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Urgent Need For Parks Infrastructure

Ingram discusses concerns regarding the impact on towns due to reductions in timber industry

By Craig Ingram MP - 13th August 2002 - Back to News

The Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has called on the State Government to get serious on supporting tourism in his electorate.

Mr Ingram has written to Treasurer John Brumby, who visited Orbost earlier this year and met with local representatives to discuss concerns regarding the impact on towns due to reductions in timber industry.

"The common theme through all presentations was the need to increase return from the tourism industry," Mr Ingram said.

"The major limiting factor identified through all the communities represented was the lack of tourism infrastructure in National Parks and the lack of tourism promotion and acceptance of the role they play in the tourism in Gippsland.

"Resulting from these discussions, I believe the State Government must facilitate the development and retention of high standard tourism infrastructure to promote the industry in our region.

"There have been a number of proposals put forward over the past few years and there have been some quality proposals presented in the past few months.

"In this time of industry restructure the promotion and facilitation of proposals would display a clear and positive direction from Government, which would be extremely welcome to the community.

"The role Parks Victoria plays in tourism has been severally criticised in this area as we continually see Parks’ infrastructure removed from our National Parks.

"There appears to be a philosophical view in senior management of Parks Victoria and the Victorian Treasury that National Parks should not cost money to manage.

"They have a ‘lock it up and walk away’ approach to parks management and this needs to be changed.

"During the past few years we have lost good quality, popular camping areas, as well as having walking tracks and lookouts removed or closed for long periods or not maintained so that they can be enjoyed.

"The Parks Victoria budgets for our region do not allow for the maintaining of existing assets, let alone for the establishment of new infrastructure.

"I have informed the State Government of these concerns and believe they should now take action to ensure that National Parks provide an economic and recreational benefit to the local community.

"Gippsland in endowed with some of this country’s greatest National Parks it is essential that we do not allow the government to keep them hidden treasures," Mr Ingram concluded.

Source: http://east.gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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