Each edition of Council magazine we choose one local government from across Australia to shine a spotlight on. Whether it’s new infrastructure, an innovative technology project, a leading sustainability initiative or a community connection, we want to highlight the best of our local governments and share some valuable knowledge to other place makers across our nation. This edition, we spoke to City of Launceston.
1. What is the population size and land area of your Council?
The Launceston local government area is classified as urban and has a population of 77,363, which also encompasses the localities including Lilydale, Targa and through to Swan Bay on the eastern side of the kanamaluka/Tamar River. Launceston is the 21st most populous city in Australia, and the largest municipality in Tasmania with a land area of 1414 sq km.
2. How many employees work at your Council?
The City of Launceston employs approximately 600 staff across 18 teams and four organisational networks.
3. Who is the mayor?
Mayor Mathew Garwood was first elected to the Council in 2022 and has served as Mayor for the past year. Living in the Northern Suburbs with his wife Michelle, daughter Billie and three pups, Mayor Garwood was born and raised Launceston. As Mayor, his vision is one of connectedness – connected through infrastructure, transport, arts and culture, identity, gastronomy, sport and recreation, bringing a focus on communication and conversation and creating a sense of pride, purpose and belonging.
4. Who is the CEO?
Sam Johnson OAM is the incoming Chief Executive Officer of the City of Launceston, taking up the top role in July.
Mr Johnson was appointed after an extensive national and international recruitment process, and impressed the Councillor team with his visionary and high-energy approach, along with his obvious passion and drive for the Launceston community.
Mr Johnson has multi sector experience, having worked earlier in his career in senior roles with the ANZ along with five years as a young Mayor at Port Augusta City Council.
Prior to coming to the City of Launceston, Mr Johnson was the Chief Executive Officer at the District Council of Mount Remarkable in South Australia, a role he had held since 2020.
Mr Johnson was awarded an OAM for services to the local government sector in 2021, and moved to Launceston to take up the role with his wife and three young boys.
5. What is the Council’s annual budget?
The Council’s annual operating budget is approximately $140 million.
6. Can you give us a breakdown of spending for the budget year ahead?
The proposed 2024-25 Annual Budget seeks to invest in the city’s roads, parks, footpaths and community facilities, while balancing cost-of-living pressures being felt by residents.
The Council’s proposed budget will fund a $26 million capital works program, alongside the continued delivery of essential services to the community. Capital works include:
- $1 million for the restoration of City Park’s popular St John Hart Conservatory
- $300,000 for upgrades at the Royal Park Skate Park
- $1.4 million for the second stage of restoration works on the Cataract Gorge’s Alexandra Suspension Bridge
- $700,000 for the NTCA master plan redevelopment project
- $4.8 million for road resealing
- $1.9 million for improvements to parks and play spaces ∞ $600,000 for footpath renewals
- $1 million for a new Northern Gateway project aimed at welcoming visitors to the city
The proposed 2024/25 Annual Plan contains seven strategic priorities in areas like community engagement, growth, governance, services, sustainability, planning and more, an identifies approximately 50 actions, including:
- Progressing the master plan and business case for a redevelopment of the NTCA precinct
- Progressing an improvement plan for the Princess Theatre and Earl Arts Centre Complex
- Completing redevelopment works at the Albert Hall
- Growing Launceston’s night-time economy
- Progressing the second stage of the Launceston City
- Heart Project, including the introduction of two-way traffic
- Implementing flood intelligence system improvements
- Reviewing the future of waste management infrastructure in the municipality
- Developing a future master plan for Carr Villa Memorial Park
7. What is your Council’s vision for the community and its future?
We connect with our community and our region through meaningful engagement, cooperation and representation. Our interactions with our community are authentic, timely, accurate and open. We want to build strong and productive relationships with our community and regional partners.
The Council’s goal is to seek out and champion positive engagement and collaboration to capitalise on the major opportunities, and address the future challenges facing our community and region.
The City of Launceston is a progressive leader that is accountable to our governance obligations and responsive to our community. Our decision-making and actions are evidence-based, strategic, transparent and considered.
We value our City’s unique identity by celebrating our special heritage and culture, and building on our competitive advantages to be a place where people choose to live, work and visit.
8. What makes your Council area special?
Launceston is a lifestyle-driven city, innovative by nature. Home to rolling hills, world class education and a vibrant arts and events culture, it is regarded as one of Australia’s most liveable regional cities.
With a diverse community from around the world, our city offers a blend of urban comfort, historic architecture, and walkability. Known for its thriving food, fermentation and drinks scene with agricultural roots and famous markets, Launceston is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
As the nation’s third oldest city, Launceston has a long history and is home to many stories told and untold. The region has been home to the Tasmanian Aboriginals for thousands of years and we are committed to collaborating with community to preserve, protect and care for the land and our heritage for future generations.
