Brooks and 4WD lobby group Protest damaging tourism

Tim Morris, Monday, July 15:

The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Liberal Member for Braddon Adam Brooks to withdraw his promise to provide funding to four-wheel driving lobbyists linked to a recent campaign telling tourists arriving on the Spirit of Tasmania that they were “not welcome”.

Greens Tourism spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that Mr Brooks reportedly made a promise to help fund the four-wheel-drive lobby’s campaign at a rally in Smithton in May.

“Mr Brooks needs to confirm whether has been giving money to the group behind this anti-tourism campaign, and if so he needs to put an immediate halt on any further funding,” Mr Morris said.

“Most Tasmanians would agree that the group’s actions are extremely misguided, and send entirely the wrong message to visitors.”

“We need all the tourists we can get in Tasmania, and this type of action is only punishing local tourism businesses who are already working hard to lift visitor numbers.”

“The Greens are calling on Mr Brooks to sever any financial ties he has with this group, and call on them to stop their destructive and inappropriate protest.”

“Proper management of our natural areas actually underpins the product and does not take away from it, as this group is trying to assert.”

“There are plenty of places four off-road tourists to go in Tasmania, but we have to be careful to properly protect the state’s natural heritage, which in turn underpins our brand,” Mr Morris said.

Tarkine National Coalition, Friday, July 13:

The Tarkine National Coalition has greeted visitors disembarking from the Spirit of Tasmania with a ‘Visitors Welcome’ sign and a copies of a self drive guide to the Tarkine.

“Tarkine National Coalition was concerned that the ‘Tourists not welcome’ protest by anti-conservation groups seeking to overturn recent track closures through Aboriginal heritage sites was sending the wrong message, and we wanted visitors to know that Tasmania did welcome them warmly,” said Campaign Coordinator, Scott Jordan.

“This small group of anti-conservation activists has misrepresented Tasmanian’s as a red-necked, backwards community in a way that has damaged the local tourism sector, and in this small act we hope to show Australia and the world that Tasmania is a friendly place and that the welcome mat is still out”.

First published: 2012-07-13 06:35 AM