In September 2020, a request for audit was submitted to VAGO, the Victorian Auditor General’s Office:

https://acav.climb.org.au/2020/09/02/time-for-an-audit-parks-victoria/

It took 12 months for the query to be addressed but a result was eventually achieved in September 2021. The Auditor General found major problems with the manner in which Parks Victoria procured Archaeological reports pertaining to perceived rock climbing damage in Grampians/Gariwerd and at Arapiles/Dyurrite. Their procurement findings are summarized in Section 5 of this VAGO report (follow link and scroll down).

Managing Conflicts of Interest in Procurement

Parks Victoria was compelled to improve procedures, much to their inconvenience and embarrassment. However, past indiscretions were never addressed.

We are now requesting a VAGO Performance Audit of two key archaeological reports that led to the rock climbing bans. This is the audit request:

VAGO Performance Audit Request

Hopefully it doesn’t take as long this time to hold our park managers to account. They are compelled to demonstrate an evidence-based scientific approach and they have failed to do this.

We contend that the climbing restrictions noted within the Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan are based upon false information and we again assert a management approach based upon the Victorian Climbing Management Guidelines.

ACAV remains available for consultation on this matter.

Reference links:
Rock Art and Rock Climbing: An Escalating Conflict
https://acav.climb.org.au/2020/09/21/victorian-climbing-management-guidelines-version-4/
Parks Victoria Statement of Obligations
https://savegrampiansclimbing.org/2021/09/09/auditor-general-investigates-parks-victoria-and-archeologist-ben-gunn/
https://www.onsight.com.au/2020/02/rebeka/
https://acav.climb.org.au/2020/05/25/archaeologist-complaint-lodged-by-acav/

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