NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service staff on the South Coast have been threatened with reprisals if they speak out about job losses and the ongoing restructures.
Park Watch spokesperson on national park operations, Ross McKinney, stated: “The advice to NPWS executives who adopt such an archaic management style is that rural communities don’t “leak”, they “bleed”. When jobs are lost, it doesn’t take long before the butcher, the baker, the local hairdresser and just about everyone in town knows someone who has lost their job and questions are asked.”
“Gathering that information does take time to verify but sooner or later what is going on is very clear. Claims about 117-118-119 (the number quoted varies) new NPWS base grade jobs being created across the State doesn’t cut it when local experience and knowledge is lost within the state’s rural areas.” Mr McKinney added.
“Current NPWS staff are doing their absolute best despite being overwhelmed due to fewer colleagues, far less funding and greater areas to cover. The pressure on them is enormous, and it isn’t assisted by unhelpful threats made towards them by NPWS executives”, Mr McKinney said in closing.
Media Release for Park Watch
Email park.watch.nsw@gmail.com
Park Watch: Who we are
Park Watch is comprised of a growing number of people who were formally employed as rangers, field officers, Aboriginal sites officers, communications/media, administration and specialist officers with the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS). Several members of the group went on to senior positions in other Australian national park services and international conservation agencies.
