SUGGESTED COMMUNICATION FROM CLUBS TO CLUB MEMBERS

We need your help in writing short letters or emails to the Minister Bob Debus before June 23rd.

Background: For many years the Perisher lodges have awaited the release of extra beds, and it has been a long drawn out exercise starting in 1998 for the release of 520 beds. Finally in March 2006 the National Parks & Wildlife released the bed tender documents, and at the same time and part of the same package of 200 pages they released a process for extending leases from 2025 to 2057. By offering the extended leases and/or new beds with a longer life they expect to achieve higher prices, and also come into line with Thredbo where the leases will run to 2057.

They have offered the option of new leases with or without extra beds. The NPWS revenue from this whole exercise is expected to be some $14 million.

Unfortunately the process they have adopted means relinquishing our existing leases to 2025 and taking on new leases with in our opinion harsh and unreasonable terms. They are not extensions, but new different leases. They are much more lessor dominated than our current leases agreed to in 1996.

The main harsh term is a system whereby the rentals will increase for 50 years even if all the snow vanishes with global warming. The proposed lease refuses to tie in the rentals with current values. A reasonable lease would allow the rental to plateau or decrease if the snow vanishes.

There are many other bad conditions including for example compulsory repainting every 5 years internal and external!!!

There are other clauses which will be very expensive, and some major lease items are alterable at the whim of NPWS, requiring legal challenges on a Clubs part to argue.

At a meeting of representatives from 67 Lodges on May 16th the voting was 132 to 2 that SLOPES, our parent Club Body, inform the Minister that those at the meeting would advise their lodges to request the Minister to cancel the process, and start again. We wanted beds and extensions, but on reasonable lease terms and with a more simple open process.

Now the Minister will only act if he receives a lot of messages from VOTERS. In 1994 the Liberal Minister instructed his Department to enter new leases and they did so. The leases were jointly prepared by SLOPES and the Department and accepted by 100% of all lodges in 1996.

So, this letter is to ask you as a voter to drop off a short email or letter to the Minister requesting that the current Perisher Range process for new beds and leases be canceled, and ask him to require his Department to reenter negotiations on a new process and lease documentation.

It is accepted that longer leases and or beds have a value, and Clubs are willing to enter a process to purchase these options, but the leases must be reasonable and the process straight forward.

We suggest we take our existing leases as the starting point, and toughen up some small arts that NPWS need, and relieve a few small parts that we think are unreasonable. Set prices for the new beds according to the areas, and if the demand exceeds the numbers then ballot for them. Work out prices on a DCF basis for the lengthier lease period.

Your letters are very, very necessary. Without them we fail.
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Please show your name and address in your letters.

Email: bob.debus@debus.minister.nsw.gov.au
Or
Mail Address: The Hon Bob Debus, Minister for Environment, level 36, Governor Macquarie Place, SYDNEY 2000