Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Katie Woolf spoke with Minister for Parks and Rangers Selina Uibo on the Closure of Windows on the Wetlands and Park Fees

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Katie Woolf spoke with Minister for Parks and Rangers Selina Uibo on the Closure of Windows on the Wetlands and Park Fees · 360 with Katie Woolf

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  Speaker 1: Over the Christmas break, we learned that there would be
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  Speaker 1: changes to park fees at some of the Northern territories
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  Speaker 1: most loved attractions. Camping fees and the introduction of fees
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  Speaker 1: for multi day walking trails is some of the changes
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  Speaker 1: which are set to come into play. Now joining me
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  Speaker 1: on the line with more information about these changes is
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  Speaker 1: the Minister for Parks and Rangers, Selena Rubo.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning to your minister.
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  Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, Good morning to you mix listener.
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  Speaker 1: Now, Minister, firstly, can you clarify for us what changes
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  Speaker 1: or what charges I should say and fees are going
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  Speaker 1: to increase.
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  Speaker 3: So Katie, that's the body of work that's currently underway.
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  Speaker 3: So we've got our department working with particularly key tourism
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  Speaker 3: operators about those multi trail walks which you mentioned earlier,
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  Speaker 3: the Japela Trail which is a Netbook National Park tabletop
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  Speaker 3: track which is in beautiful Lichfield National Park, and the
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  Speaker 3: Larapinta Trail which is down in Central Australia. So that
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  Speaker 3: work is being finalized. We're hoping we'll be able to
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  Speaker 3: the announcement this week which will provide more certainty on
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  Speaker 3: the actual cost of those particular trails.
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  Speaker 1: So with those trails, the multi day passes, is that
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  Speaker 1: for locals and tourists that they're going to have to
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  Speaker 1: pay those fees?
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  Speaker 3: Yes, Katie, it'll be anyone who uses those trails and
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  Speaker 3: books for those trails will incur a cost or incur
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  Speaker 3: a fee. That's the number that we're working out now
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  Speaker 3: in terms of the cost, but it'll apply to all
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  Speaker 3: of those walkers, whether they're territories, interstators or international visitors.
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  Speaker 1: How much do people I mean, how much do people
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  Speaker 1: pay right now? Is it totally free or what is
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  Speaker 1: it going to go up to? Are you still working
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  Speaker 1: that out?
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  Speaker 3: So two of the tracks don't have associated costs at all.
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  Speaker 3: It's Tabletop track and the Larapita Trail and the Japeler
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  Speaker 3: Trail has a pretty nominal fee. I think it's only
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  Speaker 3: three dollars to walk the jap Below, which is you know,
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  Speaker 3: kind of a five to six day walk. So it's
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  Speaker 3: making sure that when we have those walkers that the
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  Speaker 3: trails are safe, that the amenities are well looked after,
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  Speaker 3: that the tracks are very very closely maintained for safety
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  Speaker 3: for the walkers, and that's why the fees are being introduced, Katie.
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  Speaker 1: So can people sort of expect are they going to
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  Speaker 1: go up to twenty dollars? Are we expecting something in
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  Speaker 1: the hundreds or is it still totally unknown at this point.
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  Speaker 3: So I'm not going to speculate at this point. That's
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  Speaker 3: the work that's happening very closely with tourism operators who
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  Speaker 3: do provide some of those introductions for the walks in
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  Speaker 3: our parks. We have staff of course who work for
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  Speaker 3: parks who go out to maintain those trails and the facilities.
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  Speaker 3: So that's where some of the costs will be transferred
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  Speaker 3: through the department and making sure that those trails are
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  Speaker 3: safely maintained. We are looking to do the announcement Katie
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  Speaker 3: this week on the costs, but I don't want to
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  Speaker 3: speculate on that because that work is being done very
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  Speaker 3: closely with our stakeholders at the moment.
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  Speaker 1: All right, So that's for our walking trails. Now, what
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  Speaker 1: about when we talk about camping fees and other associated
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  Speaker 1: costs with using those parks.
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  Speaker 2: What's going to go on up?
