opinion
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E-Scooter Program finally Scrapped
Hobart’s e-scooter hire program is finally going, and it should have happened years ago. From the beginning, ideology led and the practical concerns were sidelined. Early on, the warnings were clear with safety risks, constant injuries, and conflicts with pedestrians raised repeatedly. None of this is new. But instead of listening, the program rolled on.…
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UTAS Sandy Bay Land Sale
The UTAS Sandy Bay land sale has now cleared Parliament, but there are still more questions than answers. We’re told this is about funding a new STEM precinct and delivering housing. That sounds fine on the surface. But the more you look at it, the less clear it becomes whether it will actually deliver either.…
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MacPoint Precinct Masterplan Plan is Now Public
The Macquarie Point precinct master plan is now public after much anticipation, and it shows this is far more than a stadium proposal. What stands out is the scale and ambition of the vision. This is not just about one piece of infrastructure, but the opportunity to create a genuine waterfront precinct with housing, public…
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Be Practical with City Hall Future
It is understandable that people want to protect YouthARC (Letters, April 2). Facilities that support young people and provide safe places to connect are important and should remain part of Hobart’s community infrastructure. However, we also need to recognise a practical reality. If the Hobart City Hall continues to operate at a loss, council has…
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Time to bring City Hall back to life
At this Monday’s Hobart City Council meeting, councillors will consider how to better activate City Hall, a conversation that is both necessary and long overdue. Despite its central location, City Hall remains underutilised and increasingly outdated as a functional events venue. If activation is the goal, the focus must be on practical improvements like modern…
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Hobart City Council numbers to be reduced
The Tasmanian Government’s proposal to reduce councillor numbers is sensible and practical, with the City of Hobart moving from 12 elected members to nine. Slightly smaller councils should lead to clearer decision-making, stronger accountability and help attract candidates with the skills and experience needed. This should not be seen as a loss of representation. Good…
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Collins Street is a working street, not a planning experiment
The latest stage of the Collins Street bike lane works again raises an important question: who exactly is this street being designed for? Buses servicing CBD hotels will be forced to unload guests with luggage while stopped in the middle of the road. Collins Street is not just a commuter corridor. It is a working…
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Macquarie Point not ready for AFL until 2031
The confirmation that Macquarie Point Stadium is unlikely to host AFL games until 2031 reflects the reality of delivering infrastructure projects of this scale and complexity. Projects of this size require careful planning, engineering and delivery, and delays between construction completion and operational readiness are not unusual. The priority should not be whether it opens…
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Hanging Garden Precinct $300M Boost for Hobart
A $300 million private investment in the heart of the city sends a strong signal that business has real confidence in Tasmania’s capital and its future. This is exactly the kind of investment Hobart needs. The Hanging Garden redevelopment shows investors are prepared to back Hobart for the long term and help drive the next…
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Motion to Ban Buses from Collins Street
An upcoming council motion proposes relocating private buses from Collins Street. Buses shouldn’t be seen as a nuisance, they are essential. Services like SkyBus connect visitors directly to the CBD, keeping the city accessible for everyone. Forcing buses out of Collins Street would expose a simple fact: the new bike lanes and street redesigns aren’t…