Minutes (Open Portion)

The Hobart Workshop Committee Meeting

Page 1

17/11/2025

Minutes (Open Portion)

The Hobart Workshop Committee Meeting

Page 1

17/11/2025

Lohberger

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Hobart Workshop Committee meeting held on Monday, 10 November 2025, be confirmed as an accurate record.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

The minutes were signed.

6.1     Visitor Accommodation Update

Posselt

That the recommendation contained within the officer report, marked as item 6.1 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 17 November 2025, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

That the visitor accommodation update be received and noted.

7.1     Deputations

Lohberger

That the recommendation contained within the officer report, marked as item 6.2 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 17 November 2025, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

That the following two deputations be received and noted:

1.     Mike Foster – UTAS STEM Plan

2.     John Ross – Rezoning of UTAS Land

8.1     University of Tasmania - STEM Business Case - Presentation

A presentation on the future of Sandy Bay campus was provided by Professor Nicholas Farrelly (Pro Vice-Chancellor responsible for Southern Tasmania), Professor Eric Warpstra (Dean of Research) and Dr Angela Castles (Pro Vice Chancellor Sciences and Engineering) on the University of Tasmania’s STEM Business Case.

The Committee discussed:

·       The need for buildings on the Sandy Bay campus to be upgraded to be fit for purpose and so that the university becomes leading edge, is able to attract: more students, high quality staff and more research funding.  It was also noted that the older buildings are not up to modern accessibility standards.

·       The plan for upgrading buildings, UTAS aim to move faculties once a building has been upgraded – it will be a staged approach.

·       How UTAS move to the City will be helping the City’s economy.

·       How UTAS will get funding (primarily through State and Federal Government) and the need to develop strategies to attract more funding - including through private investors and new partners.

·       20% of students pathway from school; the average UTAS student demographic is a 32 year old mum; and 44% of Tasmanian students are the first in their family to go to university.

·       10,000 Students in Tasmania.  There are 4400 students at Sandy Bay Campus.  70% of students in Southern Tasmania will be learning in Hobart CBD  54% will be leaning at Sandy Bay and 27% will be learning between Hobart and Sandy Bay.

·       Accommodation available for Uni Students and noted that currently the accommodation on offer to students is not full.

·       How easy it was for students to move between faculties at Sandy Bay campus compared to now, having a distributed campus model (Hobart and Sandy Bay) – requires some students to move between Hobart and Sandy Bay.

·       The need to improve transport links – noting that UTAS has negotiated with Metro for students to be able to move between Hobart and Sandy Bay campus free of charge – UTAS will pick up the bill.

·       Alderman Bloomfield requested more information on the number and make up of UTAS students in southern Tasmania as it will help the City with its future planning.

·       The contribution that higher education brings to the economy.

·       Potential opportunities for UTAS to explore that may bring in some extra funding such as: More engagement with Children – like Wollongong University does.  Develop more science hubs; include high quality child care, develop programs aimed at young children (e.g. an interactive facility for STEM); and develop more programs with High Schools such as an elective for high school students to do ‘academic school’.

·       The importance of Innovation hubs.

·       The need for UTAS to be more open with communication to ensure that they ‘bring the community along for the ride’ on what is happening.  People are noticing that streets are closed down for long periods, buildings empty, car parks with weeds growing through them – communication needs to be better with Council and the Community.

·       It was noted that the quality of work undertaken at UTAS is outstanding and is first class.

·       The important role that the university plays to: stop brain drain, encourage kids to stay in school and to increase adult literacy was acknowledged.

Attachments

a    UTAS STEM Business Case Presentation ⇨  

8.2     Sandy Bay Area Briefing

The Chief Executive Officer and members of the Executive Leadership Team gave a presentation on: Current works and completed projects; Upcoming works and projects; Community Support.

The Committee asked that an update on the following be provided:

·       What is the fate of dying plane trees in Fitzroy Place?

·       Sandy Bay Sailing shed that has been condemned – what will be happening?

·       Nutgrove Beach – what’s happening with the extreme loss of sand

·       Update on Ferry terminal?

·       School based immunisation – should Council be continuing to do that type of work?

The Committee acknowledged the great works that has been undertaken at Parliament Reserve.

Attachments

a    Presentation on Sandy Bay Area ⇨  

8.3     Bushfire Preparedness

The Manager Open Space, Program Leader Biodiversity and the Program Officer Fire and Biodiversity gave a presentation on bushfire preparedness. 

The presentation provided a summary of the current seasonal outlook and the City’s preparatory actions for 2025/26; provided an update on new and ongoing community engagement activities and the City’s research collaborations in relation to bushfire mitigations.

The Committee discussed:

·       Hobart is considered to be one of the most bushfire prone city in Australia and TFS recommends that people plan to leave early on days with a fire danger rating of extreme or catastrophic.

