Hobart Council calls statewide PlanBuild portal a costly failure

Hobart City Council, the pilot user of Tasmania's PlanBuild online planning portal, unanimously passed a motion condemning the system as "unfit for purpose" and demanding an indefinite suspension of the $83,000 yearly fee to the Department of Justice. Councillors Louise Elliott and John Kelly warned that the portal is harming the council's reputation, taxpayers and the community by adding delays and costs to housing projects.

The portal, intended to replace paper applications statewide, has been plagued by usability issues, prompting the Justice Department to pledge fixes by February 2027 while holding off further rollouts. Budget overruns have pushed total spending to more than $12 million, a $3.1 million increase from the original plan, and only half of the expected Commonwealth funding has been received. Industry voices such as Benjamin Price of the Housing Industry Association and builder Maree Ashworth echoed the council's frustration, noting added expenses and a preference for traditional planners. Minister for Justice Guy Barnett announced an extra $2 million in the state budget to address the problems, but council members remain skeptical about achieving a functional system.