An agreement has been reached for the transfer of Tasmanian Times to a new owner.
The publication will continue at its current web location and will recommence accepting submissions for publication in the near future. All previously-published material will remain available.
After discussion with interested parties, TT founder Lindsay Tuffin agreed that the creation of a non-profit association to manage TT would be of benefit to the wider Tasmanian community. As it will take some time, however, to properly form the association, the publication is to be owned and managed in the first instance by Alan Whykes.
Alan Whykes: “Lindsay is nigh on impossible to replace so it won’t be business as usual at Tasmanian Times. We’ll definitely be changing a few things around so we ask for some patience while that happens. What won’t be changing is the fierce commitment to TT being a strong independent media voice for Tasmanians. We will certainly need some help from current and former supporters. Please look out for calls in the coming months about how you can be involved.”
update: See here for the workshop for editors at the end of November. People power!
Lindsay Tuffin: “It’s only the beginning for TT. There is lots of passion and commitment among its contributors, readers and supporters and I hope they will get behind this new stage of its development. As for me it’s a new phase in my life; although I’ll miss the editing there are other things for me to explore. I would like to once again thank all those who made the first seventeen years of Tasmanian Times such a wonderful experience.
It was a helluva ride! x
Lindsay Tuffin
Alan Whykes & wife Monica
Jeff Briscoe
October 30, 2019 at 12:55
Best news this year, yeah!
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:12
yayyyyyyyyyy!x
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:22
yayyyyyyyyyyyy!x
Susan Prior
October 30, 2019 at 13:52
Well done, and huge congratulations to Lindsay for the last 17 years!
I have been following the publication from sunny Queensland, and now Norfolk Island for at least 15 of those years having re-posted some of Lindsay’s earlier work in one of my roles, and now as merely an interested party.
Lindsay, enjoy your well-earned change to pastures new! You’ll be missed.
Big hugs,
Susan Prior
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:13
Yayyyyyy. I remember your contributions to moi wellbeing Suan … I’m gunna bushwalk, learn the piano and readdddddddd …
Chris Harries
October 30, 2019 at 16:53
Yay! Looking forward to seeing how it goes. Hope Lindsay is enjoying well earned break.
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:21
gunna bushwalk, read and learn the piano … thankyou kind Chris …
Clive Stott
November 1, 2019 at 02:31
Good on you, Linz! This is terrific! Thank you, and welcome to Alan and Monica.
I hope you enjoy the piano more than I did, Linz!
I was forced to learn when I was in grade 2. It meant getting out of class early at Burnie Infant/Primary school (next to the Advocate) to go to lessons. You can imagine back then the ribbing a boy got in Burnie getting out early with his music bag to go to piano lessons! How embarrassing for a kid, haha!
So it was up the hill to Miss Grice, and all I did was play scales whilst she sat next to me peeling her grapes. Every time I made a mistake the ruler shot out like a lizard’s tongue and whacked me on the knuckles. I’m sure that game, Whack a Mole, came from there.
To top it off, I had to practice the same scales for half an hour when I got home from school. I know what they mean when they say the olden days were tough!
Making deliberate mistakes didn’t work; it just meant I had to sit there longer, so I had a bright idea. I figured if I cut a little nick in each ivory from middle C up to the top note it might do some good.
There was a big noise when my sister found it later that night, and I had my knife taken off me for 3 weeks. I couldn’t convince them the piano wasn’t damaged; it still sounded the same.
I had it all worked out not to nick them with my favourite knife, but you know what upset me more than anything? M & D took the wrong knife off me!
I think that piano ended up in the WEC College in Launceston.
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 08:15
I hope I don’tend up like you clive. Wifey is gunna teach moi …
Chief Editor TT
November 1, 2019 at 10:03
Thanks Clive for the welcome. And that’s a great story. Do you mind if we use it? And is there anyone else out there with a piano story who’d like to chime in?!
Simon Warriner
October 30, 2019 at 18:36
At last, a flicker of light in the darkness, in more ways than one. Looking forward to it becoming an inferno.
