Cosco will not cut speeds of entire fleet

Keith Wallis, Hong Kong - Thursday 19 June 2008

Cosco Container Lines has cut the speeds of its entire box fleet by 10%.
CHINA Ocean Shipping Co, China’s largest shipping company, has ruled out plans to launch a fleet-wide speed-reduction programme following the introduction of a similar initiative at its liner fleet. Cosco safety and technology director Chen Zhengjie confirmed to Lloyd’s List today that Cosco Container Lines has cut the speed of its entire box fleet by 10%. This includes ships operated through both the CYKH Alliance and its own services. But he said the scheme would not be extended to Cosco’s remaining fleet, which includes bulkers, tankers, heavy lift, general cargo, car carriers and specialist vessels. This is thought to be because these ships already operate at slower speeds of around 10 knots-13 knots, compared with boxships which average 22 knots-25 knots. He said the box ship fleet also used a higher percentage of bunkers, consuming about 65% of Cosco’s total bunker needs. Pointing to the success of the speed reduction scheme, Mr Chen said that Cosco saved nearly 30,000 tonnes of fuel in March. This comes as Coscon adds Prince Rupert in British Columbia to its North China-US southwest coast express (CEN) service with the Cosco Hong Kong, which will leave Dalian tomorrow. The new port rotation will be Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Prince Rupert, Long Beach, Oakland, Yokohama and Shanghai. Coscon also plans to increase the size of its five boxships operated on the route from 5,400 teu-7,500 teu. At a presentation earlier this week, China’s transport ministry said Coscon, together with 19 other ports, shipping and logistics companies, were “exemplary” in their fuel saving initiatives. This comes as the ministry has set fuel saving goals for China’s entire maritime industry. Vice-minister of transport Gao Hongfeng said: "By 2010, we aim to reduce fuel consumption for trucks and ports by 5% and for ocean-going ships by 11%, based on 2005 figures.” The Shenzhen ports of Shekou, Chiwan, Yantian and Da Chan Bay have already launched campaigns to convert or replace rubber-tyred gantry cranes and other port equipment from diesel to electric power to improve operating efficiencies and air emissions. Mr Gao said the cuts would be “significant” for an industry that was responsible for 31.5% of China’s oil consumption in 2006. The cuts are also part of a country-wide campaign to cut energy consumption while shifting to greater renewable energy use.

Various strikes may cause delays

Please kindly see below message from our Greek agent.

Just need to let you and your export colleagues/staffs know there will be slowing down for vessel to reach Piraeus; due to long delays and long unstuffing time; which will cause high storages; which either C’nee or Shipper to bear.

Antwerp, Belgium

This week, civil servants in Belgium have announced strikes. Each day another province willbe blocked. Till now, we have not faced serious problems, however things may change in theupcoming days. Soft actions, like blocking locks, tugboats, pilotage and impact on vessels,trains, customs and veterinary inspections are expected for the next week. Hard actionsmight follow, whereby traffic to and from Antwerp will be pratically impossible.
BrazilWe have received the following message from our agents in Brazil: Please be advised thatBrazilian customs announced today that all their employees will be on strike as from today,with no forecast to resume work. Please keep your clients advised that delays might occurwith customs clearance and all other processes in which we depend on custom employees.
Nhava Sheva, IndiaOur agents in India have informed us about the strike by the Shipping Agents Association atNhava Sheva, which started on March 17th and is still going on. Please note that also thisstrike can cause delays in operations. There is no forecast on when work will be resumed.

Pireaus + Thessaloniki, Greece

We would like to remind you about the ongoing strikes in the Greek ports as well. For monthsalready, port staffs are working irregular shifts. Currently both ports are operational duringthe morning shifts, but even with less movements. Right now, vessel discharging delay isbetween 10 and 20 days. The current situation remains the same till at least the end ofMarch.

We trust to have informed you sufficiently.

Container shipping industry helps “kick the CO2 habit” on World Environment Day

03 June 2008
Global container shipping lines are taking the opportunity of World Environment Day, held every year on June 5, to emphasise their commitment to environmental protection and reducing their impact on the environment.
Speaking through the new industry organisation, the Container Shipping Information Service (CSIS), container shipping lines have asserted that, despite carrying most of the world’s manufactured goods and products, the industry is making great strides in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions.
According to Philip Chow, CEO of OOCL and acting as CSIS spokesman, the container shipping industry is not resting on its laurels with regards to environmental care and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. “CSIS fully supports World Environment Day and we hope that it will help to stimulate public awareness of environmental issues,” said Mr Chow.
Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy. The aim is to highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and lifestyles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, conservation and eco-friendly consumption.
As part of World Environment Day, the UNEP has listed “Twelve steps to help you kick the CO2 habit” to encourage lower carbon emissions. CSIS members are following these steps by providing innovative solutions to preventing harmful emissions and protecting the environment. These solutions have resulted in modern container ships emitting only 25% of carbon dioxide (CO2) that a container ship did in the 1970s – while carrying up to ten times as many containers.
The 12 steps include:
1. Make a commitment The container shipping industry as a whole has made a commitment to lowering its emissions and contributing to environmental protection.
“Container shipping is the most environmentally sound way to transport large volumes of goods across the world. However, we realise that it is a very large industry and inevitably has an effect on the environment,” said Mr. Philip Chow, CEO of OOCL. “In today’s world, every business in every industry must proactively work to reduce harmful emissions. The container shipping industry recognises the need to encourage sustainable economic development through innovative and voluntary measures.”
2. Assess where you stand According to UNEP, knowing where and how you generate greenhouse gases is the first step to reducing them. The container shipping industry uses carbon calculators to calculate its emissions, as well as sophisticated technology, voluntary environmental management guidelines and metrics to help evaluate and improve the performance of freight transport. Many CSIS members are part of the Clean Cargo Working Group, which subscribes to Business for Social Responsibility guidelines to create a more just and sustainable global economy,
3. Decide and plan where you want to go UNEP advocates developing a strategy and action plan to reduce energy by setting targets and benchmarks. CSIS members have set focused goals and targets to reduce energy consumption, making improvements in fuel filtering and setting optimum travelling speeds to reduce emissions.
4. De-carbon your life Everything an individual, organisation, business or government does or uses embodies some form of carbon, either in products themselves or in the energy and materials it takes to make them. The container shipping industry has developed better ship handling techniques, waste heat recovery and reductions in onboard power usage to reduce its overall emissions.
5. Get energy efficient Improving the efficiency of our vessels is the fastest and most effective way to save money, energy and carbon emissions. A new generation of container ships have been built with more efficient main engines, optimal hull designs and the latest propeller technology to improve fuel efficiency, and container shipping lines take steps to ensure that their ships travel at the optimum speed for efficient fuel consumption. In addition, new paint that keeps hulls free of barnacles and other sea life offers apparent energy efficiencies, and improved weather prediction technology and routing systems help to avoid adverse weather and make the journey times more efficient.
6. Switch to low carbon energy UNEP advises switching to energy sources that emit less carbon and can reduce costs and emissions. CSIS members are keeping a close watch on the emerging biofuels industry and will examine any possibilities of using these alternative sources in the future.
7. Invest in offsets and cleaner alternatives Investing in carbon offsets or carbon credits can help a company become carbon neutral, which means “neutralising” emissions through supporting carbon savings elsewhere. CSIS members are exploring opportunities for offsetting emissions, such as emissions trading and conservation projects in places like South America and Australia.
8. Get efficient “Reduce, re-use and recycle”. CSIS members are committed to controlling waste management on board vessels, as well as in offices around the world. One example is to eliminate the use of fax in our offices on land and a greater use of e-commerce in the industry.
9. Offer – or buy – low carbon products and services From energy efficient products to new renewable energy systems, the market for climate friendly products and services is growing rapidly. The container shipping industry is starting to offer environmentally friendly methods for shippers to move their goods, such as the use of sustainable materials like bamboo as floorboards in containers. Modern reefer (refrigerated) containers are CFC-free, and a new generation of refrigerated containers achieve energy savings of up to 50% due to variable temperature control software.
10. Buy green, sell green Growing numbers of consumers are willing to buy green products and services, if given the choice. CSIS environmental initiatives are not only focussed on the container ship aspects of the industry - they extend into every corner of the business including the use of short-sea, river barge or block rail train services in preference, where possible, to using road transport
11. Team up Although CSIS member lines are competitors, many of them work with the Clean Cargo Working Group and are full members of the World Shipping Council, as well as complying with regulations set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which regulates marine fuel sulphur content.
12. Talk The increasing importance of climate change means that companies and organisations need to communicate better, and transparency is critical. Many CSIS members have published their environmental efforts online and CSIS has been established to communicate more widely about the container shipping industry, including the steps it is taking to reduce its environmental impact.
Initiatives which are in line with the spirit of World Environment Day are practiced by CSIS members every day at sea on their vessels, on land with their road and rail intermodal operations, and in their offices throughout the world.
CSIS members are committed to maintaining momentum in enhancing their environmental performance.

