Reprieve for food charity

Loaves and Fishes thrown a lifeline

A QUANTITY of ice equal to more than 7000 “street deals” has been seized after a significant drug bust at the Spirit of Tasmania dock in Devonport.

The discovery was made after a police sniffer dog indicated a positive reaction as two Hobart women disembarked the ferry about 8pm on Wednesday.

Both women were allegedly found to be concealing a quantity of ice in their clothes with a total potential street value of $500,000.

The 42-year-old and 26year-old

AN EMERGENCY food relief organisation has been thrown a Christmas lifeline by the state and federal governments — but it will need a longerterm solution to keep its doors open in Hobart next year.

Loaves and Fishes was forced to suspend its operations in Tasmania’s south earlier this month after it failed to secure funding.

But Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam yesterday announced Loaves and Fishes — which also operates in Devonport and Launceston — would receive $35,000 from the two governments to provide food relief over the festive season.

Loaves and Fishes CEO Andrew Hillier welcomed the reprieve, but said a more were charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and will appear before the Hobart Magistrates Court on February 3.

“This seizure of more than 700g takes approximately 7000 street deals of methylamphetamine out of the hands of vulnerable Tasmanians,” Detective Inspector Kate Chambers said.

“Illicit drug use is a concern for all Tasmanians.”

The random screening was part of Operation Gateway — a joint blitz involving Tasmania Police, Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force. permanent solution needed to be found in early January.

“This funding will get us through the Christmas period in the Hobart area, but in early January we need to resolve a way of going forward.

“If we can’t get a resolution we will have to permanently close in Hobart. All we need is $150,000 per annum,” Mr Hillier said.

Senator Duniam said the outcome was good for Tasmania and something all sides of politics had been working towards for many months.

“Ensuring there is emergency food relief for those doing it tough is above party politics, especially over Christmas,” he said. “Tasmania does receive $6.7 million annually in emergency relief funding from the Federal Government, as well

Det Insp Chambers said police drug, firearm and explosive detection dogs would be used to screen passengers, baggage, cargo, vehicles and mail.

“We work closely with the Spirit of Tasmania and other partners to ensure that our sea, air and mail corridors are not exploited by those wanting to profit from drug distribution,” she said.

Anyone with information about drug or firearm crimes should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au as an additional $3.4 million allocated earlier this year, but it is clear there is a gap in southern Tasmania. We can now focus on finding a long-term solution to this issue.”

Labor Senator Carol Brown said Tasmania deserved the same level of emergency food relief funding as other states.

“I welcome this interim solution for struggling Tasmanian families, but a permanent solution must be found for the ongoing viability of the vital emergency food relief provided by Loaves and Fishes,” Senator Brown said.

“Minister Ruston and the Morrison Government could have provided that permanent solution at any time in the last six months. They stopped the funding – now they’re handing over a tiny bit of it.”