THE manager of Mt Hart station, Kimberley, will continue fighting the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) until he is fairly compensated for his 20 years of hard work on the property.
Taffy Abbotts, who has run the DEC-owned Mt Hart station since 1990, has been told by the DEC his contract will not be renewed after November 2011.
Mr Abbotts has had a contract since 1995 to use, manage and maintain the facilities at Mt Hart Wilderness Lodge, which was purchased by the State Government as a part of the Mt Hart pastoral lease in 1991.
Since 1995 Mr Abbotts has extended his contract by exercising his options until November 2011, but he has never had a lease.
Mr Abbotts, in partnership with the DEC, transformed the once derelict homestead and property into a viable business and guesthouse, using much of his own time, labour and money.
The DEC has offered Mr Abbotts a $200,000 compensation package but he has declined to accept it, saying it is an unfair amount.
Mr Abbotts said the terms of this acceptance were also unfair, as DEC gave him only 28 days to accept it, or the offer would lapse.
He said the replacement costs of capital improvements he has done over the last 20 years were valued at $1.3 million by a professional valuer and his business was valued at $305,000.
"I want fairness and justice," Mr Abbotts said.
"It's the time I have spent working on this property and a vast amount of the work I completed was done alone.
"I have poured my blood, sweat and tears into this place."
Mr Abbotts said the contract of services agreements he has had over the years state that the DEC should have paid for the costs of the developments and major maintenance works that were approved, but this didn't happen and he had completed a lot of work at his own expense.
He said he was hurt that the DEC failed to acknowledge the time and money he had spent transforming Mt Hart to what it is today.
"I have not told one lie," he said. "That's the thing that hurts the most because it's defaming my integrity.
"This is affecting our life.
"How can I just take the $200,000 when a government department is going to take away the house I live in, the buildings I have built, the place I call home, the garden I have made and a business valued at $305,000?
"Everything I have worked for over the last 20 years and this country I love is all for nothing when they (DEC) say they don't owe you anything for all the work you have done building and improving their assets over all these years.
"But having said that, they will give $200,000 if I move out, go away and just disappear.
"But they will only pay you this money if and when they decide everything they are taking away from you has been left in a reasonable condition."
Mr Abbotts has received overwhelming support from complete strangers concerned about the future of Mt Hart and said he had been receiving up to two emails a minute.
He said he wanted the DEC to negotiate a reasonable offer with just terms, recognising all that he has done for Mt Hart.
"Everybody is really behind us," he said. "I want to get this resolved.
"I've loved this place for 20 years and I will keep fighting."
Member for Mining and Pastoral Wendy Duncan said she had worked closely with Mr Abbotts and Environment Minister John Day to enable some negotiation to take place.
Ms Duncan said she supported Mr Abbotts in his negotiations with the DEC.
"I'm hoping that a negotiated settlement will be the outcome and I will certainly be working alongside Taffy to ensure that happens," she said.
Ms Duncan said it was difficult to say whether the $200,000 compensation was fair or not.
"It's very difficult to say what's fair and what's not until you know the fine print of the various legal arrangements between them," she said.
"The DEC has explained that they have had expenditure on the station as well.
"I have put Mr Abbotts' case very strongly to the DEC and I believe they are now going to negotiate with him."
A DEC spokesperson said the department had met with Mr Abbotts to discuss the future of Mt Hart and following the expiry of his contract, the facility would be offered to the open market, via a publicly advertised process, as an opportunity for a tourism venture for operation under a lease.
"DEC's records since 1993 indicate that it has contributed in excess of one million dollars in capital improvements and provided material and labour towards many of the works for which Mr Abbotts is claiming compensation," the spokesperson said.
"Mr Abbotts is welcome to apply for the lease and in the meantime is able to continue to operate the facility until the expiry of his contract.
"DEC issues leases through publicly advertised processes throughout the State, to enable private capital investment and provision of tourism opportunities, such as that recently issued for Kurrajong in Purnululu National Park.
"Given that this matter is currently the subject of legal representations it is inappropriate for DEC to comment further."
* Mr Abbotts story is available at: www.gibbriverroad.net/mount-hart.html
