Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

PHILLIPS () (): I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that caravan parks are a popular holiday accommodation choice for Australians, particularly for families, budget-conscious travellers, and travellers who want to get off the beaten track and explore everything our country has to offer;

(2) commends the Government and the Minister for Trade and Tourism for the successful roll out of the Caravan Parks Grant Program which is delivering much needed improvements to caravan parks in the regions all across Australia; and

(3) encourages Australians to consider holidaying at home, all across regional Australia, and to continue to support local business owners and workers.

One of the things I notice—actually, you can't miss it—is the number of caravans travelling along the Princes Highway and into our South Coast towns and villages. Yes, it's fair to say caravanning holidays and trips are all the rage. Of course, they have always been popular—lower-cost family holidays that kids and parents remember forever, and retirees getting out and about and relaxing in our beautiful area. The lessons from COVID made the caravanning dream even more of a reality as people escaped and remembered what was important: time with loved ones and friends exploring.

There are so many economic benefits from tourism in our region. The tourism sector is made up of over 90 per cent small businesses—that is, businesses with less than 20 employees. On the South Coast, tourism brings massive economic benefits for our whole community. I'm proud to be part of a government that recognises the importance of supporting these businesses. That's why I'm thrilled with the Albanese government's Caravan Parks Grant Program, and I'm pleased to move this motion today.

The Caravan Parks Grant Program is funding $10 million across 111 projects throughout the country. I know that caravan parks are an essential part of our tourism offering on the South Coast, and I'm proud to be supporting them. I'm pleased that, through the Caravan Parks Grant Program, we've provided over $300,000 to support and enhance four local caravan parks across the South Coast with infrastructure upgrades. I want to ensure people can continue to travel and enjoy our beautiful region, supporting our local communities along the way, because I know that the small businesses supported by tourism are the lifeblood of our local economies. They provide employment opportunities and attract visitors who contribute to the growth and stability of our communities.

Caravan parks help facilitate this. They're great for families, budget conscious travellers and the grey nomads. But, really, they're popular with everyone; both domestic and international travellers who want to escape the bustling cities and explore our beautiful region flock to caravan parks. Caravan parks provide a place for visitors to stay and enjoy themselves, and play a pivotal role in bolstering regional economies. That's why we're supporting them.

On the South Coast, I was happy to award grants of $100,000 to BIG4 Moruya Heads Easts Dolphin Beach Holiday Park to help them finalise their site layout and cabin layout—this new layout will be used to provide accessible accommodation for people who are less mobile or living with disability; $26,000 to BIG4 Batemans Bay Easts Riverside Holiday Park, to help them expand their operation and improve the visitor experience; $93,000 to Alamein Caravan Park in Sussex Inlet, which will use this money to install a new recreational paddle craft boat ramp, to install new and stronger concrete slabs for caravans and to construct mixed electrical and solar lighting and signage throughout the park; and $100,000 to Grady's Riverside Retreat, which will use this funding to renovate a playground, including purchasing a new giant chessboard, a jumping pillow, a putt-putt golf course and a new basketball ring. They will also be improving the kitchen facilities and adding four additional powered sites.

The Caravan Parks Grant Program is already having huge positive impacts in our communities. This is an investment in the future, strengthening our regional economies and ensuring the great Aussie road trip remains an enduring tradition. The Caravan Parks Grant Program is just one part of our $48 million package of support for the tourism and travel sector as it recovers from the pandemic. These grants are already helping to attract and upskill workers, provide quality tourism products and deliver infrastructure upgrades. I'm committed to supporting small business and the tourism sector, and we look forward to hearing about, and seeing, the lasting benefit of these improvements to our local caravan parks for years to come.

I want to conclude by sending a big shout-out to all our caravan park operators and staff across the New South Wales South Coast. Despite many difficult years of bushfires, floods, storms, COVID and landslips, our caravan parks have been there supporting people and helping people to relax and enjoy our most beautiful environment, towns and villages and all that the New South Wales South Coast has to offer.

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