Holding Hobart’s heartland

This year we Greens have a great chance to extend our influence in Tasmania’s local government

– in Hobart this could even lead to Deputy and Lord Mayoral positions.

In October, Philip Cocker, Bill Harvey and I are up for re-election. Bill will contest my Deputy Mayor role, while I’ll step up to contest the Lord Mayoralty – maybe the only female candidate – certainly the first woman for some time.

Perhaps Hobart will make political history and elect the first Greens Lord Mayor in Australia!

Your support can transform this possibility into a reality. To do this we’ll need to convince many more voters the Greens have a clear and positive vision for Hobart’s future.

The city now has a draft visionary blueprint for our inner city thanks to a report compiled by renowned Danish architects and urban planners, Jan Gehl and Associates.

The plan builds on the strengths and natural advantages of our city with an active and accessible port, river, beautiful wooded hills and our magnificent Mt. Wellington.

The plan carefully considers motor transport, pedestrian issues, bicycling and the connections from one area to another. It also makes the case for greater inner city housing to improve vitality and the local economy.

We Greens have long championed and promoted more people living in the inner urban areas because of the well-established benefits, including better personal and property security.

We need to conserve our green spaces and cherish our blue spaces and walking tracks – the things that keep us whole as a city and connect us to the mountain and ourselves.

View the plan to make Hobart a safer, healthier and more liveable place at  and have your say!

In February I presented council with a petition of over 2000 signatures supporting the Sandy Bay Bikeway proposal. This is opposed by some on council who can’t yet see the benefits of road access for anything other than motor transport.

To me the bikeway is just as exciting and important for our city as the Battery Point walkway. It links key areas like the Sandown recreational areas, the university, commercial areas and schools with the rest of the city.

A properly designated bikeway will help protect vulnerable road users including cyclists, pedestrians and children. It promotes better long term community health and wellbeing outcomes, and showcases a spectacular part of our city to residents and visitors.

It makes no sense to delay developing our integrated sustainable transport network.

Our built and natural environments face constant threats. I was recently contacted by several residents about a new neighbour felling Eucalyptus pulchella and poplars that were part of the Mt Nelson landscape for many years.

Because these trees are on private land they aren’t protected and yet the sense of loss to those living in the area was clear.

Fighting for better recognition and protection of these elements that make our city special is high among the issues that motivate me on council.

The campaign for a Greens Hobart Lord Mayor is pivotal for our city – we must be well equipped and ready for a carbon and water constrained economy.

By Helen Burnet