Prom not at risk: Ryan
DEPUTY Premier Peter Ryan has dismissed concerns about private development in national parks as “groundless”.
Hotels could be built at Wilsons Promontory National Park, after the State Government last week revealed it would allow “environmentally sensitive” development in parks.
The decision was made in response to the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s (VCEC) final report into Victoria’s tourism industry.
The Victorian National Parks Association last week said the government’s decision to open up Victoria’s national parks to tourism development and private investment set a dangerous precedent.
“This is a misguided and dangerous new direction in management of our magnificent network of national parks and reserves,” association executive director Matt Ruchel said.
“Exposing our parks like this could lead to irreversible damage to some of our most precious natural areas.
“The primary role of national parks is the conservation of nature on behalf of all Victorians. Our parks were not created to end up as building sites for hotels and large-scale infrastructure that can only be used by a privileged few who can afford it.”
Mr Ryan, the Gippsland South MLA, said the Prom would not be at risk.
“Wilsons Promontory is a good example of how we can have a marriage of a park environment with limited forms of development,” he said.
“The cabins at the Prom enjoy an occupancy rate of 98 per cent and no one will say in any shape or form that they have harmed Wilsons Promontory.
“On the contrary, it has enabled a lot of people to stay at the Prom and there is no reason to be concerned. Each park will be governed to the extent of any such activity.
“There is no prospect of the environmental magnificence of the Prom, or any other park for that matter, being threatened.”
The region’s peak tourism group, Destination Gippsland, welcomed the news.
CEO Terry Robinson said: “We support the overall recommendations and State Government response to the VCEC enquiry. We also support the concept of opening up parks to more commercial investment as long as any private development is done in partnership with Parks Victoria and is sensitive, appropriate and complementary to the natural environment.
“Commercial tour operators currently run businesses in Wilsons Prom and some built accommodation already exists so this policy, if implemented properly, should improve what is occurring. This would then allow Victoria, and in our case Gippsland, to better compete with Tasmania and New Zealand for new investment funds and high yield visitors.”
Mr Ruchel said there was ample opportunity for tourism infrastructure adjacent to parks. Such a resort has long been mooted at the entry to the Prom.
The government said it would allow “appropriate environmentally sensitive, private sector tourism investment in national parks”.
Treasurer Kim Wells said the move would bring Victoria into line with every other state in Australia, as well as New Zealand, which already allowed development in national parks.
“If we hope to attract more international visitors to Victoria, particularly from markets such as China, we must meet the rapidly growing demand for nature-based tourism,” Mr Wells said.
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