Page 4913 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 26 November 1991
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Mr Stevenson also made a remark about our vehicles, which he says were purchased by the Labor Government in 1989. That is quite untrue. He is confused. The vehicles in question were ministerial vehicles. We can deal with the matter again under program 2 if Mr Stevenson wishes, but for the moment we are dealing with the Assembly program and it is irrelevant. Those vehicles were purchased by the bureaucracy - the Government Service - prior to self-government, and they were given to the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition as well as to Ministers. I, of course, did not take one, as you know. To have disposed of those vehicles once they had been purchased would have been a gross diseconomy.
Mr Jensen made some interesting comments. The one on which I would support him is the value of the Assembly's committee system. I would much rather see the Assembly putting its limited funds into the committee system, which achieves a result for the community and helps us all to do a better job here, than into lurks and perks for ourselves.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
Chief Minister's Department
Proposed expenditure - Division 20 - ACT Corporate Management, $15,212,900 - agreed to.
Proposed expenditure - Division 30 - Economic Development, $10,159,300
MRS NOLAN (5.12): I think it is very appropriate that I place on record my concerns in relation to this area, in particular the tourism industry and the $1m reduction in funding in this Appropriation Bill for the ACT Tourism Commission. There may be additional funds as a result of streamlining, changes in office accommodation, et cetera; but a $1m grant which was first made in 1988 and continued in 1989 and 1990 has been removed. The tourism industry - an industry that in a time of high youth unemployment generates 8,000 to 10,000 jobs and revenue for the Territory of some $450m - should have received that funding. I recognise that in times of financial constraints something has to be cut, but I believe that the consequences of this cut for this Territory will be quite significant. Youth unemployment in this city is already running at an exorbitant rate. I believe that it is some 17 per cent.
As a direct consequence of the reduction in tourism funding, it will be very difficult to attract as many visitors to this city. We will see a reduction in visitor numbers. It is unfortunate. I recognise that in the longer term some of the streamlining, such as the closure of the Sydney and Melbourne offices of the Tourism Commission, will channel additional funds to marketing and will enable the continued tourist promotion in the city; but in the short term those dollars just will not be there.
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