Premier Jacinta Allan has announced plans to create two new national parks in Victoria, shifting state forest areas to protected status.
Legislation will soon be introduced to convert state forests in central Victoria into the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park near Daylesford, and Mount Buangor National Park near Beaufort.
According to state Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell, this decision follows Ms Allan’s comments at the Bush Summit in Bendigo seven weeks earlier, where Ms Lovell quoted Ms Allan saying, “I will never put a padlock on our public forests.”
“Premier Allan told the Bush Summit in August that she wouldn’t put a padlock on public forests,” Ms Lovell said.
“But now, just seven weeks later, she has confirmed Labor’s plan to turn state forests into national parks.
“The state Labor government has a history of breaking promises, and now Premier Allan has broken her promise not to lock up state forests.
“Jacinta Allan can’t be trusted to keep her word and keep public forests open.
“Once public forests are turned into national parks it will be very easy for Labor ministers to change the rules and lock bush user groups out of the parks.
“If Labor pushes ahead with creating these national parks, their creeping restrictions will eventually end traditional activities that Victorians have enjoyed in their forests for so long.”
When asked about recreational opportunities in Victoria's new national parks, a government spokesperson described efforts to make outdoor activities accessible to more residents.
“We want as many Victorians as possible to enjoy the great outdoors,” the spokesperson said.
“Victorians will continue to enjoy a range of recreational activities in the new national parks, including deer hunting, bushwalking, camping, horse riding, four-wheel driving, dog walking, fishing and more.
“The existing footprint of deer hunting at Wombat-Lerderderg National Park will not change, offering Victorians the same access to areas where hunting is currently permitted.
“Mt Cole State Forest (near Ararat) will also open up more opportunities for recreational deer hunting, with the removal of the Mount Cole Game Sanctuary.”