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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2164 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

The entry fee not only provides for entry to Tidbinbilla but also brings with it some facilities and services which are not now offered when you enter Tidbinbilla for free - for example, a map and guide detailing the facilities and programs operating, access to all public areas and eligibility to obtain ranger-guided activities at the reserve. Those things are presently charged for. They will come for free with this entry fee. The sort of value adding which has not been available in the past at Tidbinbilla for families who might be struggling on a few dollars is now available under this arrangement. If I were trying to save some money and I could afford to motor out to Tidbinbilla, I would think that was a very economical way of spending a day for a whole family. Eight dollars gets my whole family through the gate; I have ranger-guided walks provided for me for free once I get inside there; the animal enclosures are for free; the barbecues with electric power are for free; and I have information to show the kids and things to talk about; and I can have a good time with my family. Those who claim that these fees are excessive have rocks in their heads.

We have had much made in this place about visitor numbers. Mr Corbell has quite dishonestly suggested that the Government is planning a reduction - - -

Mr Corbell: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Minister is imputing an improper motive, and I ask him to withdraw.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, I have to uphold that.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I withdraw. If the claim hurts, I withdraw it; but the fact of life is that Mr Corbell claims that there is a planned reduction of 45,000 visitors to Tidbinbilla. Any budget that is put together has to make an estimate of the impact of these sorts of changes. Nobody can be sure of exactly how many people are going to come through the gate after fees are imposed. The expectation, based on other experiences in other parts of Australia where fees have been imposed - and they have been imposed in plenty of other places, including in Labor jurisdictions - is that there will be a short-term minimal drop in attendances followed by an increase over a period of time. That is the experience we expect here. Scaremongering about 45,000 fewer visitors is just garbage.

Mr Corbell: Those are your figures.

MR HUMPHRIES: Those are figures based on a worst case scenario, Mr Corbell. The Government accepts that some current visitors may make the decision not to visit Tidbinbilla. We are not trying to discourage Canberra residents or other regular visitors, but it is worth mentioning that in recent times we have also put significant resources into upgrading alternative sites for picnics and barbecues in and around that part of the ACT, including at Point Hut, Pine Island and the Cotter Reserve. On World Environment Day, for example, I launched the new Point Hut facilities worth over $500,000, which will dramatically improve the reserve for visitors. The point is that, if you are a family that wants to go out and you cannot afford even the $8 to get through the gate at Tidbinbilla, then there are plenty of other places around Canberra provided with quite adequate facilities where those families can go.

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