O’Byrne votes against West Coast tourism and community development potential

Tourism Minister Michelle O’Byrne voted against expanding West Coast tourism at the recent biannual meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC).

Ruling out any future Geopark proposals in Australia, as the meeting did, has resulted in a significant setback for West Coast tourism and for a number of people working diligently on progressing a Geopark for the West Coast.

The EPHC voted to “…take no further action to recognise any future proposals (Geoparks)… or to further progress Geoparks initiatives within Australia…”

This is extremely disappointing as notwithstanding the need to allay any concerns the mining industry may have; at the very least the State Government should be working positively with the West Coast to develop what has enormous tourism and community development potential.

Contrary to their name, Geoparks are not another level of environmental protection, but a community development tool using geology through geotourism.

Geoparks are not a legally binding area like national parks or other protected areas. Rather, a geopark is an action plan concerning a region, between people, local communities, and the geological landscape.

Arguably Tasmania’s west coast is one of the most significant historical geological areas in Australia for tourism, particularly mining heritage tourism.

The national decision – endorsed by Ms O’Byrne – to rule out any further progress on geopark initiatives, such as on Tasmania’s west coast, is short-sighted in the extreme.

It shows just how tired and out of touch Labor has become after 11 long years in Government.
Jeremy Rockliff MP Shadow Minister for Tourism