News from tonight’s Hobart City Council meeting 27 April 2026

Published on 28 April 2026

Shared Micromobility Program – Next Steps

Council is moving ahead with a new Shared Micromobility Program, launching a public tender for an e‑bike‑only service across the city. The approach delivers on Council’s request for a refreshed program that prioritises smaller, more compact e‑bikes, better suited to Hobart’s streets and urban environment. Officers will commence a tender to select a new provider, prioritising safety, accessibility, and sustainability in the Shared Micromobility Program, which will use only e-bikes. Scheduled to start on 1 October 2026, the program supports more transport options and aligns with Council’s strategic goals for liveability and transport.

Taste of Summer City Partnership Proposal 2026-27 – 2028-29

A new three‑year City Partnership will see the City continue its sponsorship of Tasmania’s Taste of Summer through the 2026–27, 2027–28 and 2028–29 festivals, providing both cash and in‑kind support for one of Hobart’s most significant events. The City will contribute $75,000 in cash sponsorship in 2026–27, indexed annually to the Hobart CPI, alongside in‑kind support up to $414,000 in the first year, increasing to $428,490 and $443,487 in subsequent years. Taste of Summer delivers substantial economic benefits, with the 2025–26 festival generating an estimated $27.7 million in visitor expenditure and $34 million in total economic output for Hobart. This investment supports local businesses, community celebrations and Hobart’s reputation as a premier summer destination.

City Hall Activation

A new approach is underway to unlock the potential of Hobart’s City Hall as a more vibrant, sustainable civic and cultural asset. The proposal focuses on repositioning City Hall as a central element of a future civic and cultural precinct linking Theatre Royal and Hedberg, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Federation Concert Hall and surrounding public spaces. An Expressions of Interest process will be launched to identify an anchor tenant or tenants to help activate City Hall, increase public use and reduce ongoing operational costs. Work will also progress on short, medium and long‑term upgrades to address ageing infrastructure, functionality and flood risk. A concept plan will be developed to transform Market Place into a civic square for City Hall while improving flood resilience, alongside continued accommodation of YouthARC in the near term.

Dorney House: Update of Status and Future Options

Plans are progressing to secure a future for the heritage‑listed Dorney House on Porter Hill, with a new Expression of Interest process to be initiated to identify viable options for its future management and use. Public access to the site ceased in 2024 due to safety and access issues, and the property is currently unused, deteriorating and costing around $200,000 each year to maintain. The City will invest $50,000 in 2026–27 to undertake design and investigation work for access road upgrades, a critical step toward enabling future activation. Tourism‑based uses such as guided experiences, small‑scale events or boutique accommodation have been identified as the most promising option, subject to heritage, environmental and safety requirements. Outcomes from the EOI will inform the next steps for this iconic site.

2026-27 Fees and Charges

Annual fees and charges for 2026–27 have been adopted as part of the City’s annual budget process, following a comprehensive review undertaken earlier this year. The review applies a general increase of 3.5 per cent across most fees and charges, in line with the City’s Pricing Policy and Guidelines, with variations where fees are set by legislation or where specific circumstances apply. The updated schedule includes more than 1,100 individual fees and charges, with outdated fees removed and new fees introduced to reflect current services and regulatory requirements. Council has also adopted an increase to the discretionary change‑of‑use fee for short‑stay accommodation permit from $435 to $5,000, with permitted applications set at $250. Permitted applications are those which meet all planning scheme acceptable solutions, while discretionary applications require deeper assessment by Council officers, public advertising and can be refused by Elected Members if they don’t meet the planning scheme requirements. The 2026–27 fees and charges will take effect from 1 July and will be available to the community through the City’s website and Customer Service Centre, ensuring transparency and access for residents, businesses and visitors.

City of Hobart Complaints Management Policy

A refreshed Complaints Management Policy will strengthen how customer feedback is captured, addressed and used to improve services across the City. The updated policy expands the ways and locations in which complaints can be received, ensuring concerns raised in person at facilities such as the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre, City car parks, Mathers House, the Tasmanian Tourism and Travel Centre, McRobies Gully and the Youth Arts and Recreation Centre are formally recorded alongside existing phone, online and email channels. This approach provides a single, city‑wide view of complaints, enabling more timely responses and supporting data‑driven service improvements. The updated policy will be finalised administratively and published on the City’s website, improving transparency, consistency and access for the community.