The state's beekeepers are sceptical

The state's beekeepers are sceptical about whether the recommendations of a new Commonwealth report will be adopted in Tasmania.
A Federal Parliamentary committee has been investigating the challenges facing the honey bee industry in Australia.
One of its 25 recommendations is that beekeepers be allowed access to protected forest areas to enlarge the area available to them.
Bob Davey from the Tasmanian Save Your Leatherwood Honey Association says it is a great idea but he doubts it will happen.
"The report talked about access to heritage and protected reserve areas to enlarge the resource space that would be available to beekeepers," Mr Davey said.
"So that would be a brilliant result. But in Tasmania where there's been a big effort and fight to have the world heritage areas and reserves created I think it will be a quite a while before there's a change in culture," he said.

The Tasmanian Government's ban on genetically modified crops is set to continue

The Tasmanian Government's ban on genetically modified crops is set to continue while a parliamentary committee reviews the policy.
The Joint House Select Committee has been given an extension for its investigations into whether Tasmania's moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMO) should continue.
The committee's chair, David Llewellyn says a two month extension is necessary because recommendations have not been finalised due to the complexity of the issue.
Local organic farmers claim genetic technology poses too many dangers.

Good winter crop expected

June 17, 2008 10:20am
Article from: AAP
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THE nation's commodity forecaster has expressed optimism about the winter grain crop.
"Although substantial areas have been dry sown, the recent rainfall across eastern states has provided the moisture to assist growers to complete intended cropping programs,'' Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Research Economics (ABARE) acting executive director Karen Schneider said.
The bureau says the area sown to winter crops is up nine per cent to 22.3m ha.
"Assuming an improvement in yields, winter crop production is forecast to be around 37 million tonnes in 2008/09, 15 million tonnes above the drought-affected harvest of the previous year,'' the bureau said.
Wheat sowing has risen by 13 per cent to a fresh record of 14m ha and the wheat harvest is predicted to be 23.7 million tonnes, more than 10 million tonnes up on last year's 13 million tonne harvest.
There is plenty more good news for the struggling sector with the bureau also predicting strong barley and canola harvests.
"Production of barley is forecast to increase to around 8 million tonnes and canola to around 1.7 million tonnes,'' the bureau said.
The summer crop prediction is also significantly higher.
"Total summer crop production in 2007-08 is estimated at 3.5 million tonnes, nearly 60 per cent above the 2006-07 drought-affected harvest.''

Quality and quantity in 2008 bumper vintage

By LORETTA JOHNSTON

TASMANIAN wine growers have been predicting a bumper 2008 vintage for some months but the amount of fruit harvested around the State has surpassed expectations.
Final figures are not yet available but Wine Industry Tasmania executive officer Stuart Nettlefold said estimates were at 10,000 tonnes, which is up 48 per cent on the previous record vintage of 6769 tonnes in 2004.
Tasmania's 2008 vintage has not only delivered in terms of volume, Mr Nettlefold said he was also impressed with the quality.
"Good growing conditions have been a big part of the bumper vintage but there are also some new vineyards or crops coming on that are starting to crop," he said.
Wine-making manager at Relbia's Josef Chromy Wines, Jeremy Dineen, said 900 tonnes of fruit were harvested at the vineyard, exceeding the 730 tonnes he predicted before the harvest began.
"We had almost ideal growing conditions; it was relatively dry, warm and sunny," he said.
While Tasmanian wine producers benefited from warmer temperatures, some mainland producers were not so fortunate.
Heat waves, drought and unstable water supplies all contributed to some of the country's warmer climate wine producers harvesting lower quality fruit.
Like many vineyards, Josef Chromy Wines sells fruit to other wineries, both in Tasmania and interstate.
Mr Dineen said Tasmania could only benefit from the lower quality vintage of some interstate vineyards combined with the State's high quality, high volume vintage.

Spiralling prices hook into fishing industry

By HOLLY RANSON

TASMANIAN fishermen are struggling to cope with fuel bills that have risen by about 60 per cent in the past 12 months. Commercial fishermen are worried as their profit margins are being hit, while recreational fishermen say they now have to weigh up whether the boating experience is worth it.
Tasmanian Fishing Industry Council chief executive Neil Stump is the latest industry leader to speak out about the impact of spiralling fuel costs.
He said all operators were feeling the bite, "particularly (fishermen) in the abalone industry who operate planing hull boats to bring live product back".
"It's really hitting some of the Commonwealth-managed fisheries like the trawl fishery and the northern prawn fishery hard, because they're bigger boats and they use a lot of fuel."
Mr Stump said diesel had jumped from just over $1 a litre to almost $1.90 in a year, cutting profits and forcing fishermen to look closely at their businesses.
"People are going to have to really look at how they operate, what sort of vessels they operate and how they operate them," he said.
"They're not getting a real increase in income but they've got a significant increase in input costs.
"If we look at our two key fisheries, rock lobster and abalone, we haven't had a real increase in (product) price for eight or nine years. In fact for abalone, the price has actually gone backwards slightly. Abalone fishermen were getting $45 a kilo, now it's about $40 a kilo.

