What the Tasmanian Liberals will do:

A Hodgman Liberal Government will allocate $23 million to provide a strategic, targeted and even-handed approach to regional tourism – an alternative Tarkine Agenda which will conserve the world class values of this unique area, enhance the visitor experience and provide new, permanent jobs.

The Tasmanian Liberals believe Labor’s proposal for the ‘Tarkine Drive’ loop road is not only badly conceived and poorly targeted, but it will not provide sustainable jobs in the longer-term, and it will significant devalue the unique Tarkine brand.

We need a vision for the Tarkine that is forward-looking, that creates jobs for Tasmanians for the long term – not just during road construction – and that preserves the unique character of this exceptional part of Tasmania.

The Liberal Tarkine Agenda
We will provide both leadership and vision, not just a divisive road to nowhere.

The Liberal Tarkine Agenda uses the $23M the State Labor Government has already allocated to the Tarkine loop road in a far more effective and strategic manner.

The Liberal Tarkine Agenda encompasses three key areas – Infrastructure, Marketing and Management.

Infrastructure:

• $10 million over four years for major capital works expenditure on the South Arthur Forest Drive, including repairing the Tayatea Bridge and establishing a Visitor Information Centre at Arthur River Township to create a sealed tourism trail from Smithton through Dismal Swamp, Marrawah, Arthur River, Kanunnah Bridge through to Tayatea Bridge and back to Smithton.
• $8 million over four years to upgrade the Western Explorer Road from Arthur River through to Corinna (Arthur River to Balfour will be sealed as per $10M investment on South Arthur Forest Drive), including the development of managed access points along the coast creating the ease of access to what will be a corridor of experiences along the coast drive.

Upgrading the Western Explorer would assist in creating a true loop road around Tasmania, and ensure that the Tarkine Tourism experience is connected to Cradle Mountain, Strahan and the West Coast.

As the Western Explorer is a road of state significance, Federal funds will be sought to add greater value on the project.

• $500,000 over four years for Tarkine eco-tourism capital infrastructure grants, up to a maximum of $50,000 per grant, to provide capital infrastructure or business start-up grants for Tarkine tourism related businesses for the development of their businesses to allow them to become carbon neutral or lead the way in terms of environmental innovation.

Marketing:

• $1.85 million over four years for well targeted marketing of the Tarkine region (including Stanley), including cooperative support for specific marketing campaigns by both Tourism Tasmania and the TT Line and Forestry Tasmania.
• $150,000 to local Councils in the Tarkine region of the Cradle Coast Authority, in the form of a non-recurrent allocation of $50,000 per Council, for the provision of tourism information services/upgrades at the key entry points of Corinna, Waratah and Arthur River.

Management:

• $1.5 million to the Parks and Wildlife Services over four years to ensure a high quality visitor experience within the Tarkine through better planning and management, including fire and weed management, installation and maintenance of walking/recreational vehicle tracks, camping facilities and information and interpretative facilities.  The Tasmanian Liberals recognise that an increase in Tarkine tourism numbers will require greater recurrent funding beyond 2014.
• $500,000 to the Cradle Coast Authority to oversee specific elements of the proposal.  For example, development of training programs for Visitor and Information Centres, development and implementation of accreditation programs for tourism operators accessing the Tarkine, and other customer-focused research to ensure the region receives the best possible outcomes for the funds provided.

The CCA will also be responsible for the development of a plan to maximise the potential of the Phantom Valley at the eastern end of the Tarkine.

• $500,000 over four years for the establishment and operation of a Joint Management Group comprised of relevant stakeholders, including councils, tourism industry representatives, Aboriginal community and conservation stakeholders, Chaired by the Cradle Coast Authority, with responsibility for the development of a streamlined planning regime which is both sensitive to the Tarkine area and conducive to potential sustainable development.

The Liberal Tarkine Agenda does not include support for a Tarkine National Park or World Heritage listing.

A Responsible and Sustainable Vision
The Liberal Tarkine Agenda offers a sound, responsible, and sustainable alternative to specifically address the upgrading of infrastructure required to help transform the Tarkine Tourism Development Strategy into reality.

Importantly, it does not attempt to provide all potential investment in the Tarkine in one hit and in one particular area, but rather recognises that targeted investment and staged, coordinated planning is essential if appropriate long-term developments are to successfully occur and sustainable benefits be achieved.

The Liberal Tarkine Agenda pursues economic objectives hand in hand with environmental and social responsibility.  It harnesses the important area of eco-tourism in a way that is responsible and shows leadership and vision.

And it also supports the creation of long-term, sustainable, jobs for Tasmanians.