We need a media that does not self censor and I am amazed at the hypocrisy and cant that has seeped out of the mainstream over government secrecy. Assange is the least of their failings.
They would not need to spend money on a “your right to know” campaign if they actually did their job assiduously and with competence. A bit of mongrel would go a lot further than the desire to be on the inside, or garner a cushy .gov media minder job, ever does.
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:20
ah simey …. immensely faithful reader …
Simon Warriner
October 31, 2019 at 19:28
The offer to shout you a meal still stands, Linz. Let me know any time you are up in gods country.
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 08:13
thankyou kindest sir …
Patrick Synge
October 30, 2019 at 22:04
Congratulations to you Alan, for taking on this task, and of course to Linz for the many years of hard work and dedication.
We look forward to TT taking off again from where Linz left it, and seeing where you take it from there.
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:14
He’ll need it … it’s an endless task.
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:17
Ahhhhh Patrick … immensely faithful reader … let’s see where Alan takes it from here …
Chief Editor TT
October 31, 2019 at 18:10
Thanks Pat! Indeed lots to look forward to. I’m on the radio with Ryk Goddard at about 7.15am tomorrow (Fri) for anyone who wants to listen in.
Frank Strie
October 31, 2019 at 02:14
Congratulations! These look like very interesting developments, Linz and all!
Just imagine, the next chapter will in fact address ways of community action by growing the Tasmanian Economy with creative imagination and collaboration ‘from the ground up.’
To imagine the future, some of you could start the process with the very recently released film production titled: “The Need To Grow.”
Intro:
Tanner Stewart, executive producer of new film ‘The Need To GROW’, stops by to talk about the film which explores issues around Earth’s soils and farming.
https://globalnews.ca/video/6032368/executive-producer-of-the-need-to-grow-film-and-the-importance-of-farmable-soil-2
TT Editor
October 31, 2019 at 08:18
Ah Frank …thankyou kindest sir …
Alan
October 31, 2019 at 09:51
Well played, Lindsay. Enjoy your “retirement”.
Please pay attention to spelling and punctuation when next replying …
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 08:10
I will …
John Hawkins
October 31, 2019 at 10:28
This is indeed wonderful news!
Well done Lindsay, and welcome to Alan and Monica.
The first cab off the rank is the mooted new prison at Westbury.
How dare the Liberals think that they can turn a small village into a prison town without any consultation!
Follow the money.
Who owns the land?
Who on the Council backs the rezoning?
Why did General Manager Gill resign?
Who gets the contract to build the prison? Is it a maaaaate?
Who gets the contract to run the prison?
Why did the Liberals sell Brighton for a pittance?
Who bought Brighton?
Why all the secrecy over other proposed sites?
Shelton is beyond useless and will never fight for his base. He’s a turncoat on his community.
Vote him out!
Find a good Independent .. a local from Westbury with fire in the belly, and start campaigning now.
The Independent will then hold the balance of power and keep the bastards honest.
Chief Editor TT
October 31, 2019 at 13:15
Hi John, if you have a contact for any groups opposed to the Westbury project or at less organising meetings about it can you please email to [email protected]. Thanks! – AW
Heather Donaldson
October 31, 2019 at 21:38
Hello Linz.
I am involved in Westbury’s battle against this shocking maximum security prison on our doorstop. It’s a small historic tourist village against the power of a determined government … David and Goliath.
But we intend to win, as David did. I’m happy to talk anytime.
Heather Donaldson
Mob: 0409 402 294.
Chief Editor TT
November 1, 2019 at 09:59
Thanks, we will be!
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 08:02
john has written …. he says …
Re Request Prison Westbury
…
John Hawkins.
and heather has written …
Hello Linz.
I am involved in Westbury’s battle against this shocking maximum security prison on our doorstop. It’s a small historic tourist village against the power of a determined government … David and Goliath.
But we intend to win, as David did. I’m happy to talk anytime.
