Page 3569 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
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This was a very interesting inquiry for us. I understand that a previous Assembly did look into ecotourism in the ACT and surrounding region, but it was very much just an economic focus. We wanted to broaden that out a little to also be looking at what programs and companies could do as far as ensuring that ecosystems were in fact enhanced by the activities.
We did very well with our submissions. We had 30 submissions that came in from a range of organisations. Of course, there was the ACT government, but we also had submissions from organisations such as Orienteering ACT. We had the Australian National Botanic Gardens, who also came in to give evidence to the inquiry. We had the recently formed Ginninderra Falls Association, who came in to give some evidence about the importance of the Ginninderra Falls that many of us know, that have been closed for many years, and their bid and the work they are doing to try to reopen the falls.
We had quite a few submissions from surrounding councils, because we did take in the region, and it was fantastic to be able, in this inquiry, to engage with those councils in the surrounding region. This is something we also did in the ecological carrying capacity inquiry, because that also took a more regional focus.
I think that part of what came out strongly for us was the importance of seeing ourselves not just as the ACT, with these borders that were drawn up 100 years ago, but as part of a region, and a very dynamic region, and how we can build on the strengths of that region in regard to the wonderful places, beautiful places, that we have in the area—the parks, the natural beauty, the ecotourism experiences that can be provided in the ACT and across the region. We also, as I said, wanted to look at licensing and accreditation.
As far as the hearings went, we had Kim Cheatham, the chief executive officer of Ecotourism Australia, give a very good overview and a rundown around what processes people need to go through in order to get that stamp of approval around being an ecotourism operator and operation. And that gave us a good sense of the fact that you really do not want the greenwash and the fly-by-nighters coming in to set up something that at the end of the day may give profit to individuals and companies but damages the area that they are using. So it was really quite informative for the committee to hear about the processes that are in place that organisations have to fulfil, have to complete, in order to get the accreditation from that organisation.
We also did hear from the Australian National Botanic Gardens. I think it was really good to have one of our well-loved national institutions also talk about the role that they play in the ACT and in the region. And one of the things they did raise, which I thought was well worth looking into and should be planned into our city, was that link between the National Botanic Gardens and the arboretum and that there needed to be walking and cycling links built in and planned between those two places.
We have come out with a series of recommendations in this report. I do hope that even though this is the last day of this Assembly, the Seventh Assembly, we do have a response from the incoming government, because it would be a shame, after doing
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