Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for PARKS and ENVIRONMENT, Mr DUIGAN
In the other place you backed in the Halls Island Helicopter Tourism Proponent who has deliberately neglected our precious high-country heritage by doing zero maintenance on heritage listed Reg Hall’s Hut on Lake Malbena. Reg Hall built his old bush hut in 1954 and welcomed bush walkers for generations until the current leaseholder locked us all out with a peppercorn lease to the proponent.
The old hut is now in a perilous state after decades of neglect. How can you as minister in good conscience continue to back this proponent and this shameful behaviour which is leading to the degradation of heritage values at Hall’s Hut?
ANSWER
Mr President, I thank the member for the question and would reiterate that the government supports and will continue to encourage appropriate, environmentally sensitive and sustainable tourism proposals that go through a robust assessment and approvals process.
We want people to be able to responsibly and sustainably access and enjoy our world class parks and reserves and we are committed to delivering the tourism expressions of interest process. The Halls Island, Lake Malbena, is one such example of that. The EOI process plays an important role in facilitating sensitive and appropriate development and development of tourism projects within Tasmania’s unique parks and reserves.
To take you to conservation works and my understanding is people are not locked out of-
Ms O’Connor – Yes, there certainly were.
Mr DUIGAN – I think that there may be a couple of exceptions to that, but my understanding is that most people are more than welcome to access the island. In relation to conservation work on Hall’s Hut, in relation to future works, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRA Tasmania) wrote to the Department of Climate Change, Environment and Water (DCCEW) on 26 June 2024 to seek clarification in relation to previous advice provided to the proponent.
Specifically, in relation to the proponent requiring the use of a helicopter to transport tools and resources to Halls Island for the purposes of Hut maintenance work. NRA sought advice from DCCEW as to what the process for approval was in order to maintain the hut within the current EPBC referral process.
A response from DCCEW to NRA dated 15 July 2024 advised us that Mr Hackett was advised to conduct a self-assessment of any potential impacts to nationally protected matters to determine if the flying to Halls Island undertaking maintenance would require referral under the EPBC Act. DCCEW advised that it would reiterate this advice directly to the proponent and the proponent has confirmed that they have received the advice.
In terms of progressing hut works, the proponent received a certificate of exemption from Heritage Tas to undertake preliminary site investigations and NRA has requested that the proponent progress this matter noting the self-referral advice from DCCEW and this is, I note, a matter for the proponent to progress.
Ms O’Connor – Sorry, a line of questioning that I just would not mind being able to proceed with, Mr President?
Mr PRESIDENT – It is first to the feet so whoever is first on their feet at the call.
