Ms ANDERSON - 2008-05-07
Budget 2008-09 delivers for Territorians. Can the minister advise the House on the benefits it delivers to the Territory’s tourism industry?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her important question. The budget delivers for families and Territorians, but especially for families that are involved in the tourism industry. The tourism industry is one of the most important industries in the Territory, contributing 6.7%, or $650m, in gross value added to our economy, and also accounts for 11.7% of Northern Territory employment. That translates to 11 000 jobs.
Our government has recognised the importance of this industry. That is why we have committed to an ongoing additional funding of $10m per annum to Tourism NT. That brings the total funding for the agency to $39.4m in 2008-09.
Some of the budget highlights for tourism this year are $1m to build on indigenous peoples’ interest in tourism by developing new projects from emerging indigenous entrepreneurs. That means more jobs for indigenous Territorians in the regions. We are aware that environmental lobby groups are campaigning against long-haul travel to New Zealand and Australia. To counteract that, we have allocated $0.5m for environmentally sustainable initiatives, including $300 000 for Make the Switch grants, a program to encourage the use of sustainable energy sources and to employ the best practice initiatives for the tourism industry.
There is $1.1m for aviation, to increase the Territory’s competitive position in access from key source markets. We will work together with the airlines on marketing campaigns to drive up business, passenger numbers, and tourists to the Northern Territory. There is funding of $29m for marketing output to promote the Territory to encourage increased visitation in regional areas.
There is a movie coming out in November 2008: Australia. That movie, from what I have seen, will be bigger and better than Titanic and it will put Darwin on the map. From the preview I have seen, I was very impressed. I have to tell you, in the photograph today in the NT News, entitled The Romantic Darwin, there were three ladies who work in tourism behind me and, during the 10-minute preview, they were wiping away tears, so it must be working well ...
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: It must be Baz Luhrmann, I do not know, but it is something. We have to grab these opportunities, to piggyback on movies like this that highlight Darwin and the Territory. That is why we have allocated $600 000 for promotion on the back of that particular movie. Do not forget what happened with Lord of the Rings in New Zealand and in other jurisdictions.
We are also spending $1m for a global Red Centre Way marketing campaign. We do not forget the regions. We developed a program in 2005, Strengthening the Position of Alice Springs Tourism. We have been working to promote and attract tourism in regional centres, including Alice Springs. We have 30 action items to improve Alice Springs as a tourist destination, despite the attempts by certain people in the region to counteract our campaign with negative publicity. For every single dollar we spend, they manage to generate about $3 to $4 negative publicity. However, we are working very hard to attract people to Alice Springs.
With this plan, we are engaging Charles Darwin University to undertake a consultation process that includes surveys and focus groups. We want to ask the operators how to proceed to develop a new action plan, and we have allocated $40 000 in Budget 2008-09. These are some of the items in Budget 2008-09 to promote tourism because, as I said before, for a lot of families in the Territory, their livelihood is in tourism.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her important question. The budget delivers for families and Territorians, but especially for families that are involved in the tourism industry. The tourism industry is one of the most important industries in the Territory, contributing 6.7%, or $650m, in gross value added to our economy, and also accounts for 11.7% of Northern Territory employment. That translates to 11 000 jobs.
Our government has recognised the importance of this industry. That is why we have committed to an ongoing additional funding of $10m per annum to Tourism NT. That brings the total funding for the agency to $39.4m in 2008-09.
Some of the budget highlights for tourism this year are $1m to build on indigenous peoples’ interest in tourism by developing new projects from emerging indigenous entrepreneurs. That means more jobs for indigenous Territorians in the regions. We are aware that environmental lobby groups are campaigning against long-haul travel to New Zealand and Australia. To counteract that, we have allocated $0.5m for environmentally sustainable initiatives, including $300 000 for Make the Switch grants, a program to encourage the use of sustainable energy sources and to employ the best practice initiatives for the tourism industry.
There is $1.1m for aviation, to increase the Territory’s competitive position in access from key source markets. We will work together with the airlines on marketing campaigns to drive up business, passenger numbers, and tourists to the Northern Territory. There is funding of $29m for marketing output to promote the Territory to encourage increased visitation in regional areas.
There is a movie coming out in November 2008: Australia. That movie, from what I have seen, will be bigger and better than Titanic and it will put Darwin on the map. From the preview I have seen, I was very impressed. I have to tell you, in the photograph today in the NT News, entitled The Romantic Darwin, there were three ladies who work in tourism behind me and, during the 10-minute preview, they were wiping away tears, so it must be working well ...
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: It must be Baz Luhrmann, I do not know, but it is something. We have to grab these opportunities, to piggyback on movies like this that highlight Darwin and the Territory. That is why we have allocated $600 000 for promotion on the back of that particular movie. Do not forget what happened with Lord of the Rings in New Zealand and in other jurisdictions.
We are also spending $1m for a global Red Centre Way marketing campaign. We do not forget the regions. We developed a program in 2005, Strengthening the Position of Alice Springs Tourism. We have been working to promote and attract tourism in regional centres, including Alice Springs. We have 30 action items to improve Alice Springs as a tourist destination, despite the attempts by certain people in the region to counteract our campaign with negative publicity. For every single dollar we spend, they manage to generate about $3 to $4 negative publicity. However, we are working very hard to attract people to Alice Springs.
With this plan, we are engaging Charles Darwin University to undertake a consultation process that includes surveys and focus groups. We want to ask the operators how to proceed to develop a new action plan, and we have allocated $40 000 in Budget 2008-09. These are some of the items in Budget 2008-09 to promote tourism because, as I said before, for a lot of families in the Territory, their livelihood is in tourism.
Ms LAWRIE (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016