of the Tasmania Prison Service, we have an opportunity to prevent crime and improve community safety and promote wellbeing,” Ms Martin said.

“This is about every Tasmanian having choice and a voice and being seen and supported regardless of their lived past or perceived future.”

TCCI chief operating officer Colleen Reardon said the program was a step in the right direction to keep people out of prison and support them into employment.

“TCCI is pleased to be a part of this program assisting participants transition to work, education and training,” she said.

“We look forward to working with our networks to remove barriers for people with criminal convictions allowing them to engage in mean-

ingful work and give back to their communities.

“We will be working with employers to support participants, we are keen to facilitate these relationships, change attitudes and create opportunities for work and training.”

TCF chair Sally Darke said the program fitted well with the strategic direction of the Fund, with community wellbeing and workforce engagement a central focus.

“The Fund has always transitioned to meet community needs and our board believe that Just Moving On is a fine example of a project that collaborates across organisations to meet the needs of our people.”

“This is a $400,000 investment in a model that we hope will support people exiting prison to remain part of our community.”

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your child to engage in reading.

All participating students receive a bookmark and go in the weekly draw to win a school visit from the Hawthorn Football Club mascot, Hawka.

Students who complete the challenge will be awarded a certificate from the Premier and will have the chance to win one of three $100 book prizes.

Participating schools will have a chance to win one of three $500 prizes to buy library books.

Home educators will also have a chance to win a $100 prize to buy books for their home library.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge runs from 26 April until 2 July.

For more information, visit www.premiersreadingchallenge.tas.gov.au.

10 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

A FINANCIAL MOMENT

ACCESSING SUPER* Damian Gibson Financial Adviser, Elevate Wealth Solutions

Date of Birth

SECOND to the family home, for most Australians their superannuation is their next biggest asset.

The Keating Government introduced superannuation to help Australians save for their retirement.

It is quite common as people’s participation in the workforce slows down or winds up completely, that they will want to access their superannuation to supplement their income.

As you get to that stage of your life, it is helpful to understand the rules around accessing your super.

To access your super benefit, you must satisfy a condition of release.

Here we will discuss the most common types of conditions.

BETWEEN PRESERVATION AGE AND 60 Preservation age is the earliest age where you can potentially access your super.

In order to access your super under this condition of release, you must not only meet your preservation age (table provided below), but retire from any employment arrangements and satisfy the fund trustee (super provider) that you do not intend to be gainfully employed for 10 hours or more in any week in the future.

Generally speaking, if you are accessing super benefits between preservation age and 60 there may be tax consequences depending on the withdrawal amount and how it’s withdrawn from the fund.

Preservation Age

Before 1 July 1960

55 years

1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961

56 years

1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962

57 years

1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963

58 years

1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964

59 years

After 30 June 1964

60 years

Meeting preservation age and starting a Transition to Retirement Pension (TTR) If you have met your preservation age, but intend to keep on working, you can access a portion of your super through a TTR which will generally pay you a regular income.

A TTR can be used to supplement income if you reduce your hours at work or can help you save money on tax while maintaining your current hours.

One of many important considerations with a TTR is that you are obligated to withdraw a minimum of four per cent of the balance, but no more than 10 per cent each financial year.

BETWEEN 60 AND 64 If you are between the age of 60 and 64 and have stopped working (regardless of how long for), you will generally have full access to your super benefit.

You also have the ability to go back to work and retain access to your super.

In most cases (depending on the nature of your super fund), the withdrawals from your super are tax free after the age of 60.

REACHING AGE 65 Once you reach age 65, regardless of employment status, the balance of your super becomes unrestricted non-preserved, meaning that the funds are no longer preserved, and you have the ability to access your super should you wish to do so.

Here we have only discussed aged based conditions of release.

It is important to note there are other conditions in which super can be legally released to a member, some of these include: Death Terminal illness Compassionate grounds Severe financial hardship Permanent incapacity Temporary incapacity There are strict rules around accessing your super and if accessed incorrectly penalties will generally apply.

Before accessing your superannuation, it is important you seek advice from a professional adviser regarding your situation.

