Colin Boyce (Flynn, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The tourism industry is critical not only to the Australian economy but also to the economy of my electorate of Flynn. I often say that the Flynn electorate is the economic engine room of the Australian economy, and the tourism industry is a major contributor to that. The picturesque seaside communities of Agnes Water and the town of Seventeen Seventy offer a diverse range of activities and experiences, including iconic Queensland beaches and national parks, and access to the heart of the southern Great Barrier Reef. The townships of Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie and Willows—the sapphire gem fields—are only a 45-minute drive west of Emerald and cover almost 900 square kilometres. People from all over the world descend on the sapphire gem fields each year to experience fossicking firsthand, trying their luck to uncover the ultimate gem. Hidden in the rugged ranges of the Queensland central highlands is the Carnarvon Gorge. This features towering sandstone cliffs, vibrantly coloured side gorges, diverse flora and fauna, and Aboriginal rock art. Mount Morgan is a picturesque, historic town nestled in the Dee River ranges, situated approximately 38 kilometres south-west of Rockhampton. With its range of impressive attractions on show, the town offers ideal opportunities to delve into the area's early success as a goldmining community and relive its fascinating past.

These are just a few of the amazing tourist destinations in my electorate of Flynn that are filled with both domestic and international visitors throughout the year. International visitor numbers to Australia for the year ending May 2023 remain down 40 per cent on the corresponding May 2019 figure. Of the 5.6 million international visitors in the year ending May 2023, only 32 per cent nominated holidaying as their reason for travel, with the majority, or 43 per cent, of visitors nominating visiting friends and relatives as the reason for their travel. In 2019, 47 per cent of international visitors nominated holiday as their reason for travel. Prior to COVID, Australia's visitor economy was worth $166 billion, and it was growing faster than the national GDP. It supported over one million direct and indirect jobs in 300,000 businesses across Australia.

Australian tourism and hospitality operators are largely made up of small- and medium-sized businesses who were smashed when international and domestic borders were shut during the COVID pandemic. But what have we seen in this Labor government's first 14 months? You've guessed it, Madam Speaker Payne: in true Labor fashion, we've seen funding cuts, tax increase   s and poor decisions being made. This includes a cut in funding to Tourism Australia by $35 million, the agency tasked with rebuilding our international tourism market. The international market for global travel is fiercely competitive, and many destinations have returned to pre-COVID pandemic levels of international visitors, so we need to be investing in our agencies, such as Tourism Australia, not cutting their funding.

An increase to the cost for tourists for the working holiday-maker visa by 20 per cent means the cost of a working holiday-maker visa has increased from $510 to $630 and is one of the highest priced working holiday visas among comparable countries such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada. The government has increased the passenger movement charge for international terrorism. This tourist tax is part of Labor's taxing agenda. We've seen them introduce the carbon tax 2.0, the truckie tax and the fresh food tax. They really should change their name from the Australian Labor Party to the Australian tax party.

The government rejected Qatar's proposal, effectively saying no to 700,000 additional fees from Europe and the Middle East each year which would have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in economic stimulus for our tourism industry and broader economy. This decision reduces competition, keeps airline tickets at record high prices and stops international travellers choosing Australia as their holiday destination. You would think that this Labor government would want more people to come to this country and spend their money at Australian businesses.

I'm proud to support the member for Page's motion today, which calls upon the government to back Australian tourism operators and the regions reliant on international visitors by reinstating funding cuts to Tourism Australia and reversing its tourism tax targeted on international visitors. I would like to conclude by thanking all of our tourist operators and businesses in the electorate of Flynn.

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