Kyle Barrett

Positive Plans to Strengthen Integrity and Ethics at the City of Launceston

We should always be looking for ways to improve how government operates. Strong ethics, transparency and accountability are not one-off achievements, they require continual review and a commitment to best practice.

24 Suburbs & Towns. 3 Days. 💬 Listening to Launceston.

I’m keen to hear from locals about how Council can do a better job. Every suburb and town is different, and the people who live there know best what’s working and what isn’t.

What are your local priorities? Is it roads, parks, sporting facilities, playgrounds, community spaces, safety, housing or something else entirely? What do you think the next Council should focus on over the next four years?

I’ll be out listening because the best ideas don’t come from behind a desk – they come from the people who live, work and raise their families here every day.

Saturday 27th June 2026
9:00am – 9:30am Waverley, Naroo Street outside Waverley Primary School
9:40am – 10:10am Ravenswood, Prossers Forest Road, Shoping Centre
10:20am – 10:50am Rocherlea, Lilydale Road opposite Spiders North Takeaway
11:00am – 11:30am Mayfield - Torrens Street Park
11:40am – 12:10pm Newnham - Tompsons Lane, opposite Alanvale Store
12:20pm – 12:50pm Mowbray - 258 Invermay Road
1:00pm – 1:30pm Invermay - Invernay Road, Caledonian Square
1:40pm – 2:10pm Launceston, St John Street, Princess Square
2:20pm – 2:50pm St Leonards - opposite 322 Saint Leonards Road

Sunday 28th June 2026
9:00am – 9:30am East Launceston - St George’s Square
9:40am – 10:10am Newstead - Elphin Road/Cypress St corner
10:20am – 10:50am Norwood - Penquite Road/Norwood Ave corner
11:00am – 11:30am Kings Meadows - 117 Hobart Road
11:40am – 12:10pm Youngtown - 274 Hobart Road
12:20pm – 12:50pm Prospect - Westbruy Road/Prospect Street
1:00pm – 1:30pm Summerhill - Cambridge Street/Vaux Street
1:40pm – 2:10pm South Launceston - 24 Mulgrave St
2:20pm – 2:50pm West Launceston - Basin Road/Brougham Street
3:00pm – 3:30pm Trevallyn - Gorge Road/Bald Hill Road

Monday 29th June 2026
9:00am – 9:30am Nunamara - Tasman HWY/Patersona Road
10:00am – 10:30am Lilydale - Station Road/Main Road
11:15am – 11:45am Windermere - 308 John Lees Road
12:00pm – 12:30pm Swan Bay - East Tamar HWY/Magazine Road

Launceston has many great local spaces that make our city such a wonderful place to live.

From neighbourhood parks and sporting grounds to community halls and walking tracks, these places help bring people together and create a sense of pride in where we live.

But there is always room for improvement.

I’ve had residents raise concerns about the condition of local roads, ageing play equipment, the need for upgraded parks and a lack of community meeting spaces in some areas. Others have spoken about footpaths, lighting, parking, sporting facilities and safer streets.

I’d love to hear from you. What infrastructure or services does your suburb need most? What would make your neighbourhood an even better place to live, work and raise a family?

Candidate for Mayor and Councillor Kyle Barrett

“A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

🥊 Fight wasteful spending. 🏡 No rate rises above inflation.💰Keep rates lower for longer.

Fighting wasteful spending isn’t about cutting for the sake of cutting. It’s about making sure every dollar is spent wisely so we can keep rates as low as possible while still delivering the services our community relies on.

If families are making tough decisions around the kitchen table, council should be prepared to make tough decisions around the council table too.

▪️Major projects without sufficient oversight. Ratepayers expect projects like the Albert Hall and Princess Theatre upgrades to be delivered on time and on budget. Over $22,000,000.

▪️QVMAG operating losses of around $7 million per year. The museum is an important asset, but we need an honest conversation about how it is funded and operated to ensure long-term sustainability.

