❓ Mrs. Hayden questions the Minister for Tourism about the adequacy of government support for struggling tourism businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, specifically asking if additional funding was requested from the Treasurer or Premier. The Minister defends the government's actions, highlighting existing support and calling for federal assistance.
AnsweredQoN 480Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — SMALL BUSINESS AND TOURISM —
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
480. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to
the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the minister's response to a question last
week in which he revealed that assistance would be provided to only 1 600
tourism small businesses as a consequence of the amount of money available from
residual overseas marketing money. Did the
minister ask the Treasurer or the Premier for additional money to assist all
the struggling tourism businesses; and, what was their reason for not
providing additional funding prior to the release of this assistance?
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
480. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to
the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the minister's response to a question last
week in which he revealed that assistance would be provided to only 1 600
tourism small businesses as a consequence of the amount of money available from
residual overseas marketing money. Did the
minister ask the Treasurer or the Premier for additional money to assist all
the struggling tourism businesses; and, what was their reason for not
providing additional funding prior to the release of this assistance?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question. As I have said many
times in this place, no government, federal or state—regardless of the
massive resources available to the federal government and the significant contribution
by the state government of more than $2.3
billion—would be able to replace the loss of income suffered by small
businesses and other businesses across Western Australia as a result of
the COVID-19 crisis. We have used the residual funding within Tourism WA's
budget for overseas marketing to draw people to Western Australia to construct
a fund to support two grant schemes for the tourism industry across Western Australia.
The first grant scheme, to which the member referred, is for recovery. The second
one is the $14 million business survival grant scheme, which is open for
applications right now. I would like the federal government to match that so
that we have greater capacity to support small businesses engaged in the
tourism sector in Western Australia. If it does not, that is what we have got.
We are doing what we can. There is no possible way that any government can
support or replace all the lost income as a consequence of this
once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-100-year crisis that we are confronting.
times in this place, no government, federal or state—regardless of the
massive resources available to the federal government and the significant contribution
by the state government of more than $2.3
billion—would be able to replace the loss of income suffered by small
businesses and other businesses across Western Australia as a result of
the COVID-19 crisis. We have used the residual funding within Tourism WA's
budget for overseas marketing to draw people to Western Australia to construct
a fund to support two grant schemes for the tourism industry across Western Australia.
The first grant scheme, to which the member referred, is for recovery. The second
one is the $14 million business survival grant scheme, which is open for
applications right now. I would like the federal government to match that so
that we have greater capacity to support small businesses engaged in the
tourism sector in Western Australia. If it does not, that is what we have got.
We are doing what we can. There is no possible way that any government can
support or replace all the lost income as a consequence of this
once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-100-year crisis that we are confronting.
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