WWF backs AWU call to boost funding for National Parks
21 Jul 2009
Thousands of new jobs in Queensland would be created and hundreds of native animal and plant species protected from extinction if the Queensland Government invested more money in expanding and resourcing the state’s national parks system.
WWF and the Australian Workers Union (AWU) - which represents rangers – today called for the Queensland Government to properly resource the state’s growing national parks system for the sake of jobs and wildlife.
“If the state government falters in its support for the thin green line of park rangers, our parks will be degraded by unmonitored visitors, feral pests, weeds and arsonists,” said WWF’s Protected Areas Policy Manager Dr Martin Taylor.
It is estimated about 30,000 tourism jobs and $4.43 billion a year in spending comes from visitors to our national parks.
“Parks are no longer seen as luxuries to be short-changed in hard times. They are front line tourism infrastructure,” Dr Taylor said.
“Using the current global economic climate as an excuse to reduce funding for parks and park rangers does not make sense. More parks mean more jobs and in hard economic times this is the green stimulus package we need.”
The Bligh Government has committed to add 4.3 million hectares of new national parks by 2020. It also promised to create 100,000 new jobs across the state.
“We believe Queensland can go a long way towards meeting both commitments simultaneously by investing in national parks,” Dr Taylor said.
The Queensland Government has identified a funding requirement of $120 million for the promised expansion of national parks across the state. WWF says an additional $37.4 million is also needed to boost annual management budgets by 2020 to keep pace with the growth of parks.
WWF estimates this increased investment in national parks would add hundreds of new ranger jobs, create more than 4,000 new tourism jobs and boost tourism spending by $180 million a year.
“The US and Australian governments both invested heavily in parks as an economic stimulus during the Great Depression – the Queensland Government needs to follow this example.”
More information
Dr Martin Taylor, WWF-Australia Protected Areas Policy Manager
Phone: 0418 885 324
Nikki Todd, WWF-Australia Media Officer
Phone: 0408 011 204
