Saturday 15 September 2012

No NSW National Parks jobs to go from Clarence Valley until next year's state budget?


Although the O’Farrell Government in Sydney is committed to cutting the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage job numbers by 350 statewide, Clarence Valley residents have managed to forestall any immediate National Parks and Wildlife Service losses according to The Daily Examiner on September 13, 2012:

THERE has been a victory for our region's national parks after plans to shift the responsibility of Iluka and Woombah peninsula to the Richmond Valley were axed.
Karen Toms, the manager of Woody Head Camping Area and chair of the Iluka Consultative Committee, said the move may have saved six jobs and it was "fantastic news".
She said National Parks and Wild-life Services had planned to amalgamate Clarence North and South and shift Iluka and Woombah out of the Clarence North, which could have meant job losses for the region.
"They changed their mind and are leaving it as it is, which is great news, but I'm not sure whether there will be more budget cuts later," Ms Toms said. A spokesman from NPWS said boundaries of management areas had been changed in the Lower Clarence, specifically on the southern side of the river, but that the Iluka peninsula will "generally" continue under the current reporting arrangements.


With most of the Clarence Valley coastline covered by national parks, keeping these areas adequately managed and manned is vital.

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