Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia's report—continuing the theme of northern Australia and Northern Queensland—entitled Northern horizons—unleashing our tourism potential: report on the inquiry into opportunities and methods for stimulating the tourism industry in northern Australia. I have spoken to this report previously, but I have a few more comments that I would like to make on it. This report, unlike the one that we've just been speaking about, was unanimous—so fewer of the rancorous components that coloured the previous speech and indeed my own previous speech. The report highlights a lot of positive recommendations which I want to reaffirm the value of.

I was a participant in this inquiry. Again, it was already underway before I came into this chamber, so I wasn't able to participate fully in it, which is something I have a bit of disappointment about because the economic opportunities for Northern Queensland is a topic that I am very interested in. Of course, tourism is a major employer. We do hear a lot about the supposed number of jobs—many of them vastly overinflated numbers—that mines such as the Adani Carmichael mine might deliver. But, as opposed to those rubbery numbers, the number of jobs that the tourism industry provides—particularly permanent, ongoing and sustainable jobs—across large parts of northern Australia and Northern Queensland is indisputable. What this inquiry looked at was ways to strengthen that further, and it's good to see some very strong recommendations there. I'd have to say that if I had been fully involved in the inquiry all the way through and able to go to some of the other hearings, there are probably a couple I would have sought to amend somewhat. But given that I was late to the process, I didn't feel it was really appropriate for me to try to push too hard for changes to recommendations when I hadn't had sufficient involvement.

Even the short period I was involved in it—the hearing I was able to attend in Yeppoon and some of the meetings of my own I've had in Northern Queensland over the nine months since I came into this role—as well as my own previous experience outside of this role, gave me very good insights into many of the ways—reasonably small ways; not just by investing extra government money but also other ways—we could encourage and support what is mostly a small business sector to further expand, to become more reliable, to be able to work together, to be able to promote itself more effectively and to be able to cooperate more effectively. There is significant opportunity for more jobs and more things that will attract people to northern Australia.

It gives me a reason to also mention a visit I had today with mayors from Northern Queensland and from around the Townsville region: Hinchinbrook Shire, Burdekin Shire, Palm Island, Townsville, and Charters Towers. Those five local government areas and mayors are working together to promote the opportunities in that part of Northern Queensland. Not all of them are tourism related. I'd have to put on the record, in terms of our organisation's federal election priorities, that there will be a couple of infrastructure projects there that the Greens would not necessarily be that keen to support. But there are many others here, many of which are about expanding not just the tourism opportunities but the flow-on ways of integrating the tourism industry with assets that are already in the region.

If we're talking about Townsville in particular, we're talking about the world-class expertise that is already there with regard to marine science. It is of course the headquarters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. One of the proposals the mayors of this region were pushing was for some support for an upgrade or overhaul of Reef HQ, which already delivers significant benefit, not just in employment and visitation to the region but also in scientific knowledge and enhancing community understanding of issues around the marine park. Those are things that could clearly be built upon and link into the existing broader scientific expertise that's there not just in the marine park authority but at the James Cook University and the Institute of Marine Science, as well as the expertise from the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Northern Queensland.

There are also proposals for reasonably small amounts for the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council. Most, but not all, of the proposals put forward are tourism related. Just under $40 million would deliver over 80 full-time equivalent jobs in a community where the unemployment rate is vastly higher than the average across Queensland—it's 39.5 per cent on Palm Island. The median age is much lower on Palm Island, at just 25, compared to 37 across the state. Small investments can deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits that can be built around. It's a real multiplier effect. I think that's where many of the ideas in this report can really deliver significant benefits.

The proposals that the mayors talked about, such as a museum of underwater art using a world-renowned underwater artist in a few different locations, including at Townsville, Magnetic Island and Palm Island, would deliver tourism opportunities. It's been shown to work in other parts of the world. There have been proposals for a multipurpose trail network across Palm Island itself. It's an incredibly beautiful location, for those people who haven't been fortunate enough to go there. There is a simple network of graded scenic tracks for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. One and a half million dollars was spent to deliver some ongoing jobs and for a lot of people to have a great experience in that part of the world. There are those examples. I encourage people to look at those examples put forward by Townsville Enterprise for that part of the world. I know from the people who gave evidence to the hearing in Yeppoon from Capricorn Enterprise that they've been working very hard on promoting tourism. I'd have to say that the evidence that came forward about the approach that Rockhampton Regional Council is taking as opposed to Livingstone Shire and the adjoining Yeppoon area was disappointing and, I think, unhelpful for tourism development in that region, which is, of course, the start of the tropics.

