Thursday, 30 July 2026

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (14:30): (1395) My question is for the Minister for Outdoor Recreation. Minister, in 2024 Parks Victoria proposed closing more than 2000 climbing routes on Mount Arapiles, 63 per cent of one of the world’s great climbing destinations and a magnet for more than $12 million of annual spending in Natimuk, Horsham and the Wimmera. Your government defended that plan for two years while local businesses bled and visitors stayed away. Last Thursday Parks Victoria conceded that fewer than 200 routes, barely 4 per cent, require any restriction whatsoever. Minister, the rock has not changed, the heritage has not changed, the evidence has not changed, so why did your government defend this shocking process for two years?

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Environment, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:31): I thank Mrs McArthur for her long-term interest in this matter. It is a matter that I have become, myself, very familiar with as it is an ongoing matter. I know Parks Victoria has taken the lead in relation to bringing the climbing community and bringing the traditional owners together to have a resolution, a practical resolution, so that people can access the great outdoors.

Ingrid Stitt interjected.

Enver ERDOGAN: I will take that interjection by Minister Stitt. Exactly – a practical outcome that is not about culture wars but is providing greater access to people. I understand that they are very –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order across the chamber, please. You can have a chat outside about it if you like.

Enver ERDOGAN: As I was –

Melina Bath: On a point of order, President, Ms Terpstra called me a liar, and I would like for her to withdraw that comment.

The PRESIDENT: I did not hear it; I heard a bit of noise, but I did not hear the complete interaction. Ms Terpstra, if you did call Ms Bath a liar, you can withdraw. If you do not believe you did, then I think we need to move on.

Sonja Terpstra interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Okay. Minister, continue.

Enver ERDOGAN: I want to thank the member for their question, but I might start from the beginning now. The National Parks Act 1975 requires all national state parks to have a management plan that guides how values are protected, and Parks Victoria and the local community working group, comprising traditional owners, climbing groups and the local community, have come together. This working group is about ensuring that we protect our cultural values and our heritage sites while permitting climbing, outdoor education and other recreational activities. We want it all to be protected and to work together, and they can. Parks Victoria has paused the management plan process to ensure an agreement so we can build consensus, not divide people; that is what Parks Victoria are working towards. What I can confirm is we are very close to reaching a resolution.

Members interjecting.

Melina Bath: On a point of order, President, Ms Terpstra has just said that I am insanity.

Sonja Terpstra: I did not.

Melina Bath: She did. I heard her, and I ask her to withdraw. This is unacceptable and unparliamentary, and this is not on during question time.

The PRESIDENT: There was a wall of noise, and I was about to ask people to let the minister continue in silence. I did not hear any particular thing directed at anyone, but Ms Terpstra, once again, if you did say that, you can withdraw.

Sonja Terpstra: This has happened twice today, that Ms Bath has attributed things to me that I have not said. I have not said that, so I am not withdrawing something I did not say.

The PRESIDENT: I cannot attest to what was said.

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (14:35): Minister, it took a global backlash, a departed CEO and an entirely new board of Parks Victoria to admit this plan was never necessary. Will you now apologise to the Wimmera communities who lost trade – millions of dollars – and the climbers who did the right thing by the area for two years because of the government’s decision?

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Environment, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:35): I reject the premise of Mrs McArthur’s supplementary question. Mrs McArthur, I have been very clear that the process was paused so that we could build consensus, not divide communities. The traditional owners and the climbing groups are working together.

Bev McArthur: On a point of order, President, the question was very simple: will you now apologise to those communities who suffered for two years and loss of income because of your government’s decision? Will you apologise or will you not?

The PRESIDENT: Mrs McArthur, it is not a point of order. The minister rejected the premise of the question right from the start. Minister, do you wish to continue?

Enver ERDOGAN: Mrs McArthur, what I will do is confirm that Parks Victoria is committed to rebuilding community trust. They are committed to balancing access, which requires working with the climbing community and traditional owners.