❓ Mr Catania questions the Minister for Tourism on support for tourism businesses facing collapse due to COVID-19. The Minister defends the government's actions and accuses Mr Catania of undermining the state's safety by supporting Clive Palmer.
AnsweredQoN 426Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — TOURISM — GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
426. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Tourism:
I
have a supplementary question. We know that 33 per cent of tourism businesses
probably will not survive the next six months here in Western Australia.
How is the minister and Tourism WA working proactively to prevent this from
occurring and ensuring that we do not see a collapse of the tourism sector?
426. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Tourism:
I
have a supplementary question. We know that 33 per cent of tourism businesses
probably will not survive the next six months here in Western Australia.
How is the minister and Tourism WA working proactively to prevent this from
occurring and ensuring that we do not see a collapse of the tourism sector?
AnswerView source ↗
The member obviously does not listen
to answers to questions. As I said, this government recognises that aspects of
the tourism industry are challenged when there are lockdowns, as is the current
experience over on the eastern seaboard. We know that there are impacts on
businesses in terms of bookings when people who have booked and were coming from Sydney, New South Wales or
Victoria are no longer able to come. That is why we have responded with
programs like the look and rebook program, which request Western Australians to
backfill those vacancies that exist. I keep on asking Western Australians to
reconsider and look at what opportunities are out there because of impacts on
other states. But we are in Western Australia and Western Australia is doing
spectacularly well because we have kept this state safe. It is because we have
kept this state safe that many, many businesses across the business spectrum
are doing so well. It is one of the reasons why the national economy has been
propped up by Western Australia's and this Premier's approach
to the COVID-19 challenge. We will keep doing that. That is one thing the
Premier has highlighted.
The Premier had a conversation with
federal Treasurer Frydenberg late last week, and there are ongoing discussions.
What the Premier will be putting to the federal Treasurer, of course, is that
we want to make sure that Western Australia gets its fair share and
consideration is given in those discussions to assist those businesses—in
this case, specifically in tourism—that are challenged by the
circumstances that they are facing. We recognise that.
Mr V.A. Catania : You didn't
say that last week.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : No, we recognise that. I went
through a whole list last week, member, but you choose not to listen.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : You choose
to go and support somebody else who, of course, threatens this state.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : That is
what you choose to do. We will make sure —
Mr V.A. Catania : You choose
to rewrite the answer.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : I went
through a list. Go and look at Hansard and see the list of things that I
highlighted , member. This is the problem with you. You have selective
hearing, and one thing we do know is that you support people who want to bring
down the safety of this state.
Mr V.A. Catania : Who's
that?
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : You know
who he is. He is that big fella from over in Queensland. You support him; you
support him strongly. That is why —
Point of Order
The
SPEAKER : Minister, you will need to sit down.
Mr V.A. CATANIA : The Minister for Tourism is misleading the
house. No-one on this side supports Clive Palmer.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister!
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I need
to rule on the point of order before you resume.
There is no point of order; you
well know that. I do not expect that you will make points of order in future
just to make a political point. That is not what points of order are about. You
might not like what the minister is saying. You have asked the question; he is
giving his answer. That is a spurious point of order that is really to re-enter
the debate. That is not what points of order are for.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : How
sensitive! How sensitive he is! There he is! Reel him in! He is so sensitive!
Member, you know why you are so sensitive. It is because your track record is
very clear in supporting. We all know that you have a track record in a whole
range of areas. I do not know why the Leader of the Opposition has you sitting behind
her in the seating arrangements of this place—I do not know why—because
you have a track record in that, too, member! I remember late last year, in
November, when you sat over there and there were issues around the leadership then, and you suddenly disappeared for about a week
and a half. We did not see you for about a week and a half. You have a track
record. We know you have a track record.
Point of Order
Mr R.S.
LOVE : Madam Speaker —
The
SPEAKER : Order! Minister, when you are giving your answer, you could
look towards the Speaker occasionally and in
that way you would know when you are being called to order; and when someone
makes a point of order, you do need to sit down so that we can all hear
it.
Mr R.S. LOVE : Madam
Speaker, I do not believe that the answer that has been given is relevant at
all to the question . I request that the minister comes back to the
question at hand.
The SPEAKER : Members ask
questions and ministers respond in the way that they see fit to those
questions. I do note in this instance, though, that it is a supplementary
question, which I have asked to be brief, and this question was relatively
brief. I would like the answers to be brief for the supplementary questions,
too, please, minister.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : He is
very sensitive, Madam Speaker, very sensitive. I can understand why the Deputy Leader
of the Opposition is sensitive, too, because who wanted to get his job last
time? We know—it is the member for North West Central. He has a track
record in treachery. We know that. He has done it a number of times to both his
leader and his deputy leader.
