Felix Ellis’ Kunanyi/ Mount Wellington Action Plan looks more like a plan to pave the way for a cable car than the proper protection and funding Kunanyi/ Mount Wellington deserves.
Tasmanians, and the formal planning process, have roundly rejected endangering the precious values of this cultural, natural and community wonder with a private, commercial cable car. It will outrage many that Minister Ellis’ Action Plan keeps it on the agenda.
Since Eric Abetz started this review process the Greens have been saying that it’s little more than a trojan horse for approval of a cable car. In releasing this new plan, Minister Ellis confirms this.
The Review’s big recommendation is for a new statutory management authority with oversight over Kunanyi/ Mount Wellington, and the job of rewriting the management plan. We’ll that’s what we’ve already got and that’s what it was doing – just not to the government’s bidding.
What function is the Wellington Park Management Trust not fulfilling that Minister Ellis thinks this new body could – aside from facilitating the construction of a cable car?
There’s no doubt that more resources are needed for the mountain. The Rockliff Government has had 12 years to stump up the funding that the Wellington Park Management Trust needs to properly execute its function.
Rather than give the mountain the support it needs to meet increasing tourist demand, the Liberals have instead given their support to private cable car developers.
