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Labor government scraps failed free camping policy, replacing it with half-price fees to support regional tourism recovery

The Allan Labor government has scrapped its flawed free camping policy in national parks after it harmed regional businesses and tourism, replacing it with half-price camping fees to support local economies.

By news@gippsland - 21st May 2025 - Back to News

The Allan Labor government has ditched its disastrous free camping in national parks initiative after the program backfired. Labor spruiked that the program would ease cost-of-living pressures, but the brutal reality was the complete opposite.

Shadow Minister Melina Bath criticises Labor's failed free camping policy, now replaced by half-price fees to support regional tourism

Ghost camping crisis

The poorly-designed program financially cruelled regional small businesses and left families disappointed by a lack of camping spots. Labor's free camping policy resulted in people deliberately booking multiple camping sites and then failing to show up, knowing there are no consequences. It led to low occupancy rates in popular national park campgrounds that would normally be fully booked.

Campsites sat empty during regional Victoria's peak tourist season, leading to the phrase 'ghost camping' being penned. Practical solutions to fix the multiple problems put forward by the Liberals and Nationals were dismissed by the Allan Labor government which backed in its flawed program. Free camping in national parks was heavily criticised by small business, peak tourist bodies, campers, and regional communities.

Camping policy fails

Shadow Minister for Public Land Management, Melina Bath, said Labor's failed free camping in national parks program has quietly been scrapped and instead replaced with 'half price' camping fees in the state budget. "From inception, Labor's policy was systematically flawed and did enormous damage to small businesses and the regional economy that relies on the peak tourism season for survival."

"The Allan government said free camping in national parks would create more Victorians holidaying in the regions, it did the opposite. In a cost-of-living crisis, the program hurt regional sales and services and charged Victorian taxpayers $9 million to deliver it."

"Free camping in national parks should have been abolished when the problems were first identified, yet the Labor Allan government refused to listen. Labor can't manage public land use and Victorians are paying the price," said Ms Bath.

Pictures from Melina Bath MP Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com