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Liberals To Improve Access To Our Public LandA Liberal Government will fix the neglected access tracks in national parks and state forests, Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said today. By Phillip Davis - 9th August 2006 - Back to News Mr Davis said maintenance of four-wheel-drive access tracks in parks and state forests was imperative for the continued and safe use by Parks Victoria and Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) personnel, emergency services and recreational vehicles.
In the past seven years, the Bracks Government has cut funding for access track maintenance by $2.2 million per year.
Currently Labor only allocates $400,000 per year each from Parks Victoria and DSE for track maintenance, which falls dangerously short of the funding needed to maintain access and provide adequate safety.
Last year, volunteers from Four Wheel Drive Victoria spent 3000 hours clearing access tracks after storms.
Letting access tracks fall into disrepair is not only inconvenient for those who use them, but a serious safety issue, especially during search and rescue operations, bushfires and other emergencies.
"A Liberal Government will address the Bracks Government’s maintenance backlog by dedicating an additional $1.5 million annually," Mr Davis said.
"A Liberal Government will also ensure access tracks are properly maintained into the future, by doubling the present Parks Victoria and DSE combined funding to $1.6 million per year.
"This will bring the total to $3.1 million available to get these access tracks up to standard and keep them that way."
Mr Davis said a Liberal Government would maintain the existing Four Wheel Drive Advisory Committee’s role in track maintenance advice.
He said the Committee was well placed to monitor track conditions, identify maintenance priorities and allocate maintenance funding.
"A Liberal Government will reverse Labor’s policy of excluding people from public land, leaving it unmaintained to become a fire risk and infested with weeds and feral animals," Mr Davis said.
"The Liberal Party is committed to keeping public land open for public use, and this can only be done with adequate maintenance of these areas and with the input of the public."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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