Saul Eslake’s assessment of the State Budget

Saul Eslake Chief Economist ANZ
Assessment of the 2008-09 Tasmanian State Budget delivered by Treasurer Michael Aird on Thursday, last week.
Download: 2008-09_Budget_Report.pdf

Subsidy lure for rail

MICHAEL STEDMAN
June 14, 2008 12:00am
TASMANIAN companies have already begun sniffing around Pacific National's state operations but they are unlikely to be sold without significant cash subsidies from the State Government.
TasPorts yesterday flagged its interest in operating all or part of the rail network, following Thursday's shock announcement that PN's parent company, Asciano, was offloading its Tasmanian operations.
"We are the biggest infrastructure provider and operator in the state so it is a natural consideration that TasPorts be involved in some way," TasPorts business development manager Charles Scarafiotti said.
He said there were obvious synergies with the yet-to-be-built Brighton Transport Hub, which TasPorts would manage.
Another major Tasmanian player, Chas Kelly, also confirmed his interest in the network.
"Rail is a very difficult business to run and the only way we would be interested is if it is economically viable and that may mean Government subsidies," Mr Kelly said.
He believed the 2.8 million tonnes of rail freight carried each year could be safely carried by road.
The State Government is committed to paying $4 million a year to maintain the rail network under the 10-year Rail Management and Maintenance Deed.
That same agreement locked PN into investing $38 million in new locomotives and rolling stock.
It appears the Government will have to be prepared to adjust the deed, or even boost subsidies, in order to make the rail network attractive to prospective buyers.
"I don't think anyone would want to put a noose around their neck unnecessarily," Mr Kelly said.
The Mercury understands failed negotiations to alter the deed sealed Asciano's decision to pull out of the state as early as three months ago.
Asciano wanted the Government to take responsibility for all maintenance, including rolling stock, while also providing new subsidies to make certain routes profitable.
Asciano spokeswoman Marie Festa confirmed yesterday the Government was notified more than a month ago that the company was leaving the state.
Infrastructure Minister Graeme Sturges said he had no knowledge of negotiations between PN and the Government before he became minister three weeks ago.
And he would not be drawn on whether the Government would be prepared to pay subsidies to a new buyer.
Other companies believed to be interested in PN -- at the right price -- include Queensland Rail, Victorian based El Zorro, Independent Rail of Australia and US-based short-line experts Genesee & Wyoming. Macquarie Bank may also be prepared to invest in the network.

Concerns about Tasmania's rail infrastructure

Concerns about Tasmania's rail infrastructure continue to overshadow the State Government's efforts to sell its budget.
Government ministers spent yesterday selling the budget at a series of community forums across the state.
The Greens are blaming continued derailments for last week's decision by rail operator Pacific National to pull out of the state.
The party's questioning why 25,000 sleepers are lying unused in a Derwent Park yard.
The Greens' Tim Morris says they're proof the Government is neglecting rail infrastructure.
"They're completely out to lunch when it comes to dealing with rail," he said.
But Infrastructure Minister Graeme Sturges says these things take time.
"This is another phase of the maintenance program," he said.
Mr Sturges says the Government expects to have improved infrastructure in place within the next two years.

Slow ships

Report: Kathy Cogo
Forget the slow food movement, we're now seeing a slow shipping movement. In the name of saving fuel, ships around the world are steaming at slower knots.Teresa Hatch from the Australian Shipowners' Association says ships can go through $16,000 of fuel a day."It's happening world wide but that includes ships that call at Australia so certainly some of the lines that call here and make port calls at Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle, they would be on a slow steaming schedule. So we're part of that world wide picture, it's happening everywhere."The result of doing this however is that companies have to add another ship to their fleet to fill schedules. Of course it's not practical for all ships to slow down, the dry bulk trade needs to queue at the port to get into a berth.The shipping sector is also facing another pressure, an environmental one.In future it will have to use low sulphur emitting fuels. But that might not be as easy as it seems because the infrastructure to make the fuel isn't available."The International Maritime organisation is the global regulatory regime for shipping, and they have more or less agreed, it just needs a rubber stamp come October, that from 2012 all ships will start burning low sulphur fuels and that will mean a shift from effectively the sludge that we burn now to more like a marine diesel oil with a very low sulphur content", Ms Teresa Hatch said.But they need the refinery industry to build the manufacturing plants to supply the fuel. Ms Hatch says the refinery industry doesn't have enough welders to get the job done.
In this report: Teresa Hatch, maritime operations, Australian Shipowners Association

Job slump and price hikes fuel stagflation fear

David Uren and Lenore Taylor June 13, 2008
THE longest run of sustained employment growth in more than three decades has come to an end with the loss of 20,000 jobs last month.
Raising the spectre of a repeat of the "stagflation", a combination of high inflation and low growth that occurred in the 1970s, the fall in jobs was accompanied by the release of a survey showing that consumers expected prices would soar by an average of 5.9 per cent over the next year.
The Melbourne Institute survey, sponsored by the Reserve Bank, shows that only 8 per cent of consumers believe the bank will succeed in getting inflation back into its target 2 to 3 per cent band in that time.
The fall in the number of jobs surprised financial markets and sent the value of the Australian dollar tumbling from US94.6c to US93.7c.
Futures markets, which on Wednesday were confidently forecasting another two rate rises by the end of the year, now expect there will only be one.
The unemployment rate remained steady at 4.3 per cent only because the fall in jobs was matched by the number of people deciding it was no longer worth looking for work.
Acting Treasurer Lindsay Tanner said there was no room for complacency in the Government's "war" against inflation despite some signs of a slowing economy, including lower employment, a slump in consumer sentiment, lower levels of lending and slower retail sales.
"The economy is running at close to full capacity and the terms of trade continue to improve, largely because of the effect of higher commodity prices, and the global pressure from food and energy prices continues, so it is absolutely critical for us to keep government spending under control," Mr Tanner said.
Economists who, like financial markets, were taken by surprise by the drop in employment, cautioned that, as a result of the Government's anti-inflationary budget cuts, the Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force survey had become less reliable.
The job losses were almost entirely caused by a reduction in the employment of women, and were concentrated in NSW.
This suggests it might bounce back next month.
However, the fall is consistent with weaker business confidence, and declining consumer demand.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's director of industry policy, Greg Evans, said the labour force figures confirmed the slowing of the domestic economy and the effect of both official and unofficial interest increases.
"This should give the Reserve Bank further confirmation that it is on track in dealing with inflation," he said. However, the blowout in inflationary expectations is likely to rattle the Reserve Bank.
The minutes of the last bank board meeting said the prospect of inflation remaining above 4 per cent throughout this year "carried the risk that expectations of high ongoing inflation could develop, which could in turn affect price- and wage-setting behaviour".
Economists said that although it was possible that high inflation and low growth could persist, it was unlikely that either Australia or the world economy would repeat the experience of the 1970s, when both unemployment and inflation soared.
Access Economics director Chris Richardson said that in the 1970s, the "misery index" compiled by combining unemployment and inflation rates reached 20 per cent.
Today, with both inflation and unemployment at about 4 per cent, it was less than half that rate.
"Things may not be as good as they were, but they are a long way from the 70s," Mr Richardson said.

Tasmania to lead the way on organic trading

By Cameron Wilson
Wednesday, 11/06/2008
Tasmania is embarking on a national first.A Hobart based Tafe course in organic farming is about to start, and when it does it will be the first industry specific qualification in Australia.Mark Geeves from Tafe Tasmania says its a response to growth in the industry."I think it's probably because there's so much more interest in organics. "There's lots of stuff coming out now about GM crops and food additives so people become very passionate about eating properly and eating clean food and I think that's where it grows from."
In this report: Mark Geeves, Tafe Tasmania

Oil analyst says no manipulation in energy markets

Report: Catherine Clifford
An energy economist who's watched oil markets for 30 years is predicting the oil price will fall by Christmas.Overnight, the US Congress tried to blame speculators for pushing up the price, after it rose another $5 to $136 US a barrel.Commercial stockpiles of crude in the US have also fallen by nearly five million barrels in the past week.But Deutsche Bank's Adam Sieminski denies there's manipulation in the energy markets."If we go out to the period, let's say, to 2015, which is only seven years away, we might see demand approaching 100 million barrels a day, with the possibility that supplies could be fixed at 95 million barrels a day," he says."And if you've got a five million barrel a day discrepancy in the oil markets that means prices have to move higher."
In this report: Adam Sieminski, energy economist, Deutsche Bank, New York

Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement

Report: Catherine Clifford
As Prime Minister Kevin Rudd goes into meetings today with his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo, an international relations expert says Australia and Japan will struggle to achieve a Free Trade Agreement.Japan is insisting agriculture be locked out of any deal.Professor Leszek Buszinski from the International University of Japan, says there are strong historic, cultural and economic reasons behind Japan's push."For cultural reasons there is a belief among the Japanese that rice production has to be protected, that Japanese rice is different from any other rice," he said.Professor Buszinski said the Japanese market is very protected, but over time that will change.He is advising Australian negotiators to use China as a trump card."The only way of dealing with the Japanese in this situation is to let them know that there are alternatives, and China is an alternative. If they don't agree or are unwilling to negotiate a free trade agreement with Australia then Australia may turn to china and that I think would jog them along a little."
In this report: Leszek Buszinski ,professor of international relations, International University of Japan

ALDI’s National Pricing Would Deliver Big Savings in Tasmania

Leigh Gray
“With ALDI Tasmanians would no longer be ripped off compared to the mainland on most items and this could easily save hundreds of dollars a year.
Battling Tasmanians are struggling with the increasing cost of living especially the rise in grocery prices and our State needs more competition in the supermarket sector to provide some price relief.”

Media Release
Leigh Gray - Brighton Councillor
Tuesday June 10 2008

ALDI’S NATIONAL PRICING WOULD DELIVER BIG SAVINGS IN TASMANIA
Brighton Councillor Leigh Gray said today that ALDI supermarkets’ policy of national pricing on most items could save battling Tasmanians hundreds of dollars each year on their grocery bills.
“Everyone knows that many grocery items cost more in Tasmania than on the mainland, but if we can get ALDI supermarkets into Tasmania then local shoppers would pay the same price as mainlanders,” Councillor Gray said.
And:
Media Release
Leigh Gray
Brighton Councillor
Wednesday June 11 2008
GRAY TO TABLE COUNCIL MOTION TO GET ALDI SUPERMARKETS TO TAS.
Brighton Councillor Leigh Gray said today he will table a motion at next week’s Brighton Council meeting as the next step in his campaign to lure the ALDI supermarket chain to Tasmania.
“The motion that I will table at next Tuesday’s meeting will request the Brighton Council indicate its in principle support to get ALDI to set up in Tasmania and that it write to ALDI to express this sentiment,” Brighton Councillor Leigh Gray said.
“I am continuing to have people contact me to indicate their support for my campaign to get ALDI to our State and I would hope that the Brighton Council would give consideration to this motion in light of the effect that rising grocery prices are having on Tasmanians particularly those in the Brighton municipality.
“Battling Tasmanians are struggling with the increasing cost of living especially the rise in grocery prices and our State needs more competition in the supermarket sector to provide some price relief.
“The ALDI supermarket chain is a discount retailer that has around 167 stores in Australia in NSW, ACT, Queensland and Victoria but has not yet entered the Tasmanian market.
“Given the number of ALDI stores elsewhere in Australia there should be no reason why they could not set up in Tasmania.
Councillor Gray said he had already received significant support for getting ALDI into Tasmania including indications from State Opposition Leader Will Hodgman who has supported the campaign for greater competition and lower grocery prices in Tasmania.
Other actions taken by Mr Gray to date include:
· writing to Premier Bartlett asking him to explain what the State Government has done to date to get ALDI to Tasmania and requesting it be more proactive on this important issue.
· having discussions with representatives of ALDI; and
· writing to ALDI inviting the company to give greater consideration to Tasmania.
“ALDI’s national pricing policy means that no matter where their stores are, on most items, you pay the same price.
“This compares to Tasmania where supermarket catalogues from the same supermarket can often charge different prices in different areas in this State let alone with supermarkets on the mainland.
“With ALDI Tasmanians would no longer be ripped off compared to the mainland on most items and this could easily save hundreds of dollars a year.
“Battling Tasmanians are struggling with the increasing cost of living especially the rise in grocery prices and our State needs more competition in the supermarket sector to provide some price relief.
“The ALDI supermarket chain is a discount retailer that has around 167 stores in Australia in NSW, ACT, Queensland and Victoria but has not yet entered the Tasmanian market. Given the number of ALDI stores elsewhere in Australia there should be no reason why they could not set up in Tasmania.
Councillor Gray said he had already received significant support for getting ALDI into Tasmania including indications from State Opposition Leader Will Hodgman who has supported the campaign for greater competition and lower grocery prices in Tasmania.
Actions taken by Mr Gray in his campaign to ALDI to Tasmania to date include:
· writing to Premier Bartlett asking him to explain what the State Government has done to date to get ALDI to Tasmania and requesting it be more proactive on this important issue;
· having discussions with representatives of ALDI; and
· writing to ALDI inviting the company to give greater consideration to Tasmania.

Report aims to put quarantine on right track

From the Australian

Patrick Walters and Tony Arrold June 13, 2008
AUSTRALIA'S quarantine regime faces a major overhaul - and a senior public servant has stood aside - in the wake of a damning report into the horse flu outbreak last year that cost the nation's equestrian industry up to $1billion.
Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said yesterday the report by retired High Court judge Ian Callinan QC raised serious questions about the operations of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and Australia's broader biosecurity regime.
Stephen Hunter, the executive director of AQIS and a deputy secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has stood aside from his AQIS job in the wake of the report.
The report into the equine influenza outbreak has been referred to the Public Service Commissioner to determine if any disciplinary action isrequired against bureaucrats involved in administering Australia's quarantine regime.
But Mr Burke said he retained full confidence in the head of the Agriculture Department, Conall O'Connell.
"I have no doubt ... the Public Service Commissioner will be able to make recommendations and Dr O'Connell will make decisions of his own. Staffing decisions will be made by the department. There won't be ministerial interference in that," he said.
Mr Burke said the Government had accepted all 38 of the recommendations made by Mr Callinan, including the appointment of an Inspector-General of Horse Importation, to audit horse quarantine facilities for horses exported to Australia. With the EI outbreak costing the industry an estimated $1billion, racing figures yesterday said the report confirmed widely held suspicions about the failings of the quarantine system.
Bart Cummings, Australia's most celebrated racehorse trainer, said he dearly hoped the outbreak turned out to be a "one-off".
"We're told (by the report) that there was negligence at Eastern Creek (quarantine facility) and a breakdown of protocols. They've got to get that all right now. I don't want to see it again." Along with fellow trainers at Sydney's Randwick racecourse, Cummings is still counting the costs of the three-month ban on Sydney racing caused last year by the nation's first crisis with the exotic disease. In his report, Mr Callinan found the equine influenza virus almost certainly entered Australia for the first time ever in August last year following the arrival of a consignment of four horses from Japan at the Eastern Creek quarantine station in western Sydney. Mr Callinan found the "most likely explanation" for the equine flu virus's escape from infected horses at Eastern Creek was by means of "a contaminated person or equipment leaving the quarantine station". Within a fortnight the virus spread across NSW and Queensland, shutting down the racing industry in the two states until December 1. It also led to an abrupt cancellation in a host of equestrian events in NSW and Queensland, including vital Olympic Games training. Mr Burke said the report showed AQIS lacked clear lines of communication and was a "maze of bureaucratic confusion", wracked by inertia. AQIS was a "place of ignorance, misunderstandings, misconceptions about fundamental matters". The Eastern Creek facility - the largest government-owned animal quarantine station in Australia - was understaffed and not adequately funded to discharge its proper functions. It was not manned 24 hours a day, closed at weekends and lacked adequate biosecurity facilities including showers and changing facilities for grooms, vets and farriers. Mr Burke said the report had found "clear inadequacies" in the quarantine system which will cost at least $1.3 million to fix. The federal Government has already spent $342 million eradicating the virus and assisting individuals, organisations and businesses. Mr Callinan made no findings on legal liability but identified fundamental management and biosecurity failures within AQIS. Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys said the report's findings were of "very little surprise to us". "We always knew it was a complete breakdown of the quarantine system," he said. "We always knew it was the quarantine system and that it came out of Eastern Creek." Mr V'Landys and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia chairman John Messara said they would study the report before considering legal action. However, Gold Coast-based legal firm Attwood Marshall Lawyers yesterday confirmed a class action was "imminent". Attwood Marshall partner Jeff Garrett said his firm had received more than 350 inquiries from potential claimants from 164 towns and cities across the country. Mr Burke said he had no doubt that compensation claims would be tested in the courts. He said under a new regime flowing from the report's recommendations, horses would now be tested for EI before travelling to Australia and while still in quarantine after arrival. Existing airport and quarantine station facilities would be thoroughly reviewed. "We have to drive cultural change in our quarantine and biosecurity systems so that Australians can have public confidence in them," Mr Burke said. Mr Callinan said it was unlikely that it would ever be possible to calculate accurately the total cost of the outbreak of horse flu. Mr Burke said he had appointed the former head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Peter Shergold, to oversee the reform of the quarantine regime. Dr Shergold will report regularly to Mr Burke over the next two years. Cummings said one of the hardest aspects of the outbreak was giving up the chance, in November, to win the nation's most prized race, the Melbourne Cup, for a 12th time. The 60 horses stranded at his Randwick stables included Viewed and Empires Choice. Viewed came back to racing this year and progressed superbly under Cummings' guidance to the point of winning the $300,000 Brisbane Cup last Monday by seven lengths. Empires Choice was born to win a Melbourne Cup, having the 1988 Cup winner Empire Rose as his grandmother. But the horse retired to stud this year striking a wet track on his first run back after three months idle, injuring a ligament. "He was my opportunity lost," Cummings said of last year's Melbourne Cup.

