Questions for the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment

As I'm yet to receive a reply to my letter to the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment I just shot this off to my local minister, Jillian Skinner. Let's see what response this gets...

Dear Mrs Skinner,

I am writing to you as my minister for state parliament and have an issue I would appreciate your help with.

Back in October I wrote to the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment regarding some unsavoury happenings regarding access to National Parks in the Northern Sydney Region. I enclose a copy of this letter for your reference, but as it is lengthy will summarise thus:

Since early 2008 NPWS rangers have seen fit to close numerous trails within National Parks to cyclists. These trails have been well used for many years and there has been a large outcry in the cycling community about the closures. NPWS will argue that use of the trails has always been illegal (they will cite a ten year old Plan of Management document) but I believe the many years of unfettered access has set a precedent that clearly outweighs a document so old as to not even recognise the sport of Mountain Bike riding. Thus, I wrote to the minister and asked for an explanation.

As I have yet to receive a reply I would ask that as my local member you could contact the minister and ask the same questions or perhaps prompt a reply to my original letter, passing on another copy even (perhaps the original has been lost?).

For the record, I believe these matters are becoming more and more relevant each day. You may have seen data yesterday that shows for the ninth consecutive year consumers bought more bicycles than cars. Bike sales last calendar year reached 1.4 million, just 2 per cent down on the record 1.42 million sold in 2007. Cycling is clearly an increasingly popular sport and with many people living in cities having increasingly sedentary lifestyles anything that can make enjoyable exercise easier should be pursued rigorously. For this reason I would ask that you lobby the minister for improved cycle access in the many wonderful National Parks of Sydney and beyond, and importantly for your electorate, immediately allow access to the many well known trails within the parks of Northern Sydney.

Thank you for your time in this matter, and I look forward to hearing a response from you on this shortly.

Yours sincerely,

Robin Rainton