: News Article

WTMA fudges the stats

20/01/2003

The Wet Tropics Management Authority (WTMA) has spent a pittance on maintaining attractions in the Townsville and Thuringowa region.

That comes from a group of local agencies which have been lobbying WTMA to increase funding in line with the area’s importance as a tourist, historic and natural attraction.

WTMA has released figures to NQ Water, Thuringowa City Council and Townsville Enterprise showing where it spends its budget.

They confirm long-held suspicions that funding for the local area, including Paluma township, Lake Paluma, Little Crystal Creek and Hidden Valley was inadequate said NQ Water Chairman Ian Hamilton.

"WTMA figures show $996,000 have been spent in the Paluma region in the last ten years.

"But most of the funding has been spent on Jourama Falls and Big Crystal Creek near Ingham, which they include as ‘Paluma’.

"That’s out of our immediate scope and the way they have tried to present it, that they are spending a lot of money up there, is really concerning."

Aside from the upgrade of McClellands track and SF tracks in between 1998 and 2000, WTMA has only spent $9,675 on capital improvements in the immediate area over the last seven years. That was mainly on signage.

Local groups have been lobbying for a commitment to an integrated management plan for the region which defines all agencies’ roles and responsibilities, including that of WTMA as lead agency.

We are looking for a long term, continued and consistent involvement in that region from WTMA, said Mr Hamilton.

"We are not satisfied with tokenism," he said. "We want WTMA to actively participate in managing that area and commit the necessary resources."

"NQ Water has recently spent $500,000 in upgrades and in excess of $80,000 per annum in maintenance at Lake Paluma. While we are happy to play a role, we expect more from WTMA."

© 2003 NQ Water