There are so many opportunities there and, again, it really comes down to political will. It is essential. We talk about the multiplier effects, the community building effects, the employment generating effects and the enhancement in community understanding about parts of the world, much of which is built upon the marvellous natural environment of northern Australia. Also, there is the cultural history of those areas: the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ongoing cultures. There needs to be a better understanding of that part of the world. Many of us who live further south really don't have a good appreciation of it. So there is greater enhancement with not just jobs but in understanding our own country and a particularly fascinating and magnificent part of the continent that we all share. I commend the report for consideration.

I repeat a comment I've made a few times this week. I urge the government to respond promptly in its consideration of this report. Governments of all colours have not got a particularly good record in responding quickly to committee reports. The community puts in a lot of energy and a lot of resources and a lot of time. I'd like to thank those who assisted the hearing I attended to ensure that we bring down a well-informed report. It sends a very bad signal to them when governments do not respond promptly to the recommendations of committee reports, particularly when they're unanimous ones like this. I commend the report to not just the Senate but also the relevant sections of people in the government and the wider community. It is a recognition of the major, broader, multifaceted benefits tourism in northern Australia and Northern Queensland already provides and the real potential for doing so further.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like Senator Bartlett, I congratulate the committee, all of the witnesses who appeared before the committee and the secretariat who assisted us on the committee in the production of this report on tourism in northern Australia. It's fortuitous that the Minister for Northern Australia is with us in the chamber as well, no doubt attracted by the debate on the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, which the minister is very much aware of, involved in, supportive of and promoting. This report on tourism is, as Senator Bartlett rightly said, a unanimous report by members of an all-party committee: the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia. The committee travelled far and wide throughout northern Australia. We heard submissions and looked at some of the fabulous tourism assets that we have in the north. I have to say that, for most of us on the committee, we were going home, as one would say. We're well familiar with the greatest tourism asset we have in the north and, in fact, in Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, which continues to attract visitors from all over the world in spite of what I call treacherous conduct by some environmental groups who are trying to tell the world that the Great Barrier Reef is dead when we all know it isn't. It's still there and it's a magnificent spectacle and a magnificent asset that is so well managed by the federal government with, I have to say, some help from the Queensland government.

The Barrier Reef draws people from all over the world and creates hundreds of thousands of jobs for Australians and for a lot of international part-time workers too, I have to say, who man some of the wonderful tourist destinations we have there. The Top End, again, is a fabulous place for tourists, as is Yeppoon, which Senator Bartlett spoke about as well, in Central Queensland. They are real tourism assets, gems, which are just so special and make northern Australia such an attractive place for visitors from southern Australia and from the world. I congratulate the chair, my friend and colleague the Hon. Warren Entsch, who is the member for the most northern seat, Leichhardt, on his chairmanship and his enthusiasm on this particular report.

I don't want to hold the Senate too long, because it has been a long day, but I just want to briefly mention in passing that the committee also travelled to a not-often-visited part of Australia, the Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands. We spent a few days on Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands. They are not the easiest places to get to but are a wonderful tourism asset for Australia which, as I say, regrettably too few Australians know about or can get to. One of the problems with tourism advancement in those Indian Ocean Territories, which have so much to offer, is the difficulty in getting there at an affordable price. Most tourists who get there at the moment are international tourists who come via Jakarta, which is only a hop, step and a jump across the ditch, so to speak. But the islands do have huge attractions for the world and indeed for most Australians who haven't yet had the privilege of being able to get there.

For me personally, it was a homecoming to territories which I was very involved with when I was the Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government. Not a lot had changed in the 15 years since I was the minister, but I'm delighted that the current Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government, John McVeigh, has taken a renewed interest in Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands. A lot of the things that need to be done on those islands that should have been done in the last 10 or so years will now start moving, and I thank Dr McVeigh for his interest.

Across the board, this is a good report. It does highlight some of the fabulous tourism assets we have in northern Australia. I do agree with Senator Bartlett that this was a very valuable inquiry, a very useful inquiry, an inquiry which, I am sure, the government will respond to favourably and which will allow the great attraction that is northern Australia to be more accessible to visitors from Australia and from the world alike. I recommend the report. I recommend its recommendations to the government and, like Senator Bartlett, I look forward to the government response in due course. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.