▪️Councillor lunches costing around $40,000 per year. Most working people buy their own lunch. Councillors should lead by example.

▪️Discretionary travel and conferences. Every trip should have a clear benefit to ratepayers and be publicly justified.

Candidate for Mayor and Councillor Kyle Barrett - City of Launceston

PRESERVE & PROTECT OUR CATARACT GORGE

The Gorge is one of Launceston's greatest treasures. It's more than a tourist attraction or a postcard image - it's part of our identity.

Generations of locals have walked tracks, swum in its waters, gathered with family and friends, and taken pride in having one of Australia's most remarkable natural spaces right on our doorstep.

As our city grows, protecting the Gorge must remain a priority. That means investing in its upkeep, preserving its natural environment and ensuring any decisions made today leave it in a better condition for future generations.

We don't have to choose between growth and conservation. We can support sensible development across our city while fiercely protecting the places that make Launceston special.

The Gorge belongs to all of us. It isn't ours to diminish or neglect. Our responsibility is to preserve it, care for it and pass it on proudly to those who come after us.

Some things are simply too important to take for granted. The Gorge is one of them.

Candidate for Mayor and Councillor Kyle Barrett

Launceston families and small businesses are already under pressure. They deserve a council focused on keeping rates as low as possible through responsible financial management.

The City of Launceston has approved a 4.9% rate rise, above the national CPI figure of 4.2% for the 12 months to April. I believe we can keep rates lower for longer by making better decisions with ratepayer money.

That means tackling wasteful spending, from smaller expenses such as discretionary travel and councillor lunches, through to addressing larger financial challenges like the ongoing losses at QVMAG, which are around $7 million per year.

It also means stronger oversight of major projects. Ratepayers expect careful financial management, particularly after cost overruns and budget pressures associated with projects such as Albert Hall and the Princess Theatre.

Every dollar spent by council ultimately comes from working families and small businesses. They deserve a council that spends prudently, sets clear priorities and treats ratepayer money with the respect it deserves.

Candidate for Mayor and Councillor Kyle Barrett

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Our CBD is the heart of our city. It’s where people work, shop, catch up with friends, attend events and experience everything that makes Launceston special.

But many people have told me they don’t spend as much time in the city as they once did. Others have shared ideas about what could make the CBD more vibrant, safer and more welcoming for families, visitors and local businesses.

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

What would encourage you to visit the CBD more often? More events and activations? A stronger security presence? Better public spaces? More dining and entertainment options? More people living in the city centre? Or perhaps something entirely different.

There are no perfect answers, but there are plenty of opportunities. Reactivating our CBD won’t happen overnight, but with the right priorities and a willingness to listen, I believe we can create a city centre that locals are proud of and visitors want to experience.

I’m eager to hear your ideas, concerns and suggestions. Big or small, every perspective matters. Let’s have a constructive conversation about the future of our CBD and how we can make it a place that works for everyone.

The City of Launceston holds significant land reserves, and it’s time we assessed which sites could be brought to market to help first home buyers achieve the dream of home ownership.

Finding affordable land close to Launceston is becoming increasingly difficult. Council has an opportunity to play a practical role by identifying surplus or underutilised land that could be developed and sold for residential purposes.

One site worth exploring is 126–128 Russells Plains Road. as identified by the Examiner. While any proposal would need proper assessment and community consultation, sites like this could provide additional housing opportunities close to the city while making better use of council-owned assets.

This won’t solve every challenge facing first home buyers. Interest rates, construction costs and housing supply are all part of the equation. But bringing more land to market is a practical step that local government can take right now.

Ratepayers should benefit from council assets being used productively. Rather than allowing suitable land to sit idle, we should explore opportunities that create homes for local families, strengthen our community and return value to the people who own these assets in the first place, the ratepayers.

Launceston needs practical solutions, not excuses. More homes, more opportunity and a fair go for the next generation should be our priority.

Candidate for Mayor and Councillor Kyle Barrett