There are many things to consider such as tax consequences, impact on Centrelink payments, the way you access your super, and longevity risk, to mention a few.

*Any advice in this publication is of a general nature only and has not been tailored to your personal circumstances. Please seek personal advice prior to acting on this information.

Living in a granny flat, caravan, mobile home or boat Hank Jongen General Manager Services Australia I’M often asked about how different living arrangements can impact your pension.

Let’s look at some of these different arrangements.

Granny flat interests If someone buys a bigger house for their children with the intention of living with them, builds a selfcontained unit on their children’s land, or gives their children a lump sum and lives in one of their bedrooms, we call this a ‘granny flat interest’.

Granny flat interests are created when you exchange assets, money

(or both) to live in someone’s property for the rest of your life.

How you create the interest will also determine if we consider you a homeowner for the purposes of your payment, and if we include the value of that interest in your assets test.

This may affect both your eligibility for the pension and how much pension you can get.

Granny flat interests can also have significant implications for your possible aged care needs and your estate.

I recommend you seek financial and legal advice before you create a granny flat interest.

Our free and confidential Financial Information Service can

also provide information on granny flat interests.

Just call 132 300 and say ‘Financial Information Service’ when prompted.

Living in a caravan, mobile home or on a boat If the home you own is a boat, a caravan, a relocatable or nonrelocatable home in a caravan park or lifestyle village and you pay site or mooring fees, you’re assessed differently to a person who owns the home and land.

That’s because you own your home, but not the land it’s on or the boat mooring.

In these cases, your boat, caravan, relocatable or non-relocatable home will be exempt from the

assets test and won’t affect your pension.

You may be eligible for rent assistance for your site or mooring fees.

If you own the land (up to two hectares) or mooring as well, it may also be exempt from the assets test and won’t affect your pension.

However, in this situation you won’t be eligible for rent assistance.

We assess retirement villages differently, so it’s important we know whether you live in a retirement village or in a caravan park or lifestyle village.

The best thing for you to do is get in touch with us through your normal payment line so we can help you.

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Hobart Observer MAY 2021 11

Community News

Hobart riders put foot to pedal for Ronald McDonald House

Riders from the Virtual Ride for Sick Kids.

VIRTUAL riders came out in force to raise more than $39,000 in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) VIC and TAS Virtual Rides for Sick Kids.

The event was the first ever Virtual Ride for Sick Kids and was held from Saturday 13 to Tuesday 23 March.

Members of the public pledged to ride between 50 to 200 kilometres across the 11 day self-paced challenge.

“We are proud to have launched our very first Virtual Ride for Sick Kids this year,” RMHC VIC and TAS chief executive officer Peter Bishop said.

“Seeing the significant

impact that COVID-19 had on our fundraising activity last year, the Virtual Ride allowed Tasmanians to continue to support RMHC in the comfort of their own homes and neighbourhoods.

“All funds raised will go towards supporting RMHC programs across Tasmania and Victoria, including Ronald McDonald Houses, Family Rooms and our Learning Program, so we can’t thank the community enough for their ongoing support and for helping us combine the crucial work that we do.”

Ronald McDonald House Hobart manager Chelsea Emery said the

Virtual Ride for Sick Kids was an important fundraiser to help support RMHC and its programs.

“The Ride for Sick Kids and now the Virtual Ride for Sick Kids are some of RMHC’s biggest fundraisers, and provide accommodation for families in our Ronald McDonald Houses across Tasmania and Victoria,” she said.

“The event supports us being able to provide the accommodation in the Hobart house, but it also helps us provide food, car parking and other programs that we offer here for those families in the hospital.”

Allison Jongbloed was one person who

participated in the ride, setting herself a goal to ride 50 kilometres and raise $500.

“I rode 69 kilometres and raised $531, which equates to three nights worth of accommodation for a family,” she said.

“I rode 45 kilometres in a day which is the longest ride I’ve ever done, but next year I want to go bigger and better.”

Ms Jongbloed said the Virtual Ride was a great opportunity to support RMHC. “Being part of these fundraisers really opens up your eyes about what the RMHC do,” she said.

