Maria Island’s environment and infrastructure is under pressure from visitors “creating an unacceptable” risk to the environment and public health (The Mercury Newspaper, 8 August 2023).
The issue was highlighted in a development application lodged with Glamorgan Spring Bay Council for upgrades. The description was dire: “Recent failures and overloading have demonstrated the island’s existing services infrastructure is inadequate to meet current and future demand, and presents an unacceptable risk to public health and environmental harm if not upgraded.”
Back in 2020 the CPSU spoke out about the detrimental impact of the proposal to remove Visitor Service Officers from the Island. Visitor Service Officers played a key role maintaining and protecting the island, managing visitors, through offering assistance and education, as well as reducing their ecological footprint on the island.
We lobbied Minister Roger Jaensch, who is still the Minister for Parks, to #KeepMariaStaffed. Despite public outcry, this advice was not heeded and now this unique part of our state is suffering the effects, with visitor numbers only expected to increase further.
Parks and Wildlife Service is understaffed statewide, with difficulties recruiting and retaining workers. The Minister still needs to take action to ensure the environment and cultural heritage is not put at risk.
Know of vacancies, cuts, and public services under pressure?
Use the new CPSU Public Services watch tool to make a confidential report: https://www.cpsu.com.au/pswatch/
Public Services Watch
is a tool for workers to call out bad decisions and practices that undermine public services and hurt our communities.
Unfilled vacancies? Politicisation? Outsourcing/privatisation?
Blow the whistle by sharing evidence confidentially with Public Services Watch:
