Instructor escapes ban on Grampians ban

Parks Victoria has retreated from indigenous demands that a high-profile climbing instructor be banned from teaching in the Grampians.

Rock climbing instructor Tori Dunn. Picture: Aaron Francis

Parks Victoria has retreated from indigenous demands that a high-profile climbing instructor be banned from teaching in the Grampians National Park before mediation with traditional owners­ over her opposition to widespread bans in the region.

The department said yesterday that Tori Dunn would not be banned from instructing but would still need to meet ­traditional owners who were unhappy with comments she had made on social media opposing a dramatic cutback on climbing across the park.

Parks Victoria said on Wednesday that traditional owners did not want Ms Dunn teaching climbing in the Summerday Valley area until she was forced into mediation to discuss her social media activity. This mediation would be required before she would be able to attend any cultural awareness courses that are necessary for her accreditation.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Gavin Jennings said yesterday he had not been told of any decis­ion to curtail Ms Dunn’s teaching in Summerday Valley.

Mr Jennings told parliament the government had cracked down on climbing in the park ­because of state and federal cultural heritage legislation.

But he rejected a question from the Liberal leader in the upper house, David Davis, who attacked the Victorian government for its “absurdly punitive and brutish approach’’ towards Ms Dunn, who was upset by Parks Victoria’s behaviour.

Indigenous groups had complained about Ms Dunn’s social media activity, which appears to be largely limited to publicly ­opposing this year’s ban on climbing in special protection areas across 500sq km of the park.

Parks Victoria did not detain Ms Dunn or throw her out of the park when she instructed school students at Summerday Valley on Thursday.

But she has been clearly told that traditional owners do not want her climbing there at least until mediation and that Parks Victoria supported this position.

“I have not received any ­advice on this particular circumstance that you describe, Mr Davis, but what I can certainly tell you is that, as the relevant minister in terms of Aboriginal affairs, I have not been party to the consideration of such an ­action,’’ Mr Jennings said.

“Whether that action has ­occurred either by Parks Victoria or other Victorian government agencies, I will take advice.

“But the way in which you portray in your question — and you may choose to portray in your commentary of it in the future­ — that it is a government decision is not accurate.”

Parks Victoria denied yesterday that Ms Dunn was banned from instructing at Summerday Valley.

“Though there is no ban on the operator, it is the wishes of tradition­al owner groups that they meet to respectfully address some of the concerns raised ­before their cultural induction can take place,” a spokesman said.

 “As the land manager engaging with multiple partners and stakeholders on how the Grampians National Park is both protected, conserved and enjoyed, this is a step we support.”

Licensed tour operators such as Ms Dunn have been granted limited access to Summerday Valley. The government is threatening climbers with fines if they venture into the special protection areas, which contain signific­ant rock art.