“It’s really important to keep families together

when their kid is sick and if children have to travel from regional areas into the city to get their treatment then it’s lovely for them to have their parents and close family around them for support.”

Ronald McDonald Houses provide a home away from home for families, allowing them to stay close to their sick or injured child while they receive treatment in nearby hospitals.

“We’re accommodation with a heart, so we provide food and people to talk to – basically people are joining a community when they come and stay at the house,” Ms Emery said.

Entries open in the National Capital Art Prize ENTRIES have opened for the inaugural National Capital Art Prize which offers a prize pool of $45,000 across one of the broadest criteria ever offered in Australian art.

The National Capital Art Prize is making Australian art history as the only art competition to allow entrants to paint any vision, such as portrait, landscape or abstract, and use any medium including oil, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media, or pencil.

Artists can enter up to four different paintings in any combination of the four main categories, which include Open, First Nations Prize for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander artists, Landscape, and Student.

“The National Capital Art Prize is like a bright light at the end of a long tunnel as we artists emerge from COVID hibernation,” renowned artist David Hinchliffe said.

“Speaking to my fellow artists about the prize, I know there is genuine excitement in such a wide-ranging prize.

The best entries will be selected by judges as finalists for a further round of judging to decide the category winners.

The finalists’ work will be put on public display

and made available for sale.

Finalists will also have the chance to win the People’s Choice Award voted by the public.

National Capital Art Prize director and founder Bob Stephens said he was thrilled with the reaction to the awards.

“The level of support and interest we have received reflects the need Australia has had for a forum where paintings of any type can be viewed, studied, critiqued and sold – all through one competition,” he said.

“Australian artists have struggled for visibility over the last 12 months and these awards give them a platform for exposure and commercial opportunity.”

The 2021 National Capital Art Prize welcomes both established and emerging artists to submit pieces on any theme or genre.

Entry is open to citizens and permanent residents of Australia over 18 years of age.

Entries close on 1 July.

Finalists will be announced on 2 August and displayed in a public exhibition in Canberra from 18 September.

For more information or to submit an entry, visit www. nationalcapitalartprize. com.au.

Smart bus shelters competition attracts global response BUS shelters that entertain children, light up to let bus drivers know passengers are waiting, and offer translation services to improve accessibility are among a range of innovative ideas for the future of Hobart’s public transport network.

Voting has opened in the People’s Choice award for the City of Hobart’s Digital Bus Shelter Design Competition, for which entrants were asked to put forward their ideas for an interactive, digitally connected and environmentally friendly bus shelter.

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds unveiled a public display of competition entries at the City of Hobart’s customer service centre, while also announcing the five finalists.

“Bus shelters have been under done in Hobart for several years and it can have a really significant impact on how attractive it is for residents to use public transport,” Councillor Reynolds said.

“A shelter that’s accessible, comfortable and useful is so important for

bus patrons.

“That challenge has been taken up through this competition with some really practical and thoughtful solutions.

“There’s also a strong focus on sustainability, with many of the entries using locally sourced renewable timber or recycled plastic.

“Among the entries is a bus shelter that includes a play environment for children, a periscope to view the street from different angles, services for tourists, lights that show approaching bus drivers that someone is waiting

at the stop, shelters that interact with an app, and hi-tech safety features.

“Importantly, many of the designs also cater for diversity and people of all abilities, with features like spoken announcements, hearing loops, wheelchair access and smart translation services.”

The competition, launched in mid-2020, and attracted more than 120 innovators from across Australia, the USA, India, South America, Russia, Ukraine, Singapore, Hong Kong, Italy and France.

Councillor Reynolds said she was particularly pleased that Tasmanian designers had taken up the challenge.

“There were at least 13 entries from within Tasmania and it was interesting that they tended to focus on the weather more than other entries,” she said.

“The quality of the local entries was outstanding and came from both students and lecturers at UTAS, as well as professionals in a range of design and engineering related industries.”

Members of the public are now able to vote for their favourite design in a People’s Choice Award.

“We’re interested to see what the community thinks of these designs and how they might be incorporated into our public transport network,”

Councillor Reynolds said.

