Shadow Minister for Primary Industries & Water, Shadow Minister for Police & Emergency Services, Shadow Minister for Parks & Wildlife, Shadow Minister for Local Government

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01
Sep

Lone bushwalkers should carry EPIRBs

2009

Lone bushwalkers should be required to carry an EPIRB as a condition of the permit system in the State’s parks in highland and wilderness areas.

This has long been the view of the Tasmanian Liberals.

In the past 24 hours, a great deal of attention has been focussed on the missing Victorian Cabinet Minister, Tim Holding. I am greatly relieved that he has been found alive.

But the potential for a very different outcome was significant, such are the dangers of walking alone in remote wilderness areas where conditions can deteriorate rapidly.

This is something Tasmanians are all too familiar with and there have been far too many tragedies involving lone bushwalkers in our own backyard. Of course the search efforts that are triggered when a walker gets into difficulty are also extremely costly.

People who walk in our wilderness alone should be required to take responsibility for their own well-being by being required to carry a locator beacon, which can be hired from the Parks and Wildlife Service.

The Labor Government has refused to move on this issue for 11 years. It should explain why.