By Corey Everitt
Drouin residents have rallied around a opposition push against ‘locking Victorians out’ of national parks as the State Government moves to review their use and management.
Hundreds gathered at Drouin Recreation Reserve on Sunday 26 May to join local MPs and Opposition Leader John Pesutto to launch a petition to stop the creation of new parks.
Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change, James Newbury also joined the Drouin rally and said the effort for access was about preserving Victoria’s environment.
“Victoria’s natural environment is a unique part our State’s identity, and every Victorian expects that our environment is preserved. Preservation does not mean imposing large scale bans stopping Victorians from accessing their parks,” Newbury said.
This is in response to the State Government’s ‘Eminent Panel for Community Engagement’ which is investigating the future of parks and recreation in Victoria.
The opposition has slammed this move arguing it aims to ‘lock out’ residents from existing forests in the Gippsland and Central Highland areas by forming them into a new ‘large scale National Park’.
Concerns were flared by a submission from the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) to the panel suggested turning a large part of the Central Highlands forests into a national park to link up with existing parks.
A community petition against proposals for new parks under concerns it will restrict existing recreational activities for locals and visitors was started which gained the sponsorship of Narracan MP Wayne Farnham and has over 3000 signatures amassed in a few weeks.
Community organisation Bush Use Groups United also started their own petition started which has over 8000 signatures and been sponsored by Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath.
“Whether it is bushwalking, mountain biking, horse riding, motorbiking, four-wheel driving, camping, hunting, fishing, prospecting or something in between, Victorian’s deserve the right to enjoy their parks and our natural bush,” Farnham said.
“It’s fantastic to have had so many turn out today to send a message to the Allan Labor Government, our bush is for everyone and they should be able to continue to access it.”
Pesutto backed the cause of his regional MPs.
“We will only protect our natural environment if we teach our children responsible use, not impose bans which lock assets which are owned by all Victorians away from the community,” Pesutto said.
The State Government in response assured that these suggestions are only part of a larger consultation process.
“We want as many Victorians as possible to enjoy the great outdoors and to enhance recreation opportunities while also making sure we protect what we all love about the bush in the first place –no decision on the future use of state forests in the Central Highlands has been made,” a spokesperson said.
“The VEAC report is only one part of the process, conversations from the recent community engagement sessions and interest groups will also form part of the Eminent Panel’s recommendation to the Government, which is expected in June.”
The panel has reportedly seen more than 10,000 contributions over it’s consultation period.
