Finally I have received a reply from Parks Victoria to acknowledge my earlier correspondence. Co-incidentally, or maybe not, the email arrived a few minutes after a call by The Age journalist Geoff Strong to Parks Victoria.
Verbatim I will quote the reply, sent by Alysia Brandenburg:
Dear David (sic)
You email has been forwarded to me. The Tourism Partnerships area is the unit which is currently reviewing the Landscape Permit process.
Thank you for your information below. We will consider that information that you have provided within the context of the review.
Currently the staff member who is undertaking the review is on leave and will be returning in a couple of weeks. We will then be able to finalise the process and commence the communication of the decisions. Until that process if finalised we will not be in a position to communicate any outcomes or possible policy changes.
Please note that we have some other matters that are currently of a higher priority including flooding and the locust situation but we will be seeking to finalise the process when the relevant staff member returns.
I’m happy to be the contact for this matter and, if you like, I will include your details on our communication list to provide updated information to.
Please let me know if you don’t want to be included to receive information on this matter.
Regards
Alysia Brandenburg
Acting Manager
Tourism Partnerships
Parks Victoria
It is good to know that flooding and locust infestations enjoy a higher priority than the harassment of photographers. I hope that the kind bureaucrats in Melbourne have informed the rangers in places like Cape Shanck that they should rather harass locusts than innocent bystanders wielding cameras.
