Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Newcastle for bringing this matter to the House and allowing me to share the stories I'm hearing as I speak with travel agents in the mighty Eden-Monaro. Jenny and Jim of Queanbeyan City Travel and Cruise were among the first to reach out. The Coopers have run their Monaro Street business for 32 years. This last year has been their hardest. They are determined to survive the challenges and continue to employ staff, serve their clients and contribute to the community. They are grateful for the government support they have received to date, including JobKeeper, but Jenny told me, 'We need it until the end of the year.' With just a couple of weeks left before JobKeeper runs out, Jenny and Jim have been waiting, hoping the government will hear the calls of their industry and do the right thing.

The Morrison government keeps making the right sounds but, sadly for Jenny and Jim and many of their friends in the industry, they have failed to deliver. Last week the government rolled out half-price airfares to a number of destinations. That's welcome news if you're Qantas or Virgin or one of the towns announced, which Merimbula was, and you would think it would be welcome news for travel agents too. But, at this stage, it's just not clear. Right now, Jenny and Jim are waiting and hoping that the cheaper tickets can be purchased through travel agents. Jenny's real fear is that tickets can only be booked online via an airline's website. Surely local travel agents won't be left out and left behind?

You can't be sure with this government, because they are all photo op and no follow-up. For the last 12 months, travel agents have been chasing refunds for their clients. Their businesses have been in complete reverse, chasing thousands of dollars in refunds and being charged an admin fee for the privilege. This government has left them scratching their heads, unsure of their future. The stress and pressure placed on local travel agents in this area is echoed right around the place.

Lisa at Summerland Travel Merimbula has had to close her shopfront. She said, 'Having to close our shopfront after 38 years and operate remotely was not an easy decision, but it's the reality of a situation facing travel agents.' Like Jenny and Jim, Lisa's business has been part of the fabric of her community and she's working hard to be part of Merimbula's future. There's Jill at Helloworld Merimbula who's had to diversify her travel business and start selling gifts and homewares. Sadly, Mary at Twofold Travel in Eden didn't make it and has had to close the doors of her travel agency. The fear is that many others will have to do the same thing.

I meet regularly with chambers of commerce, people who work across a range of businesses and industries. Whether it's the Tumut chamber, the Yass chamber or the Jindabyne chamber, the message is the same: they cannot afford to lose good businesses or good business people. That's what's at risk if the Morrison government doesn't extend JobKeeper beyond the end of this month. The fact that we're talking about it now, at this late stage, at a minute to midnight, is just cruel. It's cruel to the people who have been part of their local business communities for decades. These people deserve our support. Instead, they are feeling disrespected and ignored.

A survey by the Australian Federation of Travel Agents makes it clear. Close to one in three businesses will shut if the JobKeeper wage subsidy is not extended beyond 28 March. More than half of the 1,500 respondents were unsure about their business future. And on this day especially, when thousands of women gathered on the lawn in front of this place, I say in a loud and very clear voice that women make up 80 per cent of the travel agent workforce—80 per cent. The sector's decline is having a disproportionate impact on female employment. The Prime Minister missed an opportunity today to change his rhetoric on fairness and justice for women.

As 28 March looms, he faces another line in the sand. Strong communities and strong businesses need a plan. They need the confidence that flows from a government that is listening, seeking advice and making plans to help them survive and thrive. Jenny and Jim don't feel like this government is doing any of that. They are frightened about what will happen to the people in the industry they love and have helped shape. In the meantime, they will keep seeking the refunds their clients deserve, because that is the right thing to do. The big question is: will this government do the right thing and back these businesses and the 40,000 families they support? Extend JobKeeper, especially in our tourism industry and especially to our travel agents. Do it now. It's the right thing to do.

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