Question 4: The Importance of Cultural Tourism

Question 4: Have you as aldermen considered cultural tourism's impact upon and the importance to the Tamar region, and Launceston specifically, and in an ongoing way, to the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of your constituencies?

Response: Yes. The General Manager presented a landmark report to Open Council on 24 April 2017 entitled Towards a Cultural Strategy for Launceston that contained numerous recommendations and set out the framework for the work that is currently being undertaken. 

MY RESPONSE: This question was addressed to the Aldermen individually and collectively and not management. As it turns out this response fails the credibility test in so much as the report referred to is now described as “an interim report” and deemed to be confidential apparently under the provisions being implied in SECTION 62 of the LG Act 1993.

Moreover, it is to be presented to Council when completed.  Given that: 

• It was April 24 that aldermen considered the interim report; and 
• The report is not yet complete; and 
• The General Manager, Robert Dobrzynski, who commissioned the report has left his position; and 
• The report remains confidential albeit apparently commissioned at a significant cost to ratepayers; 

it is clear that aldermen, given this response, are not actively engaged in developing cultural tourism strategies and policies in an ongoing way.