Alexandra Humphries
Hobart, TAS
Alexandra Humphries is a political reporter with ABC Hobart. She is a Tasmanian journalist who began her career in Launceston before moving back to her hometown of Hobart to cover state politics. Before joining the ABC she worked at Hobart's Mercury newspaper and the Launceston Examiner. Alexandra has won Tasmanian media awards for public service reporting and science and environment reporting.
Latest by Alexandra Humphries
Fears medical equipment taken from $11m hyperbaric unit, documents show
An independent auditor is brought in over concerns specialist equipment may have been removed from the Royal Hobart Hospital's hyperbaric unit, but determines there's no way to know if — or what — items were taken.
Million-dollar windfall for club connected to senior Tasmanian Liberal
A senior Tasmanian government MP is at the centre of fresh questions about a perceived conflict of interest, after a community project he and his family are involved with won $1 million in taxpayer funding following recent state and federal elections.
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Judi struggles to move around her home, but she doesn't have anywhere else to go — and she is not alone
By Alexandra Humphries and Meg Whitfield
Judi needs new accommodation and is on an ever-growing list of Tasmanians without suitable housing — and advocates say a "complete lack of transparency" in the process leaves those waiting in a state of "total despair".
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Ninth Tasmanian government MP linked to groups that received election grants
A Tasmanian Liberal candidate announced a $100,000 taxpayer-funded election grant for a volleyball club he was involved with, the ABC can reveal, as the government faces growing allegations of pork-barrelling for funding promises made to sporting clubs and organisations.
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Liberals under fire again for Tasmanian grants scheme dubbed 'extreme version of sports rorts'
More than half of the Tasmanian Liberals' controversial 2021 taxpayer-funded election grants were doled out through a secretive process that avoided parliamentary scrutiny in what's been labelled a "power grab", the ABC can reveal.
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Australia's Black Summer bushfires were catastrophic. Now scientists say they damaged the ozone layer
UK researchers reveal Australia's Black Summer bushfires likely damaged the ozone layer and caused the highest temperatures in the stratosphere in 30 years.
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Cash windfall for club where Tasmanian minister's family member works
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
A Tasmanian Liberal candidate, now the state's Sports Minister, secured $50,000 for a club branch where a family member was treasurer of. Now, an ICAC lawyer says the method used to hand out grants has "got to stop".
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Another housing summit four years after the first 'crisis' talks — Scott says the situation is worse now
A new group has been formed to come up with solutions to Tasmania's housing crisis, about four years after an urgent housing summit pledged to do the same, but the situation now is even worse.
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Commercial rock lobster fishers fear allowing larger boats into more areas will push them into dangerous waters, or out of the industry
Rock lobster fisher Adam Johnson had hoped his children would follow in his footsteps, but he says a proposal to allow larger boats to fish in more Tasmanian waters could have a detrimental impact on smaller operations.
Brand-new icebreaker breaks, again
Australia's brand-new icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina, is out of action for the foreseeable future after checks revealed key mechanical parts need replacing.
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Analysis
analysis:Victims of abuse by Launceston nurse have been sounding alarms for years, but are they finally being heard?
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
The changes coming to the management of Launceston General Hospital come many years too late for the victim-survivors of paedophile nurse James Griffin, writes Alexandra Humphries.
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Thousands across Australia demonstrate in solidarity with US protesters after abortion access ruling
By Margaret Paul, Alexandra Humphries, Harriet Tatham and staff
In the wake of the Roe v Wade ruling in the US being overturned, protesters in cities across Australia say they will fight any attempts to wind back reproductive rights.
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'Community deserved better': Code-of-conduct breaches upheld against two Huon councillors
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
Code-of-conduct breaches have been upheld against two Huon Valley councillors over the failure to manage a conflict of interest in the appointment of a new general manager, with an investigation finding "the community deserved better".
Mac Point head Mary Massina to exit despite being cleared of bullying allegation
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
The head of Macquarie Point Development Corporation Mary Massina says she will leave the role in the middle of next month, despite being cleared of an allegation that she bullied a staff member.
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Tourists 'come for the wilderness and trees, not logging', Tasmanian operator says
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
A wilderness tour operator in Tasmania joins the call for the native logging industry to end, saying it gives the "wrong message" to interstate visitors — with a Wilderness Society-backed report likening the annual carbon emissions from logging to "a million cars".
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Cash splash for Liberal-connected clubs blasted for 'appalling transparency'
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
Tasmanian Liberal MPs were patrons or members of at least seven organisations that won taxpayer-funded grants after pre-election promises — but the government is adamant the local community does not expect organisations to be ineligible "simply because a candidate is a patron".
Liberal politician scores $150k grant for rowing club where daughter is a member
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
A taxpayer-funded grant promised by a Tasmanian Liberal candidate during the 2021 state election funnelled $150,000 into the rowing club where her daughter was a member.
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Proposed Robbins Island wind farm could impact endangered parrot population, documents reveal
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
A contentious wind farm proposed for Tasmania's north-western tip could interfere with the recovery of a critically endangered parrot species, and significantly impact a population of Tasmanian devils thought to be key to the species' survival, documents obtained under right to information laws show.
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Cost of Hobart stadium likely to be higher than $750m, documents show
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
The $750 million price tag attached to Hobart's proposed new stadium was a "ballpark" figure provided by a consultant a week before the announcement — with a minister admitting "we had to be able to explain what it could cost, now we need to find out what it will cost".
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Political donations rule overhaul still leaves Tasmania with 'the weakest laws' in the country, critics say
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
The Tasmanian government has unveiled long-awaited legislation to overhaul the state's political donations rules, but opponents say they would still be the weakest laws in the country.
Tasmanian MP faces backlash over 'dangerous' petition against vaccines and masks
By Alexandra Humphries and Laura Beavis
A Tasmanian Liberal MP sponsoring a petition to parliament to end COVID-19 mask and vaccination mandates says he is representing constituents who asked to have their concerns aired.
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Analysis
analysis:Does Tasmania's latest budget set up a new wages fight with the public service?
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
Tasmania's nurses, teachers and government workers will be taking a cut to pay in real terms if the state government gets its way, writes Alexandra Humphries.
Cost of living, affordable housing and millions for digital health services — here's what's in Tasmania's budget
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
Big spends on health, housing and cost of living; there's even money for new guns for police – but public servants will take the hit for the state's bottom line in the latest Tasmanian budget.
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'A mark of great courage': Push on to restore Lower House to 35 seats
By state political reporter Alexandra Humphries
A move is afoot to restore the number of seats in Tasmania's Lower House to 35, after it was slashed by 10 seats in the 1990s, with the Greens praising the Liberal Premier for his "courage".
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'An opportunity to end the climate wars': Incoming prime minister Anthony Albanese says Labor ready to take charge
Counting to determine the winners of several key electorates is continuing, as one independent warns Labor will need to take a stronger stance on climate change if it needs support to form government.
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