1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Well, parks passes are going to apply to interstate and 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: international visitors from today. If you're a Northern Territory resident, 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: you don't require a pass. However, rangers may ask for 4 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: proof of residency. So joining me on the line to 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit more about the new system. 6 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: How exactly it is going to work? Is Neva McCartney. 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: McCarthy McCartney, Sorry, I got it right the first time, 8 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: the Senior Park Development and Strategic Projects Manager. Good morning 9 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: to you. 10 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 2: Neva, Good morning Katie. 11 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: Now tell me how exactly is this going to work? 12 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 2: So the park's pass, as you say, came in today. 13 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 2: It's an online purchase through the online booking system. And 14 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 2: as you did say, it applies to interstate and international 15 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 2: visitors and Northern Territory residents. So rangers might ask for 16 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: visitors to the parks to show their park path and 17 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: they can do that. They can print it out or 18 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 2: have it on their phone and charactery. Residents who don't 19 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 2: have one will be asked to provide some form by 20 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 2: D and so Neva, what areas exactly does this relate to? 21 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 2: So it doesn't apply to all parks. The list of 22 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 2: parks that does apply to about fifty out of the 23 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 2: eighty five is online. The pretty easy ones to know 24 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 2: which ones you don't need one for, so urban parks 25 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 2: like Casuarina and roadside stops and those sorts of parks 26 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 2: they owned play. 27 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: And obviously, as you've touched on, people need to jump 28 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: online to book, and that is the interstate and overseas visitors. 29 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: But will there be rangers around checking on everybody? How 30 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 1: will that side of things work? 31 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, there will be rangers around. They won't be checking 32 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 2: on everyone obviously, but they will be doing compliance checks 33 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: and other you know, on their daily patrols or other patrols, 34 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: and will get probably the busiest parks the ones that 35 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: will be more interested in that people are doing the 36 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: right thing. Most people do, so they'll be out there 37 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 2: and about. But look, I think the important thing to 38 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: say is for the first bit, it's bit like when 39 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: we introduce walking fees and camping fees online, is that 40 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 2: as an education component, we expect that there'll be people 41 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 2: out there today already camping who won't have one because 42 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: it only came in today. So there'll be some leaning 43 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: and fe and some understanding and flexibilities. 44 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: And NEVA, what is the reason for those park fees. 45 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: Obviously it's a decision made by government. But do we know, 46 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: you know, is that money going to be reinvested back 47 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: into the parks. 48 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 2: Then yes, it will be reinvested back in the parks. 49 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 2: It's in the budget papers to come back for us. 50 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 2: We've got a reinvestment plan that we're doing, or an 51 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 2: investment plan, i should say, rather than reinvestment, so we'll 52 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 2: be looking at upgrading infrastructure, perhaps putting a new infrastructure. 53 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 2: It will also help pay for additional ranges where we 54 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 2: need them, as we know places like Lichfield definitely need 55 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: some more resourcing support physically. So yeah, it'll be a 56 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: lot of things that will go out there, and it's 57 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 2: in recognition of day use, so that you know, the 58 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: visitors turn up and they've got toilets that are running 59 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: and they've got nice amenities and nice picnic tables and 60 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 2: all those sorts of things. Mow graph contractors etc. 61 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: And you did touch on this just a moment to go. 62 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: There is obviously a situation where you know, if you're 63 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: going on those hiking trails and things like that, there 64 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: is a booking system for those as well. Now, how's 65 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: it all been going? Has that booking system been working 66 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: quite well? 67 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: It has been working quite well, albeit we all know 68 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: we had a little bit of a glitch when we 69 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: first started off. But today was the first online for 70 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 2: the Parks Past. You go live day for the Parks Past, 71 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 2: and it went extremely well. We didn't get one call 72 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: or one email you know, of eight point thirty when 73 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 2: we went live, and actually it popped up in the 74 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: middle of the night, as these things do, and there 75 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 2: was already sixty or seventy passes by now I think 76 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 2: have been purchased. So it's working in my mind very well. 77 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: Excellent. So how many did you say have already been purchased? 78 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: About sixty or seventy. 79 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 1: Oh, that's good to hear. And I mean, obviously it 80 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: shows that there are people that are wanting to get 81 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: out there, get into the parks. Is there any like 82 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: do we know if Territorians are going to get to 83 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: the point where they're going to have to pay for 84 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: parks access? 85 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 2: Also, no, it's never been a part of it. It 86 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 2: was always that territorians are going to remain free. That's 87 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 2: the brief that we've got that We've got no other 88 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 2: advice to say the country. 89 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: Well, that is good to hear, and I'm sure that 90 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people will be pleased to hear that. 91 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: Anything else we should be aware of when it comes 92 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: to the parks passes or anything else that's happening at 93 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: the moment, Well, look. 94 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 2: I think with the parks path, if people don't have 95 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 2: your need an account to be able to purchase one. 96 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 2: So for people out there that don't have an account, 97 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 2: you know, they just want to day pass. They're in 98 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 2: here for not very long, not that that usually happens, 99 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 2: but the customer service teams always there and they can 100 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 2: assist people with those bookings as well. 101 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I'm assuming that then when it comes to 102 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: the dry season as well, in the next next few 103 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: weeks or the next couple of months, I guess things 104 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 1: are going to get a bit busier out now Parks 105 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: two even for our locals sort of making sure that 106 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: they're booking their spots too. 107 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, it does book up quick, and I know 108 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,679 Speaker 2: a lot of people are waiting for that their favorite 109 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 2: park or their favorite spot to open up because we 110 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 2: did have such a good web season and not so 111 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 2: good for opening things up early. So yeah, once it's available, 112 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: the infantry will become available on the online booking system, 113 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 2: so keep an eye out for that, and yet booking 114 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 2: early because they are filling up really quick since we've 115 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 2: been online. 116 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: Well, Neva McCartney, Senior Park Development and Strategic Projects, I 117 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: really appreciate your time this morning. Thanks so much for 118 00:05:59,040 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: having a chat 119 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 2: With us, no worries at all, Thank you, thank you.