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  Speaker 3: So the charges for the camping fees, Katie, have not
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  Speaker 3: increased in over twenty years, despite of course increased costs
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  Speaker 3: in managing those campgrounds. We have more people enjoying our
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  Speaker 3: beautiful parks, and particularly last year we saw an increase
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  Speaker 3: in people enjoying our own backyard, which was fantastic, but
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  Speaker 3: unfortunately no extra costs associated with being able to maintain
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  Speaker 3: those campgrounds. So that's where the introduction of excuse me
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  Speaker 3: not introduction the increase in camping fees. I don't expect
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  Speaker 3: it's going to be a huge increase, Katie, but we're
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  Speaker 3: looking to start those arrangements in twenty twenty two, so
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  Speaker 3: as of next year, but with an announcement later this year,
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  Speaker 3: so we're able to stage in some of those increases
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  Speaker 3: for the campground fees.
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  Speaker 1: And so that's not for locals, that's just going to
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  Speaker 1: be for tourists.
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  Speaker 3: The camp fees, I believe again they'll be across everybody
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  Speaker 3: time camping the site areas and making sure that again
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  Speaker 3: we've got those campgrounds that are well maintained and managed,
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  Speaker 3: which our parks or ages do a great job, and
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  Speaker 3: our park stuff do a great job. But in the
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  Speaker 3: last twenty years there hasn't been that increase to be
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  Speaker 3: able to match the level of maintenance that's required now
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  Speaker 3: with people enjoying our parks and our campgrounds.
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  Speaker 2: All right.
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  Speaker 1: Now, you did obviously mention that this is all about
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  Speaker 1: making sure that everything's maintained so it's safe and also
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  Speaker 1: proper tourist attraction for people when they visit any of
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  Speaker 1: these wonderful locations. How much money are you hoping to
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  Speaker 1: raise on these on these fee changes.
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  Speaker 3: Again, Cay, it's not a matter of raising money, it's
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  Speaker 3: making sure that we've got our facilities that are well matched.
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  Speaker 3: We have been doing work with our department looking at
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  Speaker 3: other jurisdictions, just seeing what the benchmarks are in other
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  Speaker 3: parts of the country and making sure we're not left
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  Speaker 3: behind and that obviously our parks are valued and enjoyed,
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  Speaker 3: that they are safe when they are enjoyed. So that's
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  Speaker 3: an area of work that the department has been doing,
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  Speaker 3: and as I mentioned earlier, particularly working with some of
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  Speaker 3: our tourism operators who do showcase and have businesses that
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  Speaker 3: are built around our beautiful parks in the territory and
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  Speaker 3: making sure that we've got some crossover and communication and
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  Speaker 3: direction through our stakeholders as well.
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  Speaker 1: All right, I've spoken to some of our some of
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  Speaker 1: those that work in the tourism sector and they were
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  Speaker 1: pretty upset last week that there really hasn't been any
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  Speaker 1: consultation with them. In some of these cases, we're talking
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  Speaker 1: about bookings being made eighteen months in advance to be
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  Speaker 1: able to visit these great locations. None of them have
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  Speaker 1: an issue with money being invested into these walking trails
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  Speaker 1: and into the parks, but they do have an issue
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  Speaker 1: with the fact that they weren't consulted. Why didn't you
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  Speaker 1: speak to them before making this announcement.
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  Speaker 3: Well, this is something that was flagged back in twenty nineteen, Katie,
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  Speaker 3: So it's not that could come out of the blue.
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  Speaker 1: You have some meetings with those, wouldn't you at the
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  Speaker 1: very least have meetings with those with those sectors and
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  Speaker 1: with those in positions i e. Like your tourism operators,
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  Speaker 1: so that they've got an idea of exactly what's going
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  Speaker 1: on and take them along for the ribe with you.
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  Speaker 3: Well, that's what's occurring in terms of the fees. Again,
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  Speaker 3: as I mentioned, this is something that was talked about
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  Speaker 3: and has been exploring. Obviously, twenty twenty is completely out
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  Speaker 3: the window with any type of consultation because of COVID
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  Speaker 3: and the changes and the priorities that happened in twenty
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  Speaker 3: twenty so starting those conversations again, some of these fees,
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  Speaker 3: as I mentioned Katie, will not come into effect until
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  Speaker 3: twenty twenty two, and particularly with the camping fees, we're
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  Speaker 3: looking at a stage process over three years. So it's
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  Speaker 3: allowing people to digest the information. We've got that input
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  Speaker 3: from and conversation and advice through the tourism operators now
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  Speaker 3: looking to finalize those fees and the announcement of those
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  Speaker 3: fees and then provide the general public and obviously our
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  Speaker 3: fee operating fees to be able to build in any
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  Speaker 3: increase into their costings.
