As regional communities plan their way out of the coronavirus crisis, three northern Tasmanian councils are bringing forward infrastructure projects to help stimulate their economies and keep people in jobs.
Launceston City councillors voted unanimously to accelerate the city's capital works program by putting an additional $40 million worth of upgrade works out to tender by next April.
Mayor Albert van Zetten said the aim was to build industry confidence.
"Obviously a lot of people have lost their jobs, a lot of people have lost confidence in what is happening into the future, and as a council, we want to play our part to bring forward projects that we believe will help stimulate confidence but also jobs," he said.
The council's infrastructure general manager, Shane Eberhardt, said the amount of works due to be advertised by council in the next 11 months was double what it normally would.
"That doesn't mean that we'll undertake $40 million worth of works (in that time), but the intent is we'll have contracts in contractors' hands so they're confident they'll have a forward workload."
The nearby Meander Valley and West Tamar councils have also made similar moves, while the Northern Midlands Council will decide next month whether to also bring forward works.
What will the money be spent on?
Launceston council staff still need to decide what renewal works will be fast-tracked, but they will include roads, paths, playgrounds and public toilet upgrades.
Mr Eberhardt said the popular City Park playground was one council asset that needed updating.
"It's at the end of its life; if we were to construct another playground today, what's there now could not be constructed because it's not compliant," he said.
Meander Valley Mayor Wayne Johnston said his council was bringing forward a large number of bridge upgrades.
"There's a bridge to be fixed out on Railton Road, there's a bridge to be fixed near Liffey Falls, work to be done on the entrance road to the Launceston casino," Mr Johnston said.
In the Northern Midlands, councillors will decide in June whether it can afford to start work on stage two of the Longford Sport Centre redevelopment, public toilet upgrades at Campbell Town and Perth, and other stormwater and footpath works.
How can the councils afford it?
Most councils are bringing forward works they had budgeted for in future years, while some have also received federal and state government assistance.
Launceston City Council's decision will result in smaller capital works programs in future years, but it's hoped projects like the University of Tasmania's $350 million Newnham campus relocation to Inveresk will help offset that.
