Wednesday, 27 November 2024

Production of documents

Mount Arapiles rock climbing

David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:32): I move:

That this house:

(1) notes:

(a) the recently announced climbing bans at Mount Arapiles–Tooan State Park have caused significant distress and alarm within the climbing community and the local town of Natimuk;

(b) this follows from previous climbing bans and land use restrictions in the Grampians National Park;

(c) that consultation related to Aboriginal cultural heritage management does not allow for an open and transparent process that can foster broad inclusion and balance the needs of different land users;

(2) requires the Leader of the Government, in accordance with standing order 10.01, to table in the Council, within eight weeks of the house agreeing to this resolution, documents related to the Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan and the draft Dyurrite cultural landscape management plan amendment, including but not limited to:

(a) all cultural heritage and environmental reports from the Grampians and Arapiles region for the last 10 years;

(b) all reports associated with the Grampians Peaks Trail; and

(c) all reports, including draft reports, relating to rock climbing.

This relates to an issue that I first became involved in in 2019, when I was approached by rock climbers who were concerned that in the Grampians area, which is a very famous rock-climbing area, they had effectively been locked out of large portions of that park. This was related to cultural management plans. There were lots of smears unfairly thrown at these climbers at the time. Parks Victoria said that they had put bolts into Aboriginal artwork, which was met with a puzzled reaction by the climbers and indeed a puzzled reaction by me because climbing bolts are up high where you climb, not down low where Aboriginal artwork might be. Later on it was discovered that the bolts around the Aboriginal artwork were in fact put there by Parks Victoria themselves decades ago in a clumsy attempt to protect artwork. So this group, who are very respectful of Aboriginal heritage and do their best to look after the environment – in fact they have their own volunteer groups that go and clean up areas and make sure that they are in good condition – were very unfairly smeared.

They were fearful at the time that Arapiles might also suffer the same sort of fate as the Grampians, and indeed it looks like this has happened. Large portions of Arapiles have effectively been locked to climbers, and this has been met with severe distress by the people of Natimuk, effectively a climbing town. Many people from throughout Australia and indeed throughout the world who cherish this area, love this area and have their own connection to this area and this land have been locked out from using it for an activity that they have done there for decades. These people were not involved in consultation, and it was very unfair the way that it was done. I understand that the government is running some sort of consultation process – that is what the government has said.

I feel that that would be appropriate for these people that have suffered this distress. Indeed it is having a very large impact, even economically, on the town. There are businesses going bankrupt right now. Many people move to this town because of climbing. They love climbing, they love the area, they love Arapiles, and this is by all reports a disaster.

These people deserve to know the thinking that went behind this and that went into this, and frankly they deserve better than what has happened. I hope that this can be resolved, but I think one step towards resolving it would be to let people look at these environmental reports and the cultural heritage reports to see exactly what we are talking about here, because they are at a loss as to what has exactly happened here and why they have been locked out of this activity that they love so much.

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:35): I rise to share a few comments on notice of motion 752 today, which has been put before us by Mr Limbrick, and I acknowledge him for doing so. In accordance with the government’s custom and practice when it comes to short documents motions, I affirm that the government will not be opposing this particular motion. I do want to briefly make some comments in relation to Mount Arapiles, in particular on what is a draft management plan which is currently out for public consultation. We know that over the last four years there has been substantial archaeological work going on to understand the important cultural heritage that has been discovered at Mount Arapiles, and this has been done in order to provide the climbers with certainty on how they can continue to enjoy the sport that they love without bringing harm to the cultural and natural environment. I also would put forward that these two priorities need not be in conflict with each other. I understand that there is a great interest amongst many of the climbers to work in concert with the traditional owners, and indeed vice versa, to come to a mutually beneficial outcome.

