Hobart Workshop Committee - 11th May 2026

The City of Hobart Workshop Committee meeting held on May 11, 2026, focused extensively on bushfire risk management, emergency preparedness, and medium density housing development policies. Key procurement-related discussions included the endorsement of a submission to the State Planning Office regarding medium density housing regulations aimed at easing development constraints. The committee also reviewed insights from a workshop on the Los Angeles fires to inform Hobart's bushfire preparedness, highlighting the need for enhanced fuel management, evacuation planning, and community resilience initiatives. Additionally, the meeting covered the city's rating and valuation strategy, addressing differential rates for various land uses, including commercial, residential, and short-stay accommodations, with attention to impacts on housing supply and development incentives. The committee unanimously approved authorizing the CEO to finalize and lodge the housing submission. Discussions also emphasized the importance of coordinated inter-agency efforts and potential budget considerations for expanded bushfire mitigation programs and community engagement projects, including a trial led by the RACT to incentivize household-level fire risk reduction.