A Reminder to be Kinder this Christmas

Published on 04 December 2023

Northern Tasmanians are being encouraged to be kinder this Christmas, with the roll out of a new campaign aiming to turn the tide on retail worker abuse and other forms of antisocial behaviour.

The 'Reminder to be Kinder' campaign will roll out in Launceston throughout December and January.

It will be supported by posters in Launceston's CBD, advertisements on Metro Tasmania's bus fleet, social media posts, and via downloadable templates which can be customised and displayed by local businesses.

City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said the Reminder to be Kinder campaign was based around a simple theme, "A little kindness goes a long way."

"The Reminder to be Kinder campaign is designed to promote the importance of kindness, and we hope it will be a valuable resource for local businesses," Mayor Garwood said.

"The campaign highlights how we can each work together to make the world a better place by engaging in simple acts of kindness, and the incredible positive impacts we can have on others by treating people with respect."

Launceston Central Executive officer Amanda McEvoy said while retail and customer service abuse was only perpetrated by a small number of people, it had a significant impact on the community.

"At this time of year when we're all shopping local and hunting for Christmas presents, the last thing we want to see in Launceston is retail abuse," Ms McEvoy said.

"This campaign encourages us all to go the extra mile to show appreciation and respect to those who are working in our local businesses, because we can all have a positive impact on our community with small acts of kindness."

More information on the Reminder to be Kinder campaign, including downloadable resources for businesses, can be found at https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Community/Projects-and-Initiatives/AReminder-to-be-Kinder