Rob Halton
November 1, 2019 at 06:53
Ah, Hawkins I believe that the government are firm on their commitment to construct a new northern prison at the “former” historic historic village of Westbury, lucky for your antiquities abode, it not to be situated in the more remote location of Chudleigh !
No doubt new business opportunities will arise for the Westbury area, some thing more than the already bypassed tourism trade!
It is highly unlikely that the new Editor Mr Whykes can help you, despite his recent case history points to having Greenish credentials, given he was a runner up for the local Greens in Clark electorate at the last State election in 2014.
Unfortunately with more people living on the margins of society a northern prison is an essential part of our remand infrastructure and would make it more humane for inmates with improved access for family contacts having a centrally located northern prison.
Hopefully the new Editor will accept more of mainstream views than in the past when we all suffered too many wacky dissenters being allowed too many over lapping articles by exposing their own problems within society, as an example, such was the extreme feminists taking on the gender benders quite sickening at the time.
I think that TT general readership suffered badly at the time and almost ascended into damage control !.
I dont blame Lyndsay for stepping down I reckon that he did a good job overall but had to face a barrage of nonsense articles that in my opinion probably should never have been sent to TT in the first place!
Politics world wide is stymied at present, everyone is facing lack of direction, national leadership is on the edge of collapse, even here in Australia the Morrison who had a reasonable start, the govt over the past few months now appears stumped,
The mainland drought affecting the Greater Murray Darling Basin continuing through this summer without rainfall will become our greatest national disaster thanks to over zealous moves by governments to extend land clearing and damming river flows for agriculture extending into dryer regions of the nation,!
Power blackouts this summer on the mainland being overwhelmed by dependence of air cond. would pale into insignificance given the prospect of regions facing lack of water and that can mean no drinking water from natural sources!
Tasmania must not dare to drain our dams to supply electricity via an aging Bass link to the energy sapping mainland systems for air cond and other energy wasting contrivances!
Climate change activists will preach their idealogies but with the population of the drying continent having already reached its threshold of approx 24 Million souls the “party” should be over for what we see on a daily basis, the continued virtually uncontrolled immigration whether it be permanent or “temporary”!
I want to hear more about sustainable but realistic living standards and not some concocted Green idealogy which hampers progress and hinders reasonable expectations for society in general.
A much reformed TT newspaper could provide some worthwhile reading this time acceptable for perusal by the general public, not just for enjoyment by crackpots! Want to see more of hard cold facts affecting our daily lives backed up with vastly improved national security measures!
Rip into it Editor dont hold back!
Chief Editor TT
November 1, 2019 at 09:58
Last state election was in 2018 actually and I campaigned for no-one, nor am I am a member of a political party. As I stated on Twitter I have in the past been a member of the Country Liberal Party, the Australian Labor Party and the Greens, also involved with an alliance of independents that stood in the NT one time. In fact the last thing I did for a big election was to organise a candidate forum for the northern suburbs of (then) Denison for the fed election of 2016; you’re welcome to ask candidates Wilkie, Allan, Brown and Austin who attended whether it was done fairly.
But TT is not about me which is why we will shortly be calling for people to step up and undertake editing-type roles of 4-5 hours per week so that we can as you suggest work towards publishing a broader range of content. Training will be provided. In the meantime I and my offsider are learning the WordPress ropes as it were so the focus for the time being is on that rather than new content. Coming soon!
Rob Halton
November 4, 2019 at 18:54
Alan, if you in fact deleted my answer days ago… a deletion without some sort of notification is an insult! Lyndsay would not do that! Beijing would not be happy either!
Chief Editor TT
November 5, 2019 at 08:58
There are several of us able to approve and edit comments.
No clarification is owed anyone if comments are not accepted, but in this case the inaccurate statements about me would have taken a week to correct. I have other priorities beyond responding to name-calling, the main ones being to get publishing going again and to prepare the training we are going to offer to editors and moderators. As I said, the reincarnation of TT is not about me but about creating a viable platform for independent media in Tasmania. Those editors and moderators will have a say in the approach, eventually, and will become something like a steering committee as we move to become a non-profit association that is run by its members. The time frame for that is hard to determine but is likely 1 to 2 years. I have no control over what you choose to like or not, or take offence at or not, nor am I able to accurately predict what Lindsay would or would not do in any situation. I’ve never been to Beijing or indeed China but I hear they do a decent tofu bao!
