City of Launceston

{{About|the Australian local government area|the metropolitan area|Launceston, Tasmania}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = lga | name = Launceston City Council | state = tas | mapframe = yes |zoom=8 | pop = 70,055 | pop_year = 2021 | pop_footnotes =<ref name=ABSLGA>{{cite web|title=2021 Launceston, Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/LGA64010|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=23 July 2023}} Resident population on census night, 10 August 2021.</ref> | density = | area = 1414 | area_footnotes = <ref name=ABSLGA/> | est = 1 January 1853<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www7.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/tas/num_act/aatemcitcohtatol16vn17854/ | title=An Act to Establish Municipal Councils in the City of Hobart Town and Town of Launceston (16 Vic, No 17) }}</ref> | seat = Launceston | mayor = Matthew Garwood | region = Launceston and surrounds | logo = Launceston_City_Council_Logo.gif | logo_upright = 1.2 | url = http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au | stategov = Bass | stategov2 = Lyons | fedgov = Bass | fedgov2 = Lyons | near-nw = West Tamar | near-n = George Town | near-ne = Dorset | near-w = West Tamar | near-e = Break O'Day | near-sw = Meander Valley | near-s = Northern Midlands | near-se = Northern Midlands | coordinates = {{coord|-41.3605|147.3044|display=inline,title}} }}

alt=Map showing Launceston City LGA in Tasmania|thumb|right|90px

'''Launceston City Council''' (or '''City of Launceston''') is a local government body in Tasmania, located in the city and surrounds of Launceston in the north of the state. The '''Launceston''' local government area is classified as urban, encompassing localities including Lilydale, Targa and through to Swan Bay on the eastern side of the Tamar River.

==Government== The current mayor is Matthew Garwood, elected in 2023.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Position<ref>{{cite web|title=Meet Us – Launceston City|url=https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Council/Meet-Us|website=launceston.tas.gov.au|publisher=Launceston City Council|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> |- | Matthew Garwood || Mayor/councillor |- | Hugh McKenzie || Deputy mayor/councillor |- | Danny Gibson || Councillor |- | Andrea Dawkins || Councillor |- | Alan Harris || Councillor |- | Tim Walker || Councillor |- | George Razay|| Councillor |- | Joe Pentridge || Councillor |- | Andrew Palmer || Councillor |- | Lindi McMahon || Councillor |- | Susie Cai || Councillor |- | Alex Britton || Councillor |- |}

==History and attributes== Launceston is classified as urban, regional and medium (URM) under the Australian Classification of Local Governments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://regional.gov.au/local/publications/reports/index.aspx |title=Local government national report 2014-2015 |access-date=8 June 2018 |publisher=Australian Government |website=regional.gov.au}}</ref> The population at the 2016 census was over 65,000, making Launceston the most populous of the 29 local government areas in Tasmania.

The municipality logo features the now extinct Tasmanian tiger, an indigenous marsupial that used to be prevalent in the Launceston district.

===History=== Launceston was first declared as a municipality in 1853 and declared a city in 1888.<ref>{{Cite web|last=History Pages|date=2007|title=Significant works of architects in Launceston|url=https://architectlaunceston.com.au|url-status=usurped|website=Architecture History of Tasmania|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030133233/https://architectlaunceston.com.au/ |archive-date=30 October 2020 }}</ref> Its original boundaries have long since been redefined and the area now known as the City of Launceston includes parts of the former Lilydale, St Leonard's, Evandale and Westbury Municipalities.<ref name=GovAgencyDetail>{{cite web |url=http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/default.aspx?detail=1&type=A&id=TA00122 |title=Agency Details: Launceston City Council |website=search.archives.tas.gov.au |date=January 1852 |publisher=Tasmanian Government |access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref> In the 1890s, the municipality grew to include Galvin Town (South Launceston) and in 1906 to include the northern suburbs of Invermay, Mowbray and Trevallyn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/15108/Properties_in_Launceston.doc|title=Properties in Launceston – their owners and occupiers|last=State Library Service of Tasmania|year=1999|access-date=2007-05-22}}</ref> This has produced a local government area that overlaps its similarly named city, rather than either being contained by or encompassing it.

Women were ineligible to stand for election to the Launceston City Council until 1945,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91472631|title=Women may be eligible for Council|newspaper=Launceston Examiner|date=14 April 1945}}</ref> despite being granted the same rights at federal and state level in 1902 and 1921, respectively.

==Localities== ===Localities other than suburbs=== • {{TAScity|Bangor}} • {{TAScity|Blessington}} • {{TAScity|Burns Creek}} • {{TAScity|Golconda}} • {{TAScity|Karoola}} • {{TAScity|Lalla}} • {{TAScity|Lebrina}} • {{TAScity|Lilydale}} • {{TAScity|Lower Turners Marsh}} • {{TAScity|Mount Direction}} • {{TAScity|Myrtle Bank}} • {{TAScity|North Lilydale}} • {{TAScity|Nunamara}} • {{TAScity|Patersonia}} • {{TAScity|Pipers Brook}} • {{TAScity|Pipers River}} • {{TAScity|Prospect Vale}} • {{TAScity|Relbia}} • {{TAScity|Retreat}} • {{TAScity|Springfield}} • {{TAScity|Swan Bay}} • {{TAScity|Targa}} • {{TAScity|Tayene}} • {{TAScity|Tunnel}} • {{TAScity|Turners Marsh}} • {{TAScity|Underwood}} • {{TAScity|Upper Blessington}} • {{TAScity|White Hills}} • {{TAScity|Windermere}} • {{TAScity|Wyena}}

