Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Ryan for his question in relation to investment in tourism. On the figures that are provided to me, I would say to the honourable member that the Australian Tourism Development Program—four years at a cost of $24.9 million—will be providing an additional $10 million over the next two years as part of government investment. That of course is for drought affected areas. I acknowledge that the member does not exactly have a drought affected area, but I know that the member is on very high level water restrictions in his region.

Looking at where we go with the investment in tourism, there is no doubt that the response from the tourism industry to the white paper and that investment was outstanding. The response by the industry relief was one of relief to see that we were continuing that investment with some $193 million to continue the great work of Tourism Australia, which will provide benefits to all areas of Australian tourism. Some of the new and emerging markets that we are approaching and the opportunities that lie ahead—not just our traditional markets of New Zealand, Great Britain, Europe and the US but the newer and evolving markets in areas like China and other areas through Asia and particularly the work that is being done in India at the moment—these will provide great economic benefit. At times the average punter in Australia would look at India and China as being relatively poor markets. Yet the level of middle class with high levels of disposable income in those two countries equates to more than the market approach that we would be able to deliver out of Europe or the USA, so I encourage the development there.

I know that the member for Ryan has been doing a lot of work, particularly in liaising with the Chinese market and bringing business tourism to Australia and trying to encourage investment into his area and his region, and for that work he is to be congratulated. He goes out on the front foot looking for opportunities for his region, unlike many other people who would just sit and wait and ask, ‘What about me?’ Here is a fine member of parliament who goes out on the front foot and looks for opportunities in his electorate. For that he is to be congratulated and he is a good member of parliament.

When we look at further investment, there are many opportunities that people can tap into to develop tourism projects in Australia—not just the Australian Tourism Development Program; there are other areas and aspects in relation to outlying areas in regional Australia where people can apply for regional and rural partnerships to develop tourism opportunities. So again I congratulate the member on the fine work that he does in his electorate and on behalf of his region in driving forward tourism growth and opportunities and I hope he continues his work in the future.

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