Tasmanian Labor leader Dean Winter has called on the state government to adopt their night-time economy strategy to support local businesses and create more vibrant and inclusive city centres.
Winter said that innovative hospitality operators in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie are being held back by local government red tape and a lack of certainty.
“[The operators] want to create entertainment zones that young people can enjoy, that people from all walks of life can come in, have fun and safely enjoy their time together,” he said.
“But they are being strangled and inhibited by local government red tape.”
Winter claimed one of the biggest economic challenges for Tasmania is the exodus of young people, who are leaving the state in record numbers.
“Every four days, a plane load of young Tasmanians gets on a plane and moves to the mainland and we want to stop that,” he said.
“We want to stem that tide of young Tasmanians leaving.”
Labor’s policy would ‘reduce the red tape burden’ on businesses and establish night-time economy zones with different restrictions to provide certainty for entrepreneurs.
“I think we can have a really fun, exciting Tasmanian entertainment nightlife, but we can also do that in a safe way,” he said.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff says his government is continuing to back Tasmania’s hospitality industry with a range of measures.
“We’ve cut an enormous amount of red tape … and we’ll do more,” he said.
“We’ll do it working hand in glove with the business community across Tasmania, listening to them, seeing what they need to reduce barriers to their business, and so we can support them in growing the economy and supporting and employing more Tasmanians.”
