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- 13 April 2000
New South Wales Tourism
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Page: 4697
The Hon. D. J. GAY (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [10.05 p.m.]: I congratulate the Hon. H. S. Tsang on his contribution and on his obvious empathy with the children he has visited in the schools he mentioned. I offer my congratulations and respect to a political opponent. Tonight I raise the concerns and frustrations of a couple who planned a holiday to New South Wales earlier this year. Mr and Mrs Roger Chin planned an opal fossicking trip to northern New South Wales in good faith and extended their leave arrangements from work so they could enjoy their holiday. Unfortunately, their trip was frustrated by bureaucratic red tape and delays, which I am sure honourable members will agree proved to be entirely unacceptable.
The Chins gathered as much information as possible about fossicking in the Glen Innes area from the Department of Mineral Resources and New South Wales Tourism and paid for several publications, including the New South Wales Fossicker's Guide. They also contacted the relevant departments by telephone to double-check the information they received. They were told that although camping was not permitted on fossicking fields in the Glencoe area, they would be allowed to camp anywhere near the rivers and creeks in the region. In a letter to me Mr Chin stated that he believed the information in those guides would be helpful and the money he paid would prove to be well spent.
Unfortunately, when the Chins reached Glen Innes they were told at the Tourist Information Centre that all the information they had gathered was wrong. All Crown lands in the area, including fossicking fields, were closed. This meant fossicking was permitted only on private properties that had been listed with the tourist centre. It was indicated also that they could have been fined for fossicking on Crown land. The result was that two people had travelled from Darwin to enjoy some time on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales only to find they had been given totally incorrect information which meant they could not do what they had planned to do for more than six months.
No-one could supply a reason for the Crown lands being closed, so the Chins abandoned their plans for a holiday in New South Wales and continued to Melbourne. I agree with Mr Chin, who stated in his letter that he was annoyed with the maps and publications supplied to him as the information contained in them was misleading and incorrect. Had this couple known this, they would not have bothered to extend their holidays into New South Wales. Mr Chin estimates that he and his wife could have saved about $1,000 by not travelling through northern New South Wales. He correctly states that the false and misleading publications could have resulted in him being fined for fossicking on Crown land.
It was lucky that he checked at the Tourist Information Centre before proceeding with his holiday plans. I have responded to the concerns of Mr Chin and indicated that this unfortunate experience should not deter him from planning another trip to New South Wales. I support also his call for the appropriate government departments to withdraw the incorrect publications and make a clear public announcement clarifying which parts of the State are designated fossicking areas. It is not enough just to blame the department; each department has a responsible Minister and they are Minister Nori, Minister Amery and Minister Obeid. Those Ministers have a responsibility to remove these misleading publications. If there is any decency in this State, the Chins, who came here in good faith, should be extended the hospitality of the State at the expense of the Ministers who misled them.
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