Hobart Must Lead Again

Hobart Must Lead Again

Hobart is more than a municipality. It is Tasmania’s capital city -our civic heart, our principal economic centre and the front door through which much of the world encounters our island.

With that position comes responsibility.

A capital city should not simply manage its own boundaries. It should bring people together, advocate for the region, attract investment, set high standards and provide leadership when difficult decisions must be made.

But Hobart has too often become absorbed in itself.

Too much time and energy has been lost to internal conflict, personal disputes and institutional navel-gazing. When the public conversation becomes dominated by who said what to whom, who is fighting with whom, and which faction has prevailed, the real work of a capital city is pushed aside.

That does more than damage public confidence in individual elected members. It diminishes the office of Lord Mayor, weakens the standing of the Council and reduces Hobart’s influence with government, business and the wider community.

A capital city cannot provide leadership to Tasmania while it is constantly looking inward.

The role of Lord Mayor should rise above the arguments of the day. It should provide stability, dignity and a clear sense of direction. It should focus the Council outward - towards the needs of residents, the confidence of businesses, the strength of our institutions and the future of southern Tasmania.

For too long, Hobart’s voice has become smaller than the office it holds. While council has been preoccupied by division, the larger challenges facing our city have continued to grow: housing, transport, infrastructure, business confidence, public safety and the health of our night-time and creative economies.

Hobart should be leading those conversations.

That means bringing councils, government, businesses and community organisations around the same table. It means presenting a united southern infrastructure agenda to the State and Commonwealth governments. It means creating a fair and professional pathway for investment while protecting proper process and public confidence.

It also means recognising that Hobart’s success is shared. A strong capital supports jobs and opportunity across the south and strengthens Tasmania’s reputation nationally and internationally.

The office of Lord Mayor should be an object of service in itself - not merely a platform for personal ambition, political theatre or the next position. Its authority should come from dignity, independence, sound judgment and a willingness to unite people around the work that matters.

I want Hobart to lead again: calmly, confidently and constructively.

Not by becoming louder, but by becoming more purposeful. Not by dwelling on internal disputes, but by lifting our eyes beyond the chamber. Not by allowing conflict to define the city, but by restoring the stature, seriousness and leadership expected of Tasmania’s capital.