❓ Mr. Punch questions the Premier on how a $12 million tourism marketing boost will attract visitors and create jobs. The Premier details the allocation of funds towards international marketing campaigns and cites industry support.
AnsweredQoN 155Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM —
MARKETING — FUNDING
155. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government $12 million boost to tourism marketing announced today. Can the
Premier advise the house how this funding boost will attract more visitors to
the state and support the tourism industry in creating more jobs for Western Australians?
MARKETING — FUNDING
155. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government $12 million boost to tourism marketing announced today. Can the
Premier advise the house how this funding boost will attract more visitors to
the state and support the tourism industry in creating more jobs for Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Bunbury.
I was remiss in my earlier question
not to acknowledge the member for Midland—25 years in Parliament today.
She is the mother of the house, as I understand it, the first mother of the house
in the history of Australia. We should all be very proud.
[Applause.]
Mr M. McGOWAN : She succeeded
the former member for Cottesloe, as the father of the house.
This government has invested more in
tourism than any other government in history, a record amount of tourism
funding, and today it got bigger.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I was very
pleased this morning to announce boost funding coming up in the current budget
to support tourism —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I mean,
honestly, please. Stop this carping.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to
order for the first time. I warned you three times, I cannot do much more than
that.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is just
horrible. It is a straightforward question. Let me answer the question;
opposition members can ask their questions then.
I announced boost funding of $9 million
of new money, and an additional $3 million of existing money towards promoting
international tourism to Western Australia.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : That will be expended
over the next 15 or 16 months. This, we expect, will see an improvement in
international tourists coming to Western Australia. We have already seen a turnaround
in international tourism.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : This will go
to, in particular, cooperative marketing campaigns with airlines, overseas
travel companies, online travel agencies and inbound tour operators in places
like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong, as well as the United
Kingdom, Germany and the United States.
It has been welcomed by industry.
The tourism council CEO, Evan Hall, put out a statement today welcoming the
boost. I quote from Evan Hall —
''This funding boost is what
the industry needs to drive immediate bookings and maintain —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the second time. You will be going on holidays
soon.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quote —
''This funding boost is what
the industry needs to drive immediate bookings and maintain and grow visitors
coming to Australia,'' �
I
also note that Bradley Woods of the Australian Hotels Association put out a statement.
I quote one of his paragraphs —
''The State Government's announcement today strongly
supports this investment and will lead to jobs growth.''
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my
left!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Both major
tourism industry organisations have welcomed what we have done today. This is
the dividend of good financial management. When we manage the finances
properly, we are able to free up capacity to do things such as this. When the
former government had spend growth going at 6.7 per cent, it was difficult to
do this. Obviously, we have spend growth down at the one or 1.2 per cent mark
so we are able to actually free up resources to do this through good financial
management. I would like to thank the Minister for Tourism, the Treasurer and
cabinet for all their work to allow this important initiative to happen today.
I was remiss in my earlier question
not to acknowledge the member for Midland—25 years in Parliament today.
She is the mother of the house, as I understand it, the first mother of the house
in the history of Australia. We should all be very proud.
[Applause.]
Mr M. McGOWAN : She succeeded
the former member for Cottesloe, as the father of the house.
This government has invested more in
tourism than any other government in history, a record amount of tourism
funding, and today it got bigger.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I was very
pleased this morning to announce boost funding coming up in the current budget
to support tourism —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I mean,
honestly, please. Stop this carping.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to
order for the first time. I warned you three times, I cannot do much more than
that.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is just
horrible. It is a straightforward question. Let me answer the question;
opposition members can ask their questions then.
I announced boost funding of $9 million
of new money, and an additional $3 million of existing money towards promoting
international tourism to Western Australia.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : That will be expended
over the next 15 or 16 months. This, we expect, will see an improvement in
international tourists coming to Western Australia. We have already seen a turnaround
in international tourism.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : This will go
to, in particular, cooperative marketing campaigns with airlines, overseas
travel companies, online travel agencies and inbound tour operators in places
like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong, as well as the United
Kingdom, Germany and the United States.
It has been welcomed by industry.
The tourism council CEO, Evan Hall, put out a statement today welcoming the
boost. I quote from Evan Hall —
''This funding boost is what
the industry needs to drive immediate bookings and maintain —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse, I call you to order for the second time. You will be going on holidays
soon.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quote —
''This funding boost is what
the industry needs to drive immediate bookings and maintain and grow visitors
coming to Australia,'' �
I
also note that Bradley Woods of the Australian Hotels Association put out a statement.
I quote one of his paragraphs —
''The State Government's announcement today strongly
supports this investment and will lead to jobs growth.''
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my
left!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Both major
tourism industry organisations have welcomed what we have done today. This is
the dividend of good financial management. When we manage the finances
properly, we are able to free up capacity to do things such as this. When the
former government had spend growth going at 6.7 per cent, it was difficult to
do this. Obviously, we have spend growth down at the one or 1.2 per cent mark
so we are able to actually free up resources to do this through good financial
management. I would like to thank the Minister for Tourism, the Treasurer and
cabinet for all their work to allow this important initiative to happen today.
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