By Dennis Amor
Have
your say
TENS of thousands of travellers are being lobbied to help fight moves which
could end free-camping in Tasmania.
This follows the publication of a draft review paper after the island's
Economic Regulator upheld four complaints by private caravan park
operators about councils providing free or low-priced overnight
recreational vehicle camping services.
The Regulator ruled that local authorities were breaching national
competition policy and competitive neutrality obligations.
Caravanners and other RVers believe the decision could sound the death
knell for cheap touring in the Apple Isle and is designed to force
travellers into caravan parks.
But chairman of the Economic Regulator Glenn Appleyard told Caravanning
News there was no recommendation to ban free camping, adding: "It
can’t do this anyway."
Releasing the Statewide Directions Paper – Review of Council
Recreational Vehicle Overnight Camping Services, prepared at the
request of the local government sector, Local Government Minister Bryan
Green said tourism was a critical part of the Tasmanian economy.
"I am committed to helping local councils strike the right balance between
attracting visitors and supporting local investment in private tourist
facilities," he said.
Mr Green said the paper was based on submissions and discussions with key
stakeholders, including the Caravan Industry Association of Tasmania, the
Caravan and Motorhome Club of Australia, the Tourism Industry Council of
Tasmania and the Tasmanian Economic Regulator.
Two of Australia's biggest recreational vehicle owners' clubs – with a
combined membership of about 65,000 travellers – have
now taken up the cudgels, warning that repercussions could spread to the
mainland.
The Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia said the loss of free council rest areas in Tasmania
would have dire consequences for RV tourists, the Tasmanian RV tourism
industry and businesses throughout the island state.
Board member Vincent Moran said in a
letter to CMCA chapters and officials:
"This paper will have a dramatic effect on Tasmanian tourism, and its
proposals have the potential to spread throughout the rest of the country
once a precedent has been set in Tasmania."
His organisation, on behalf of MoTOURing and its member clubs, has already
written to Tasmanian Senator Nick Sherry and Tourism Minister Martin
Ferguson.
Letters have also been sent to Tasmanian Chambers of Commerce expressing
concerns and emphasising how the threat to RV travellers would affect
their businesses.
The CMCA is preparing a comprehensive submission urging Mr Green to reject
the proposal, warning that if RVers are disadvantaged in Tasmania they
will travel elsewhere, thus greatly affecting the state's economy.
Mr Moran wants CMCA members to write to the Minister expressing their
dissatisfaction at the directions paper.
His letter points out that the saga had been initiated by only four
privately operated caravan parks which constitute only 3.7 percent of the
107 caravan parks across the state.
He said motorhomers, campervanners and caravanners travelled Tasmania
because it was "the most RV-friendly state in the nation and currently
offers freedom of choice to all RVers".
"These mobile travellers contribute many millions of dollars to the
Tasmanian economy each year," he wrote.
"Mobile tourists will choose to travel to other destinations rather than
suffer the cost of the Bass Strait crossing and then be unreasonably
restricted in where they can stop in Tasmania.
"This matter needs our strongest possible voice, so join us now in this
protest."
Australian Caravan Club publicity officer Lionel Mussell said his
organisation felt the Regulator's ruling was a "step backwards".
After the decision was announced, the club had written to Tasmania's
Tourism Minister warning that restricting the use of free and budget
camping areas would be detrimental to tourism and would result in fewer RV
visitors.
Meanwhile, the club was sending a letter to the Local Government Minister
and all members were being urged to contact the Tasmanian Government.
A copy of the draft paper is available at
www.dpac.tas.gov.au
Submissions close on December 5, 2011.
