Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Parks spokesperson
A report from the State's Auditor General on Park Management makes it clear Tasmania's world class national parks and reserves are under-funded, severely impacting on park management.
The audit report released today confirms concerns that the Parks and Wildlife Service is being starved of the resources it needs to properly manage reserves and visitor impacts as visitor numbers grow.
While Minister Groom rushes headlong into allowing increased commercial exploitation of Tasmania's protected areas, he is allowing the Parks and Wildlife Service to limp along, potentially compromising natural and cultural values as well as public enjoyment of these special places.
The Minister has his priorities all wrong.
Appropriate and adequate Parks funding to manage these jewels should be his priority, instead of the developer feeding frenzy he is enabling.
The report exposes the government's failed priorities, showing that new works such as the Three Capes Track and the South Coast track are being prioritised at the expense of the core business of ensuring our parks are not degraded and are there for all to enjoy in the future.