Media Releases - 27 August 2020
TICT: Use major projects laws to develop national parks and sideline Parks and Wildlife Service
- TICT publicly denied major projects bill would be used for commercial national park development, while advocating for exactly that behind the scenes
- Fears major projects bill could be used to fast-track development in national parks validated
- Recommends Parks service should be sidelined by new major projects process
- Suggests name change to Bill to include small projects—noting, correctly, that ‘major’ implies large in size
The submission by Tasmania’s peak tourism body, the Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania (TICT), to the Government’s major projects bill public consultation has called for the laws to be used to develop and privatise Tasmania’s world-class public national parks and sideline Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service.
“The TICT submission validates our worst fears that this legislation will be used to fast-track private commercial developments in Tasmania’s public national parks,” said Tom Allen for the Wilderness Society Tasmania.
“While publicly suggesting our concerns that the Major Projects legislation could be used to develop national parks were spurious, behind the scenes, the TICT was advocating for exactly the scenario the Wilderness Society was warning about.
“The TICT submission envisages a scenario that would see EOI tourism proposals for Tasmania’s national parks and World Heritage Wilderness area fast tracked, local councils and the public having less of a say and the Parks and Wildlife Service excluded too. That scenario could be about to become law.
“People come to Tasmania to experience unspoiled wilderness, not fake eco-tourism. Fast-tracking major project developments in national parks undercuts our precious brand,” said Mr Allen.
Contact Tom Allen for comment on 0434 614 323