30 per cent more for their daily bread

Food prices soar 30% in six months
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From Mercury

HELEN KEMPTON

TASMANIANS are paying 30 per cent more for their daily bread and butter than they were six months ago and shoppers should brace themselves for more pain at the checkout.
Rice, which already costs a third more than it did in January, is set to become harder to find and more expensive still.
And higher grain costs, which have sent the price of a loaf of bread up by 31 per cent, are not expected to fall any time soon.
A comparison of staple grocery prices in our supermarkets from January with yesterday showed that the price of a 500g block of butter had increased 33.8 per cent, a two-litre bottle of milk by more than 10 per cent and a kilo of white rice by 32 per cent.
Cripps Nubake general manager Paul Gadomski said grain prices had risen three times in the past 12 months, adding 20c to the cost of producing a standard loaf of white bread.
"Then you have the rise in diesel fuel which has doubled the cost of distributing our bread around Tasmania and the massive hike in power costs in February which saw our electricity bill jump by 25 per cent," Mr Gadomski said.
Meanwhile, a Federal Government inquiry into grocery prices continues. A report which should show where in the food chain profits are being made, and by whom, is due by the end of July.
Yesterday Brighton councillor Leigh Gray added his voice to calls for another big player on the state's supermarket landscape.
Mr Gray has written to German supermarket giant ALDI encouraging it to come to Tasmania and has asked Premier David Bartlett to lobby ALDI, with its national food pricing policy, to set up shop.
Rice will be the next staple food item to skyrocket in price. Australia has just recorded its worst rice harvest in 80 years and countries which traditionally export rice are stockpiling supplies.
Rising fuel costs are having both negative and positive impacts on Tasmania's independent supermarkets.
While retailers are paying higher fuel surcharges, the higher cost of putting petrol in the family car is encouraging some people to shop closer to home.
Tasmanian Independent Retailers chief executive Grant Hinchcliffe stressed that the increase in shelf prices represented higher wholesale prices, not an increase in retailer margins.
Mr Hinchcliffe said the cost of transporting fresh produce was now 30 to 40 per cent higher than at this time last year.
Welfare agencies are seeing more people needing help with food costs – but the amount available for emergency relief remains static.
"We can normally only give $30 to see someone through the week," said Salvation Army public relations officer Stuart Foster.
That doesn't go far when a three-litre bottle of milk and loaf of bread cost almost $10.

Aird delivers $4bn Budget

From Mercury Tasmania
SUE NEALES
June 12, 2008 04:10pm
TREASURER Michael Aird this afternoon handed down Tasmanias first $4 billion Budget with the emphasis on big road and rail spending.
Describing it as a "kind and clever" Budget with something for everyone, Mr Aird said it delivered on promises made during the past year.
"We are putting ideas into action, for today and tomorrow," Mr Aird said.
Low income earners are set to benefit from today's Budget with all Health Care Card holders now eligible for up to $470 each a year in concessions offered on council rates, car registration, national park entry fees, and driver licence concessions.
This $14 million-a -year initiative will mean all 46,000 health care card holders -- including most Tasmanians reliant on unemployment benefits, single-parent payments and other welfare support measures -- are now eligible for the same electricity and rates concessions as the State's 98,000 old age pensioners.
In addition, the Government will expand its scheme to help low-income Tasmanians buy former government houses and new affordable housing built by the private sector, with the offer of up to $50,000 or 25 per cent equity to be contributed by the Government to share the cost of home purchase.
Big-spending initiatives included a $1.5 billion infrastructure plan to build new roads, rail, hospital and public housing over the next four years.
But new irrigation and water pipelines proposals missed out on funding, with just $5 million allocated this year to planning drought-proofing projects.
Only $15 million is available over the next four years for drinking water and sewerage proposals around the state.
But road funding is set to flow with $186 million being spent on road projects in 2008-09, including $5.5 million for the $79 million Brighton Transport Hub, $4.8 million on the Brooker Hwy and $2.2 million for the $164 million Midlands Hwy bypass of Brighton and Pontville.
But there is no funding set aside for construction of the $30 million Kingston Bypass this next year, other than $1.9 million for land acquisitions.
The Budget papers show that the Kingston bypass will not be completed now until 2012, and the Brighton bypass highway before 2013.
But $27 million will be used this year to fund rail infrastructure upgrades, track maintenance and administration costs.
Mr Aird said the big parcel of rail funding would go-ahead despite today's shock news that Tasmania's sole rail operator, Pacific National is about to pull out of Tasmania.
Mr Aird said it was all the more important until another rail operator was found to maintain the railway track in good condition.
The Treasurer said he did not believe that the Government should take over the rail network and train system unless it was an absolute last resort.
Other spending commitments in the Budget included:
A massive $1.5 billion for rising health and hospital costs

Extra $8 million a year for literacy programs increasing funding to $30 million a year,

$200,000 to fund a business proposal for a new AFL football team from Tasmania,

$1 million to start building the $23 million tourist road through the Tarkine forest

$4 million for new bike paths

$12 million over four years for research into the Tasmanian devil disease

$11.3 million towards five new Learning and Information Network Centres (LINCs) in regional Tasmania.

