The Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority (STCA) recently released the Region­al Strategy – Adapting to a Changing Coastline in Tasma­nia (the Strategy), relevant to all Councils sharing Tasma­nia’s coastline to help manage our ever-changing coastline. The Strategy covers coastal values, public safety through to private property, the role of Council and how to manage the coast.

Southern Midlands Mayor and STCA Chairperson Alex Green called the strategy an import­ant starting place. “The STCA recognises the challenges to local government in respond­ing to climate change risks, and the need for clear guidance and coordination on a consis­tent approach to support their management,” Green stated.

“Increasingly communities expect local governments to take a climate lead in providing solutions and taking action. They’re also seeking to transfer risk or share risk associated with climate impacts/acceler­ated natural hazards, as can be seen by recent bushfires, floods and coastal erosion events across Australia.”

Councils can apply the Strate­gy’s principles but aren’t bound to specifics, so each Council can develop a local response based on their individual cir­cumstance and resources.

City of Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet, who also chairs the STCA’s climate program the Regional Cli­mate Change Initiative, said, “These coastal impacts and the public’s expectations present significant challenges to local government, including poten­tial increase in exposure to litigation if they are not appro­priately managed.”

“While the Strategy doesn’t provide councils with the solutions or responses to coastal hazards and impacts, it provides an important starting place for our coastal councils to take action.”