In a week where the issue of the Governor's resignation dominated the news, the Government probably heaved a sigh of relief that its outrageous price hike on National Park fees managed to slip through with little more than an indignant squeak from (Opposition Leder) Rene Hidding.
Doubling the annual fees and nearly tripling the daily rate has effectively closed off a large part of Tasmania to those on lower incomes, the people who most need and benefit from access.
This bare-faced robbery, justified by one government toady on the basis "tourists expect to pay more", is effrontery that defies belief.
Claims that the new fees are comparable to park fees elsewhere is blatantly dishonest. In WA an annual park fee is $51. Given the size of WA and the diversity of its landscape this might be considered reasonable value. $86 for this little island's comparatively limited attractions is grossly overpriced.
As a point of international comparison, the US National Parks Service charges $US50 ($AU70) for an annual pass. But this covers the entire country.
In Australia annual park fees apply to each state. They range from $51 (WA) to $90 (NT). Because there is no national annual pass this means that a visitor wanting to visit parks in all states would be paying between $400 and $500 for the equivalent of the US pass.
The US National Parks Service also offers what they call, a Golden Age Pass. For a $10 issuing fee, the pass allows unlimited access to all national parks for all citizens over 62 years of age, and includes free vehicle access and entry for all passengers in the vehicle, including children. God forbid that Australian park services should consider such an act of generosity.
If the concept that national parks are some sort of Government-owned variation on Disneyland continues, it will not be long before Tasmanians will only have free access to the roads that connect them. But then the Government has probably not overlooked taking up that particular slack with road tolls.
Is it possible that in a state where the government we get is always the lesser of two evils, that the ballot box can convince our rulers to return to the idea of public service? Or must we continue along this road of citizen-funded banditry?
Rob Walls is a photojournalist who believes that governments need to be reminded that custodianship is not the same as ownership.
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Thursday, August 19, 2004