Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Payne. Tourism operators in Cairns have warned the Morrison government that thousands of jobs will be lost if JobKeeper isn't extended. In January Liberal MP Warren Entsch told The Cairns Post, 'I have got no doubt support will continue for as long as it needs to happen,' and extending JobKeeper was a 'no-brainer'. Is he right?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question. There is no doubt, as the senator has alluded to and as any of us who live in and visit tourism-reliant areas of Australia know—that is, when we can go from state to state, of course—that tourism has taken a very significant impact from COVID-19. The former minister Minister Birmingham has worked very hard with the industry in terms of response and support from government, and we have seen a boost to domestic tourism over summer, especially in those regions within driving or other travel distance of major population centres. Those parts of the sector, though, that rely on international travel and tourism in particular do continue to face very difficult circumstances. So, from Minister Birmingham to Minister Tehan, the government has been engaging very closely with the tourism sector to understand how we are able to continue to assist while we wait for international tourism to return. We actively encourage Australians to engage in domestic tourism. We hope that there will be some opportunity, for example, out of travel bubbles, ultimately, to assist international tourism to return. So it is a very challenging time. There is no question about that. Through COVID-19, the government has provided record levels of economic support, through programs such as JobKeeper and small-business cash payments of up to $100,000, which have sustained hundreds of thousands of tourism businesses and jobs across Australia. As part of our plan to support tourism recovery, we're also providing further targeted assistance to help the tourism sector to rebound and to help save as many jobs as possible. That's in addition to our record funding for Tourism Australia of over $231 million in 2021. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a supplementary question?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Treasury data shows that 3,600 businesses in Cairns are relying on JobKeeper, more than in any other postcode in Queensland. How many jobs will be lost in Cairns when JobKeeper ends in March?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll take the details of the numbers on notice, in terms of the senator's question. I was saying, though, that we have provided record funding support for Tourism Australia. That is being used to directly support the tourism industry, including ramping up domestic marketing campaigns, with phase 2 of the Holiday Here This Year campaign, which is now underway, and positioning to commence international marketing campaigns when the time is right. We have outlined a clear plan for Australia to create jobs and to rebuild our economy, including helping to secure the future of Australia's tourism industry. That includes the provision of a $50 million Recovery for Regional Tourism Fund to boost tourism in nine regions heavily reliant on international tourism. That's about delivering tailored assistance measures to help tourism businesses pivot to the domestic market. Those applications are now open, with eligible applicants able to submit requests for funding until the end of September this year. We have also earmarked $100 million of funding from the Building Better Regions Fund for tourism infrastructure under a new— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a final supplementary question?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the Morrison government working on any support plan for tourism businesses in Cairns? How many more jobs and livelihoods will be lost in the region while people wait for Mr Morrison to finally take action?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Green for her further supplementary question. I have already identified the Recovery for Regional Tourism Fund. I have just referred to the Building Better Regions Fund, focused on tourism infrastructure, which is about helping the regions boost the supply of new quality tourism infrastructure to drive visitation in those regions. There is also $100 million in the Regional Recovery Partnerships program, coordinating that investment with other levels of government—state, territory and local government—to support growth and recovery, including in tourism, in 10 priority regions. A $50 million business events grants program is also open for applications, helping to instil confidence in the business events industry. That is also particularly important. And the $128 million COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program is providing—and this is important, particularly for regions which have a high number of travel agents—one-off grants to eligible travel agents and tour arrangement service providers. All of these are focuses of the government's plan and we— (Time expired)