There will be no further comments by you or me on this thread.
Kelvin Jones
November 3, 2019 at 19:05
Hi John .. I like the paragraph ” Tasmania must not dare drain our dams to supply electricity via an aging Bass link ….. ” . More to come on this subject…
Simon Warriner
November 6, 2019 at 09:17
As a former draughtsperson I was taught that multiple perspectives are required in order to accurately describe any object or thing. While some of Robin’s posts are tiresome, he does not live under a bridge.
It would be a crying shame if skillful moderation was abandoned in favour of blanket bans on those who certain people disagree with.
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 07:49
Aggggggggghhhhhhhh John … fire in the belly is SO GOOD TO SEE …
warwickraverty
November 1, 2019 at 00:37
Very best wishes for the next phase of your life, Linz!
You have served Tasmania well!
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 07:47
bushwalking, learning the piano and gardening are my aims warwick …
Gwenda Sheridan
November 1, 2019 at 07:04
Hello Alan and Monica,
I offer you a lovely welcome, with heartfelt thanks to Lindsay (piano is great!).
TT has been so sorely missed. Thank you so much.
I look forward to making contributions …
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 07:45
hi gwenda … all power to TT …
Chief Editor TT
November 1, 2019 at 09:46
Thank you so much Gwenda. Monica doesn’t have a login here yet and is busy with other things but I can tell you that as a migrant from Colombia she is interested in curating more content from the multicultural community. That will take a while to get going but it’s an interesting project.
TT Editor
November 1, 2019 at 08:11
Russell … you still have fire in the belly …!x
Lola Moth
November 1, 2019 at 10:37
I’m glad that Lindsay gets to pursue new adventures knowing that TT is in good hands, but I hope the TT Punctuation Fairy is not going anywhere or my comments will revert to being illegible again.
Chief Editor TT
November 1, 2019 at 10:56
The P-Fairy Dust cannon will be fired on a regular basis, that is our solemn promise!
Claire Gilmour
November 1, 2019 at 18:31
I don’t know how to ever properly say thank you so much Lindsay Tuffin for being a mentor, like a big brother, the best editor ever, for gifting me a voice. You are my hero ! … when no one else would listen and edited so well and finely for me. I don’t think I could ever give you back the time, the articles and comments I sent you that you so ever kindly made sure were ok. The only thing I can offer you and your Mrs Muffin! is a stay in the wilderness. If you ever want to come back to the N/W Tas and need a place to stay, I’m more than happy to freely accommodate you both in Shakespeare’s Wilderness Chalet for a few nights … I’m sure you could do with a holiday 🙂
lindsaytuffin9537
November 1, 2019 at 21:17
I will take you up on that Claire … stay tooned …!x
Poppy Lopatniuk
November 2, 2019 at 09:45
Thanks Linz – that hand in the darkness so appreciated – and wonderful news that Tasmanian Times will be here for us all again to let off steam and strive for betterment of our wobbly world. Onwards! And a warm welcome to new managers.
lindsaytuffin9537
November 2, 2019 at 22:52
thankyou very much poppy … it is enormously appreciated …
lindsaytuffin9537
November 2, 2019 at 22:56
Thankyou so much Poppy …
Kelvin Jones
November 3, 2019 at 19:19
Congratulations Lindsay … The show rolls on!!!
lindsaytuffin9537
November 4, 2019 at 08:39
agh kelvin … it does indeed …!x
lindsaytuffin9537
November 4, 2019 at 09:13
it does indeed kelvin …!x the show must always roll-on …
Kev Rothery
November 4, 2019 at 10:43
This is great news that just made my day! There is always going to be a much needed role for TT to play in this state. Enjoy your bushwalks and piano playing Linz, while knowing that your amazing media legacy will now live on.
