State of the City of Launceston 2020-21

The State of the City report provides a number of data and trend driven insights which underpin many of the proposed actions and actions in the City of Launceston Four Year Delivery Plan. 

Data has been sourced from a range of sources and whilst every effort has been made to present timely information, one of the core data sources available to government is Census data (collected every five years). The last reported Census period was 2016, with 2021 Census data becoming available from early next year.

The data presented is for general information purposes only. Users of the data should conduct their own research as well as exercise their own judgment and caution before relying on the data.

The 2020-21 Tasmanian State Government budget summed up the impacts of COVID-19 on the Tasmanian economy:  

'The economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been swift, severe and on a scale not seen since the Great Depression. The public health crisis, and the measures implemented to slow the spread of infection, have led to sharp declines in economic activity and employment globally. Despite these measures, outbreaks have continued to occur in many countries through the second half of 2020, including in Australia.

The full consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic remain very uncertain. There is uncertainty in relation to the evolution of the pandemic, the associated public health response and the nature and extent of future support measures that will be required to be implemented by the State and Australian Governments.' 

The Tasmanian State Budget can be found  here  (data sources used in this report are collated in the 'Sources' section of this document).

In Launceston, the health restrictions put in place to limit movement meant that the industries most impacted were:

• Accommodation and Food Services (-926 local jobs without the JobKeeper scheme)
• Retail Trade (-253 local jobs without the JobKeeper scheme)
• Arts and Recreation Services (-224 local jobs without the JobKeeper scheme)

Some sources come from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016 census. They are identified below by "ABS 2016 Census". This data can be found at  https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/by%20subject/1001.0~2016-17~main%20features~the%202016%20census%20of%20population%20and%20housing~10009 

City of Launceston Annual Reports and Strategies can be found here:  https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Council/Strategies-and-Reports 

Title Image: The City of Launceston © Prime Perspectives

• Tasmanian State Budget  https://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/budget-and-financial-management/2021-22-tasmanian-budget/budget-papers-archive/2020-21-tasmanian-budget 
• City of Launceston Community Care and Recovery Package:  https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Emergency-Management/Meeting-the-challenge-of-COVID-19/Community-Care-and-Recovery-Package 

• Change in Resident Population -  https://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/Documents/Medium%20Series%20Outcomes%20Charts.PPTX  (PowerPoint file - will download )
• Estimated Resident Population (ERP) -  https://economy.id.com.au/launceston/population 
• Regional Movers Index:  https://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/home/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Mar21-Regional-Movers-Index-Report-210623-1.pdf 

• Employment by Industry -  https://economy.id.com.au/launceston/employment-by-industry-fte 
• Tasmanian Labour Market -  https://www.dese.gov.au/download/6970/tasmanian-labour-market/10881/document/pdf 
• Labour Market Dashboard -  https://www.dese.gov.au/download/8353/north-and-north-western-tasmania-local-jobs-plan/23362/north-and-north-western-tasmania-local-jobs-plan/pdf 
• Unemployment -  https://economy.id.com.au/launceston/unemployment 
• Dormant Shop Survey - internal CoL data capture and analysis
• Housing Data -  https://reit.com.au/Portals/24/resources/media-releases/June%202021%20REIT%20Quarterly%20Media%20Release.pdf?ver=Fngl99UjXrQGlo9qjg0MNg%3d%3d  (PDF file - will download)
• Gross Regional Product -  https://reit.com.au/market-facts/media-releases 
• Tourism and Hospitality -  https://economy.id.com.au/launceston/tourism-value 
• Air Travel -  https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/airport_traffic_data  and internal CoL data analysis

• Northern Suburbs: internet connection - ABS 2016 Census
• Understanding Digital Inclusion in Tasmania -  https://tascoss.org.au/new-submission-to-the-tascoss-vault-11/ 
• Interactive WiFi map -  https://launceston.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=c2d885fb7a3646cbab13a58518b1b12d 

• Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage - ABS 2016 Census
• Change in highest level of schooling completed - ABS 2016 Census
• Highest level of schooling completed - ABS 2016 Census
• Educational Attainment Rates, Year 12 -  https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2021/child-care-education-and-training/school-education 

• Tamar Estuary 2020 Report Card -  https://nrmnorth.org.au/water/teer/2020-tamar-estuary-report-card/ 
• Dwellings with access to public open space -  https://www.bitre.gov.au/national-cities-performance-framework  (Sustainability)
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions -  https://www.bitre.gov.au/national-cities-performance-framework 
• CoL emissions - CoL: "Towards Zero Emissions Action Plan 2021-2025"  https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/files/assets/public/document-resources/agenda-and-minutes/agendas/2021/29-july-2021/council-agenda-29-july-2021.pdf 
• Air Quality -  https://www.bitre.gov.au/national-cities-performance-framework 
• Environment Protection Authority Mapping -  https://epa.tas.gov.au/environment/air/monitoring-air-pollution/monitoring-data/reports-and-historical-data/annual-nepm-reports 

• Future Directions Plan -  https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/News-Media/Council-releases-UTAS-Stadium-future-plan  and  https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/files/assets/public/document-resources/agenda-and-minutes/agendas/2021/11-february-2021/council-agenda-agenda-item-20.1-attachment-1-draft-future-direction-plan-york-park-utas-stadium-2021-11-february-2021.pdf  (PDF file - will download)

• QVMAG total visitors - data from QVMAG and analysed by CoL
• QVMAG and Cataract Gorge Tourism -  https://www.tourismtasmania.com.au/research/tvs 

• Journey to Work - ABS 2016 Census
• Residential Origin of workers in the City - ABS 2016
• Role of Parking in Launceston - CoL, Parking Discussion Paper 2019
• Public Transport - A Great Opportunity - Launceston Bus Interchange and Birchalls redevelopment  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyEDcAQJQlw 

• 2020-2021 Financial Year - internal CoL report generated from Development Application data
• CBD In-fill (within 1km) - internal CoL report generated from Development Application data