Clarence, Glenorchy and Tasman areas hardest hit by pandemic shutdown

The COVID-19 pandemic affected all Tasmanians, but some areas were harder hit than others – especially those that rely on the tourist dollar to survive, with a report finding a massive cash injection will fix the problem. Has your area suffered >>

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A NEW report commissioned by a number of environmental and charitable groups has pinpointed what areas in Tasmania were most impacted by the recent coronavirus shutdown.

The Delivering Economic Stimulus through the Conservation Land Management Sector report found the State’s west coast and Hobart and the State’s southeast – in particular Clarence, Glenorchy and Tasman municipalities – were the areas most severely impacted by he pandemic.

The North West municipality of Waratah-Wynyard and the northern LGA of George Town were also listed as hard hit.

“The large spread of economic and employment loss can be attributed to the wide array of tourist attractions across Tasmania,’ the report said.

“A number of these eco-tourism sites rely on casual employment and were significantly impacted by the imposed restrictions.”

It showed full-time employment on the West Coast fell by 10 per cent during the three months from March till June while it fell nine per cent in Waratah-Wynyard, George Town, Clarence and Glenorchy.

The report was commissioned by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the nature Conservancy, NRM regions Australia, Australian Conservation Society, Australian Land Conservation Alliance, NRM Regions Queensland and Conservation Council SA.

It recommends a government investment of $4 billion in a national conservation and land management program is needed to raise economic output by about $5.7 billion, reduce welfare costs by $620 million and generate 53,000 jobs over the next four years.

It said those potential economic impacts increased to around $12.0 billion over a 20-year period and support 62,000 additional jobs by 2040.

The report said the program would see many workers with no previous experience employed in conservation and land management work which would reduce the demand for welfare payments such as JobSeeker and Youth Allowance.