I believe there should be a…

I believe there should be a distinction between houseboat owners and houseboat renters. The former are required to be steered by a captain with a boat license; such a person has therefore undertaken training on ecological impacts of boating including black water management, spills and fuel leaks, wildlife and local plantlife, invasive species and the maintenance of marine routes as part of their licensing - they are thus more likely to take care of their environmental footprint due to their higher level of knowledge as well as their greater and ongoing ties to local communities, reliance on local businesses and vested interest in the upkeep, health and beauty of natural sites. Renters who are visitors to the TSW, on the other hand, receive 30 minutes of training and frequently lack the knowledge to steer their boats safely, let alone care about their environmental impacts; without ongoing involvement in the local community after their rental period, they may have limited ties or sense of responsibility to the waterways and their contributions towards pollution. I therefore recommend that houseboat owners be exempt from any new restrictions that go beyond current Crown Land camping regulations.