Thursday, 17 October 2024

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (18:59): (1199) My adjournment debate for the Minister for Environment concerns reports that legislation to establish two new national parks will be brought to Parliament next month. I am concerned by this. Creating the Wombat–Lerderderg and Mount Buangor national parks would be a setback for Victoria. I have long fought against this ideological obsession with locking up national parks driven by the mistaken belief that humans and nature cannot coexist. I value Victoria’s beautiful natural environment incredibly highly. I count myself extraordinarily fortunate to represent an area which contains so much of it and would never want to see it damaged or degraded. Yet I passionately believe that there is no need to choose between conservation and sensible public use and enjoyment – in fact the opposite. When we encourage people to get out and experience our fantastic natural environment, they want to protect it for themselves and future generations. Locking the gate has been shown time and time again to lead to neglect, not magical regeneration.

I was born in country Victoria, in Terang, grew up on a farm at Tylden, went to school in the bush at Mount Macedon and brought up my own children on a farm near Camperdown. I have always known, loved and appreciated country. Getting outside is good for us. Traditional activities and country pursuits have contributed to happiness and wellbeing for generations. The idea that man and nature should not interact is deeply damaging. It is a threat to the liberty of Victorians to enjoy hobbies, activities, sports and business ingrained in our culture. It is damaging to rural economies, which may rely on these activities. It is also absurd government should even consider expanding our national parks when it manages and maintains existing parks so poorly.

I have long supported Bush Users Groups United. Four years ago I said:

Beholden to ideologues, this government appears determined to destroy the country pursuits which Victorians have enjoyed for decades.

Public spaces belong to all Victorians, not Parks Victoria, not the government and not the Premier. Bushwalking, horseriding, bike riding, prospectors, climbers, firewood collection, even timber harvesting – none should automatically be banned.

Recently I was pleased by the Premier’s comments at the bush summit and by a parliamentary question she answered this week, in which she seemed to commit to retaining traditional activities and access. So I ask the minister to confirm the Premier’s commitment to assure Victorians our state parks will not be rebadged as national parks and our national parks will not all be locked up.