“This project is a chance for our city to become a world leader in smart public transport technology to help reduce traffic congestion as we move towards a zero-emissions future.”

The five finalists are…

The display at the customer service centre will remain open until 18 May. The People’s Choice Award and the overall winner will be announced on 31 May. For more information, visit hobartcity.com.au/ smarterhobartchallenge.

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12 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

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The Dog Grumbler I’M writing this from my hospital bed.

I couldn’t have managed it yesterday, nor the day before, but as I recover from surgery, I’m taking advantage of the opportunity to catch up on things.

Sleep is high on the list and I’m getting better at it all the time.

Breakfast in bed is definitely something I could get used to — especially a bed that turns into a recliner, and when someone asks “How are you today?” I can’t help feeling they are genuinely interested in my answers.

Nonetheless, as my recovery progresses, I miss home and I miss my dog.

She knows I’m in

here – she came with us when my wife brought me in for admission and she has waited in the car on subsequent visits.

She knows my back hurts because it has done so for as long as she has known me.

We have told her what’s happening and on some level she seems to understand.

I wish I could explain to her that the wait will

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be worth it.

My goal is longer walks — not having to stop every fifty metres or so when my legs no longer respond to my wishes.

The food here is fine.

I keep looking down for the dog as I near the end of each meal and she’s not there.

Should I ask a nurse for a doggy bag?

“Good morning, how are you today?”

“I miss my dog.”

“Oh, you have a dog?

What kind?”

The kind that opens her eyes when she wakes and immediately looks for me.

The kind that needs nothing in her life but me and any leftovers I scrape into her bowl.

The kind that goes wherever I go and waits wherever I tell her to wait.

The kind that loves me despite my

myriad failings, who understands me on a level nobody else comes close to, who will challenge the meanest intruder on my behalf.

“Toy poodle.”

“Really? You don’t look like a toy poodle guy.”

I used to say she belonged to my wife.

I’m a border collie guy, everybody knows that.

She’s so clever, and every time I Iook down, there she is — usually anyway.

At home I would be mowing the lawn, washing the car, fixing the kitchen tap — back and legs allowing.

For once I can sleep in and watch TV. But when I look down, she’s not there.

It’s not that I can’t get by without her – it’s the knowledge that she won’t be happy until I come home.

I guess we both need to be patient.

I am cheered by the fact that the operation seems to have worked.

Today I walked the length of the corridor unaided and although my back still aches, my legs are working perfectly.

As of now I’m in training and when we are together again, and the universe is back in balance, we are going to walk for miles.

Hobart Observer MAY 2021 13

Community News

HIKERS, DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR CALF STRENGTH Jo Cordell-Cooper* As a mad keen hiker, I am always looking forward to hiking somewhere.

Whether this is a daylong or multi-day hike, I have learned through experience, not to neglect calf strength.

Many times, I have seen hikers sitting on the side of a track stretching out their calves that have become tight and sore, threatening to tear.

When the calves are very tight our gait starts to change and we are more likely to have sore knees and hips, or perhaps roll an ankle.

If this sounds like you, it is good advice to stop and stretch, but ultimately wouldn’t it be better to head out with strong calves and avoid this problem altogether?

Our calves are the muscle at the rear of the lower leg, and they help

us get up hills.

Calves and the other muscles around the shins and ankles all work together to stabilise the ankles.

Let’s think about what the ankle does when we hike up hills – they push through our toes repeatedly.

Descent is the opposite.

Try these exercises three to four times a week in the lead up to any walk.

Your hikes will be so much more enjoyable if you are fit for it.

Here is a four-week calf strengthening program (added to your everyday walk or workout): Week one – straight knee calf raises Start with both feet on the ground near a wall to hold on to.

Raise your heels and go onto your toes as high as you can.

Ensure that you’re keeping your weight over all toes evenly and your knees straight.

Slowly lower back down to the ground.

Repeat until you feel it – for some this is 10-20 repetitions, for seasoned walkers it is more.

Please note you should feel this enough to ultimately get muscle growth, but do not overdo it either.

You should not end up overly sore.

