After shutting in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tasmanian border fully reopened to the mainland on 15 December 2021. Previous reports of The Tasmania Project revealed a mix of apprehension and excitement among survey respondents prior to the border reopening. This report explores how people are feeling now and how they have changed their activities.

The largest proportion of respondents (45%) reported that the border reopening went about as they expected; 34% felt it went worse than they expected, and 20% better than they expected. Most (73%) of respondents feel safe or very safe in Tasmania, in the context of world events. This is a decrease from 96% of respondents who felt safe or very safe in October 2021. Those who felt safer since the border reopened commonly cited high vaccination rates, adherence to public health. protections, and a sense of life returning to ‘normal’ as reasons why. Those who felt less safe were often concerned about their own health vulnerabilities and those of their loved ones. Many felt a loss of trust in the government; some were concerned about geopolitical tensions; and some were concerned about issues exacerbated by COVID-19, such as housing affordability, job insecurity, and increased costs of living.

Most (65%) respondents reported that they were dining out in restaurants and cafés less since 15 December 2021 49% reported less shopping in-store (other than for groceries). More than half (57%) were attending live events (e.g. music, festivals, theatre) less, 54% were holidaying outside of Tasmania less, and 43% were attending sporting events less than prior to 15 December 2021. Unsurprisingly, those with health conditions or disabilities that limited their activities were more likely than those without to have reduced activities that involve interactions with others.