$152 million over four years on school maintenance and improvement.

$5.7 million for climate change initiatives.

$2.8 million for Neighbourhood Houses.

$10 million for the Environment Protection Authority.

$1 million to appoint a Tasmanian Chief Scientist.

PACIFIC National has quit Tasmania,

Jobs doubt as Pacific National quits State By JULIAN BURGESS and RACHEL WILLIAMS

From The Examiner Launceston

PACIFIC National has quit Tasmania, putting up to 150 jobs at risk and threatening a major increase in freight volumes on the State's roads.
On the day the State Budget heralded a major investment in rail as a way to grow the economy, Pacific National's parent company Asciano made the announcement.
But the State Government will continue to invest in the sector in the hope of attracting a new operator.
More than $27 million in funding for rail development, management and maintenance over the next year was outlined in Treasurer Michael Aird's State Budget.
It included $18.3 million for infrastructure development, $4.2 million for infrastructure maintenance and $5 million for rail management. Over the next eight years, the total rail spend would be $78 million for development and $40 million for maintenance.
Asciano did not mention its obligations under a memorandum of understanding it signed after the State and Federal Governments pulled together a $118 million, 10-year rail rescue package when Pacific National threatened to withdraw from the State in 2005.
When asked if the Government would consider operating rail freight services, Mr Aird said it had not been actively considered.
"It's not a Government endeavour that's proved successful in the past", Mr Aird said.
Offering another private railway operator a subsidy to run a freight service would be something that would be considered by Cabinet.
He said the infrastructure spending on rail would halve the time it would take for trains to travel between Hobart and Burnie and the improved efficiency should be attractive to different rail operators.
Tasmanian Freight Logistics Council chief executive Rob McGuire said it was essential that the State found a new rail operator as soon as possible because the announcement did not come as a surprise.
"They'd earmarked it some time ago that it was a possibility and it was going to happen. It's certainly not good news," he said.
Mr McGuire, whose organisation represents about 60 Tasmanian companies, said it now appeared the State could face a period without rail freight services.
Tasmania's major rail freight customers includes Cement Australia, paper mill Norske Skog, miner Zinifex and log haulage with most general freight being transported by road, he said.
The Government and timber company Gunns have repeatedly said they want freight for the $2 billion pulp mill at Bell Bay to be transported on rail.
Gunns executive chairman John Gay was unavailable for comment last night.
RACT chief executive Greg Goodman said it was a huge issue with freight tipped to double over the next decade.
It would be unpalatable to have a major increase in trucks on the State's roads, particularly the Midland Highway, he said.
Opposition infrastructure spokesman Peter Gutwein said the announcement was a massive blow and meant the State's infrastructure policy was in serious doubt.

Derailed: Train operator pulls out of Tasmania

The company which own Tasmania's freight trains is pulling out of the state.
Pacific National is to sell its rolling stock.
The Minister for Infrastructure Graeme Sturges told State Parliament today Pacific National is selling its Tasmanian operations.
The Opposition's Peter Gutwein says the Minister is not across his portfolio and Mr Sturges says the government will do all it can to facilitate a sale.
He says other companies had notified the government of their interest in the rolling stock and he says the government is committed to rail freight services in Tasmania.

Hydro sets carbon-neutral date

Hydro Tasmania has set a target of becoming Australia’s first carbon-neutral generator by 2012 as part of its strategic response to climate change. The organisation is also targeting the development of an additional 1,000 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of capability from its existing system, with projects totalling more than $400 million in value identified over the next 12 years. Currently, the system generates around 9,000 GWh.
The 1,000 GWh project is a response to on-going pressures caused by drought and the need to maximise the system’s renewable energy capability. The commitment was announced by the Premier, Paul Lennon, at the opening of Hydro Tasmania Consulting’s new headquarters at Cambridge Park – the first building in the State to be awarded a five-star Green Star rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.
Hydro CEO, Vince Hawksworth, said: “Climate change is a reality and … a key strategic issue for Hydro Tasmania as it presents a significant risk to our business as a generator of hydro power with the on-going drought seeing our storages now standing at less than 19 per cent full. While Hydro Tasmania has recognised the potential impact of climate change for many years, as the evidence has mounted it has become important for the business to have a clear strategic response. Our plan places Hydro Tasmania at the forefront of world’s best practice in responding to climate change and puts us on a pathway to becoming Australia’s first carbon-neutral energy generator.”
Recent figures show that Hydro Tasmania emitted 642,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide last financial year, largely through gas generation at the Bell Bay Power Station. The task to reduce emissions to zero in only four years will be achieved by a combination of:
Decommissioning Bell Bay as soon as its critical role in supporting Tasmanian electricity supply is complete – hopefully as early as next year with the commissioning of the new, privately owned Tamar Valley Power Station.
Energy reduction and fuel substitution initiatives including fleet replacement, energy efficiency and Bass Strait Island renewable energy projects, many of which are already underway.
Off-setting emissions from staff flights, the Hydro Tasmania Consulting business and the vehicle fleet.
Mr Hawksworth said achieving the 2012 target would provide Hydro Tasmania with:
A competitive advantage in markets for “green” energy;
An influential voice in external policy debates; and
Capacity to promote the business and Tasmania as leaders in climate-change action.
The 1,000 Gwh project, involving potential investment of $400 million, includes: catchment diversions and diversion upgrades; raising existing storages; mini-hydro schemes; and new power station development or redevelopment of existing power stations.
Other initiatives being pursued by Hydro Tasmania include:
Substituting carbon-intensive fuels, such as diesel on King Island;
Purchase of fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles;
Internal programs to increase car sharing and pooling among staff;
Pricing carbon into investment decisions and purchasing practices;
Conducting energy audits and efficiency improvements in existing office buildings;
Installing renewable energy on the Bass Strait islands; and
Continuing to provide policy leadership in national climate change issues, including the design and implementation of the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target and Australian Emissions Trading Scheme.
In late May, the Tasmanian Government announced that it would provide a $220 million equity injection to Hydro Tasmania, subject to the approval of Parliament. Hydro Chairman Dr David Crean said the decision would help redress a financial imbalance created at the disaggregation of the Hydro Electric Commission in 1998, when Hydro Tasmania inherited more than $1 billion of the former organisation’s debt. Dr Crean said the equity injection, if approved, would be used to retire debt and improve Hydro Tasmania’s ability to compete in the National Electricity Market.

Long march for art trio

Borrowed from Brand Tasmania.

FYI - Willard Estate Logistics handled the logistics for this project.