Week two Once you can do 50 slow and steady calf raises add weight to a pack – five to seven kilograms is fine for day walkers (more for multi day walkers).

Repeat this same exercise every second day.

Week three Once you feel strong and confident doing this, try the straight knee calf raise with your feet on a step.

Raise onto your toes and then lower the heels below the step.

You should be near a wall or rail so you can hold on.

Week four Once you can lift and lower with control and confidence, add the weighted pack again.

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14 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

Community News

Memorial bench unveiled for loved ones A NEW memorial bench has been unveiled by The Compassionate Friends Hobart at Cornelian Bay Cemetery to commemorate the premature loss of a child or sibling.

The bench is one of three that has been set up

by The Compassionate Friends Hobart in Millingtons cemeteries across Hobart – the other two at the Kingston Cemetery and the East Risdon Cemetery.

Each bench has a plaque with contact details for the group and the words, “Loved beyond words, Missed beyond measure” engraved on it.

To raise funds, the group conducted a raffle and raised $1,810 in total, with there being a $200 donation from Palliative Care Tasmania.

About $900 went towards installing the benches and plaques, while the rest was donated towards The Compassionate Friends Victoria, the group which oversees the Hobart chapter and covers their back-office expenses.

The Compassionate Friends Hobart is a chapter of the worldwide movement of bereaved parents and siblings who support each other through the wrenching, premature loss of a child or sibling.

Together, members of the group find a way to cope with this new reality and rebuild their lives.

The Compassionate Friends Hobart group facilitator Maxine Barry lost her 24-year-old daughter Hannah to a car accident in 2002 and joined the group in Summer the same year.

She said the group has helped her connect with people who have had similar experiences.

Standing from left, Barbara Clarke, Peter Clarke, Don Hird, Rosemary Harwood, Lesley Crook, Ian Crook, Judy O’Brien and Helen Kosmeyer, and sitting from left, Maxine Barry and Margaret Suckling.

“Being in a group with other people and hearing their experiences was just so normalising,” she said.

“It reminds me that it’s a journey and I’m not in the same place that I was at the start where I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my living body.

“There’s no good way to lose a child, but we draw strength from the strengths others show in their sort of predicament.”

Ms Barry said she didn’t like the term moving on as it had the implication that you were going to go back to the way you used to be before your child died.

“We’ll never be the same people, we’ve had to find another way to live our lives that incorporates the loss – that’s always going to be with us until we die,” she said.

“Our grief is where we are closest to our child because it’s the most recent emotion we’ve had in relation to our child, and if they took the grief away, they would also be taking away the closeness and the love.

“We all have little ways of keeping them close with us, we’ll carry them with us, both psychologically and practically.”

For Ms Barry, she got a tattoo of the Celtic letter for ‘h’ on the 10year anniversary of her daughter’s death, due to Hannah’s proud Irish heritage.

Five years later, Ms Barry got another tattoo of a butterfly made out of Hannah’s drawings in the margin of her university work book along with a quote from one of Hannah’s poems – “We would give all of our long lives for two days of flight.”

If you need support, phone the 24/7 freecall helpline, staffed by bereaved parents, on 1300 064 068.

The Compassionate Friends Hobart group facilitator Maxine Barry with a picture of her daughter Hannah.

Hobart Observer MAY 2021 15

Sport

Hobart Out Tennis members at a recent tournament.

Winter tournament an ace for LGBTQIA+ community THE only Tasmanian tennis club dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies is getting their serve ready for a Winter doubles tournament in early June.

Hobart Out Tennis (HOT) was established in 2016 for the purposes of holding a once-a-year tournament within the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA) World Tour.

Some LGBTQIA+ tennis enthusiasts formed a committee to help run the first HOT Tournament in 2017, with it being a huge success and now being held every year.

“We have hosted play-

ers from the UK, USA, Indonesia, Germany, France and New Zealand, as well as locals from Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Northern Territory and Queensland who have all flown in to enjoy a fabulous weekend of tennis and socialising alongside Tasmanian players,” HOT secretary Siyan Baxter said.

