❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Tourism Minister Barnett about budget cuts to the Perth Convention Bureau (PCB) despite its high return on investment. The Minister acknowledges the cuts but highlights alternative funding channels for conference promotion.
AnsweredQoN 195Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CONVENTION BUREAU — INVESTMENT RETURN
195. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Minister for
Tourism:
I refer to the Perth Convention
Bureau and its prime role in attracting business travellers to conferences and
conventions in Western Australia and therefore creating local jobs.
(1) Is the
minister aware that the Tourism Council Western Australia estimates that the
PCB return on investment is $30 for every taxpayer dollar spent?
(2) Why did he cut the budget for
the PCB by $5.3 million over three years?
195. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Minister for
Tourism:
I refer to the Perth Convention
Bureau and its prime role in attracting business travellers to conferences and
conventions in Western Australia and therefore creating local jobs.
(1) Is the
minister aware that the Tourism Council Western Australia estimates that the
PCB return on investment is $30 for every taxpayer dollar spent?
(2) Why did he cut the budget for
the PCB by $5.3 million over three years?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition
for the question.
(1)–(2) The
Perth Convention Bureau does an excellent job and I have dealt with it and deal
with it on a regular basis. Yes, there was a cut to its budget, and its budget
will be reviewed as part of this forthcoming budget. But not all promotion,
including all promotion for conferences, goes through the Perth Convention
Bureau. For example, next week Perth will host the Eighteenth International
Conference and Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas—the biggest
conference ever to come to Western Australia.
Mr
P.B. Watson : Are you going to announce it again today?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
certainly will. Two million dollars' worth of funding went from the
state government through the Department of State Development to support LNG 18—so
there is $2 million of conference promotion and support, but it was not
channelled through the Perth Convention Bureau. There is another $2 million
that can be put back in. We are looking at its budget. It does a good job and
we will support it.
for the question.
(1)–(2) The
Perth Convention Bureau does an excellent job and I have dealt with it and deal
with it on a regular basis. Yes, there was a cut to its budget, and its budget
will be reviewed as part of this forthcoming budget. But not all promotion,
including all promotion for conferences, goes through the Perth Convention
Bureau. For example, next week Perth will host the Eighteenth International
Conference and Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas—the biggest
conference ever to come to Western Australia.
Mr
P.B. Watson : Are you going to announce it again today?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
certainly will. Two million dollars' worth of funding went from the
state government through the Department of State Development to support LNG 18—so
there is $2 million of conference promotion and support, but it was not
channelled through the Perth Convention Bureau. There is another $2 million
that can be put back in. We are looking at its budget. It does a good job and
we will support it.
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