The city is the meeting place of the kanamaluka/Tamar River, surrounded by the state’s most sought after attractions Launceston boasts its own with the Cataract Gorge, City Park, Sports Stadium and Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery all within reach of the city centre.
We have enduring relationships internationally with sister cities in Ikeda, Napa, Taiyuan and Putian, we continue to grow these connections alongside our ever transforming economy and industries. We invite you to find your side of Launceston.
9. What are some of the unique challenges the region faces, and how does Council overcome these?
The City of Launceston includes a number of disadvantaged suburbs, as indicated by the SEIFA Index of Disadvantage. Five of Launceston’s suburbs are in the top five per cent of disadvantaged suburbs in the nation. Only one per cent of Australia’s suburbs have a SEIFA index lower than the Launceston suburb of Rocherlea.
In order to combat this intergenerational disadvantage, the City of Launceston has developed the My Place My Future Plan, which seeks to deliver an integrated approach to the revitalisation of Launceston’s Northern Suburbs, with the aim of supporting improved lifestyle, social and economic outcomes.
10. How is your Council addressing climate change and reaching sustainability goals?
Launceston has a well-earned reputation as one of Australia’s most liveable and family-friendly cities, rich in cultural and natural heritage, and supported by productive landscapes.
However, it is also vulnerable to changing conditions, as hotter dry spells accelerate the impacts of drought and bushfire seasons, and more intense rain events increase the risk of damaging flooding.
The City of Launceston strives to be a leader in sustainability. We are working towards zero emissions and zero landfill; to be an adaptive, resilient and smart city; and to value, protect and promote our unique natural capital.
To achieve these goals, and meet the needs of our present community without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, we must embed sustainability in all of our decision-making.
The City of Launceston’s Sustainability Strategy outlines the Council’s approach to creating a more sustainable city, for now and for the future.
The strategy includes:
- Our position statement for climate change and sustainability
- Our direction forward – outlines how the City of Launceston is setting about curating ideas and implementing actions
- The implementation action plan – a live document, to be updated on a rolling basis, which collates input and directs key actions to be implemented
11. What is an exciting community program or initiative Council has coming up in the future, or already underway?
A Reminder to be Kinder is an initiative of the City of Launceston aimed at encouraging respect and kindness and discouraging anti-social behaviour in the community towards customer service representatives.
Launched by the City of Launceston, the campaign is available to all businesses and organisations in Launceston to help spread a message of kindness over the Christmas period and into 2024. Businesses in the Launceston Central catchment have been provided with merchandise and collateral, and all businesses are able to access editable social media and poster templates to share their own message of kindness and respect.
12. Can you tell us about an interesting urban development project in the region?
The City of Launceston expects to lodge a Development Application for a major redevelopment of the Princess Theatre and Earl Arts Centre Complex before the end of 2024.
The multimillion-dollar project would see significant upgrades to the backstage, performance, front-of-house and other public-facing areas in the Princess Theatre, along with a complete redevelopment of the Earl Arts Centre.
Renowned architectural firm Lovell Chen is overseeing the planned upgrades, which are aimed at enhancing the complex’s amenities for the general public, and significantly improving accessibility and functionality in front-of-house and backstage spaces. Lovell Chen has previously worked on similar projects involving Victoria’s Regent Theatre, Princess Theatre, Athenaeum Theatre, and Palais Theatre. The project will represent the Princess Theatre’s most significant overhaul in more than 100 years, with the Council hoping to see construction underway in early 2026.
13. How is your Council embracing digitisation and growing its technological capabilities?
The City of Launceston Innovation Strategy is a people-first approach to innovation, informed by best practice research and extensive community engagement through dedicated surveys and workshops. The strategy covers the strategic landscape in Launceston, providing a framework to facilitate and promote Launceston’s innovation initiatives over the next five years. It complements existing state and national success in advancing innovative projects across Tasmania and aligns with wider regional goals articulated in the Greater Launceston Plan.
Strategic and Technology principles have been identified that will guide all future innovation activity. Developed in collaboration with our community and key stakeholders, Council will consider the principles at every stage of an innovation project from idea formation, throughout project delivery and policy development, into ongoing management and beyond.
This Strategy is based around six strategic themes. The key themes are used to support the organisation to identify focus areas, prioritise and deliver projects. The Council has a leading role to play in delivering many of the objectives outlined under each theme, while others will be best achieved by local partners, regional partnerships, or the Tasmanian and Australian governments. In all instances, the City of Launceston will play a leading role in advocating for each objective through collective effort.
Overall, the City of Launceston Innovation Strategy is a comprehensive plan that emphasises collaboration and community involvement to drive innovation and enhance liveability, accessibility, connectivity and sustainability throughout the region.
Featured image: The City of Launceston Civic Square. Image credit: City of Launceston.