“In 2021, we celebrated our fifth GLTA Tournament over the weekend of Friday 15 to Sunday 17 January, with the next HOT GLTA Tournament being in January 2022.”

Alongside this tournament, the HOT committee applied for a grant

with the Mental Health Council of Tasmania to host its first HOT Winter Tournament, which will be held on Saturday 5 June at the Domain Tennis Centre.

The tournament will be a doubles competition that uses a structured draw (Compass Draw) that maximises play and socialisation.

HOT is seeking players to participate, with supporters welcome.

Players must be 18 years and over to register.

Lunch will be provided, coffee vans will be on hand in the morning, and fun events will be held throughout the day such

as giveaways, tennis trivia, wellbeing information and group warmup and cool down sessions.

A social players party will be held in the clubhouse in the evening after the trophy presentation.

Dr Baxter said the aim of the tournament was to promote healthy activity, socialisation, outreach and mental wellness support.

“The committee is dedicated to facilitating LGBTQIA+ community engagement through tennis and promoting inclusion to create a positive sense of community belonging,” she said.

“We aim to provide a safe and inclusive space

where everyone can be themselves while enjoying a fun game of tennis, whether socially or competitively.

“We are proudly partnered with Working It Out who will assist in providing psychological support and preventative mental health information for the LGBTQIA+ members and their supporters who attend the event.

“Participants are asked to wear a clothes item that makes them feel happy in line with the tournament objectives – this will bring more fun and enjoyment to support mental wellness this winter.”

Cost to enter the tournament is $20 per player and you don’t need a doubles partner to enter – you can register as an individual and you will be matched up for the day.

This grant program is supported by Primary Health Tasmania under the Australian Government’s primary health networks program.

HOT holds social tennis events around Tasmania, including weekly socials every Tuesday at the Domain Tennis Centre from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, coaching on Mondays for members, monthly dinners, and pop-up socials.

The club also does

social roadshows, having recently travelled to Hamilton and in the process of planning trips to Campbell Town and Kettering.

HOT is affiliated with Tennis Tasmania and abides by Tennis Australia national polices.

For more information, visit https://play.tennis. com.au/hobartouttennisclub or the Hobart Out Tennis Facebook page, or email hobartouttennis@ gmail.com.

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OBSERVER SPORT 16 Hobart Observer MAY 2021

From left, Southern Tasmania Netball Association president Glynis Devereux, Cripps Waratah player Melanie Bremner, New Town Bucks senior player Mitch Owen, Liberal candidate for Clark Will Coats, Buckingham Bowls Club president Patricia Zapotocky, Liberal candidate for Clark Madeleine Ogilvie, New Town Sports Precinct chair Peter DiVenuto, Liberal Member for Clark Elise Archer, Buckingham Bowls Club vice president Noel Sargent, Liberal candidate for Clark Simon Behrakis, New Town Bucks senior player Emily Mifsud, and Cripps Waratah player Amity Jakubiszyn.

Investing in the future of sport THE new Liberal Government will invest $1 million into stage one of the New Town Sports Precinct Masterplan redevelopment.

This investment will enable the conversion of a bowls green into two additional floodlit netball

courts.

It will also provide for new secure fencing, synthetic grass and sun protection for bowls players.

With participation on the rise across several sporting and recreation activities,

this redevelopment is designed to meet future demand in the community, newly elected Member for Clark Elise Archer said.

“This sporting precinct is one of the most popular and heavily used sports facilities in Hobart,

with more than 300,000 people utilising it each year,” she said.

“It is the home base for several clubs and organisations, including the New Town District Cricket Club, North Hobart Junior Football Club, St Virgil’s Old

Scholars Football Club and the Hobart Athletics Club.

“The total cost of the Masterplan redevelopment is an estimated $20 million and will provide a new clubroom & function centre, a state of the

art indoor and outdoor training facility for cricket, a gymnasium, new change room facilities, improved playing surface, additional indoor netball courts, and a new reception and car park facility for the whole precinct.

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“It will service the precinct for the next generation.

“Our $1 million commitment for stage one of the project will enable the commencement of the redevelopment and make it shovel ready.”