Mr KURRUPUWU - 2015-08-26
Can you outline what impact Labor and its union mates attack on the China Free Trade Agreement has had on tourism in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for that question. It is a disgraceful slur by Labor and the unions, attacking Chinese investors in this nation.
In the last answer I spoke about our performance to date. We have seen outstanding results since the last parliamentary sittings in regard to the tourism sector. The member for Greatorex, the former Tourism minister, spent much time and effort investing in a new tourism economy – targets of $2.2bn by 2020. We are well on track to achieve, succeed and advance on that, but we are putting a great deal of focus on tourism.
We get about 15 000 Chinese tourists a year to the Northern Territory, which is far below anywhere else in the nation. We have been working to build on that. We inherited very low tourism numbers from the former Labor government. We have set targets of 30 000 Chinese tourists by 2020. I believe we will beat that.
What does it say when Chinese tourists come to the Northern Territory and this red rag is being waved at them by Labor and the unions, saying, ‘Chinese are not welcome in the Northern Territory’? What does it say to the 4800 Territorians who are Chinese, or of Chinese descent, in the Northern Territory to whom Labor and the unions are saying, ‘You are not welcome here’? Where will you stop? You are targeting the Chinese.
The member for Arafura asked the question. Currently, a Singapore company is investing in the Tiwi Islands. Will you start to attack the Singaporeans, or the Thai people who recently purchased the lan Soho Suites Hotel in town, or the Malaysians who own the Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs, or the Kiwis who own the casino in Darwin? Where will you stop?
You wave that red flag at a time we are trying to increase Chinese tourism, and you have advertisements on television, digital campaigns and flyers in the letterbox attacking Chinese people. The Lord Mayor of Darwin is of Chinese heritage, but you are attacking the Chinese. It is a disgraceful approach. I am not surprised the Labor opposition takes racial approaches. You have done it before, you will do it again. Your attack on Chinese Territorians, Chinese Australians and Chinese investors is disgraceful. You should apologise and call your mates in Canberra to stop these Labor union campaigns and give some respect back to Chinese Territorians who deserve respect
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for that question. It is a disgraceful slur by Labor and the unions, attacking Chinese investors in this nation.
In the last answer I spoke about our performance to date. We have seen outstanding results since the last parliamentary sittings in regard to the tourism sector. The member for Greatorex, the former Tourism minister, spent much time and effort investing in a new tourism economy – targets of $2.2bn by 2020. We are well on track to achieve, succeed and advance on that, but we are putting a great deal of focus on tourism.
We get about 15 000 Chinese tourists a year to the Northern Territory, which is far below anywhere else in the nation. We have been working to build on that. We inherited very low tourism numbers from the former Labor government. We have set targets of 30 000 Chinese tourists by 2020. I believe we will beat that.
What does it say when Chinese tourists come to the Northern Territory and this red rag is being waved at them by Labor and the unions, saying, ‘Chinese are not welcome in the Northern Territory’? What does it say to the 4800 Territorians who are Chinese, or of Chinese descent, in the Northern Territory to whom Labor and the unions are saying, ‘You are not welcome here’? Where will you stop? You are targeting the Chinese.
The member for Arafura asked the question. Currently, a Singapore company is investing in the Tiwi Islands. Will you start to attack the Singaporeans, or the Thai people who recently purchased the lan Soho Suites Hotel in town, or the Malaysians who own the Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs, or the Kiwis who own the casino in Darwin? Where will you stop?
You wave that red flag at a time we are trying to increase Chinese tourism, and you have advertisements on television, digital campaigns and flyers in the letterbox attacking Chinese people. The Lord Mayor of Darwin is of Chinese heritage, but you are attacking the Chinese. It is a disgraceful approach. I am not surprised the Labor opposition takes racial approaches. You have done it before, you will do it again. Your attack on Chinese Territorians, Chinese Australians and Chinese investors is disgraceful. You should apologise and call your mates in Canberra to stop these Labor union campaigns and give some respect back to Chinese Territorians who deserve respect
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016