Wild Drake Pty Ltd’s wannabe heli-tourism proponent, Daniel Hackett, has today delivered yet another insult to the intelligence of reasonable, wilderness loving Tasmanians.
Mr Hackett has published a series of responses to concerns raised by thousands of Tasmanians who took their time to make submissions to the EPBC Act review of his divisive helicopter tourism proposal on public land inside the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area at Lake Malbena.
Despite independent records of up to 5000 submissions, Mr Hackett has stated he received only 626 submissions. This is a sneaky attempt to trick the Federal Minister, Tania Plibersek MP. We’ll make sure she knows just how many Tasmanians have objected to this travesty.
Mr Hackett has also failed to publish the submissions he has received. On his own portal he states, “All submitted comments and details will be published in full, as part of the EPBCA public comment process.”
Where are the submissions, Mr Hackett? What are you hiding?
This disrespect for the process and the thousands of people who care about Lake Malbena is a pointer to Mr Hackett’s arrogance, and confidence that he has the Rockliff Liberals and a politicised Parks Service in his pocket.
He has pontificated that those ordinary Tasmanians who’ve made assertions in their submissions aren’t “peer reviewed.”
This despite Mr Hackett submitting his own research to back up his own commercial project, none of which has been peer reviewed or published anywhere other than in his own proposal!
Mr Hackett has also referred to alterations he’s made to his development to comply with the 2021 Standing Camp Policy. We find this particularly galling, because for years the Tasmanian Greens have sought a copy of this new policy and have been denied access.
How can a private developer have access to Parks policy that no one else can get a look at?
Mr Hackett is relying on Wedge-tail eagle surveys from 2019. Newsflash Mr Hackett, eagles build new nests from time to time and are regularly spotted by bushwalkers in the area. This lazy and amateurish approach to managing our magnificent, endangered wedgies should see his proposal refused outright.
Lastly, Mr Hackett has made much of altering the wording of the exclusive possession lease over Halls Island to ensure a public access policy is maintained for all time.
What he fails to acknowledge is that, as the lessee, he still has the right to refuse entry to anyone he doesn’t want to go there – as he has already done. He genuinely believes Halls Island belongs to him because the Liberals gave him an Exclusive Use agreement without process or transparency.
The public remain locked out of their national park by a property developer. A property developer who receives special treatment from government and snubs his nose at everyday Tasmanians.
Minister Plibersek can’t reward duplicitous, disrespectful and deceitful behaviour such as this.
She must refuse Wild Drake and return lake Malbena to the people.
