MP: Go in to bat for theme parks
’Fight back’ against animal agitators
A GOLD Coast State MP is calling on all visitors to city theme parks – particularly under-fire Sea World – to promote trips on social media in a “fight back” against protests.
LNP’s David Crisafulli, the Broadwater MP, laid down the challenge yesterday to locals and tourists saying he was sick of “ill-informed” people agitating against the city’s theme parks.
“Please post about your visit and tag these lunatics in it so they can see that their actions are not going to have the desired effect, which is effectively to try and close down these institutions,” he said.
“Parks are under fire from a group of ill-informed people and the best way to fight that is actively thumb our noses at them and acknowledge how much the parks do for the community.”
Mr Crisafulli, the shadow tourism minister, said Sea World – subject to ongoing protest action and a TripAdvisor decision to scrap ticket sales – did a lot for animal welfare and made a vital injection into the local economy.
His call for action comes after Sea World at Main Beach had a small placard-waving mob protesting out front on Sunday.
A group of 30, including the Animal Justice Party’s Emma Hurst – a NSW Senator – pleaded for an “end to animal cruelty” and animals “forced” into entertainment at Sea World.
Mr Crisafulli added: “Tag the TripAdvisors of the world in your post and reasons you bought a ticket because these businesses economy.
“I want people on family visits to have a focus on our them parks.”
Village Roadshow Theme Parks chief operating officer Bikash Randhawa gave the small band of protesters a spray in yesterday’s Bulletin, saying it was astounding Ms Hurst had travelled out of her jurisdiction “to get some publicity”.
He had intended to address the group but said when he saw their placard messaging and small turnout compared to “thousands” of visitors at Sea World he decided it wasn’t worth it.
TripAdvisor axed ticket sales three months ago to theme parks with whales, dolphins and porpoises, sparking a furious reaction in Queensland in support of Sea World.
Mr Crisafulli called on Queenslanders to boycott the site while Tourism Minister Kate Jones urged TripAdvisor to rethink its “rash” decision after intense lobbying from activist groups. are vital to the
PLEASE POST ABOUT YOUR VISIT AND TAG THESE LUNATICS IN IT SO THEY CAN SEE THAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE DESIRED EFFECT