THE State Government has released a report that indicates recreation and conservation are significant priorities for the community for the proposed Great Koala National Park (GKNP).
The ‘What We Heard’ report summarises feedback from members of the public about how they currently use the area, and what they envisage for the park in the future.
The consultation attracted around 4,000 survey responses and involved more than 70 face-to-face meetings, group forums, community events and online sessions.
Bushwalking is the most-popular activity for respondents, alongside camping, sightseeing, wildlife watching, four-wheel driving, swimming, mountain biking and trail-bike riding.
People most valued protecting habitat and wildlife, while continuing to enjoy the wide range of recreational activities currently available.
Suggestions for the future include upgraded trails and infrastructure, new recreation opportunities, supporting education, exploring tourism and nature-based experiences, and ongoing community involvement.
The Member for Coffs Harbour and NSW Nationals Leader, Gurmesh Singh, said the last-minute consultation was nothing more than a box-ticking exercise from a Government that didn’t care about local jobs.
“In lieu of genuine consultation, the Government spent years gaslighting communities on the Mid North Coast that recreational uses would be retained in full, only to later tell stakeholders they will be funnelled into a small corner of the Park,” Mr Singh said.
“It’s great for Labor to tell us what they heard, but are they actually listening?
The Mid North Coast deserves clarity and honesty from Premier Minns and his Government.”
“This report shows we can absolutely protect our environment while also backing our local economy,” said Janelle Saffin, the Minister for North Coast.
“Local voices are driving this process, and that’s exactly how it should be.”
The report can be found by searching for ‘What we heard’ at environment.nsw.gov.au
By Andrew VIVIAN
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