Hobart backs short-stay levy submission, shifts 23 February council meeting

The City of Hobart has backed a submission to the Tasmanian Government on the draft Short Stay Levy Bill 2025 at Tuesday’s Hobart Workshop Committee meeting in the Lady Osborne Room. The committee also moved the council meeting due on Monday, 23 February, from 4.00pm to 5.15pm.

The levy bill item drew a clear set of resolutions. Councillors endorsed the draft submission, authorised chief executive officer action to finalise it with minor editorial changes that do not alter its intent, and approved lodgement with the Department of Treasury and Finance.

They also directed the Lord Mayor to write to the Treasurer and the Minister for Housing, enclosing the endorsed submission and confirming Council’s willingness to help with implementation discussions.

Once the submission is lodged, it must be published on the City’s website.

The open meeting also brought item 7.1, the Safer Hobart Program, ahead of the council report items. The workshop discussion covered a concept-stage proposal, ongoing discussions with the community, recruitment, training, communication with Tasmania Police, CCTV links, data collection, and the need for clear key performance indicators and trial benchmarks.

The Mount Nelson Local Area Mobility Plan was also workshopped in public. Feedback focused on a footpath as the main priority, a proposed 40 km/h speed limit, raised pedestrian crossings near the Mount Nelson Store and the Oval, gateway signage, lighting around the Oval and along Olinda Grove, and wildlife crossings.

The committee also noted that stormwater infrastructure, planning and water management are outside the scope of that report.

Part of the meeting was then closed to the public under meeting procedures regulations. Confidential items included minutes of a closed committee meeting, confidential information, closed questions without notice and the Dark Mofo 2026-2028 City Partnership Proposal.

The public minutes do not record the detail of the Dark Mofo proposal.

For Hobart residents, the immediate change is the later start time for the 23 February council meeting. For people following short-stay policy, the City has put its position on the levy bill on the record and will publish the submission after lodgement.