Ms LAWRIE - 2012-10-24
I am looking forward to the debate on the state of the budget and you pointing out where you are getting your figures from.
Chief Minister, during the campaign the third point of your five-point action plan was to grow a three-hub economy. Critical to your three-hub economy was Tourism, yet you have moved Tourism, one of your hubs, to Alice Springs, 1500 km away from Asia where the future of the tourism market exists. You have taken key Tourism staff away from the small businesses they need to work with and moved the aviation unit away from our major international airport. How does this create a three-hub economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, once again I thank the Opposition Leader for her question. Unlike the former government, we recognise Central Australia as a nationally and globally identified - most people around the world know this - tourism icon. We are able to consider support for the regions and think for the whole Territory. We can operate marketing of the Northern Territory with headquarters in Alice Springs quite well.
The relocation of Tourism headquarters to Alice Springs will motivate a regional focus on the Territory. We have a plan and a vision to grow the Territory and strengthen, in this case, decision-making and marketing for the Territory from Alice Springs. To run that childish analysis and think it was all in Darwin and now it is all in Alice Springs belies your intelligence. That is not the case. Do you believe there was no presence in Alice Springs before the relocation? Do you believe there will be no presence in Darwin once this relocation occurs? Of course there will be.
We will be thinking for the whole Territory, marketing the whole Territory, and demonstrating we are governing for the Territory, strengthening regional economies, and developing a broader focus for the Northern Territory. We will grow the Territory economy.
Chief Minister, during the campaign the third point of your five-point action plan was to grow a three-hub economy. Critical to your three-hub economy was Tourism, yet you have moved Tourism, one of your hubs, to Alice Springs, 1500 km away from Asia where the future of the tourism market exists. You have taken key Tourism staff away from the small businesses they need to work with and moved the aviation unit away from our major international airport. How does this create a three-hub economy?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, once again I thank the Opposition Leader for her question. Unlike the former government, we recognise Central Australia as a nationally and globally identified - most people around the world know this - tourism icon. We are able to consider support for the regions and think for the whole Territory. We can operate marketing of the Northern Territory with headquarters in Alice Springs quite well.
The relocation of Tourism headquarters to Alice Springs will motivate a regional focus on the Territory. We have a plan and a vision to grow the Territory and strengthen, in this case, decision-making and marketing for the Territory from Alice Springs. To run that childish analysis and think it was all in Darwin and now it is all in Alice Springs belies your intelligence. That is not the case. Do you believe there was no presence in Alice Springs before the relocation? Do you believe there will be no presence in Darwin once this relocation occurs? Of course there will be.
We will be thinking for the whole Territory, marketing the whole Territory, and demonstrating we are governing for the Territory, strengthening regional economies, and developing a broader focus for the Northern Territory. We will grow the Territory economy.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016