FEDERAL Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson says those opposed to light development in Tasmania’s wilderness World Heritage areas are selfish and can’t have it both ways.
Mr Hutchinson joined the debate today over State Government plans to allow greater access to Tasmania’s most remote places and change the classification of “wilderness’’ areas to “remote recreation zones’’.
“The Greens tourism policy is `lock it up and go and look at something else,’ “ Mr Hutchinson said.
“We already have 52 per cent of Tasmania locked away in wilderness World Heritage areas – we are the environmental conscience for the rest of Australia. No other jurisdiction, certainly in the country and probably internationally, comes close to what Tasmania has committed to.
“So there should not be complaints from the rest of Australia about Tasmania’s share of the GST because there is no revenue coming from wilderness World Heritage areas.
“There is no rating from these areas and they are a cost to Tasmanian taxpayers to manage.’’
Mr Hutchinson said that – done appropriately – sensitive development of some World Heritage areas would open up these special places to more people to enjoy.
“It is selfish to not allow access to all but a minority of people,’’ he said.
“Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne should be careful what she wishes for by writing to the World Heritage Committee about this.
“Tasmanians know that the 2013 “minor” boundary adjustment was done without consultation and was a contradiction to the World Heritage Committee’s own guidelines, against the advice from the International Council on Monuments and Sites and has included areas that diminish the integrity of the original estate,’’
Lyons MHR Eric Hutchinson.
