Territory Wildlife Parks still losing millions despite bump in visitor numbers

A new report from the NT Auditor-General shows the Territory Wildlife Parks lost almost $4 million last financial year with successive governments having pumped more than $120 million into it since 2004.

A baby brushtailed possum at the Territory Wildlife Park. Picture: Glenn Campbell

THE Territory Wildlife Parks is on the road to financial ruin after suffering further losses of almost $4 million this year.

A new report from the NT Auditor-General showed the park has been in deficit since opening and the sucessive government have pumped more than $120 million into it since 2004.

Despite receiving almost $8 million from the government this year, the Territory Wildlife Parks still racked up a net debt of $3.8 million, up from $2.9 million last year.

Auditor-General Julie Crisp said the loss called into question the viability of the park in the medium to longer term.

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The previous CLP government had looked at the prospect of selling the park to a private operator.

In the past, private operators have complained the highly subsided Territory Wildlife Parks ate into their profits.

But the Gunner Government has steered clear of selling off the wildlife park as part of its masterplan.

Tourism Minister Lauren Moss said the Labor Government was in the process of developing a masterplan to assess the park’s operations.

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Opposition Leader Gary Higgins the parks had become “run down” under the Labor’s watch.

He said the Gunner Government needed to show some initiative about how investment in the park would benefit all parties long term.

Despite a move to increase park entrance fees this year, visitor numbers went up slightly by two per cent to 126,856.

Repair and maintenance costs decreased by $658,000 this year but that was offset by an increase in employee expenses of $293,000 and decrease in government revenue of $1.3 million.