The fact of the matter is we will
keep supporting the tourism industry. We will keep on having the important conversations and discussions with the tourism
industry, across all of the sector. We know that we need to make s ure
that we have a very strong tourism industry now during the COVID challenge. As
we prepare for when we can welcome guests,
be they visitors from the eastern states or, indeed, overseas, we want to make
sure that that is a huge benefit to the tourism industry going forward.
to answers to questions. As I said, this government recognises that aspects of
the tourism industry are challenged when there are lockdowns, as is the current
experience over on the eastern seaboard. We know that there are impacts on
businesses in terms of bookings when people who have booked and were coming from Sydney, New South Wales or
Victoria are no longer able to come. That is why we have responded with
programs like the look and rebook program, which request Western Australians to
backfill those vacancies that exist. I keep on asking Western Australians to
reconsider and look at what opportunities are out there because of impacts on
other states. But we are in Western Australia and Western Australia is doing
spectacularly well because we have kept this state safe. It is because we have
kept this state safe that many, many businesses across the business spectrum
are doing so well. It is one of the reasons why the national economy has been
propped up by Western Australia's and this Premier's approach
to the COVID-19 challenge. We will keep doing that. That is one thing the
Premier has highlighted.
The Premier had a conversation with
federal Treasurer Frydenberg late last week, and there are ongoing discussions.
What the Premier will be putting to the federal Treasurer, of course, is that
we want to make sure that Western Australia gets its fair share and
consideration is given in those discussions to assist those businesses—in
this case, specifically in tourism—that are challenged by the
circumstances that they are facing. We recognise that.
Mr V.A. Catania : You didn't
say that last week.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : No, we recognise that. I went
through a whole list last week, member, but you choose not to listen.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : You choose
to go and support somebody else who, of course, threatens this state.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : That is
what you choose to do. We will make sure —
Mr V.A. Catania : You choose
to rewrite the answer.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : I went
through a list. Go and look at Hansard and see the list of things that I
highlighted , member. This is the problem with you. You have selective
hearing, and one thing we do know is that you support people who want to bring
down the safety of this state.
Mr V.A. Catania : Who's
that?
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : You know
who he is. He is that big fella from over in Queensland. You support him; you
support him strongly. That is why —
Point of Order
The
SPEAKER : Minister, you will need to sit down.
Mr V.A. CATANIA : The Minister for Tourism is misleading the
house. No-one on this side supports Clive Palmer.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister!
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I need
to rule on the point of order before you resume.
There is no point of order; you
well know that. I do not expect that you will make points of order in future
just to make a political point. That is not what points of order are about. You
might not like what the minister is saying. You have asked the question; he is
giving his answer. That is a spurious point of order that is really to re-enter
the debate. That is not what points of order are for.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : How
sensitive! How sensitive he is! There he is! Reel him in! He is so sensitive!
Member, you know why you are so sensitive. It is because your track record is
very clear in supporting. We all know that you have a track record in a whole
range of areas. I do not know why the Leader of the Opposition has you sitting behind
her in the seating arrangements of this place—I do not know why—because
you have a track record in that, too, member! I remember late last year, in
November, when you sat over there and there were issues around the leadership then, and you suddenly disappeared for about a week
and a half. We did not see you for about a week and a half. You have a track
record. We know you have a track record.
Point of Order
Mr R.S.
LOVE : Madam Speaker —
The
SPEAKER : Order! Minister, when you are giving your answer, you could
look towards the Speaker occasionally and in
that way you would know when you are being called to order; and when someone
makes a point of order, you do need to sit down so that we can all hear
it.
Mr R.S. LOVE : Madam
Speaker, I do not believe that the answer that has been given is relevant at
all to the question . I request that the minister comes back to the
question at hand.
The SPEAKER : Members ask
questions and ministers respond in the way that they see fit to those
questions. I do note in this instance, though, that it is a supplementary
question, which I have asked to be brief, and this question was relatively
brief. I would like the answers to be brief for the supplementary questions,
too, please, minister.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : He is
very sensitive, Madam Speaker, very sensitive. I can understand why the Deputy Leader
of the Opposition is sensitive, too, because who wanted to get his job last
time? We know—it is the member for North West Central. He has a track
record in treachery. We know that. He has done it a number of times to both his
leader and his deputy leader.
The fact of the matter is we will
keep supporting the tourism industry. We will keep on having the important conversations and discussions with the tourism
industry, across all of the sector. We know that we need to make s ure
that we have a very strong tourism industry now during the COVID challenge. As
we prepare for when we can welcome guests,
be they visitors from the eastern states or, indeed, overseas, we want to make
sure that that is a huge benefit to the tourism industry going forward.
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