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Danger to Freycinet National Park Revealed


Cassy O'Connor MP  -  Thursday, 24 March 2016

Tags: Parks, National Parks, Environment

Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Parks spokesperson

The full extent of the Liberals' destructive plan for the Freycinet National Park has been revealed by a group of concerned Coles Bay residents, business and shack owners.

The overlay map released publicly today shows that Minister Groom plans to open the entire Coles Bay Visitor Services Zone to new commercial leases and tourism development.

Minister Groom's attempt to change the Freycinet National Park Management Plan to enable the expansion of RACT's commercial operation is just a small part of a disturbing picture.

This Minister seems to know the price of everything and the value of nothing.  

Mr Groom's plan to allow open slather development of the Coles Bay foreshore would seriously compromise the Park's natural values and set a terrible precedent for development inside the State's reserves.

Tasmania's reserved lands were set aside through Acts of Parliament and in international agreements for the protection of their natural and cultural values.

In his headlong rush to exploit Tasmania's wild places through opaque and flawed processes, Mr Groom puts the natural integrity of our protected areas, their visitor appeal and our brand at risk.