Tuesday, 2 May 2023

 Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (19:10): (135) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Outdoor Recreation. The outdoor recreation community are feeling alienated from the natural environment they love and care for by this government’s continued tin ear to their concerns. Last week we saw our outdoor recreation groups coming together in defiance of this Labor government’s actions, which have made them feel excluded from our parks, waterways and bushlands. Instead of engaging with the Victorian outdoor recreation community, this government is missing an opportunity to work with so many Victorians who love, understand and willingly assist in the maintenance of our outdoor recreation sites. This government cannot claim to have it all under control, as the growth in pests and weeds across our Crown lands, such as long-spined sea urchins, foxes, rabbits, Paterson’s curse, blackberries and gorse, demonstrate that Labor are failing their responsibility to the community. The government have missed a perfect opportunity to instead engage with Victorians who are left feeling like they are being locked out whilst they watch pests and weeds get worse in the outdoors they love.

One such example is the long-spined sea urchin, which has invaded Victoria’s coastal waters, damaging reefs and creating barren habitats. In Tasmania an innovative coalition of research, government and industry have joined forces to address the threat, yet what is the Victorian government doing? Nothing, and under the water our natural environment continues to be destroyed. Many Victorians enjoy the pleasure of camping, fishing, gold prospecting or rock climbing in our beautiful national parks. Locking the outdoor recreation community out and failing in your responsibility as a government to manage these sites is allowing gorse, boxthorn and pittosporum to thrive.

The presence of pest animals, including wild pigs and deer, is a further risk to the safety of people, not to mention the impact these species have on the waterways, removing vegetation, reducing water filtration, causing muddier water and harming native aquatic species. The birdwatching community is also being impacted by the inability of this government to control pest animals. Last Friday night over 100 short-tailed shearwater birds were slaughtered by foxes on Port Fairy’s Griffiths Island in the electorate of South-West Coast. This not a one-off. Over 50 shearwaters were killed by foxes last year. The outdoor recreation community plays an important role in rural communities, which cannot be underestimated. Local businesses across Victoria benefit from the presence of climbers, campers, hunters and fishers, injecting valuable funds into regional economies. A collaborative approach is required to effectively control these pests and weeds and to ensure the recreation community can continue.

The action I seek is for the minister to engage with our outdoor recreation communities, such Bush User Groups United, VR Fish, the Prospectors and Miners Association of Victoria, Sporting Shooters Association of Australia, Australian Deer Association, Field and Game Australia, Australian Climbing Association and so many more, who feel shut out, and to work on strategies with them to manage our environment for all Victorians together.