This is posted on behalf of the current mgr of Mt Hart Stn Taffy Abbotts. I am not involved with either the station or Mr Abbotts so please if there is going to be any correspondence on this issue please do as he requests and not back to me on this
forum.
~Urgent News~
Your support is desperately needed
Over the last 20 years I have created Mt Hart homesteads and gardens into an icon of tourism in the whole of the
Kimberley, in partnership with The Department of Environment and Conservation (D.E.C) formerly known as C.A.L.M (conservation and Land Management).
At 64 years of age they have now informed me that they are not going to renew the contract of
services agreement I have with them, after November 2011 and they are going to take Mt Hart out for expressions of interest. They have large corporations interested in getting the Mt Hart lease which means I don't stand a chance. They have told me they are not taking my business out as a going concern with the lease, which means I am going to loose
my home, my livelihood, my business and the country I love.
The contract of
services agreement I have had with DEC states that they are supposed to pay for all capital developments they approved, as
well as major maintenance work performed to their assets. But, over the years this has not occurred and the majority of Capital developments & maintenance work have been completed by myself and funded by myself.
DEC informed me last week via the state solicitor that they believe they do not owe me anything for the capital works I have completed at my own expense, labor and sweat equity.
The replacement costs of capital improvements I have done over the past 20 years were valued at $1.3 million by a professional valuer + my business was valued at $305, 000.
D.E.C have since railroaded me into a corner saying I have 28 days to accept an offer of $200 000 compensation (which is an insult for all the capital work I have done), or their offer will lapse, and that I have to have completely vacated the property for 7 days before they will pay me one single cent so their officers can inspect it to make sure I leave it in a ‘reasonable condition’.
Now how is that for trust? 20 years of building their assets and they treat me like this...Where am I supposed to vacate 20 years worth of gear to if they are not going to pay me prior to my departure so I can set up somewhere new?
If you would like to read the full story you can do so here;
http://www.gibbriverroad.net/mount-hart.html
You can also watch 2 short films about this on you-tube;
A long version (12 minutes) showing all the photographic proof of the work I have done to date and my current plight;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USFo9L3xxoA
A shorter version (7 minutes) for those of you who are aware of all the work I have done which just shows my current plight;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpwJDXytJiw
***How You Can Help ***
~Letters Of Support~
If you feel I am being treated unfairly by DEC, you believe in all that I have done, you feel I should be given the chance to negotiate over a fair compensation settlement rather than being railroaded into a corner, and that DEC should recognize & acknowledge the contribution I have made to Mt Hart...please take the time to send an e-mail or a letter to the people I am dealing with at DEC;
keiran.mcnamara@dec.wa.gov.au
rod.quartermain@dec.wa.gov.au
rod.annear@dec.wa.gov.au
peter.sharp@dec.wa.gov.au
Postal Address: Attn://Keiran McNamara, Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA, 6983
Also if possible can you send a letter to;
The Environment minister/s;
minister.faragher@dpc.wa.gov.au
minister.day@dpc.wa.gov.au
The Tourism Minister; minister.constable@dpc.wa.gov.au
And The Premier;
wa-government@dpc.wa.gov.au
premier.barnett@dpc.wa.gov.au
If you would rather write a letter to me directly supporting my case...or send me a copy of the letter you are sending to the above contacts for my own records;
mthart@bigpond.com
PO Box 653
Derby, WA, 6728
Also, if you know any lawyers, barristers or journalists who would be prepared to help me out, or you can help out in any way with legal or media contacts please get back to me on this.
~Thank-you for reading this and for any help or support you may be able to provide~
Kind regards,
Taffy Abbotts