❓ A WA parliamentary question investigates the costs and benefits of Channel 7's coverage of the first direct flight from Shanghai to Perth, including government expenditure on media and potential economic returns.
AnsweredQoN 5954Legislative Assembly
Asked
11 February 2020
Member
Portfolio
Tourism; Racing and Gaming; Small Business; Defence Issues; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the first direct flight from Shanghai to Perth, which arrived at Perth Airport on 14 January 2020, and I ask: (a) Which Government Ministers and staff were on this flight and what was the cost of these tickets; (b) Can you confirm that reporters from Channel 7 were on the flight to provide coverage; (c) Were any other Western Australian news outlets represented on the flight; (d) Were any seats on the flight for non-government personnel (including Channel 7 staff) paid for by the State Government or Tourism WA: (i) If yes, who was paid for and what was the cost; (e) Were there any other additional fees paid to or on behalf of Channel 7 to enable them to provide coverage of the flight; (f) What was the tender process to determine which Western Australian news outlet would cover the flight; and (g) What was the economic return to the State for having Channel 7 cover the flight?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 March 2020
Responded by
Minister for Tourism; Racing and Gaming; Small Business; Defence Issues; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests
Response time
6 days
The first direct flight from Shanghai to Perth arrived at Perth Airport on 15 January 2020.
(a) Hon Paul Papalia CSC MLA, Minister for Tourism - $3 343.02
Ms Aleisha Banner, Chief of Staff - $3 343.02
(b) Yes.
(c) Not to my knowledge.
(d) Yes.
(i) A Channel 7 reporter and a cameraman at a cost of $5 033.78.
(e) No.
(f) There was no tender process because Tourism WA did not buy a service or product. Channel 7 News made pool footage available to other media outlets.
(g) Channel 7 ran 15 stories across three days to an audience of 1.072 million Western Australians to increase awareness of and grow demand for Shanghai and the China Eastern flights to help make the trial a success. The stories had an equivalent advertising value of around $78 000. Had the flights been made a regular service after the trial, the economic return to the State of a 3 x weekly service is estimated to be $84.6 million per annum. When the coronavirus outbreak has been brought under control, Tourism WA will return to Shanghai to complete negotiations with China Eastern for a regular service to be established.
(a) Hon Paul Papalia CSC MLA, Minister for Tourism - $3 343.02
Ms Aleisha Banner, Chief of Staff - $3 343.02
(b) Yes.
(c) Not to my knowledge.
(d) Yes.
(i) A Channel 7 reporter and a cameraman at a cost of $5 033.78.
(e) No.
(f) There was no tender process because Tourism WA did not buy a service or product. Channel 7 News made pool footage available to other media outlets.
(g) Channel 7 ran 15 stories across three days to an audience of 1.072 million Western Australians to increase awareness of and grow demand for Shanghai and the China Eastern flights to help make the trial a success. The stories had an equivalent advertising value of around $78 000. Had the flights been made a regular service after the trial, the economic return to the State of a 3 x weekly service is estimated to be $84.6 million per annum. When the coronavirus outbreak has been brought under control, Tourism WA will return to Shanghai to complete negotiations with China Eastern for a regular service to be established.
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