Also, sincere thanks and good luck to Alan W, and whoever else is involved in taking the reins.
Chief Editor TT
November 4, 2019 at 15:37
Thanks Kev, we’ll do our best.
lindsaytuffin9537
November 6, 2019 at 10:51
Thankyou for those kind words kev …
phill Parsons
November 4, 2019 at 13:08
Hooray! Looking forward to reading some Tasmanian contributions and comment.
lindsaytuffin9537
November 6, 2019 at 10:50
thankyou philll
lindsaytuffin9537
November 6, 2019 at 11:02
me too phill
Christopher Eastman-Nagle
November 5, 2019 at 12:18
This is a lovely outcome not just for our Lindsay, who has invested so much of himself over so many years on the TT project; not just for Tasmania, but for our country, which desperately needs open forums that are not just self confirming reality bubbles for narrow constituencies to fluff their prejudices.
Over the last few months I have been hanging around Quillette, which is OK, but it is not particularly a good thing if too many like minded people gather in the same place, because they are not the people one needs to be talking to. The relentless progress towards increasingly fortified ideological fiefdoms is a very bad sign of things to come.
The humanist and corporate twin pillars of Indulgence Capitalism (where an economy and culture of needs and wants is replaced by marketing and sales driven fantasies of desire and gratification at any cost) are BOTH infallibly correct about the infrastructure damage the other does to the to the commons it is supposed to be stewarding, because they are both creatures of the indulgent deregulatory and privatization agendas that define tertiary capitalism. They are the quarrelling and jostling ‘Church’ and ‘Crown’ of the late modern period, and neither of them are benign.
To dig ourselves out of the hole we have created for ourselves over the last 70 years requires an escape route out of the indulgent society whose mechanisms very closely mimic the diabolical preying behaviour of the jewel wasp. And that can only happen if we recognize what we have in common rather than what divides us, because the power of this regime is not just its ability to blunt consciousness and critical thought into encliched stereotypes, keywords and slogans, but its capacity to generate Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum self canceling internal paralysis that ensures all the available energy of discourse goes nowhere….to preserve the ever increasingly dangerous status quo.
So I am looking forward to the continuing journey of our Tasmanian Times and continue to give thanks to our dear Lindsay Tuffin for the legacy he has left us
lindsaytuffin9537
November 6, 2019 at 11:03
thankyou for your most kind comments christopher …
Chief Editor TT
November 7, 2019 at 18:55
We have scheduled a workshop to train new editors. Yes, we need people to share the work and shape the direction of Tasmanian Times as we move forward. Please see the post below and fill out the short form there to express your interest.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2019/11/we-need-you-2/
Mark Temby
November 9, 2019 at 08:00
Wishing all the achievements of their intentions.
Chief Editor TT
November 9, 2019 at 10:31
Thanks Mark, we’ll do our best!
Lindsay Tuffin
November 13, 2019 at 14:42
we will …
TT-Admin
November 11, 2019 at 21:43
sdfdsf sdf f sdf sdffssd
TT-Admin
November 11, 2019 at 21:43
fse sef se fsedtg greer gerwer wer wer wrerw rwerwer wrewer
Clive Stott
November 11, 2019 at 23:37
Yes it wrewer lovely bottle of red 😉
Chief Editor TT
November 12, 2019 at 07:59
Our web guy Andrew is doing a bit of tinkering.
lindsaytuffin9537
November 13, 2019 at 14:39
he certainly is ….
Chief Editor TT
November 12, 2019 at 08:27
Hi Russell, I am posting today about some of the changes happening and about to happen, and why they are necessary. It doesn’t quite address all of the comments issue as that is part of a broader strategy that is still being rolled out. Yes your issue is important but us reshaping the functionality of the site is also work that we have to get done.
I will consider your petition next week as we re-start publishing. In the future petitions can be sent to [email protected] with Good Citizen in the subject line.
tess lawrence
November 12, 2019 at 12:35
Dearest Linz and Alan – congratulations to both of you.