By Penny Thow
Flags flying outside the Guandong Museum in China in late May and early June proclaimed a Tasmanian invasion. Artists Geoff Dyer, Ping Chen and Anton Holzner displayed 34 large oil paintings in the huge museum, which has 12 indoor exhibition halls and a 5,000 sq m outdoor sculpture garden. Thousands of Chinese art enthusiasts filed past the Tasmanian exhibition, which was largely the idea of Ping Chen who migrated from China to Tasmania. On a visit to the port city of Guangzhou last year, Ping Chen took examples of the three artists’ work and received a positive response from the museum director, who thought the paintings had unique Tasmanian qualities.
The Tasmanian link in the three artists’ works is complemented by their highly individual approaches. “Anton’s work is purely abstract and shares the same aspect of Chinese brush-ink painting, while Geoff’s work is very much Tasmanian landscape,” Ping Chen said. “My paintings are based on figures and are quite strong and emotional. Therefore, we selected our work for the exhibition with these aspects in mind.”
Dyer said he took into account the scale of the exhibition space when selecting paintings. “If you are going to exhibit with that much architectural space, you have to somehow form an equilibrium with it,” he said. “I sent eight large paintings, five of which can be hung in a series as an installation for maximum impact, and a couple of slightly smaller ones. They reflect my own concepts and motives. Our works have a connection in that they all hover between the semi-abstract and the abstract. We all have our own natural gestural aspects and our work is based on aesthetic principles, rather than narrative or illustration. Like Chinese calligraphy there is a little bit of natural handwriting throughout our work.”
Holzner said his paintings had been influenced by the Australian landscape. “My art is purely abstract,” he said. “Yet Australia has given me a lot of input, particularly the vast spaces, the primaeval landscape and the structures exposed by the sea. I always work from nature, but not directly. There is a continuing influence from abstract painters over the past 50 years, but I have carved out my own character. While we are all influenced by nature and the history of art, we are aiming to continue the evolution of painting.”
Ping Chen’s paintings focus on issues of humanity. “I try to develop a painting language which evolves the content,” he said. “For example in the Girl who’s Seventeen, the force of the liquid run-down from the empty background is destroying the struggling face, which visualises threats to human existence.”
The Chinese show was a non-selling exhibition and the artists largely funded the cost themselves. However Ping Chen said all three were grateful for assistance from a number of organisations. “Austrade has been a big supporter and has given us lots of advice and helped us connect to local and overseas businesses,” he said. “The Australian-China Council and other businesses provided financial assistance. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery director Bill Bleathman wrote a foreword for our 100-page book, while Domaine A Stoney vineyard provided high-quality local wines for the opening.”
Holzner said he hoped the exhibition would provide connections beyond Tasmania for both the artists and the State. “China is a good staging post for that, as it is one of the most important re-emerging nations in the world,” he said. “The exhibition and the book have the potential to encourage cultural and business exchanges with Tasmania.”

Global container lines vow to go green

06 June 2008
The global container shipping industry is playing its part, in line with World Environment Day yesterday, to emphasise its commitment to environmental protection and reduce their impact on their environment.
A press release by new industry organisation Container Shipping Information Service (CSIS) said its members are aligning their practices to follow the United Nations Environmental Programme's (UNEP) 12 steps to lowering carbon emissions.
UNEP's slogan for this year's event is 'Kick the Habit! Towards a low carbon economy' and aims to highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and lifestyles.
Click here to go to the Business Times website and read the full article.

Tasmania’s population has reached a new high.

The Treasurer, Michael Aird, said data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that Tasmania's population rose by 1,223 persons or 0.25 per cent in the December quarter 2007.
“Tasmania’s population has reached a record level of 495,772 persons,” Mr Aird said.
“We are heading ever closer to the 500,000 population mark.”
Mr Aird said in the December quarter 2007 the natural increase in Tasmania was 581 persons.
“Tasmania recorded a net inflow of 236 persons from interstate in the December quarter 2007, the second consecutive quarter of net inflow,” he said.
“Net overseas migration was 403 persons in the December quarter 2007, an increase of 49 persons from the September quarter 2007.”
Mr Aird said that there may be minor revisions to the estimates for 31 December 2007 as the data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics was limited due to the recent identification of under reporting to the ABS of birth registrations in Victoria and the subsequent receipt of additional records from the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
The release of final population data has been delayed until 24 June 2008.

Bhat or buck, Asian union could end Oz dollar

By Jane Metlikovec
June 06, 2008 02:46am
Asian union would mean free trade, says expert
Unified currency could follow
Opposition divided on idea
A UNIFIED currency and open borders could follow any union between Australia and Asia, an expert says. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday announced his plan to create a broad Asia-Pacific Community by 2020. Asian legal expert Prof Tim Lindsey of Melbourne University said it was too early to speculate about a unified euro-style currency, but it could follow any international pact. "With a union you have the idea of free trade, and once you have that everything else follows," he said. "Australia is uniquely positioned as the only Western society in Asia and we have never capitalised on that, despite most of our commodities going to Asia." He said Australia was still suffering from a "colonial hangover" by setting itself apart from Asia. "This perception of ourselves as a European nation has to change. Our government-to-government relations have improved with Asia so much that we do need to capitalise on it now." Opposition MPs are divided on Mr Rudd's plan, which he put forward in a speech to the Asia Society AustralAsia Centre on Tuesday, ahead of a week-long visit to Japan and Indonesia. Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb said Mr Rudd's plan was presumptuous: "His first job is not to be telling China, Indonesia, Japan and India how they will be organised by Australia." But Opposition trade spokesman Ian Macfarlane said he wanted to see more details before making a judgment. "At face value, it's a step in the right direction," he said.

Fuel costs killing businesses

Report: Drew Radford
While we're all feeling the pinch from high fuel prices, spare a thought for those who are losing $60,000 a year because of it.Truck and transport operators say the high cost of diesel is killing their businesses, with many smaller operators going out of business.Drew Radford, our bloke on the bike, caught up with a couple of truck drivers on the Eastern Highway in Western Australia.Life has changed dramatically for Lenny and Mick with the recent hike in fuel prices."Last month my fuel bill was $15,000," says Lenny."Six months ago it was $12,000 a round trip in fuel bills, now it's $17,000," says Mick.Lenny and Mick both say the fuel prices are having a major impact on them as owner operators."It's wiping out our bottom line, we're working for nothing," says Lenny.You can catch up with Drew's journey through WA online at abc.net.au/rural.
In this report: Lenny and Mick, truck drivers

World food supply must rise 50%, Ban Ki Moon tells Rome summit

Ban Ki Moon, the UN secretary-general, says food output must soar to feed the hungry to not Richard Owen in Rome

A United Nations summit on resolving the world's food crisis opened this morning with a call from Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, for world farm production to rise by 50 per cent by 2030 to meet growing demand.
He called on leaders to lower export restrictions and import tariffs on food with immediate effect to avoid further hunger and malnutrition, which have caused riots in several Third World countries.
The three day summit, organised by the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization, follows massive food price rises over the past three years. Analysts blame the diversion of crops to make biofuel, drought and natural disasters, fuel costs, and speculation.
Ed Schafer, the US Agriculture Secretary, claimed that biofuels are responsible for only 2-3 percent of the predicted 43 per cent rise in food prices this year. America has invested heavily in biofuel technology. Other summit participants however said that biofuel accounted for 15-30 per cent of food price increases.
In a message to the summit this morning, Pope Benedict XVI said that hunger and malnutrition are "unacceptable" in a world that has enough resources and know-how to end hunger.
The summit has been overshadowed by controversy over the presence of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Mahmoud Admadinejad of Iran, both of whom are due to address the gathering today. Neither has been invited to a banquet this evening hosted by Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, at the Renaissaince era Villa Madama, which is used for Italian government receptions.
Under EU sanctions imposed on him because of his human rights record Mr Mugabe is not allowed to set foot in the EU, but the restrictions do not apply to UN meetings in Europe, Italian officials said. They said he had been granted entry "for the purposes of the summit only", as he had been for the FAO world food summit in 2002 and the organisation's sixtieth anniversary celebrations in 2005.
Douglas Alexander, Britain's International Development Minister, who is attending the Rome summit, said that Mr Mugabe's presence was "obscene", and pledged that he would not meet him or shake his hand. "This is a man who has impoverished his own nation, a country that was previously regarded as the bread basket of Africa and now has four million of his own population reliant on food aid......He neither has the credibility nor the authority to speak on issues of food production and prices."
Jewish leaders, the Italian left and Iranian exiles have denounced Mr Ahmadinejad's attendance at the meeting after the Iranian President repeated his call for the destruction of Israel before leaving Tehran for Rome.
Mr Alexander said Britain supported the World Food Programme's efforts to provide immediate humanitarian assistance as a short term solution.
In the medium term it wanted "a more effective functioning agricultural market" and in the long term a significant rise in agricultural growth and productivity.

