Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Parks spokesperson
The Three Capes Walk is the first exclusive playground for the rich, in our Parks. Not only are individuals being charged the hefty fee of $500 to walk the track, but established eco-tourism operators are being excluded.
There's a current ban on commercial operations on the Three Capes Track, outside of the single operator allowed by the government. This is unfair and anti-competitive.
The Liberal Party was founded on free enterprise, and it's a great shame that in Minister Groom's desperate attempt to privatise our Parks and World Heritage Area he's apparently forgotten his own Party's values.
The Liberal government needs to back their own Party's philosophy on competition and freedom of choice. At present, Three Capes is closed – not open – for any business other than a single, monopoly operator.
We know tourism business, World Expeditions, have been denied access to the Three Capes Track, despite being a worldwide business which has operated in Tasmania for more than three decades.
The Tasman National Park is the only National Park in the country where a government picks a single preferred tourism operator and locks out their competitors.
Not only has Minister Groom shown utter contempt for the natural values of our parks and Tasmanian families who can't afford the price tag, but now he’s ignoring his own free market Liberal values.