The City of Hobart will cease its face-to-face customer service operations from this afternoon.
In response to the Australian Government’s advice regarding non-essential services, the customer service centres located in the Council Centre, Town Hall and Clearys Gates will be shut as of close-of-business today.
General Manager Nick Heath said services would continue to be provided online and via a call centre.
“We’ll have additional staff available in the call centre, which will maintain compliance with workplace social distancing requirements,” he said. “Our staff will continue to process applications and payments that come in via the website, email or post, and provide other information and support to Hobart residents as needed.”
Regular visitors to the customer service centre will be contacted directly to inform them of revised arrangements.
The Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre on Davey Street, which is operated by the City of Hobart, will also close from this afternoon.
Mr Heath said the City would seek to reopen the TTIC as soon as domestic quarantine restrictions were lifted. In the meantime, staff will provide digital support to visitors and locals as needed.
“Importantly, work will continue to be done behind the scenes so the centre will be well positioned to support the rebounding visitor economy as soon as it is viable to do so,” Mr Heath said.
He said the City of Hobart was endeavouring to redeploy casual staff members.
Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the TTIC was important to the Tasmanian tourism industry.
“When we get through this current crisis – and we will – our tourism services will be ready and able to meet the needs of people visiting our city and state,” she said.
“We know that many livelihoods rely on a thriving tourist industry and we look forward to supporting the industry and its operators when we get to the other side of this very challenging situation and start to rebuild our economy.”
The Elizabeth Mall information hub remains open at this stage.
Mr Heath said the City’s parks, playgrounds, walking tracks, and public toilets, along with the waste management centre at McRobies Gully, remained open. However, members of the public were reminded to comply with social distancing requirements in any public place.
