❓ Mr Michel asks how the Regional Events Scheme will support regional tourism businesses post-COVID-19. The Minister outlines increased funding and flexibility for the scheme to support regional events across WA.
AnsweredQoN 394Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
TOURISM — REGIONAL EVENTS SCHEME
394. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the significant impact
that COVID-19 has had on the Western Australian tourism sector. Can the
minister outline to the house how funding from the regional events scheme will
support regional tourism businesses and communities in the post-COVID-19
recovery?
TOURISM — REGIONAL EVENTS SCHEME
394. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the significant impact
that COVID-19 has had on the Western Australian tourism sector. Can the
minister outline to the house how funding from the regional events scheme will
support regional tourism businesses and communities in the post-COVID-19
recovery?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question
and his support of tourism in Western Australia.
We all know that just prior to the
arrival of coronavirus, the McGowan government had built tourism to its biggest numbers and biggest spend in history. The 12
months to December last year were the best ever witnessed by tourism , so
it has been really tragic to watch what has happened as a consequence of the
coronavirus. However, yesterday it was
wonderful to join Hon Alannah
MacTiernan and make an announcement
to convey hope to our tourism sector in the regions in particular. We
announced the regional events scheme, which provides support to little events
in communities right around Western Australia. This year 77 regional events
will be funded between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. It is designed to help the
smaller events. As I said, in a normal year, $1 million would be allocated to
the scheme, but this year, because of the coronavirus and to assist with the
response, we added an extra $142 000 and funded every eligible event. That
means that 13 additional regional events that would not otherwise have got funding got it this year, and $150 000 of that
allocation is for Aboriginal regional events. It provides hope to all event operators right around the state. In the
event that there is any further impact from restrictions, we have given
flexibility around the funding so that events can be held at any time
during that financial year and, in the event that they normally would have a couple of events in a row—so, in two
successive years—we have said that they can roll over their funding if they do not use it in the next
financial year and use it in the following year and have a monster event or a couple of events in that year.
I
will outline a couple of the events; every region has them. These are some of
the ones that caught my eye and will no doubt be of interest to members
in the chamber. The Gascoyne has the Kickstarters Gascoyne Dash. Mr Speaker,
the great southern has the Albany Classic Around the Houses; no doubt you are
familiar with that one.
The SPEAKER : Hear, hear! A
good local member!
Mr
P. PAPALIA : The Kimberley has the
Rhythm and Ride events and the midwest has the Astro Rocks Fest 2020 ,
which is a new event that looks really exciting. No doubt the member for Warren–Blackwood
will be familiar with the Margaret River
Readers and Writers Festival. My favourite—unfortunately, the member
for North West Central is not here—is the Yalgoo Emu Festival. I
am told that it entails children dressing as emus and having an entire festival built around that little community. It is
wonderful to see that it got some funding this year. Long may they last.
and his support of tourism in Western Australia.
We all know that just prior to the
arrival of coronavirus, the McGowan government had built tourism to its biggest numbers and biggest spend in history. The 12
months to December last year were the best ever witnessed by tourism , so
it has been really tragic to watch what has happened as a consequence of the
coronavirus. However, yesterday it was
wonderful to join Hon Alannah
MacTiernan and make an announcement
to convey hope to our tourism sector in the regions in particular. We
announced the regional events scheme, which provides support to little events
in communities right around Western Australia. This year 77 regional events
will be funded between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. It is designed to help the
smaller events. As I said, in a normal year, $1 million would be allocated to
the scheme, but this year, because of the coronavirus and to assist with the
response, we added an extra $142 000 and funded every eligible event. That
means that 13 additional regional events that would not otherwise have got funding got it this year, and $150 000 of that
allocation is for Aboriginal regional events. It provides hope to all event operators right around the state. In the
event that there is any further impact from restrictions, we have given
flexibility around the funding so that events can be held at any time
during that financial year and, in the event that they normally would have a couple of events in a row—so, in two
successive years—we have said that they can roll over their funding if they do not use it in the next
financial year and use it in the following year and have a monster event or a couple of events in that year.
I
will outline a couple of the events; every region has them. These are some of
the ones that caught my eye and will no doubt be of interest to members
in the chamber. The Gascoyne has the Kickstarters Gascoyne Dash. Mr Speaker,
the great southern has the Albany Classic Around the Houses; no doubt you are
familiar with that one.
The SPEAKER : Hear, hear! A
good local member!
Mr
P. PAPALIA : The Kimberley has the
Rhythm and Ride events and the midwest has the Astro Rocks Fest 2020 ,
which is a new event that looks really exciting. No doubt the member for Warren–Blackwood
will be familiar with the Margaret River
Readers and Writers Festival. My favourite—unfortunately, the member
for North West Central is not here—is the Yalgoo Emu Festival. I
am told that it entails children dressing as emus and having an entire festival built around that little community. It is
wonderful to see that it got some funding this year. Long may they last.
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