Jim Turnour (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 5 June this year, the Qantas group made an announcement that would reverberate through tropical North Queensland communities. A significant reduction in international flights between Cairns and Japan—our strongest provider of international tourists—has been planned. The decision by Qantas to cut these flights means the loss of an estimated 62 per cent of total flight seat capacity to Japan, which equates to approximately 3,500 seats per week. This is a significant impact for the tropical north, and some economic analysis shows the potential financial loss to Cairns equates to about $100 million.

Earlier this week, the Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, announced the release of the regional tourism profiles that provide regional communities with thorough and meaningful data about tourism in their area. The profile for tropical North Queensland states that, last year alone, visitors spent $2.8 billion in the region. Four-point-two million visitors were drawn to the region, helping to support more than 7,100 tourism related businesses.

Given my limited amount of time, I want to make the point that tourism is doing it tough in tropical North Queensland. It has been great working with the minister. I am looking forward to his visit to my electorate on Sunday and Monday and to visiting a number of tourism operators up there to experience what they provide. It is going to be a great opportunity for us to work with the industry and outline some of the measures that will be put in place in terms of a $4 million package that the federal government has committed to support tourism in Queensland.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! It being 5 pm, the debate is interrupted.