save the Blue Tier
press release - 10 may 2004
Blue Tier ignored but Hunter Island prioritised
Minister Shows Double Standard in Community Consultation
Friends of the Blue Tier today questioned the extraordinary intervention by Minister for Tourism and Parks and Heritage, Ken Bacon over the Hunter Island, citing community reaction to the fate of the Island being strong enough to scrap a deal with Australian Bush heritage and yet ignoring the enormous community support for the Blue Tier Nature Recreation Area in the north east and a Public Land Use Inquiry into the area.
Friends of the Blue Tier spokesperson Lesley Nicklason said that there has been sustained support for the preservation of the Blue Tier for the past two years and that both community and local government had overwhelmingly supported a Public Land Use Inquiry into the region for the past six years.
"Minister Bacon has not even replied to our letters and there has been no response by the Environment Minister to Council's request for an inquiry yet the government must have agreed to the backflip over Hunter Island which seems far more contentious" Ms. Nicklason said.
"Why hasn't community outrage in the north east received the same attention from the Ministers in Hobart?
The Minister is now adamant about full community consultation over Hunter Island and has stressed that the community had not been consulted and that this was not acceptable" Ms. Nicklason said.
"At the Break O'Day Council meeting this morning we requested the Break O'Day Council approach Minister Bacon to give equal consideration to community feeling about the Blue Tier.
The Blue Tier Nature Recreation Area is the wish of the people of this area and so far we have been totally ignored by the state government."
For further information contact Lesley Nicklason 03 6373 6195 or 0400 557 418