… over wilderness protection – Tasmanian Planning Commission …
The Tasmanian Planning Commission has found that the Director’s Report into the World Heritage Area (TWWHA) management plan has inadequately addressed community concerns about the abandonment of ‘maintaining wilderness quality’ as a ‘management objective’ of the management plan.
Maintaining wilderness quality has long been an explicit objective of management for the TWWHA, but was removed from the proposed new plan and Government is yet to commit to reinstating it.
The Commission’s report (download below), released today is the last step in the process before Environment Minister Matthew Groom can finalise a management plan and recommend it to the Governor.
‘Community consultation has identified significant concerns about Government plans to weaken wilderness protection and do away with the longstanding objective to ‘maintain or enhance wilderness quality,[1]’ said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for the Wilderness Society.
‘The Planning Commission has identified that the Government response to those concerns has been inadequately addressed. This needs to be rectified and wilderness protection reinstated as an objective of any new management plan.
The Tasmanian Planning Commission has said:
‘…the Director did fail to address the call to include a particular management objective regarding maintaining wilderness quality, and in that case, the Commission finds that the Director’s response to this issue was inadequate.’ (pg 11 emphasis as in TPC report)
The report coincides with the World Heritage Committee meeting in Istanbul, expected to pass a decision calling on Government to protect wilderness as a specific value and ensure tourism development is assessed against strict criteria.
‘People across Tasmania and around the world will be watching the Tasmanian Government’s response to the clear call for greater protection for wilderness and a proper process for assessing tourism developments in wild areas.
‘Wilderness is one of Tasmania’s greatest competitive advantages, but it is more than just a brand or identity. It is a real value that can be assessed, exploited and ultimately destroyed if proper protections are not reinstated. That would be a tragedy for Tasmania.
[1] Objective 4, TWWHA Management Plan 1999, pg 34
Download …
Tasmanian_Wilderness_World_Heritage_Area_-_review_of_Director_s_report_and_representations,_July_2016.PDF
Vica Bayley Tasmanian Campaign Manager The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc.
