No kidding.
NSW DPI is looking at introducing a yearly fee for the privilege of being allowed to enter the
water while wearing scuba gear. Ostensibly the fee is being used to fund
Grey Nurse shark research, however there's only 3000-4000 divers in NSW, so a paltry $120,000 a year might be collected - hardly enough to cover the administration costs.
A number of people are comparing it to fishing licences, and think it's a good idea, however monies from fishing licences are used to manage fishery resources, whereas the diving tax is simply being applied to raise revenue - amongst other things, to fund raising
grey nurse shark embryos in a test tube! It's unproven science, but NSW is willing to stick a yearly tax on a specific recreational activity in order to fund it. This is simply a TAX - it's got nothing to do with training or education, doesn't replace PADI diving certifications - purely a money grab. But you won't be able to dive in NSW without it.
Keep in mind around 55% of all divers also fish, and already get slugged with a fishing licence each year, and you can't spearfish or collect lobster etc in NSW while on SCUBA gear - it's purely a "look only" activity. What recreational activity are we going to have to be licenced to participate in next? Surfing? Skiiing? BUSHWALKING?!?
What's this got to do with 4WDing you ask?
Well as someone pointed out the other day regarding the 4WD debate, there are too many fragmented groups in Australia to put up much of a voice or opposition to stupid ideas like this one - however the common theme is government intervention in our
recreation. Together however we can put project a strong stance and help defeat these "government knows best" type of social impositions.
I urge all ExploreOz members who have any passing interest in helping defeat this measure to CLICK HERE and select DON'T SUPPORT for every option. Originally this tax started off as a $20 PER DAY levy to dive on sites where
Grey Nurse sharks are found, and now it's being watered down to include options like "diver priority projects" in order to make it more palatable. Please don't let the NSW government impose a tax on diving - who knows what they will try and stick a tax on next!!!!