Page 2774 - Week 08 - Thursday, 11 August 2016
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Collectively, these parks protect our alpine natural and cultural heritage. They protect a wealth of plants and animals, some nationally endangered, such as the mountain pygmy possum and the northern corroboree frog. These places also retain some of the east coast’s most important Aboriginal sites, such as our own Yankee Hat rock shelter, the best example of Aboriginal rock art known from the alps.
The alps are prized by many for the recreational opportunities that they present. Bushwalkers are rewarded with spectacular snow-topped scenery and the quiet contemplation that only mountain environments can offer. Of course, the alps provide the tiny fraction of Australia’s landscape that supports winter sports, and these areas are almost exclusively within our alps national parks.
A memorandum of understanding was recently re-signed by heads of agencies from all four partner jurisdictions. This represents a renewed commitment to cooperative management of the alps bioregion. The vision for the program is to achieve excellence in conservation management through active cross-border cooperation.
The MOU provides for each jurisdiction to take turns in leading the program. From 1 July this year, the ACT has taken its turn to lead the program for the next three years. As the lead agency, all programs will be run out of Namadgi national park visitors centre, where a dedicated staff member will act as coordinator for a suite of projects, forums and workshops. These are all activities based on the current alps strategic plan and approved by the Australian Alps Liaison Committee, which has representation from all four partner agencies.
This position and the MOU now allow our parks and conservation services to work more cooperatively and collaboratively with their fellow park rangers, environmentalists and conservation specialists to ensure that the highest level of care and support can be provided for these key jewels in our natural habitats.
The alps website, social media, newsletters and press releases will all be utilised to keep the public up to date with the efforts of the program and ways to get involved with the management and enjoyment of the Australian Alps. I look forward to providing further updates throughout our term of responsibility.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Burch.
MS BURCH: Minister, how would this work with and improve the tourism opportunities for the ACT?
MR GENTLEMAN: Nature-based tourism already drives much economic activity throughout the Australian Alps. Each jurisdiction has a depth of knowledge and experience gleaned over many years, be it four-wheel drive tours, winter sport activities or sightseeing by foot or aircraft, which in turn are supported by a host of remote and not-so-remote accommodation options. The great strength of the Australian Alps cooperative management program is that it provides a conduit for the sharing of this knowledge and experiences gained.
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