Lindsay, your courage as a publisher has changed not only the journalistic landscape of Tasmania/Australia but also our historical legacy as well – by giving us access to alternative voices and independent opinions not lubricated by vested and at times corrupt interests.
I thank you both personally and professionally for giving safe harbour to my own scribblings and for republishing so many of my articles from Independent Australia. This fraternal sharing of speaking truth to the powerful says much about your strength of character and justice. I love your own love for journalism, journalists and the word made flesh – and your innate understanding and news sense. And compassion.
I have some sense of the great sacrifices both you and your family have made during the years to keep the Tasmanian Times breathing and ever ready to clamber into the ring – despite the constant attempts to silence you and your contributors – whilst forever withstanding the bullying menace of Writs and threats of legal action.
Be proud of what you have achieved. I salute you Lindsay Tuffin and I look forward to your ongoing adventures – and hope you will do more writing now.
Alan, thank you for keeping this important flame alive. This is such an exciting adventure for you – and for all of us, who care about Tasmanian Times, Tasmania, the ‘Mainland’ and beyond. And for those of us who care about each other, the wider community and an Earth in agony and torment through our misdeeds.
Thanks too, to all my sibling contributors and commentators.
tess lawrence
Contributing Editor at Large, Independent Australia.net
Contributor, Tasmanian Times
Chief Editor TT
November 12, 2019 at 16:24
Thank you for the positive thoughts, Tess.
Is ‘Mainland’ what we call North Island?!
tess lawrence
November 13, 2019 at 07:33
Yes !
Lindsay Tuffin
November 13, 2019 at 14:37
thankyou tess … it means a lot to me … On we charge into the night. thankyou so much … You’re overstating it a tad … but I appreciate it enormously …!x
Lynne Newington
November 12, 2019 at 16:04
Lovely to hear you’re on top it Lindsay……..not reading of any movement in the camp for so long I was about to rustle up Christopher Nagle who has come to mind trillions of times with all news worthy of his input.
Thanks to Jane Atkinson for putting me into the picture.
All cheers.
Lindsay Tuffin
November 13, 2019 at 14:38
thankyou Lynne!x
November 23, 2019 at 23:21
Moderator/Editor: Can you please let me know how I can quickly see on a daily basis a list of the most recent posts published on Tasmanian Times?
There was such a feature available for several years until about a week ago.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter, it’s clearly evident that the new owner of Tasmanian Times has changed much, and also that he’s improving the publication’s interest and value daily.
Your concern about the missing feature might well be shared by others, so I suggest that you (and they) write to him at [email protected] and offer your views.
Generally speaking, the Comments section of Tasmanian Times is for those submitting Comments on published Articles, and for those wanting to access these. The Code of Conduct applies.
Other contact email addresses of potential interest to readers may be viewed by clicking the CONTACT tab on TT’s opening page.
— Moderator
Chief Editor TT
November 24, 2019 at 13:39
It’s a bit early Peter, as things are still being moved around and new features are being introduced, particularly to the front page. The most recent posts are listed under Editor’s Choice. A weekly digest of new posts is also available as an email subscription via the the signup form at the bottom of all pages. As for comments, we are looking at ways to flag a ‘hot topic’ but no ETA on that yet.
November 25, 2019 at 19:44
Thanks.
I am not sure whether we are talking about the same feature.
What I was referring to is a list that contained the following information:
The commenters name, the name of the article on which they are commenting, date and time of the submission.
This feature was available until a about a week ago and it used to list up to 20 such entries on a continuous basis.
Chief Editor TT
November 25, 2019 at 19:56
You mean the ‘latest comments’ box. It won’t be around for a while as we shuffle other things in place.
In the main panel of the page there are photos for each article. There’s a comment icon and a number (in top right corner) which shows how many comments are on that article. If there are no comments the icon is not visible.
November 25, 2019 at 20:00
Yes, that is exactly what I meant .. the latest comments box.
Thanks for clearing this up for me.