==Sister city relations== * {{flagicon|United States}} – Napa, California, USA

==Homelessness==

Homelessness in Launceston has been a growing problem.<ref name="2019-abc-rise-visible-homelessness"/><ref name="2020-abc-launceston-homelessness-rising"/> Launceston City Council does not hold or track statistics on homelessness but relies on [https://www.homestasmania.com.au/ Homes Tasmania] to do so.<ref name="2024-rti-homeless-statistics"/>

=== 2024 Strike it Out, Inc Removal=== Charity Strike it Out, Inc operating in Launceston was forced remove sleeping trailers during the middle of winter with recorded overnight minimum temperatures of -3°,<ref name="2024-adelaide-now-strike-it-out-pods"/> which the charity acquired to alleviate the situation of rough sleepers sleeping in freezing conditions in Launceston City during the winter periods<ref name="2024-abc-strike-it-out-homeless-pods"/> after a long running tussle between the council and the charity.<ref name="2024-rti-strike-it-out-proposal-documentation"/> The Launceston City Council rejected any blame, releasing a press release on 1 July 2024 after media scrutiny following the removal of the pods.<ref name="launceston-pr-rejects-blame-strike-it-out-pods"/>

The charity has been attempting to get permits from the council for the infrastructure but the council had imposed ad-hoc arbitrary conditions, including compliance with a privacy act it has no enforcement jurisdiction on.<ref name="2024-abc-strike-it-out-homeless-pods"/><ref name="2024-council-policy-on-using-privacy"/> The council does not have any general policy of approving homeless accommodation providers' proposals or requests.<ref name="2024-approval-criteria-for-homeless"/>

==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="2019-abc-rise-visible-homelessness">{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-10/rise-in-visible-homelessness-in-launceston/11688426|title=Homeless in Launceston doing their best to survive, but tensions boiling over|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730152109/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-10/rise-in-visible-homelessness-in-launceston/11688426|archive-date=30 July 2024|access-date=30 July 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="2020-abc-launceston-homelessness-rising">{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-12/launceston-homelessness-rising/12345126|title=Launceston homelessness on the rise as those in need fall through system gaps}}</ref> <ref name="2024-abc-strike-it-out-homeless-pods">{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-03/strike-it-out-sleeping-pod-shower-homeless-launceston/104052228|title=Strike It Out told to remove sleeping pods and shower trailers for homeless people in Launceston}}</ref> <ref name="2024-adelaide-now-strike-it-out-pods">{{cite news|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/wheres-the-humanity-charity-forced-to-warehouse-portable-beds-showers-in-freezing-tasmania/news-story/981a1edf3b5d8c83e79a6bc95c06053d|title='Where's the humanity?': Charity forced to warehouse portable beds, showers in freezing Tasmania}}</ref> <ref name="2024-council-policy-on-using-privacy">{{cite web|url=https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/council_policy_on_using_privacy|title=Council Policy on Using Privacy Act Jurisdiction / Powers|date=8 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730152810/https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/council_policy_on_using_privacy|archive-date=30 July 2024|publisher=Right To Know via RTI Request|access-date=30 July 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="2024-approval-criteria-for-homeless">{{cite web|url=https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/policy_or_approval_criteria_for|title=Policy or Approval Criteria for Homeless temporary accomodation [sic]|date=8 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730153320/https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/policy_or_approval_criteria_for|archive-date=30 July 2024|publisher=Right To Know via RTI Request|access-date=30 July 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="2024-rti-homeless-statistics">{{cite web|url=https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/homeless_statistics|title=Homeless Statistics|date=4 July 2024|publisher=Right To Know via RTI Request|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730153846/https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/homeless_statistics|archive-date=30 July 2024|access-date=30 July 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="2024-rti-strike-it-out-proposal-documentation">{{cite web|url=https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/strike_it_out_documentation_stri|publisher=Right To Know via RTI Request|title=Strike it Out Documentation – Strike it Out's proposal|date=8 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730155901/https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/strike_it_out_documentation_stri|archive-date=30 July 2024|access-date=30 July 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="launceston-pr-rejects-blame-strike-it-out-pods">{{cite web|url=https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/News-Media/Council-rejects-blame-for-sleeping-pod-project-delays|title=Council rejects blame for sleeping pod project delays|publisher=City of Launceston|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730160146/https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/News-Media/Council-rejects-blame-for-sleeping-pod-project-delays|archive-date=30 July 2024|access-date=30 July 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> }}

==External links== *[http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au Launceston City Council official website] *[http://www.lgat.tas.gov.au/page.aspx Local Government Association Tasmania] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622140454/http://www.lgat.tas.gov.au/page.aspx |date=22 June 2018 }} *[https://www.tec.tas.gov.au/Local_Government_Elections/index.html Tasmanian Electoral Commission – local government]

Category:City of Launceston Launceston