NT Parks Masterplan

The Government is developing the Northern Territory Parks 2022-2052 Masterplan set to provide direction for the management of our parks for the next 30 years.

The Masterplan represents a major opportunity to shape the future of our Parks. It could also lead to cost-cutting, and a reduction in the administration and management responsibilities of some Parks by Government.

ALEC holds concerns about the structure and framing of the Masterplan and the sidelining of key issues, including:

Biodiversity and conservation: Parks protect biological diversity, and provide a home for our native plants and animals. Parks are protected areas yet their essential role in biodiversity conservation is only a small focus of the Masterplan;
Economic values: This plan places significant emphasis on tourism, and “businesses and economic opportunities”, and substantially less on ecological values.
Consolidation: this could result in cost-cutting amd the reduction of Government responsibility for managing these important public assets;
Identifying threats: key threats to our Parks, i.e. weeds, feral animals, fire and mismanagement are not identified.

The Masterplan could result in some of the greatest changes to Parks we’ve seen in decades. Your feedback is important and will help inform ALEC's submission to Government.

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* 1. What are your key concerns regarding biodiversity and conservation? What do you see as the opportunities?

Some things to consider:

The 2005 Masterplan frames ‘Parks and Conservation’ as a joint entity. This Masterplan has removed conservation as a priority, and is exclusively focusing on Parks;

Threats to biodiversity have not been considered;

There is no mention of reporting or monitoring. Baseline monitoring is key to protecting ecological values and preserving our Parks, as is public reporting on the state of our parks which was briefly done in 2014.

Biodiversity and conservation is the cornerstone of our Parks estate. An investment in protecting biodiversity is an investment in supporting our Parks to thrive.

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* 2. What are your key concerns regarding park expansion and consolidation? What do you see as the opportunites?

Some things to consider:

Does consolidation benefit biodiversity and conservation outcomes?

The Masterplan could be used to reduce NTG's responsibility for the management of Parks;

Opportunity to create East MacDonnell Ranges National Park

Extending the Davenports National Park west to include the Western Davenports;

Greater connectivity between the small isolated reserves across the NT pastoral estate.

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* 3. What are your key concerns regarding the recreational future and key projects for our parks? What do you see as the opportunities?

ALEC is wants to be better informed by its members on what its key concerns and opportunities are in relation to recreational futures and key projects for Central Australia’s parks.

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* 4. What are your key concerns regarding cultural values, heritage and Aboriginal economic development? What do you see as the opportunities?

Some things to consider:
a focus on economic value, may undermine maintaining and protecting key areas/ regions of cultural significance;
Parks can better support Aboriginal economic development;
Better acknowledgment of the history and cultural significance of areas within Parks (where appropriate).

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* 5. What are your key concerns regarding funding our Parks? What do you see as the opportunities?

Some things to consider:
the impact of the privatisation of National Parks;
a short-term focus on building economic value in Parks may undermine the long-term health and ‘value’ of Parks;
impact of cost-cutting on the ecological, cultural and recreational value of Parks;

NT Parks Masterplan

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* 6. Do you have any other concerns? What other opportunities do you see?

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* 7. Optional contact details so we can follow up with you