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  Speaker 1: So taking that into account and taking COVID into account
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  Speaker 1: is twenty twenty two the right time to do it,
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  Speaker 1: given how tough the tourism sector has been hit this
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  Speaker 1: year and last year.
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  Speaker 3: Again, Katie, it's about having those conversations so we can
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  Speaker 3: provide some lead in time or cake advice from our
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  Speaker 3: tourism operators will be able to provide a lead in time,
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  Speaker 3: particularly about any of the staged approaches, and that's the
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  Speaker 3: work that's currently being done, so we're able to manage that,
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  Speaker 3: manage expectations, but also provide information and provided as early
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  Speaker 3: as we can. So that's the work that's currently underway
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  Speaker 3: as well.
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  Speaker 1: All Right, Tourism have said, well they were blindsided firstly
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  Speaker 1: when this was in the NT news, then again last week.
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  Speaker 1: Why make an announcement when it seems there is so
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  Speaker 1: much details still to get through. Why not consult with
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  Speaker 1: them first.
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  Speaker 3: This has worked, that was flagged as underway in twenty nineteen,
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  Speaker 3: we've actually started some of the more detailed process, which
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  Speaker 3: is I think why people quite heightened about this particular
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  Speaker 3: topic at the moment. But rest assured Katie and your
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  Speaker 3: listeners that the work is being done, that we are
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  Speaker 3: working with those tourism operators in particular and making sure
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  Speaker 3: that we have those conversations and the input and advice
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  Speaker 3: that is on the ground. Looking at the tourism sector,
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  Speaker 3: we know that they've been through some very tough times,
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  Speaker 3: particularly in the last twelve months with COVID, But one
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  Speaker 3: of the really great things we've seen here in the
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  Speaker 3: territory is people still accessing and enjoying our parts that
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  Speaker 3: want to continue that good work, but also make sure
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  Speaker 3: that we've got some of that lead in time to
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  Speaker 3: be able to provide advice if there are changes and
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  Speaker 3: increases defeat and what those costs will be once we
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  Speaker 3: finalize that conversation, Minister.
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  Speaker 1: Plenty of people getting in contact with us over the
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  Speaker 1: last week or so about Window on the Wetland so
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  Speaker 1: wondering why it had to be closed.
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  Speaker 3: So Katie, we're looking at this as a temporary closure.
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  Speaker 3: Windows on the Wetlands was built in nineteen ninety four,
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  Speaker 3: so it's been operating for quite a few decades. I
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  Speaker 3: know that many territories myself I enjoyed when I was
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  Speaker 3: a school student attending and visiting that particular facility. Unfortunately,
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  Speaker 3: we've seen the pure fact that the numbers of visitors
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  Speaker 3: for the Windows and Wetlands has declined over the years,
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  Speaker 3: significant drops, Katie. So the cost to sustain that operation
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  Speaker 3: and that facility, unfortunately, is just not sustainable at the moment.
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  Speaker 2: So what are we talking about per annum to sustain it.
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  Speaker 3: So the cost of the facility is about three hundred
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  Speaker 3: thousand per annum to operate, and as I mentioned, the
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  Speaker 3: visitor numbers have dropped, so there's significant change in keeping
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  Speaker 3: up the facility and of course maintaining it. But we're
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  Speaker 3: not getting the visitors there that we used to unfortunately, Katie.
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  Speaker 3: So we're looking again, as I mentioned, as if this
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  Speaker 3: is a temporary closure, we would love for the facility
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  Speaker 3: to be reopen and revitalized and enjoyed again. It might
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  Speaker 3: be repurposed in that sense. So there's some of the
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  Speaker 3: interest areas that we have in terms of a sustainable
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  Speaker 3: business model for the operations of the Windows of the
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  Speaker 3: wet Landfas Shop, something we'll be looking at.
