West Coast Wilderness Railway

Tasmanian citizens draw to the attention of the House:- (1) The Abt Wilderness Railway is an internationally significant heritage rail experience and an iconic Tasmanian tourist attraction. (2) The railway belongs to the people of Tasmania and was funded by the Tasmanian & Australian Governments as a Centenary of Federation project. (3) The railway directly injects $10 million a year into the West Coast economy, which is the fifth most tourism-dependent regional economy in Australia. (4) The closure of the Abt Wilderness Railway would cost 50 direct and another 50 indirect jobs on the West Coast while devastating the region's tourism industry and losing forever a unique Australian heritage asset. Your petitioners therefore request the House to call upon the Australian & Tasmanian Governments, the Tasmanian tourism industry, and the West Coast Council to work together to secure the immediate operating future of the Abt Wilderness Railway from 30 April 2013, and a sustainable long-term operating and business model for the Railway.