❓ The Minister for Tourism responds to a question about the government's major event strategy and its impact on tourism and job creation, highlighting successes like securing the 2026 Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup and other international events.
AnsweredQoN 341Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY — DIVERSIFICATION — TOURISM
341. Ms D.G. D'ANNA to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's effort to diversify the Western Australian economy through
our strong tourism market.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery of this government's major
event strategy, including how it is driving increased visitation to our state?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of anyone who opposes the
strategy and, in turn, the creation of local jobs?
341. Ms D.G. D'ANNA to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's effort to diversify the Western Australian economy through
our strong tourism market.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery of this government's major
event strategy, including how it is driving increased visitation to our state?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of anyone who opposes the
strategy and, in turn, the creation of local jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Kimberley for that question. Of course, the Kimberley
relies so much on tourism and the industry it supports. We are very much focused
on the tourism industry to diversify the state's economy. We are
focused on increasing our direct aviation links into many parts of the world.
We also recently announced our outdoor adventure tourism package that will
improve facilities across the state. Another key feature is our event strategy,
and it is with great pride that I announce that Western Australia has been
selected as one of the three host states for the 2026 Asian Football
Confederation Women's Asian Cup. We are one of three states that also
includes Queensland and New South Wales.
In relation to women's
football, we saw the huge success of the FIFA Women's World Cup in Western
Australia. Then we hosted the World Cup qualifier involving the Matildas and we
had to move the game from HBF Park to Optus Stadium because of their enormous
success. Now we are one of the three host
states for the Asian Cup. This will ensure that Western Australian young girls
and the community in general get to see their heroes up close. We will
be attracting tourists and visitors from Asia to Western Australia. Our
proximity to Asia means that we will receive visitors and tourists as part of
this incredible international festival. I am so proud that WA has landed this
event. We are now in negotiations with Football Australia about exactly how
many games we will host and which teams we will get. I am very hopeful that we
will get a very significant section of that cup program.
Last
week, we held three international world title boxing fights in Perth, which
brought thousands of visitors from interstate. This weekend, we have the
supercars racing at Wanneroo, member for Wanneroo—member for
Cannington, actually.
A government member interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He loves his
supercars. As part of this, we invited two of the drivers—Mark
Winterbottom and David Reynolds—to swim with the whale sharks. That
footage will be cut into our supercars telecast that will go around the world
to the huge international supercars audience, again promoting WA. We have also
had some great successes so far with World Wrestling Entertainment and
Coldplay. I found it interesting during the Leader of the Opposition's
unusual budget response yesterday when he said that we should not bring events
like Coldplay to Western Australia, members. He was anti-Coldplay.
Mr R.H. Cook : Anti-Coldplay!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, anti-Coldplay.
He said that we should not be prioritising bands like Coldplay. When I asked
him whether he was more of a Coachella fan, he said, ''Yes, I might be a
Coachella fan.'' He said no to Coldplay, but yes to Coachella, to the
surprise of this Parliament —
Mr R.H. Cook : He likes a bit
of doof!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : And he likes
other things, Premier, that I think Coachella is known for, as in events. I am
surprised in this chamber a lot, but never did I think that the Leader of the
Opposition would say no to Coldplay but yes to Coachella.
thank the member for Kimberley for that question. Of course, the Kimberley
relies so much on tourism and the industry it supports. We are very much focused
on the tourism industry to diversify the state's economy. We are
focused on increasing our direct aviation links into many parts of the world.
We also recently announced our outdoor adventure tourism package that will
improve facilities across the state. Another key feature is our event strategy,
and it is with great pride that I announce that Western Australia has been
selected as one of the three host states for the 2026 Asian Football
Confederation Women's Asian Cup. We are one of three states that also
includes Queensland and New South Wales.
In relation to women's
football, we saw the huge success of the FIFA Women's World Cup in Western
Australia. Then we hosted the World Cup qualifier involving the Matildas and we
had to move the game from HBF Park to Optus Stadium because of their enormous
success. Now we are one of the three host
states for the Asian Cup. This will ensure that Western Australian young girls
and the community in general get to see their heroes up close. We will
be attracting tourists and visitors from Asia to Western Australia. Our
proximity to Asia means that we will receive visitors and tourists as part of
this incredible international festival. I am so proud that WA has landed this
event. We are now in negotiations with Football Australia about exactly how
many games we will host and which teams we will get. I am very hopeful that we
will get a very significant section of that cup program.
Last
week, we held three international world title boxing fights in Perth, which
brought thousands of visitors from interstate. This weekend, we have the
supercars racing at Wanneroo, member for Wanneroo—member for
Cannington, actually.
A government member interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He loves his
supercars. As part of this, we invited two of the drivers—Mark
Winterbottom and David Reynolds—to swim with the whale sharks. That
footage will be cut into our supercars telecast that will go around the world
to the huge international supercars audience, again promoting WA. We have also
had some great successes so far with World Wrestling Entertainment and
Coldplay. I found it interesting during the Leader of the Opposition's
unusual budget response yesterday when he said that we should not bring events
like Coldplay to Western Australia, members. He was anti-Coldplay.
Mr R.H. Cook : Anti-Coldplay!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : Yes, anti-Coldplay.
He said that we should not be prioritising bands like Coldplay. When I asked
him whether he was more of a Coachella fan, he said, ''Yes, I might be a
Coachella fan.'' He said no to Coldplay, but yes to Coachella, to the
surprise of this Parliament —
Mr R.H. Cook : He likes a bit
of doof!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : And he likes
other things, Premier, that I think Coachella is known for, as in events. I am
surprised in this chamber a lot, but never did I think that the Leader of the
Opposition would say no to Coldplay but yes to Coachella.
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