Bans likely to expand

Some renewed media interest in access bans at National Parks and Climbing areas following reports that climbers at the Grampians are facing covert surveillance by Park Officials leading to Stasi like behavouir from the Orwellian "Victoria’s First Peoples — State Relations Unit". The potential fines for being in the wrong place are up to $346,000, but with very poor signage how would you know?

This mirrors the behavior of NPWS Park Officials chasing down walkers at Mt Warning and issuing notices to attend meetings or provide information that may incriminate them. Four protesters who climbed on Australia Day with permission of Ngarakwal women are in legal limbo as NPWS delay taking any action on information they were forced to provide. Given these are summary offences it's likely the statute of limitation has run out and NPWS have missed their opportunity to issue fines. Wait and see. Sad to see the public sector playing lawfare with citizens' lives.

Mike Tomkins (ACAV) explains the situation at the Grampians in this 10 minute interview on ABC Radio Ballarat with presenter, Steve Martin. Segment starts at 2hrs 21mins. LINK

UPDATE: More powers sought to enter properties! LINK (sub required)

Indigenous cultural investigators should be free to enter private properties such as farms and houses in Victoria without the owner’s or renter’s permission, under reforms sought by the peak First Nations heritage body.

The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council warned in a pre-election legislative review that staff investigating alleged cultural heritage breaches had too little power to properly determine what has happened.

The council said the law should be toughened so that officers can enter land or premises without the consent of the occupier, which would also mean investigators could walk on to farms or other land if the owner was away.

I had a brief interview with Andrew Bolt last night that touched on further bans likely to come if State Governments continue to promote and support what are essentially bizarre religious views of Aboriginal activists. Link HERE.

My book A Guide to Climbing Mt Warning: the fight for awe and wonder, will be out soon. Available from Connor Court.

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