Thursday, 14 November 2024

 Chris CREWTHER (Mornington) (17:19): (935) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Environment. The action I seek is for the minister to provide an update on the initiatives being taken to ensure Mount Arapiles remains the beating heart of rock climbing in Victoria and Australia. Growing up in Horsham, I went all the time to Mount Arapiles for climbing, abseiling, hiking, bushwalking and more, through school, cubs and scouts, youth groups, family and friends, and I went every week to Natimuk, where my sister had her gymnastics classes. So I was shocked and blindsided, along with the global climbing community, by the Labor government’s decision to shut down both high-profile difficult climbs and beginner climbs at Mount Arapiles. This was announced at 5 pm the day before a public holiday, the week of the US election. There was no consultation. The government blindsided the Australian Climbing Association. The Premier broke her promise not to lock up Victoria’s public land. The Premier, just over two months ago, promised:

… I won’t be putting a padlock on our public forests.

But look what has happened. Was this a lie? Labor’s Minister for Environment, in a panic, went to Natimuk a few days ago in what can only be labelled as a tokenistic visit after four years of secret surveys. This government has an attitude of ‘We don’t trust Victorians to look after the environment,’ despite climbers and outdoor enthusiasts being very respectful of the environment, as well as Indigenous Victorians. Many have become champions of both. I too support protecting and enhancing our environment and Victoria’s Indigenous cultural heritage, but this should not come at the cost of basic outdoor pursuits like rock climbing, which gets people into nature and is good for health, mental health and more. It also gets young people off their iPads.

With the member for Lowan and many coalition colleagues, I joined mountain climbers and others on the steps of Parliament today protesting this. All parliamentarians were invited, but no-one from Labor or the Greens turned up. Many of these rock climbers then joined question time, where the Premier failed to answer questions on closing rock climbing sufficiently. One example raised today by a Natimuk doctor was the impact this will have on attracting doctors, nurses and others who would otherwise come to places like Natimuk because they love rock climbing. This decision will kill Indigenous opportunities in local rock climbing and have a flow-on impact to businesses as well.

The government is ignoring common sense. That also includes in the Mornington electorate, where they have been silent on opening up the decommissioned South East Water reservoir to the public as an alternative to development or on helping fix the broken Beleura cliff path or the Balcombe estuary boardwalk, closing off access to our nature, local amenity and tourism. After Mount Arapiles what is next – hiking, bushwalking, bike riding? The government’s decision to close and shut down rock climbing at Mount Arapiles is disgraceful. I call on this government to listen to our community and to have common sense.