The first locally-produced edition rolled off the presses yesterday at the company’s new $32 million printing facility in Hobart’s Technopark, which comprises a KBA Comet press.

The state has been subsisting on editions air-freighted from Melbourne since the newspaper’s inception in 1964, with newsagents now able to offer home delivery due to an increased four hours’ lead time on shipments of the newspaper. The savings made in removing air-freight from the supply chain will also lead to a reduction in cover prices from $1.90 to $1.50, according to a report in The Australian.

“We think this is a great move for readers and should increase circulation,” editor Paul Whittaker said.

“No longer will our readers be subject to the vagaries of the weather, and in particular fog, which often delays the arrival of papers from Melbourne into Launceston and Hobart for many hours.

“The printing of The Australian in Hobart leaves Darwin as the only capital into which we have to fly the newspaper.”

The Weekend Australian will be produced in Hobart for the first time on September 5.

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