An indigenous group has furiously rejected the idea that the public should be consulted over the closure of popular rock climbing sites.
Mount Arapiles in western Victoria is famous for its spectacular rock formations, but this has sparked a bitter fight between climbers and traditional owners, who want popular climbing spots in the area closed for cultural reasons.
Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation chair Dylan Clarke has written to Premier Jacinta Allan criticizing a draft management plan calling for public consultation on the closure of half of Mount Arapiles State Park’s climbing routes -Tooan.
Clarke called the planned public consultation alongside working groups “unnecessary and unprecedented” and accused a “radical minority of climbers” of “launching a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining cultural heritage laws”.
“Cultural heritage laws across the state of Victoria are under attack,” Mr Clarke wrote.
He said the prime minister needed to “remain firm during this critical time and not deviate from the current plan” of closing climbing sites or questioning the state’s cultural heritage laws.
Australian Climbing Association Victorian president Mike Tonkins responded by saying all Victorians should have a say in how public land is used.
“You cannot deny consultation on public lands,” he told Herald of the sun.
Mount Arapiles, in western Victoria, is famous for its spectacular rock formations that attract climbers.
“Parks Victoria has to manage parks, and it has to manage parks for everyone, so consultation with different user groups is absolutely essential to achieve this.”
Residents of a small rural town nearby have demonstrated against the ban, with local publican Bill Lovell arguing that the closure would devastate the town of around 500 residents.
“If the climbers don’t come here, the staff won’t have hours,” he told A Current Affair.
Amanda Wilson, of Lister House Medical Clinic in nearby Horsham, said four of her 17 doctors moved to the area specifically to be near the rock climbing landmark.
“Losing 25 percent of our doctors would affect 30,000 patients,” he said.
Following public backlash against the closure of half of the climbing routes, Environment and Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos announced that Parks Victoria boss Matthew Jackson would be leaving the organization and Graeme Dear would be appointed interim boss.
Auditing firm Korda Mentha has also been hired to conduct an independent review of the agency, which will include its finances and performance.
The review will focus on allowing the agency to open more state forests and parks to the public.
There have been a growing number of complaints that the agency is not meeting goals of providing public access to large tracts of land.
Mr Dimopoulos said it was clear that “Parks Victoria’s current operations must be improved to meet community expectations”.
Tomkins said firing Jackson was not the answer to the agency’s core problems and “was an attempt to save Dimopoulos’ job.”
“It’s not even a Band-Aid; the captain of the ship is not the problem,” he said.
‘What is needed is a review of the Victoria Parks Act. The problem is legislation… and escalation is just the tip of the iceberg.’
Allan plans to convert another 440,000 hectares of state forest into new national parks.