I join the Tasmanian National Parks Association in calling on the Tasmanian Government to revise its damaging Three Capes Development proposal and instead promote the existing Tasman Coastal Trail.

If it goes ahead, the current Three Capes Development, including five planned mini-villages, will be the most intrusive, highly visible infrastructure project ever seen within an Australian national park, away from road heads.

This footprint is enormous and out of keeping with a wild coastal area.

Spin-offs to the local region are largely illusory and the economic benefits are highly speculative in the current economic climate.

A cost of at least $33 million cannot be justified while most of the existing infrastructure in Tasmania’s national parks, particularly the track system, is falling apart.

The project will rely heavily on helicopters, not only in construction, but also for on-going servicing. Helicopters are expensive, environmentally unsympathetic, fuel-guzzling, noisy, and disturb native animals.

Water is highly critical for this project’s success and cannot be guaranteed, particularly if rainfall in the region keeps decreasing.

There is potential high fire danger for the projected numbers of visitors.

The Tasmanian Government should not be developing or promoting the Three Capes Development until there is a firm detailed proposal, an EIS demonstrating the project is environmentally acceptable, and a business plan. Modifying the Tasman National Park Management Plan before this is achieved is putting the cart before the horse.

I call on Brian Wightman, Tasmanian Minister for Parks, to:

1. Refuse to approve the proposed changes to the Tasman NP Management Plan which enable the Three Capes Development (85 per cent of respondents are opposed to the development).

2. Support the promotion and development of the existing Tasman Coastal Trail as a tent-based walk.

3. Support and assist the development of day-walk opportunities on the Tasman Peninsula which will bring a greater economic return to the Tasman Peninsula.

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