Minister Sartor's own study trashes the 'saved by tourism' argument

The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water commissioned the Centre for Agricultural and Regional Economics to undertake a study of the economic impacts of national parks in the Riverina Bioregion.

This report explicitly states that it is not a cost-benefit study and that its objectives are to estimate the economic impact of park management and visitor expenditure on the regional economy.

The projections of increased visitor numbers within the region is 27,100 and the likely increased expenditure in the region over and above the existing visitor spending is $2.8 m.

If we accept the findings of this government commissioned study as accurate, then the Riverina economy will decline by $105 m per year from the gazettal of the new parks.

The report is available as a pdf file below, in two parts.

A quote from the Prime Minister, Mr. Rudd's own website after the 'Black Saturday' bushfires says....
"too many recommendations from inquiries held after major fires have been ignored by governments.
I hate to think how many of those recommendations have not been acted upon by governments of whichever persuasion, of whichever level at whichever point in history".....
So now we have another inquiry.
We await the outcomes and recommendations with interest.
Attached is a pdf of the submission forwarded to the royal commission by The Alliance.

Government selected Professor supports grazing

A report commissioned for DSE and Parks Victoria and never mentioned by them or VEAC in the three year 'thorough, scientific investigation' into land use shows strong support for controlled cattle grazing, on a seasonal basis, as a tool for land managers.

Professor Kemp is described on the DSE website as an eminent scientist and was on the panel appointed by the government to examine Alpine grazing prior to the VEAC investigation being finalised.

As we all know, that panel recommended grazing be banned in the high country and the government took the panel advice. One of the same panel members now offers the government advice in a report on grazing in the Barmah forest but that advice is ignored.

What is of real interest is the fact that if the government, minister, DSE, Parks Victoria and VEAC were so confident of their scientific advice on grazing - Why did they keep this report and the DSE Ecological Grazing Strategy for Red Gum Forests a secret?

The report is in four parts and can be downloaded using the links below

Read the report on this burn which has been prepared by a retired forester with 40 years experience with red gum forests. The Alliance has sent this report to the Premier and Environment Minister.

Read the report by downloading via the two links below

The Alliance Conservation & Community Plan incorporates the philosophy that people are an integral part of the environment and therefore does not seek to exclude people from public land. The Alliance believes the Conservation & Community Plan does not cause any adverse impacts on rural communities whilst protecting biodiversity values via the internationally accepted Ramsar Convention. The key recommendation of the plan is the creation of a new public land classification known as Ramsar Reserve. The Alliance has recommended more than 104,700 hectares be set aside as Ramsar Reserves to protect biodiversity values. This is more land than VEAC have recommended as national parks. VEAC in its final report acknowledges more than a dozen times the significance of the Ramsar Convention.

Alliance Plan presented in the Victorian Parliament

The Alliance plan was launched by biologist, Dr Jennifer Marohasy a director of the Australian Environment Foundation on July 31st 2008 at Parliament.

The report is available for download below.

Please note because of the file size the report is divided into six parts. Part 6 is further divided into four parts.

Ernst and Young Economic Review of VEAC proposals

Alliance member, Field and Game Australia commissioned the economic review of the VEAC proposals. This was undertaken after preliminary examination of the draft proposals paper indicated a lack of rigour in the presentation of financial information by VEAC.

This review is available for download below.