·       That the current seasonal outlook is showing that during June to August 2025 there is a below average rainfall and that temperatures were above average.  Another update on Seasonal outlook is due to be received (from Bureau of Meteorology) later in November.

·       Deep root soil moisture in the south west is dryer than normal.  Therefore fire danger ratings for November to January is expect to be higher than normal for the west and south west and normal for the rest of Tasmania.

·       If water storage is likely to be an issue in fire prone areas within the City – members also noted that water storage is managed by TasWater.

·       That Tasmania leases fire fighting aircraft (from the National Aerial Fighting Centre (NAFC)) for the fire season.  The aircraft is management by Tas Fire Services.

·       Bushland reserves are closed when Fire Behaviour Index (FBI) rating is 50 as that marks the beginning of the Extreme Fire Rating category.

·       The City undertakes the following mitigation programs: Fuel reduction burning, mechanical thinning, fire breaks, fire trails and is running a ‘Prepare Now’ – bushfire campaign.

·       The ‘Prepare Now’ campaign is about getting people to clean up their back yards (and around the house) and to update their fire plan and have an emergency kit.

·       The collaboration between the City of Hobart and UTAS that aims to put strong science behind mechanical mitigation works.

·       Burn-offs – must occur during the right weather conditions to ensure that smoke does not adversely affect aged care facilities, schools and residential areas. 

·       Elected Members requested that a diagram, of where burn offs have occurred and where future burns offs are planned be provided.

·       The importance of the City undertaking some media and communications now about: being prepared for bushfires, reminder of items that should not be used during total fire bans (e.g. a brush cutter), the importance of leaving early, when it is safe to do so - and to check and look out for your neighbours (particularly if they are elderly, have mobility issues etc).

·       To encourage people to clean their back yards, could the Council consider offering free rubbish pickups, and / or potentially waive tip fees.

Attachments

a    Bushfire Preparedness Presentation ⇨  

8.4     Hobart Housing Action Plan

The Director Strategic and Regulatory Services, Manager Place Design, Sport and Recreation and Strategic Planning presented the draft City of Hobart’s Housing Action Plan and requested feedback on the plan.

The Committee discussed:

·       The importance of Council being able to deliver actions that are within it control, collaborating with partner organisations to deliver actions and to advocate for actions to be undertake by other levels of government and organisations.

·       Possible incentive packages, review of Council Policy with the intent of reducing red tape, consider other possibilities such as secondary residences, bluefield housing, tiny homes and gentle, better use of underutilised land, exemplar projects and also working with developers and representatives from Housing industry

At this point, the presentation joined with item 8.5 Draft Hobart Inner City Housing Supply Incentive Policy.

Attachments

a    Hobart Housing Action Plan - Presentation ⇨  

8.5     Draft Hobart Inner City Housing Supply Incentive Policy

The Chief Executive Officer provided a presentation on the ‘Draft Hobart Inner City Housing Incentive Policy’ and requested that the Committee provide feedback on the information provided in the Policy.

The Committee discussed:

·       That development is being approved, but it is not being built and that there is a need for density.

·       The intent is to partner with other providers (TasWater and State Government).  Preliminary discussions indicate that both parties have interest.  If Council is happy with the policy, then the next steps are to look at entering into an arrangement with TasWater and the State Government.

·       The incentive package being considered is rates remission and fee rebates.  The average subsidy would be approx. $10k per dwelling unit and it will only be given once the development is complete.

·       The incentives apply to developments is Central Hobart, North Hobart and the waterfront.  Developments must:

o   have a minimum of 5 dwellings in class two buildings and have all necessary permits

o   reviewed and approved by UDAP

·       Be aware that there will be people who were going to develop anyway, will likely take advantage of the incentive package.

·       What cap will be proposed? Will Council be the only entity offering an incentive? Will the State Government be looking at Land Tax and any incentives they can offer?

·       In relation to Funding Caps – are they needed – potentially we are budgeting for foregone revenue that we have received, right now not likely to get revenue.  It was noted that we would be refunding some fees.

·       The affect on rates revenue bottom line.

·       Case studies would be handy to see what other states do where they assist small land holders to come together.

·       Would other councils in greater Hobart be interested?

·       Consider bringing the incentive forward – builders need money at the beginning of projects.

·       It was noted that this incentives package relates to new builds, if successful, could another incentives package be considered for changing large dwellings to smaller apartments down the track.

Attachments

a    Draft Inner City Housing Supply Incentive Policy Presentation ⇨  

Question:         How many students are actually engaging with the Hobart university Campus?

A break down in the number of students in Southern Tasmania that are: international students and interstate students?

How many students from interstate and overseas in southern Tasmania who are in university provided accommodations versus private accommodation?

Response:        The Chief Executive Officer took the question on notice.