Thread: Eastern F&G Ballot holders to be charged a "maintenance" fee

Got my reconfirmation letter today, and it seems that from next year, successful ballot holders will be charged a fee for "Annual Habitat Management".This is to give them funds to "subsidise the costs of employing short term staff appropriately qualified and experienced to undertake all of the weed spraying and physical maintenance works required".
This is being done because many ballot holders don't do a bloody thing to leave their stand and surrounds in a better state than when they got their ballot. So now those of us that do the work each year, are going to subsidise the lazy bastards, who will do even less now! There was a rule that allowed F&G to kick out any ballot holders who did not keep their maimai and surrounds in good condition, but I guess the definition of good was totally subjective, and too hard to enforce.
I sympathise with F&G, as they need to do something to maintain their wetlands, however, I fear that now that there is no requirement for the ballot holder to do any work, there will be even less respect shown for the wetlands.
Also of concern is the statement " .... DOC, which has an interest in the reserves also, has concerns in relation to the unsightly nature of some of the maimais..." . I shudder to think of the ramifications of that statement should DOC chose to become heavy handed.
The fee is proposed to be "set at as conservative a level as possible, and would apply to [U]each[U]of the hunters holding the stand".

I think a bit of consultation would have been good on such a contentious issue.!