THE PARKIE AUT25 - Flipbook - Page 8
WELCOME GARY ANDERTON
The appointment of Gary Anderton to the new association role of General Manager Tourist
Parks has already led to a number of meetings with government and opposition decision
makers, boosting our advocacy efforts.
Gary joined us with a wealth of experience in senior
political advocacy, strategy, research and policy
development roles within government and opposition,
and has successfully negotiated outcomes across the
aisle in the Victorian Parliament.
He understands how to get good ideas before decision
makers and what they look for when engaging peak
bodies like us. His input has already led to meetings with
Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Tourism Minister
Sam Groth and several other senior Opposition figures.
In addition to leading the association’s tourist park
advocacy efforts, Gary will enhance our digital
communications output to broaden the member
communications experience and deliver our annual
member conference and training program.
We asked Gary a few questions about what he’s been
focused on since starting and what he hopes to achieve
while working for the association..
What drew you to this role?
I’ve always had a deep passion for tourism and the broader
industry. After nearly two decades in government
relations, regulatory policy and stakeholder engagement,
I was ready for a fresh challenge – one that aligned with
my personal interests.
“This role was the perfect opportunity to
bridge the gap between our tourist parks and
government decision-makers, raising awareness
of the industry’s importance while also tackling
key issues in new and innovative ways – whether
through media, social media or direct advocacy.
It’s a chance to make a real impact.”
Two months in, what’s kept you busy
so far?
Even though I’ve worked in tourism policy for years, I
was still surprised by the sheer breadth of challenges
our tourist parks face. Over the past month, I’ve hit the
ground running, leading direct advocacy efforts with
government and opposition MPs on critical issues like
business costs, free camping, lease negotiations and
classification of glamping tents.
I’m particularly proud of the work we’ve done to support
our Grampians member parks in the wake of the summer
fires, ensuring their concerns are raised in Parliament
and securing meetings with government officials and
ministers to address their immediate needs.
Beyond policy, I’ve been focused on boosting our
association’s public presence, using social media to draw
attention to industry issues and attract more Victorians
to our parks. Plus, we’ve got some exciting projects in
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Gary Anderton
the pipeline including a new corporate website, member
portal and online directory for tourist parks. And of
course, I’m already gearing up for the 2025 CRPVic
Conference in Geelong this August!
What do you hope to achieve in your
first 12 months?
We’ve already made great progress in strengthening
relationships with key government and industry
stakeholders, but there’s a lot more to do. In the
coming months, we’ll be rolling out Tourist Park Policy
Statement with recommendations for the government
and opposition to adopt that will change the regulatory
environment to encourage members to grow and
become more profitable.
Most importantly, I want to engage more with our
members, ensuring they feel supported and heard.
Whether it’s securing funding opportunities, driving
investment into parks, or raising our industry’s profile,
my goal is to strengthen Caravan & Residential Parks
Victoria’s position as critical for tourist park member
success.
A year from now, I also want to see members enjoying
operating their business, employing great people and
being satisfied with their important role in allowing so
many people to make great memories.
What are some of the regulatory
changes you’d like to see changed?
There’s a lot of red tape holding back our tourist parks
and I’m determined to break down those barriers. In my
first two month, I’ve been working with members and
industry partners to push for common-sense changes
