Environment Minister Reece Whitby yet to confirm official response to Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park plea

WA’s Environment Minister has offered no firm commitment on a plea from local industry leaders to inject more funds into the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Earlier this year in the aftermath of the devastating Calgardup bushfire which razed huge sections of the park and Boranup Forest, a six-point plan was developed by leaders from the tourism, wine, conservation, Indigenous, and local government sectors which included calls for Aboriginal joint-management of the park and far more resources to help it handle more than four million annual visitors. Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association chairman Stuart Hicks personally toured the fire zone with Minister Reece Whitby and newcomer Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie and South West Labor MLC Jackie Jarvis. This week, Mr Whitby declined to confirm any State Budget funding commitments flowing from the six-point plan submission. “The proposal presented to me included some ambitious ideas like the Karri Bowl proposal,” he said. “I am keen to consider that, and I will also continue to look at other ways we can better protect and enhance the park.” Mr Hicks and Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association co-chief executive Sharna Kearney were confident work was underway behind the scenes to address some of the points raised by industry leaders, but couldn’t point to tangible outcomes yet. “WA’s most popular national park, with 4.2 million visitors and only four rangers, no significant works or conservation program, being loved to death — that was the message I gave Minister Whitby when he came,” Mr Hicks said. Ms Kearney said she believed the issued raised were now “well understood” by the Government and “solutions are being investigated and progressed”.