END ALL CLIMBING BANS
Member for Western Victoria Region, Bev McArthur used an adjournment debate in Parliament this week to raise concern over Parks Victoria’s banning of Tori Dunn from teaching rock climbing in the Grampians.
Experienced rock climbing instructor, Tori Dunn, criticised the Labor Government’s decision to ban rock climbing in the Grampians on social media, and was subsequently banned from teaching rock climbing by Parks Victoria, who cited discomfort felt by members of the Indigenous community as justification.
Bev McArthur said “Tori Dunn, exercised her right to freedom of expression on social media when she criticised the Labor Government’s bans on climbing across the Grampians.”
“In typical bureaucratic fashion, Parks Victoria’s response was to ban her from teaching rock climbing in the area.”
“Tori Dunn now feels intimidated, targeted and bullied.”
“The truth is, Tori’s comments online were respectful of the Indigenous community, where she said she salutes the goal of their self-determination and spoke highly of their connection to country.”
“This action by Parks Victoria is totally unacceptable and a complete misuse of authority. Such actions should undergo some form of due process, not arbitrary bans handed out at the discretion of government regulatory officers.”
“The Grampians is public land for the use and access of all Victorians. The land is not owned by Parks Victoria to decide discriminatorily who might come through the ’gate‘.”
Bev McArthur was pleased to hear that following a question from David Davis MP and her adjournment debate on the issue in Parliament, the ban has been retracted.
Bev McArthur said “The Labor Government should follow Parks Victoria’s retraction of the ban on Tori Dunn by retracting their ban on rock climbing across the Grampians.”
1 November 2019