Hartz sale go-ahead given

MARIA RAE Law reporter
June 03, 2008 12:00am
A JUDGE has given the green light for controllers to sell off the embattled Hartz mineral water business.Justice Peter Evans yesterday dismissed a Supreme Court application by Hartz owner Stephen Powell for an injunction to halt the sale of the company. "It seems to me that delaying a sale may diminish the value of the business as ongoing uncertainty may cause staff to leave," Justice Evans said in his judgment on the application. He also said it would give Hartz competitors the chance to make inroads into its business. Investment firm Business Expansion Capital Pty Ltd (BE) appointed controllers to manage Hartz in April, less than seven months after it loaned $600,000 to the company. The managing controllers, who claim Hartz broke the terms of the loan agreement, are in the process of selling the company to recoup their loan and a risk fee of at least $600,000. The controllers wanted to sell the company last month and say there were several interested buyers. But Mr Powell applied for the injunction when a court trial -- in which he is arguing to have a loan agreement he signed with BE rescinded -- went over time. Justice Evans also said in his judgment it was a contradiction to make an order that stops BE from selling but puts pressure on BE to continue its controllership of the business. "Whilst I realise that BE could simply walk away from the controllership, I cannot see how this would be a benefit," he said. "On the evidence before me it seems that if BE walked away, another creditor would step in and force a sale of the business." The judge also said the injunction would not mean the difference between Mr Powell keeping Hartz and Hartz being sold. "The thrust of the evidence is that for some time the plaintiffs have recognised that the business had to be sold," he said. Justice Evans said the difference was Hartz being sold by Mr Powell, BE or other creditors. He said he also considered it significant that the injunction sought was in relation to the sale of a going concern rather than a fixed asset like real estate.

USA Rail

Tasmanian Country Hour
Monday, June 2, 2008
US rail freight spend $440B and rising
Report: Catherine Clifford
While Australia struggles to make significant funding commitments to fix its ailing freight rail network, the Americans have pumped more than AUD$440 billion into theirs over the past 25 years.In the late 1970s the Americans realised they were facing a transport infrastructure crisis. So, the then US President, Jimmy Carter, signed off on the Staggers Act (named after Democrat Congressman Harley Staggers) and deregulated the railroad industry.The move saved the US rail freight system from total collapse, says Tom White from the Association of American Railroads."More than 20 per cent of the industry was in bankruptcy and the average return on investment for the remaining railroads was only about two per cent," he says.Railroads then used these new freedoms to increase volume, improve efficiency and reduce costs."Previously railroads had to get government permission before they could change prices, offer new services or decide what markets to serve," he says."After that legislation was passed railroads were treated more like other industries so they could make those decisions themselves," says Mr White.Since 1980, America's 554 private rail carriers have invested more than 40 per cent of their total operating revenues to improve tracks, modernise fleets of locomotives and wagons, upgrade signals, fix bridges and attract staff.The Association of American Railroads says the US rail freight system now moves 42 per cent of all US freight and, unlike Australia where coal and other mineral resources take precedence, the Americans move anything and everything by rail."Our largest customer is a trucking company that finds it is far more economical to put a trailer on one of our trains and move it cross-country if it is going more than 1,000 miles than it would be for it to move it over the highway," says Tom White."About half the lumber that's used for building houses is delivered by train, grain is our second largest tonnage after coal and we move substantial volumes of fertilisers as well," he says.Seventy per cent of all new vehicles off the assembly line take their first trip by train in the United States.The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) represents 930 US companies that move and handle about 70 per cent of the US grain crop, more than a third of which is transported by rail.In spite of the massive spending on rail freight in the US, though, the NGFA's spokesman Randy Gordon says serious rail capacity constraints are starting to emerge again and his Association is pushing Congress to do more to encourage investment."We are joining with the Association of American Railroads in supporting legislation that would provide up to a 25 per cent tax credit to companies who invest in new rail lines, new switches and new sidings," says Randy Gordon.Meanwhile, back home in Australia, agricultural businesses who want to put more of their freight on trains continue to dream about the possibility.Executive Director of Livestock with the Teys Group, Geoff Teys, says it offers a lot of benefits in the transportation of cattle."We find it efficient and very good on animal welfare and we'd certainly use much more if it was available, but it's at maximum capacity at present and we need more capacity," he says."You can buy a thousand bullocks at Cloncurry and deliver them into Brisbane in one hit on one transport mode and your cattle all leave together and all arrive together," says Mr Teys.Geoff Teys says he'd like to see greater integration of rail and road freight in Australia."The road guys could run into the rail depots and the depots could take [produce] to their destination, whether it be grain, meat, livestock, all sorts of commodities," he says."They shouldn't compete with each other, they should work together," says Geoff Teys.
In this report: Tom White, communications spokesman, Association of American Railroads (AAR), Washington, DC; Randy Gordon, vice-president of government relations and communications, National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), Washington DC; Geoff Teys, executive director of livestock, Teys Group.

2008 Tasmanian Export Awards Launch

A CALL TO ALL WILLARD ESTATE LOGISTICS EXPORT CUSTOMERS........THIS IS YOUR YEAR!!!!!

The Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, Paula Wriedt, today launched the 2008 Tasmanian Export Awards to recognise the important contribution that exporters make to Tasmania’s economy.
“The Tasmanian Government recognises the importance of strong export endeavours in our state’s businesses and we are a proud supporter of these awards,” Ms Wriedt said.
“Our state has an abundance of companies that are turning challenges into opportunities and ensuring Tasmania’s remarkable export success continues.
“The 2008 Tasmanian Export Awards build on our Tasmanian companies that are striving to build clear and competitive international advantages.
“The Tasmanian export economy is booming, with many of our exported products and services coming from a wide range of business sectors and from all regions of Tasmania.
“In the 2006-07 financial year, exports from Tasmania were worth a staggering $3.7 billion, an increase of 26 per cent on the previous year.
“The winners from each category of the 2008 Tasmanian Export Awards will qualify as finalists for the Australian Export Awards Program.
“Tasmanian exporting companies are competing successfully on the world stage.
“Over the past four years, three Tasmanian businesses have become national export award winners.
“The awards are proudly supported by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, in partnership with the Australian Government, Austrade, Aurora Energy, Caterpillar Underground Mining, Commonwealth Bank, TasPorts, The Examiner Newspaper and UK Trade and Investment,” Ms Wriedt said.
The seven categories in the 2008 Tasmanian Export Awards are:
· TasPorts Agribusiness Award
· Australian Government Emerging Exporter Award
· UK Trade and Investment Information and Communications Technology Award
· Caterpillar Underground Mining Small Business Award
· Aurora Energy Manufacturer Award
· Austrade Services Award
· Commonwealth Bank Regional Exporter of the Year Award.
The overall Minister’s Tasmanian Exporter of the Year Award is selected from the seven category winners.
Applications are now open for the 2008 Tasmanian Export Awards. The Tasmanian winners will be announced in October and the national winners announced in December.
For more information visit the website www.exportawards.com.au/tas