❓ Mr. Mubarakai asks the Premier about the economic impact and job creation resulting from the newly secured direct flights between Japan and Perth. The Premier details the efforts to secure the flights and the expected economic benefits.
AnsweredQoN 691Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM — JAPAN–PERTH DIRECT
FLIGHTS
691. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Premier:
Before
I ask my question, on behalf of the member for Bunbury, I welcome politics
students from Bunbury Catholic College to Parliament House. On behalf of
the member for Southern River, who shares with me Canning Vale as part of his
electorate, I welcome principal Paul Bottcher and student councillors from
Canning Vale College to Parliament House.
The SPEAKER : And I welcome
you to the chamber, member!
Mr Y. MUBARAKAI : I refer to
the McGowan Labor government's unprecedented investment in tourism,
which has led to this government securing the first direct flights from Japan
in eight years. Can the Premier outline to the house what these direct flights
mean for the Western Australian economy and the creation of local jobs; and can
he advise the house how this builds on this government's record in
growing our tourism industry?
FLIGHTS
691. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Premier:
Before
I ask my question, on behalf of the member for Bunbury, I welcome politics
students from Bunbury Catholic College to Parliament House. On behalf of
the member for Southern River, who shares with me Canning Vale as part of his
electorate, I welcome principal Paul Bottcher and student councillors from
Canning Vale College to Parliament House.
The SPEAKER : And I welcome
you to the chamber, member!
Mr Y. MUBARAKAI : I refer to
the McGowan Labor government's unprecedented investment in tourism,
which has led to this government securing the first direct flights from Japan
in eight years. Can the Premier outline to the house what these direct flights
mean for the Western Australian economy and the creation of local jobs; and can
he advise the house how this builds on this government's record in
growing our tourism industry?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Jandakot. I also
welcome the students from Canning Vale College on behalf of the member for
Jandakot. On behalf of the member for Forrestfield, I welcome students from
Wattle Grove Primary School, who are here today.
This government is committed to
securing more direct flights to Western Australia. I am very pleased to inform
the house that due to the hard work of the government, in particular the
Minister for Tourism, at 8.15 on Sunday night,
the first direct flight from Japan will land in Perth, with the Minister for
Tourism on board proudly promoting Western Australia. Yesterday I said
that he might be flying the aircraft. I may have misled the house! I acknowledge
that with him will be Western Australia's ambassador to Japan, Hon
Richard Court. I have seen some media reports. I think the Minister for Tourism
has been in Japan distributing quokkas—not real quokkas, but stuffed
quokkas; not even stuffed quokkas, but toy quokkas!—to people in Tokyo
over the past couple of days. The fight for direct flights started a couple of
years ago. The Minister for Tourism led a team from Tourism WA, Tourism
Australia and Perth Airport to Japan in 2017. They met with executives from All
Nippon Airways to pitch for the direct flight. There were extra meetings here
and a range of further negotiations. Late last year we secured the daily direct
flight from Japan. I visited ANA at its Tokyo headquarters to thank it for its
commitment to the direct flight. ANA will fly daily between Tokyo and Perth with
its Boeing 787 Dreamliner service. This will be first direct flight between
Perth and Japan since 2011 —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range!
Mr M. McGOWAN : — when
direct flights were lost.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker,
please. This is actually good news.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range! You should be happy with this news.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is good
news. I know that opposition members do not like good news; they rail against
good news.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : They hate good
news. Liberal Party members detest good news. They are sniping away, detesting
good news.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine! I call you to order —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, you are having your own little crusade there. So am I. I call you to
order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : There is
already huge demand for the flights. The first flight is fully booked and the
service has been heavily promoted by impressive marketing campaigns, both Western
Australian —
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, it is good news. I am excited.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I would be more
excited if I could hear the Premier.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The direct flight is a huge win for Western
Australia. Japan is our tenth biggest market, but once upon a time it was one
of our biggest international markets. We expect that this will mean a big
growth in Japanese visitor numbers and at least a $175 million boost to the
economy. As we know, tourism is growing magnificently well, with a huge number
of international and domestic tourists coming to Western Australia. There is an
unprecedented level of funding for marketing and events. We re-established the
office on the east coast, created new campaigns and worked to reduce regional
airfares to regional communities across Western Australia. The beneficiaries of
that include Broome, Exmouth, Monkey Mia, Albany, Carnarvon and Esperance. We
are determined to secure more direct flights. This government has resecured the
Tokyo service that was lost during the term of the last government and, what is
more, with a daily service of Dreamliners. I would like to congratulate the
Minister for Tourism for his fantastic work in securing this direct flight.
welcome the students from Canning Vale College on behalf of the member for
Jandakot. On behalf of the member for Forrestfield, I welcome students from
Wattle Grove Primary School, who are here today.
This government is committed to
securing more direct flights to Western Australia. I am very pleased to inform
the house that due to the hard work of the government, in particular the
Minister for Tourism, at 8.15 on Sunday night,
the first direct flight from Japan will land in Perth, with the Minister for
Tourism on board proudly promoting Western Australia. Yesterday I said
that he might be flying the aircraft. I may have misled the house! I acknowledge
that with him will be Western Australia's ambassador to Japan, Hon
Richard Court. I have seen some media reports. I think the Minister for Tourism
has been in Japan distributing quokkas—not real quokkas, but stuffed
quokkas; not even stuffed quokkas, but toy quokkas!—to people in Tokyo
over the past couple of days. The fight for direct flights started a couple of
years ago. The Minister for Tourism led a team from Tourism WA, Tourism
Australia and Perth Airport to Japan in 2017. They met with executives from All
Nippon Airways to pitch for the direct flight. There were extra meetings here
and a range of further negotiations. Late last year we secured the daily direct
flight from Japan. I visited ANA at its Tokyo headquarters to thank it for its
commitment to the direct flight. ANA will fly daily between Tokyo and Perth with
its Boeing 787 Dreamliner service. This will be first direct flight between
Perth and Japan since 2011 —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range!
Mr M. McGOWAN : — when
direct flights were lost.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker,
please. This is actually good news.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range! You should be happy with this news.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is good
news. I know that opposition members do not like good news; they rail against
good news.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : They hate good
news. Liberal Party members detest good news. They are sniping away, detesting
good news.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine! I call you to order —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, you are having your own little crusade there. So am I. I call you to
order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : There is
already huge demand for the flights. The first flight is fully booked and the
service has been heavily promoted by impressive marketing campaigns, both Western
Australian —
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, it is good news. I am excited.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I would be more
excited if I could hear the Premier.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The direct flight is a huge win for Western
Australia. Japan is our tenth biggest market, but once upon a time it was one
of our biggest international markets. We expect that this will mean a big
growth in Japanese visitor numbers and at least a $175 million boost to the
economy. As we know, tourism is growing magnificently well, with a huge number
of international and domestic tourists coming to Western Australia. There is an
unprecedented level of funding for marketing and events. We re-established the
office on the east coast, created new campaigns and worked to reduce regional
airfares to regional communities across Western Australia. The beneficiaries of
that include Broome, Exmouth, Monkey Mia, Albany, Carnarvon and Esperance. We
are determined to secure more direct flights. This government has resecured the
Tokyo service that was lost during the term of the last government and, what is
more, with a daily service of Dreamliners. I would like to congratulate the
Minister for Tourism for his fantastic work in securing this direct flight.
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