Shock Hobart City Council planning voting patterns

The price of housing is at never before seen highs and climbing. So where are all the homes?

Mike Dutta, only new to Council at the last election, has personally voted against over 435 dwellings, accommodation rooms or subdivision lots, with over 187 of those rejections being despite planning officers recommending them for approval.

Helen Burnet is at the top of the podium for the Highest Overall Blocker, with Anna Reynolds close behind and Mike Dutta putting in an impressive sprint given he's only had a few years in the Chamber. Always reliable, Bill Harvey has shown a solid blocking effort, but Burnet, Reynolds and Dutta's lead is too impressive.

But, seriously. The pattern of the same set of Councillors voting against homes that are recommended for approval is rampant. Voting behaviour like this is ongoing, showing no signs of abating, despite Hobart's urgent and critical need for housing.

This is systemic and the impact of this is far, far greater than the odd home being changed to short-stay accommodation. This is hundreds of homes being voted against, meeting after meeting. Short-stay accommodation helps spread the benefits of tourism beyond the CBD, generating economic and employment opportunities. Blocking homes that should be approved brings zero benefit.