As a result of the rediscoveries that have taken place from the archaeological work, some of the parts of climbing areas are proposed to be protected from climbing and walking. This will still leave, even under this plan, more than half of the climbing and walking areas within this particular state park open, and that is well over 80 climbs as well, as I understand it. There are indeed many examples from around the world as well as right here in Australia of areas of significance being closed to protect their cultural and environmental value. We do have here and we are talking about an area of immense beauty and opportunity, and I really encourage that work between the traditional owners and the climbers to continue, as I am sure that they are all determined to do, to ensure that we can make the most of these opportunities and do so in a way that is respectful of all.

I understand as well that the Minister for Environment has already spoken with several local Natimuk businesses and indeed with the chair of the Grampians Tourism Board as well. We are of course keen to see the opportunities of this area maximised, and I do have full confidence that the Victorian, national and international climbing communities will not turn their backs on Mount Arapiles or Natimuk and will continue to visit this wonder.

I think it is also important to note that amongst the very significant reforms and improvements that this government has made to outdoor recreation in the state of Victoria, we have invested over $106 million into fully making camping fee-free at national parks right across the state. This includes three campgrounds that are now free in the Mount Arapiles–Tooan State Park. We have upgraded 56 campgrounds, which compares to our target to upgrade 30. We also have 30 brand new campgrounds and have upgraded more than 29 kilometres of walking tracks and 125 kilometres worth of four-wheel drive tracks as well as planning for the upgrade of seven iconic four-wheel drive adventures.

Whilst it is an important discussion for us to be having, I hope that members will continue to have this discussion in a respectful manner. As I said at the outset, the government will not be opposing the motion before us today.

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (10:39): I am obviously extremely supportive of Mr Limbrick’s motion. I have stood on the side of climbers for more than five years now, and I have watched the outright and inexplicable hostility to rock climbers shown by our state government, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Parks Victoria and their collective bureaucrats, paid cultural heritage and scientific advisers and activist staff. We have seen this kind of ideological evidence blind prejudice before. It is the same instinct that brought us the environmentally nonsensical native timber ban. It is the same mindset that has squeezed duck shooting bags and season lengths and cut down land available for prospectors in Victoria. Yet with rock climbing it is even more inexplicable.

I have met and spoken to many climbers in the past few years, and it is fair to say that on most political issues we disagree. Some of the most strident advocates for cultural heritage you could find are rock climbers, and all value the landscape they climb in incredibly highly. They know and love it intimately. Many have moved their lives to be closer to these places. Climbing is an all-consuming hobby for many. It is an important part of climbers’ identity, incredibly valuable for their mental health and happiness. As a result, it is not an exaggeration to say that Natimuk is a climbers town, and it attracts all sorts: different ages, professions, attitudes. At the rally on the steps of Parliament last sitting week we heard from a local doctor, for example, who detailed just how many local medical professionals have come to the area because of their love of climbing. I know from the rest of my electorate how difficult it is to attract doctors in regional Victoria, and when doctors and other basic services are not available, communities go into a slow death spiral. You cannot attract new young families or workers if you do not have basic services, so a vicious circle begins. The influx of climbers reversed that in Natimuk, and it has built a healthy, diverse community.

In the short time available I just want to reiterate how betrayed the climbing community feels, first on consultation. Whenever this government is criticised over a controversial decision, it claims either that ‘consultation’ took place or is going to take place, and so it should. This is public land we are talking about – the closure of more than half of Mount Arapiles–Tooan State Park to recreational uses. And the 50,000 visitors a year are predominantly rock climbers – 90 per cent in fact – so you would have thought that Parks Victoria might have spoken to them. It is not like this is an emergency decision. It has been in the works not for months but for years, yet they have failed to engage. Climbing Victoria and the Australian Climbing Association Victoria were blindsided. Parks Victoria might claim ‘consultation’ with the Gariwerd Wimmera Reconciliation Network, but they are not a climbers peak body. In fact that network themselves stated:

We did not act on behalf of the climbing community or claim to act as ‘consultation’ …

The idea that consultation has been launched now is ridiculous when the documents clearly state differently. It is a joke. It says:

You have the opportunity to provide input on how you would like to receive information, improve map and guideline accessibility, update signs, or use chalk.

