Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When I grow up, I want a caravan. I want to join the tens of thousands of Australians who, as summer fades, hear the call of the open road and travel into the outback. Whether they're off around Australia to some of my favourite places, like Sapphire, Rubyvale, Lightning Ridge or Coober Pedy, or whether they're off to one of the fantastic regional festivals, like the Big Red Bash in Birdsville or the Mundi Mundi Bash in Broken Hill—

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Or Winton.

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Or Winton. This community of Australians, who love our country, are part of an industry worth $27 billion to our economy annually, as I learnt last week at the Parliamentary Friends of Caravanning event held in conjunction with the Caravan Industry Association of Australia. Just about every community in regional Australia has a caravan park. It brings employment and jobs.

However, this industry is threatened by the Albanese government's towing tax. It takes a large car or SUV to tow a caravan efficiently and effectively, and to date there is no electric alternative. Despite the partial backdown announced overnight, this Labor government's new towing tax will be a blow to the thousands of caravanning enthusiasts around the country. It will be a blow to the caravan parks, it will be a blow to the festivals, and it will be a blow to many regional communities because fewer vans on the road will mean fewer jobs in those communities.