08/09/2026
[SPECTRUM ANALYSIS]
Anecdotally, does the City actually feel as dire as the rhetoric suggests? Because there is a well-established psychology to negativity: repeat a broad-brush claim often enough, frame it toward a particular outcome, and perception can begin masquerading as fact.
So, let’s leave the rhetoric at the door and look at the evidence.
🟡OVERVIEW
The responses in the analysis are based on assumed employee numbers to business counts within size categories rather than measuring actual jobs. The reliability of that type of methodology to give an accurate reflection of the economic state of the City, is questionable. The inference they proffer is based on data that draws strong conclusions from employment figures modelled from business counts and assumed staffing ratios rather than measured employment data. What needs to be made clear is that the suggestion that Hobart has lost almost 10,000 jobs is inconsistent with the City's latest economic data.
☺️Our State of the City report shows Hobart supports more than 67,000 jobs, has unemployment of 2.9 per cent and has grown into a $10 billion economy for the first time.
The effectiveness of Council's economic development initiatives is assessed across a range of indicators, including economic output, employment, investment and business activity. By those measures, Hobart has a $10 billion economy, more than 67,000 jobs, low unemployment and continuing private sector investment, suggesting the city remains an attractive place to do business.
🕊️Like every modern economy, Hobart has experienced structural change in some sectors, but the overall evidence points to a city that remains Tasmania's economic heart, continues to attract investment and is creating opportunities in higher-value industries such as health, education, science, professional services and the visitor economy.
The real story is not economic decline. It's economic transition and diversification.
🙄 The below indicators/facts are not consistent with a narrative of broad economic decline, just a peddling of a certain kind of negative narrative.
🟣🟣Key Points From Staff🟣🟣
‘⭕️The employment figures are estimates rather than measured counts, reached by multiplying business counts per size-band by assumed average employees per business multipliers
🟢Registered businesses increased by 7.5 per cent in Hobart during that time
🟢Hobart business growth was concentrated in non-employing businesses, e.g. sole traders/contractors and food services (+35.9 per cent), and rental/hiring/real estate services (+24.8 per cent).
🧐Do the conclusions accurately reflect council data on business and employment?
No.
The key figure cited appears to rely on a methodology that estimates employment by applying assumed employee numbers to business counts within size categories rather than measuring actual jobs. That approach can produce significantly different results to employment data derived from established economic modelling and labour market datasets. The report identifies some structural changes in Hobart's business mix, but it does not present a complete picture of economic performance.
👍🏾While some sectors have clearly experienced structural change over recent decades, particularly retail banking and traditional retail, the City's data points to an economy that has evolved and diversified rather than one that has undergone large-scale employment decline.
🧐How would council respond to claims that business and employment are declining?
🟢Based on the data, the characterisation that Hobart is in economic decline, should be rejected.
🟢The latest evidence shows Hobart remains Tasmania's primary employment centre and economic engine. Rather than a declining economy, the data indicates an economy transitioning toward higher-value, knowledge-intensive industries.
The State of the City report found that:
✅Hobart's economy surpassed $10 billion in Gross Regional Product for the first time.
✅Gross Regional Product has increased every year for the past decade.
✅The city remains home to approximately 6,940 businesses.
✅Business spending reached approximately $1.7 billion in the year to June 2026, with growth recorded across both resident and visitor spending.
✅Night-time spending increased by 5% and tourism and recreation spending increased by 7%, demonstrating continued activity in key sectors of the local economy.
✅Hobart Airport recorded a record 2.8 million passengers in 2024-25, a 6% increase on the previous year.
✅Hobart continues to have the lowest C*D office vacancy rate in Australia at 5.2%, less than half the capital-city average.
✅Census data shows the number of employed Hobart residents increased from 24,255 in 2016 to 28,772 in 2021, an increase of more than 4,500 people.
👏🏾What they do show is that Hobart's economy is changing. Technology, changing consumer behaviour, online banking, flexible work arrangements and growth in professional, health, education, science and creative industries have altered the structure of employment and business activity, as they have across Australia.
🧐What has council done to support business growth and retention?
Over the past decade the City has invested heavily in creating conditions for business growth, investment and employment through strategic planning, economic development initiatives and city-shaping infrastructure.
🟢Council's City Economy Strategy 2023-2028 focuses on business competitiveness, investment attraction, innovation and creating a vibrant city economy.
🟢The City provides business support, investor facilitation and economic development programs to help businesses establish, grow and invest in Hobart.
🟢The City has partnered in major regional initiatives such as the Hobart City Deal, which supports investment, connectivity, urban renewal and economic development across Greater Hobart.
✊🏾Recent examples highlighted in the State of the City Report include:
👍🏾Implementation of the City's target industry framework focused on Antarctic and Southern Ocean industries, creative industries, digital businesses, health and care innovation, education and renewable energy.
👍🏾Support for the Antarctic and science sector, including the $188 million Macquarie Wharf 6 redevelopment, strengthening Hobart's role as Australia's Antarctic gateway.
👍🏾Support for major visitation and event drivers, including improved aviation access through Hobart Airport expansion and major cultural events.
👍🏾Investment in education and innovation through the University of Tasmania city campus expansion, which will bring around 300 staff and up to 3,000 students into the city centre.
Delivery of the Central Hobart Plan to encourage investment, commercial activity and mixed-use development in the C*D.
👍🏾The effectiveness of these approaches is reflected in continued jobs growth over the medium term, low unemployment, strong office demand, record passenger numbers, growing visitor expenditure and Hobart achieving a $10 billion economy.
👍🏾City of Hobart has quantified the importance of the Blue Economy to the city and mapped the interconnected research, Antarctic, maritime, tourism and supply chain activities that make Hobart internationally distinctive. The report estimates the sector contributes $363 million annually in direct economic activity and supports 1,366 full-time equivalent jobs within the municipal area.’
💕While the Spectrum Analysis only focuses on the numbers, I also see a City of people. From when I first immigrated to Tassie, and after coming back in 2017 from living in Japan for 14 years - I see a City more representative of a community that is vibrant, welcoming, embracing different cultures, developing a knowledge base, being open to change - while protecting what makes Hobart, Hobart - and showcasing our wonderful arts, hospitality and creative industries.
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