Dr LIM - 1994-08-25
We know how vital tourism is for central Australia, including Ayers Rock. The Centralian Advocate reported yesterday an incident which happened at Ayers Rock recently involving a park ranger confiscating a roll of film from a young boy. Is the minister aware of the incident and, if so, what questions does it raise for the future of tourism at that resort?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Let me start by saying that I think that all Territorians should be outraged by this incident. Most members would be well aware that commercial photography has been banned at Ayers Rock, given that the matter has been debated over a number of years. The Australian Nature Conservation Agency, which administers Uluru National Park, has banned commercial photography. In my experience in the tourism industry for many years, I am sure that that has not helped the relationship between visitors to the park and the people who operate the park.
I do not see that there is any cause for alarm if people are asked, within reason, not to do particular things at the Rock. However, I believe that, as Territorians, we are being softened up. I recall debates in the late 1980s in this House when we talked about such matters as banning the climbing of the Rock. Numerous comments were made by members opposite, the traditional owners and the park management who said basically that that would never happen. However, things were happening increasingly ...
Mr Bell: Do you have evidence that that was said?
Mr POOLE: At the time?
Mr Bell: Yes.
Mr POOLE: That they would not ban it? Yes, there is evidence ...
Mr Bell: Then show it to back up the accusations.
Mr POOLE: Certainly, there is evidence that they said that they would never ban climbing of the Rock.
Members interjecting.
Mr Bell: Good grief! Why don't you inform yourself about their actual position?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr POOLE: I know what their position is. They would prefer that people did not climb the Rock, and I acknowledge that.
Page 90
Mr Bell: Okay, that is the end of the story.
Mr POOLE: I ask the honourable member what right anybody has to walk up to a teenage boy and say, 'Give me your film', and confiscate the film from his camera.
Mr Bell: We were talking about climbing the Rock.
Mr POOLE: That act was supported by the Area Manager of the Australian Nature Conservation Agency who said that he believed that the ranger had done the right thing.
It happens that the teenager concerned was the son of the general manager of one of the largest hotel groups in Europe, Best Western. It is not hard to imagine the story that will be circulating. Not only did the ranger take a film containing a photograph of a number of rangers and a group of traditional owners who were congregating at or walking past the Rock, which apparently offended someone and gave the ranger a right - one that I do not believe that he has - to confiscate that film from this teenager, but he took also the other photographs of the holiday of these international visitors that were on the same roll of film. That would not happen in any other country in the world unless one was taking photographs of a sensitive defence area or something similar in a number of nations that do not have the standard of living and the democratic system that Australia has. I do not care what the honourable member says. He may be as offended as he likes, but we are being softened up in the Northern Territory.
Mr Bell: I did not say a word.
Mr POOLE: Mark my words, in future years, we will be debating the fact that tourists are to be allowed only to stand at Yulara and look at Ayers Rock because increasing numbers of restrictions are being imposed on people. Under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, there is a very general clause that enables the director to say that anybody can do anything at the Rock that he agrees with. Of course, that includes park rangers. However, there is no place in Australia where, simply because somebody does not want to have their photograph taken, a person is permitted to walk up to another and confiscate the film from their camera. It is not on, and it will damage our reputation in the international tourist market.
Page 91
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Let me start by saying that I think that all Territorians should be outraged by this incident. Most members would be well aware that commercial photography has been banned at Ayers Rock, given that the matter has been debated over a number of years. The Australian Nature Conservation Agency, which administers Uluru National Park, has banned commercial photography. In my experience in the tourism industry for many years, I am sure that that has not helped the relationship between visitors to the park and the people who operate the park.
I do not see that there is any cause for alarm if people are asked, within reason, not to do particular things at the Rock. However, I believe that, as Territorians, we are being softened up. I recall debates in the late 1980s in this House when we talked about such matters as banning the climbing of the Rock. Numerous comments were made by members opposite, the traditional owners and the park management who said basically that that would never happen. However, things were happening increasingly ...
Mr Bell: Do you have evidence that that was said?
Mr POOLE: At the time?
Mr Bell: Yes.
Mr POOLE: That they would not ban it? Yes, there is evidence ...
Mr Bell: Then show it to back up the accusations.
Mr POOLE: Certainly, there is evidence that they said that they would never ban climbing of the Rock.
Members interjecting.
Mr Bell: Good grief! Why don't you inform yourself about their actual position?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr POOLE: I know what their position is. They would prefer that people did not climb the Rock, and I acknowledge that.
Page 90
Mr Bell: Okay, that is the end of the story.
Mr POOLE: I ask the honourable member what right anybody has to walk up to a teenage boy and say, 'Give me your film', and confiscate the film from his camera.
Mr Bell: We were talking about climbing the Rock.
Mr POOLE: That act was supported by the Area Manager of the Australian Nature Conservation Agency who said that he believed that the ranger had done the right thing.
It happens that the teenager concerned was the son of the general manager of one of the largest hotel groups in Europe, Best Western. It is not hard to imagine the story that will be circulating. Not only did the ranger take a film containing a photograph of a number of rangers and a group of traditional owners who were congregating at or walking past the Rock, which apparently offended someone and gave the ranger a right - one that I do not believe that he has - to confiscate that film from this teenager, but he took also the other photographs of the holiday of these international visitors that were on the same roll of film. That would not happen in any other country in the world unless one was taking photographs of a sensitive defence area or something similar in a number of nations that do not have the standard of living and the democratic system that Australia has. I do not care what the honourable member says. He may be as offended as he likes, but we are being softened up in the Northern Territory.
Mr Bell: I did not say a word.
Mr POOLE: Mark my words, in future years, we will be debating the fact that tourists are to be allowed only to stand at Yulara and look at Ayers Rock because increasing numbers of restrictions are being imposed on people. Under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, there is a very general clause that enables the director to say that anybody can do anything at the Rock that he agrees with. Of course, that includes park rangers. However, there is no place in Australia where, simply because somebody does not want to have their photograph taken, a person is permitted to walk up to another and confiscate the film from their camera. It is not on, and it will damage our reputation in the international tourist market.
Page 91
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016