Mr BELL - 1994-09-01
I refer the minister to the report in the Alice Springs News about the expenditure of $250 000, through a firm known as Kinky Nippon, persuading Japanese people to attend the Masters Games in Alice Springs. This is despite the fact that accommodation in Alice Springs is already fully booked for that event. Is it true that the effort has attracted only one Japanese participant to the Masters Games? Does this sum of $250 000 represent more than the entire budget of the Central Australian Tourism Industry Association? Can the minister explain this extraordinary and, in my view, misguided sense of priorities?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, apart from the giggles from the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition tourism spokesman about the name of the company Kinky Nippon, which is one of the largest tourism operators in Japan, obviously they do not have much idea ...
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, I am not sure about the numbers, but I would say that 'only one participant' is incorrect.
Mr Stirling: It might have been two.
Mr COULTER: What about two? I will provide the information before the end of Question Time or during the period available for the provision of additional information. I will provide examples of the excellent exposure that Alice Springs has received, particularly in newspapers in Japan. I have all those pamphlets and newspapers in my office, and I will table
Page 137
them to show the opposition what can be achieved in terms of exposure, whether it be for the Masters Games or the Sydney Marathon.
We have achieved great exposure for central Australia and Alice Springs, with some of the facilities in Alice Springs being advertised in this promotional material. We have capitalised on the fact that the Masters Games will be held at this time. Honda, a large Japanese company, would have put at least $2m into the Masters Games over the last several years. Many others also are promoting the Masters Games. I believe we will have a large contingent of Japanese. The golf course features very heavily in this promotion campaign.
I believe the kind of exposure that we have been able to achieve for $250 000 is remarkable. I am sure that, when members examine it in a few minutes time, they will understand what we are attempting to achieve in terms of attracting more people to Alice Springs for whatever reason. We have utilised the fact that the Master Games will be held at this time simply as a trigger to obtain more exposure for Alice Springs. Certainly, it needs that to fill rooms and have tourism as an even more focal point of industry in Alice Springs.
Page 138
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, apart from the giggles from the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition tourism spokesman about the name of the company Kinky Nippon, which is one of the largest tourism operators in Japan, obviously they do not have much idea ...
Members interjecting.
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker, I am not sure about the numbers, but I would say that 'only one participant' is incorrect.
Mr Stirling: It might have been two.
Mr COULTER: What about two? I will provide the information before the end of Question Time or during the period available for the provision of additional information. I will provide examples of the excellent exposure that Alice Springs has received, particularly in newspapers in Japan. I have all those pamphlets and newspapers in my office, and I will table
Page 137
them to show the opposition what can be achieved in terms of exposure, whether it be for the Masters Games or the Sydney Marathon.
We have achieved great exposure for central Australia and Alice Springs, with some of the facilities in Alice Springs being advertised in this promotional material. We have capitalised on the fact that the Masters Games will be held at this time. Honda, a large Japanese company, would have put at least $2m into the Masters Games over the last several years. Many others also are promoting the Masters Games. I believe we will have a large contingent of Japanese. The golf course features very heavily in this promotion campaign.
I believe the kind of exposure that we have been able to achieve for $250 000 is remarkable. I am sure that, when members examine it in a few minutes time, they will understand what we are attempting to achieve in terms of attracting more people to Alice Springs for whatever reason. We have utilised the fact that the Master Games will be held at this time simply as a trigger to obtain more exposure for Alice Springs. Certainly, it needs that to fill rooms and have tourism as an even more focal point of industry in Alice Springs.
Page 138
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016