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  Speaker 1: If you're looking at another model, what model is that
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  Speaker 1: going to be? I mean, are you talking about a
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  Speaker 1: private private somebody privately coming in and running as or
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  Speaker 1: what are you thinking about here?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, well, Katie, I think that there will be well,
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  Speaker 3: there has been interest from private investors and operators. We
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  Speaker 3: know that we have some really fantastic Aboriginal tourism operators
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  Speaker 3: and particularly the t group that's there in the region
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  Speaker 3: who have expressed interest. So we'll be working through an
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  Speaker 3: expression of interest process through the Department of Parks and
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  Speaker 3: making sure that we've got a viable and sustainable facility,
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  Speaker 3: a safe and well maintained facility which unfortunately we just
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  Speaker 3: can't afford to operate in its current format and the
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  Speaker 3: business model that's attached at the moment.
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  Speaker 1: All right, minister, let's move along. Just finally, into one
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  Speaker 1: of your other portfolios. It was reported over the Christmas
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  Speaker 1: period that correction staff we're working at the Palmeston Watchouse
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  Speaker 1: due to an influx of remand prisoners. Were prisoners being
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  Speaker 1: held at the Palmeston Watchhouse because the prison is full.
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  Speaker 3: There's different processes Katie, when we're talking about romand, so
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  Speaker 3: sometimes the decision is being made in conjunction with police.
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  Speaker 3: So in terms of the details of the Palmeston one,
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  Speaker 3: I'm not across the exact numbers, so I won't be
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  Speaker 3: able to comment on that at the moment. But there
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  Speaker 3: is work very closely with Anti Correction Services and the
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  Speaker 3: Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services when we're talking
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  Speaker 3: about people being held on remand and also the impact
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  Speaker 3: when there are court decisions and where people are placed.
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  Speaker 2: Is the prison act capacity right now, Katie.
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  Speaker 3: The numbers are quite high in terms of the Darwin
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  Speaker 3: Correctional Center facility, so the numbers are quite high. Again,
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  Speaker 3: numbers can change on a daily basis, whether there's release,
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  Speaker 3: whether there's remand, or whether there's an intake, so it
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  Speaker 3: changes quite regularly. But at the moment it is quite high.
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  Speaker 3: The numbers of the Darwin Correction facility.
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  Speaker 2: How many are we talking.
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  Speaker 3: I don't have the exact figure in front of me,
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  Speaker 3: Katie at the moment, but unfortunately there are often high
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: spikes during the wet season or summer period, and this
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  Speaker 3: occurs often it's some strange marker around March, but it's
• 12:53
  Speaker 3: occurred a bit earlier this year. So we're just working
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  Speaker 3: through those figures at the moment with the Department of
• 12:57
  Speaker 3: Attorney Generals and also with the Vision of Anti Corrections.
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  Speaker 1: All right, but are you confident at the moment that
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  Speaker 1: you know that despite them, despite the prison being at
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  Speaker 1: quite high numbers, that everything is running very smoothly.
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  Speaker 3: All our corrections staff do a great job, Katie and
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  Speaker 3: making sure that they maintain the safety of the facility
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  Speaker 3: and the Corrections Commissioner, I know, is very passionate about
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: some of the work and the reform that we're doing
• 13:24
  Speaker 3: in the justice space, so we kept very very closely
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  Speaker 3: communicating when there are areas of concern, like now with
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  Speaker 3: some of the high numbers that we're experiencing. But there's
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  Speaker 3: some bigger body of work that I think will have
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  Speaker 3: a positive impact on some of those numbers as we
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: see that through our justice reform Katie.
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  Speaker 1: Well, Minister Ubo, we really appreciate your time this morning.
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  Speaker 1: Thanks for covering off on a raft of issues all
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  Speaker 1: while we're having technical difficulties in the background. I appreciate
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  Speaker 1: your time.
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  Speaker 3: We've done well. Thank you, Katie, Thank you listen.
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  Speaker 2: Thanks very much.
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  Speaker 1: That is your Minister for Parks and Ranges there, Selena
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  Speaker 1: ruba Art