Tasmania‚Äôs ‚Äúgame-changer” faces backlash

While Tasmania’s Hodgman government encourages tourism operators to take advantage of developing inside national parks and World Heritage sites, Greens leader Christine Milne has warned of mass protests should eco-tourism plans proceed. 

As the environmental battle against opening up-untouched areas for eco-tourism heats up, Liberal Premier Will Hodgman says the push is an “economic game changer” for Tasmania’s “job-starved economy”, according to a report from the ABC and Yahoo News.

Hodgman said he’s received 37 proposals to build permanent hut-style accommodation along the South Coast Track bushwalking route, which currently requires tourists to be self-sufficient and carry a heavy pack on the 7-day walk.

One operator told ABC he could increase walking numbers on the track between

1000 and 1500 people each year, should accommodation be available.

Hodgman claims the move could lead to an influx of resorts, cruises and adventure sport activities and tours.

"We are looking after our precious natural areas but we're also going to use them to increase the number of tourists that come to this state, to grow our economy, to leverage off what is one of our great competitive advantages," Hodgman told the ABC, Yahoo News reports.

Meanwhile the push has received less-support from Greens leader Christine Milne who warned of mass protests should development proceed in World Heritage Areas and national parks.

"Once again Tasmania will be an environmental battleground if Tony Abbott and Will Hodgman have their way of showing a complete disrespect for the fact that parks and World Heritage Areas are set up to look after nature and they are there to degrade nature," she said, according to the news report.

"I have zero trust in Tony Abbott or Will Hodgman to do anything sensitive when it comes to Tasmanian wilderness World Heritage Areas.”

"It's all about a quick buck. How can you get a quick buck and it doesn't matter if it destroys it into the long term?

"Once you start slapping in roads, once you start building resorts you are in real trouble in World Heritage Areas."

According to the report, Australian-business man Dick Smith claims to tell business contacts to avoid investing in the state, saying, “it’s a very frustrating place to try and invest and business investment is basically not welcomed," the website stated.

This comes after the entrepreneur proposed to build an eco-lodge on private land, which had not been approved 7 years ago.

"I go to New Zealand and they allow quite a lot of commercial activities in their national parks but its very well done,” the website reports.

"You don't think it damages the park and I think that's how it should be done.

"Tasmania's this wonderful place, most of my friends have never been here and I just can't believe you have economic problems because you don't understand, this is the place for eco-tourism."