A WA parliamentary question seeks clarification on the WA Tourism Commission's claim that US service personnel contribute $200/day to the economy, specifically questioning the methodology and potential contribution of prostitution to this figure. The Minister provides information on the source of the data and its limitations.

AnsweredQoN 1214Legislative Council
Asked
10 September 2003
Portfolio
Tourism

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to a January 2003 media release by the Western Australian Tourism Commission which stated that tourism figures indicated that the average United States serviceperson is worth $A200 a day to the economy, and ask - (1) Will the minister advise how this figure was arrived at, and table any supporting documentation? (2) Is the minister aware what proportion of this figure relates to prostitution; and, if so, what is the estimated amount? (3) If no to (2), how did the Western Australian Tourism Commission arrive at the figure of A$200 a day in the absence of such information? Hon KEN TRAVERS

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Tourism I provide the following answer - (1) The Western Australian Tourism Commission obtains information about US Navy personnel visiting Western Australia directly from the US Consulate General’s office, which is located in Perth. Information provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission from the Consulate General’s office contains details of: arrival and departure dates; days in port; a ship’s name, hull and berth type; the port at which it arrived; officer, enlisted, and civilian crew; and estimated expenditure, which is based on the spending of $A200 a day. (2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
(1) Will the minister advise how this figure was arrived at, and table any supporting documentation? (2) Is the minister aware what proportion of this figure relates to prostitution; and, if so, what is the estimated amount? (3) If no to (2), how did the Western Australian Tourism Commission arrive at the figure of A$200 a day in the absence of such information? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Tourism I provide the following answer - (1) The Western Australian Tourism Commission obtains information about US Navy personnel visiting Western Australia directly from the US Consulate General’s office, which is located in Perth. Information provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission from the Consulate General’s office contains details of: arrival and departure dates; days in port; a ship’s name, hull and berth type; the port at which it arrived; officer, enlisted, and civilian crew; and estimated expenditure, which is based on the spending of $A200 a day. (2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
(2) Is the minister aware what proportion of this figure relates to prostitution; and, if so, what is the estimated amount? (3) If no to (2), how did the Western Australian Tourism Commission arrive at the figure of A$200 a day in the absence of such information? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Tourism I provide the following answer - (1) The Western Australian Tourism Commission obtains information about US Navy personnel visiting Western Australia directly from the US Consulate General’s office, which is located in Perth. Information provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission from the Consulate General’s office contains details of: arrival and departure dates; days in port; a ship’s name, hull and berth type; the port at which it arrived; officer, enlisted, and civilian crew; and estimated expenditure, which is based on the spending of $A200 a day. (2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
(3) If no to (2), how did the Western Australian Tourism Commission arrive at the figure of A$200 a day in the absence of such information? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Tourism I provide the following answer - (1) The Western Australian Tourism Commission obtains information about US Navy personnel visiting Western Australia directly from the US Consulate General’s office, which is located in Perth. Information provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission from the Consulate General’s office contains details of: arrival and departure dates; days in port; a ship’s name, hull and berth type; the port at which it arrived; officer, enlisted, and civilian crew; and estimated expenditure, which is based on the spending of $A200 a day. (2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Tourism I provide the following answer - (1) The Western Australian Tourism Commission obtains information about US Navy personnel visiting Western Australia directly from the US Consulate General’s office, which is located in Perth. Information provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission from the Consulate General’s office contains details of: arrival and departure dates; days in port; a ship’s name, hull and berth type; the port at which it arrived; officer, enlisted, and civilian crew; and estimated expenditure, which is based on the spending of $A200 a day. (2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Tourism I provide the following answer - (1) The Western Australian Tourism Commission obtains information about US Navy personnel visiting Western Australia directly from the US Consulate General’s office, which is located in Perth. Information provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission from the Consulate General’s office contains details of: arrival and departure dates; days in port; a ship’s name, hull and berth type; the port at which it arrived; officer, enlisted, and civilian crew; and estimated expenditure, which is based on the spending of $A200 a day. (2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
(1) The Western Australian Tourism Commission obtains information about US Navy personnel visiting Western Australia directly from the US Consulate General’s office, which is located in Perth. Information provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission from the Consulate General’s office contains details of: arrival and departure dates; days in port; a ship’s name, hull and berth type; the port at which it arrived; officer, enlisted, and civilian crew; and estimated expenditure, which is based on the spending of $A200 a day. (2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
(2) No indication has been provided to the Western Australian Tourism Commission regarding the proportion of money spent on prostitution. (3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.
(3) The US Consulate General’s office informally surveys US Navy crew before they disembark for onshore leave. Estimates gathered through surveys are verified against banking transactions aboard a ship. That information was provided on 21 August.

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