But:

It is important to note, this consultation will not be reviewing any changes to the areas that need to be protected.

Matthew Jackson, Parks Victoria CEO, confirmed to me at Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, ‘We do not negotiate on cultural heritage matters – that is it.’ There is no point in consulting or even discussing cultural heritage; it trumps everything. Any other user, any other activity, anything else is secondary, no matter the consequences for health, happiness, economies or communities. That is why it is so vital that the documents behind this decision are released. There is a serious question about the extent of cultural heritage being protected by this decision as well as complete bafflement at the failure to produce mitigation issues rather than an outright ban. I would like to end my contribution by saying to climbers that the coalition is committed to repealing these bans.

Jacinta ERMACORA (Western Victoria) (10:44): I speak on Mr Limbrick’s motion in relation to Mount Arapiles. I have the privilege of having Mount Arapiles in my electorate, and it is an area of immense natural beauty that is enjoyed by climbers, walkers and campers alike. The traditional owners of Mount Arapiles, who I would like to acknowledge today – and I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging – have been involved in managing the Dyurrite cultural landscape for a very, very long time.

Over the last four years there has been substantial archaeological work to understand the important cultural heritage that has been rediscovered there, and I think ‘rediscovered’ is the operational word here. Cultural heritage sites have been rediscovered in the Dyurrite cultural landscape, including tens of thousands of artefacts, scar trees, rock art dating back at least 3000 years and one of the largest Indigenous stone quarry complexes found in Australia. All of these things are evidence of structured economic, social and permanent settlement and management of our landscape, which we share now, way before we arrived, something that none of us were educated about when we were at school. Surveys have also discovered threatened plants, including skeleton fork fern and western pellitory. These surveys are ultimately about providing climbers, the tourism community and the local Aboriginal community with a level of certainty and structure around this complex issue. It will provide economic certainty for the Natimuk and tourism communities.

I have been contacted by a number of climbers, and I want to pay my respects to the thoughtfulness of climbers that have contacted me. I know the climbing community are especially sensitive and aware of the environment and connection to culture, because they develop that relationship with the land when they become guardians and protectors of it too. Many climbers have contacted me and expressed their commitment to respecting the cultural heritage and environmental values of the Dyurrite cultural landscape. Many have also told me that they want ongoing consultation to ensure the management of this incredible area meets the needs of the local community, climbers, traditional owners and local small businesses and tourism. I think those opposite can play games and exploit this complex issue for political gain, but this is a challenge that has to be confronted. We cannot avoid it. There are multiple perspectives here, and we have to be honest, listening and consultative in the way we deal with this. Our government is determined to strike the right balance between cultural heritage, local tourism and climbers.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (10:49): This is an important documents motion brought to the chamber by Mr Limbrick, and it relates to the documents surrounding the bans that the state government is implementing at Mount Arapiles and so forth, through the Grampians and beyond. These bans are outrageous. They are poorly formed, they are done in secret and they are done without the transparency and openness that is actually required. I say this documents motion will help remedy that particular point, and it will enable us to examine this much more closely.

Climbers are a special group of people. They deserve our support. This is a huge industry for that district; it is a huge part of the district. I become quite irritated about the government’s response here, but the extraordinary decisions of this government to, in secret, close down climbing in this state need to be resisted. The extraordinary performance of Parks Victoria’s CEO at the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee was just a shocker. If anyone wants an example of what we are dealing with here, it is pure unadulterated ideology that has gone mad.

Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (10:50): In the minute and a half I have got I obviously will be supporting this. Public land use is one of the things that I and my party have been on about since we were formed, and that is not just about hunting and motorbiking – mountain climbers and rock climbers need the same protections we do. It just seems that no matter what we do we are forever going backwards in the amount of public land that the public can access. There are questions over the Arapiles changes that just need to be answered. I think, as Mr Davis said, transparency is the point here. I support this motion and, whilst gravity is not my friend when it comes to rock climbing, I support the rock climbers.

Motion agreed to.