❓ Question regarding the benefits of securing the Australian Tourism Exchange 2019 for WA, with the Minister responding by highlighting tourism growth and criticising the previous government's record, while also disputing claims about who secured the event.
AnsweredQoN 281Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN TOURISM
EXCHANGE 2019
281. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Tourism:
I have a sensible question for the
Minister for Tourism. I refer to Australian Tourism Exchange 2019 that is
currently being held in Perth and is showcasing our city and state to tourism
businesses from around the world.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. HUGHES : Can the
minister outline to the house how securing what is Australia's biggest
tourism trade event, delivers on the McGowan Labor government's
commitment to attract more visitors to Western Australia, support tourism
businesses and help create more jobs in the sector?
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
EXCHANGE 2019
281. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Tourism:
I have a sensible question for the
Minister for Tourism. I refer to Australian Tourism Exchange 2019 that is
currently being held in Perth and is showcasing our city and state to tourism
businesses from around the world.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse! I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. HUGHES : Can the
minister outline to the house how securing what is Australia's biggest
tourism trade event, delivers on the McGowan Labor government's
commitment to attract more visitors to Western Australia, support tourism
businesses and help create more jobs in the sector?
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question
and his clear interest in tourism and advocacy, particularly for the Perth
hills' tourism industry. There is a sense of momentum around the
tourism industry in Western Australia about definite positivity. Only last week
the International Visitor Survey data confirmed that Western Australia leads
the nation in international holiday-maker growth with double the national
average and 12.6 per cent growth in 2018. We have finally unshackled ourselves
from the legacy of the previous government: the 2017 downturn as a direct
consequence of the previous government's inaction throughout its eight
and a half years in government. We have had the first look at what happened in
2018—double the national average growth in international
holiday-makers. What is happening with interstate holiday-makers, the member
asks. I think we will find out shortly but I can tell the member that in the 12
months to September 2018—so still with a bit of the bad stuff—we
had 21.4 per cent growth in interstate holiday-makers. We launched our two-year
action plan in only March last year and there is plenty more to be done, but we
have a plan that is working.
The ATE is an incredible event. We
have 600 international buyers here from 30 countries around the world.
Yesterday, 80 trade journalists were compelled to be locked in a room with
myself and the managing director of Tourism Australia as part of a deal for
coming here and getting out on families right across the state. There are also
1 400 other sellers from around the country. It is a great opportunity for Western
Australia to reset its reputation after the last time we hosted the ATE. When
did that happen? In 2012, in the midst of the boom. We had the most expensive
hotels in the country and the most expensive coffee in the world. That is what people
remember about us. We also had a Premier of the day who went to the ATE to
speak to a couple of thousand tourism delegates and did not mention the word ''tourism''
once. The entire time he talked about LNG and mining— it was embarrassing! Of course, the Premier was
there yesterday and he talked a lot about tourism. Our Premier is very knowledgeable about the tourism
sector. The ATE is going magnificently with 139 delegates from 80 organisations
from Western Australia's five tourism regions having the opportunity to
use this platform to sell their product to the world. I spoke to a few of them
on the floor of the house. It was wonderful to hear them converting this
opportunity. Many of them are having a very successful conference. There is all
manner of great outcomes, but I note that some claim has been made in social
media around who is responsible for securing the ATE. Interestingly, there is a
tweet from an opposition spokesperson.
Mr J.N. Carey : At what time?
Mr P. PAPALIA : That is the
interesting question. It acknowledges how wonderful it is that everyone is
coming—600 buyers from 30 countries. The member for Vasse states at the
end of the tweet: ''Another valuable event secured the former Liberal
Nat Government!'' That is interesting because I also have here a print-out
of a media release by the former federal tourism minister from April last year
when he announced the securing of the ATE for Perth. There is no mention of the
WA Liberals on here but it does have about half a page of quotes from me, as
the Western Australian Minister for Tourism. I can confirm when the host
partnership marketing agreement between Tourism Australia and Tourism WA was
signed. I imagine that would be the point at which the agreement was secured.
Can the member guess when that was signed? It was on April 2018.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr P. PAPALIA : Sadly for the
member, inaccurate tweets by opposition spokespeople seems to be a trend. I will
just inform the chamber that the saddest thing about this is that unfortunately
the member for Vasse does not have the excuse of doing it at 12.45 am. She did
it in the middle of the day. That is even more embarrassing!
and his clear interest in tourism and advocacy, particularly for the Perth
hills' tourism industry. There is a sense of momentum around the
tourism industry in Western Australia about definite positivity. Only last week
the International Visitor Survey data confirmed that Western Australia leads
the nation in international holiday-maker growth with double the national
average and 12.6 per cent growth in 2018. We have finally unshackled ourselves
from the legacy of the previous government: the 2017 downturn as a direct
consequence of the previous government's inaction throughout its eight
and a half years in government. We have had the first look at what happened in
2018—double the national average growth in international
holiday-makers. What is happening with interstate holiday-makers, the member
asks. I think we will find out shortly but I can tell the member that in the 12
months to September 2018—so still with a bit of the bad stuff—we
had 21.4 per cent growth in interstate holiday-makers. We launched our two-year
action plan in only March last year and there is plenty more to be done, but we
have a plan that is working.
The ATE is an incredible event. We
have 600 international buyers here from 30 countries around the world.
Yesterday, 80 trade journalists were compelled to be locked in a room with
myself and the managing director of Tourism Australia as part of a deal for
coming here and getting out on families right across the state. There are also
1 400 other sellers from around the country. It is a great opportunity for Western
Australia to reset its reputation after the last time we hosted the ATE. When
did that happen? In 2012, in the midst of the boom. We had the most expensive
hotels in the country and the most expensive coffee in the world. That is what people
remember about us. We also had a Premier of the day who went to the ATE to
speak to a couple of thousand tourism delegates and did not mention the word ''tourism''
once. The entire time he talked about LNG and mining— it was embarrassing! Of course, the Premier was
there yesterday and he talked a lot about tourism. Our Premier is very knowledgeable about the tourism
sector. The ATE is going magnificently with 139 delegates from 80 organisations
from Western Australia's five tourism regions having the opportunity to
use this platform to sell their product to the world. I spoke to a few of them
on the floor of the house. It was wonderful to hear them converting this
opportunity. Many of them are having a very successful conference. There is all
manner of great outcomes, but I note that some claim has been made in social
media around who is responsible for securing the ATE. Interestingly, there is a
tweet from an opposition spokesperson.
Mr J.N. Carey : At what time?
Mr P. PAPALIA : That is the
interesting question. It acknowledges how wonderful it is that everyone is
coming—600 buyers from 30 countries. The member for Vasse states at the
end of the tweet: ''Another valuable event secured the former Liberal
Nat Government!'' That is interesting because I also have here a print-out
of a media release by the former federal tourism minister from April last year
when he announced the securing of the ATE for Perth. There is no mention of the
WA Liberals on here but it does have about half a page of quotes from me, as
the Western Australian Minister for Tourism. I can confirm when the host
partnership marketing agreement between Tourism Australia and Tourism WA was
signed. I imagine that would be the point at which the agreement was secured.
Can the member guess when that was signed? It was on April 2018.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr P. PAPALIA : Sadly for the
member, inaccurate tweets by opposition spokespeople seems to be a trend. I will
just inform the chamber that the saddest thing about this is that unfortunately
the member for Vasse does not have the excuse of doing it at 12.45 am. She did
it in the middle of the day. That is even more embarrassing!
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