Page 3213 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 18 November 1992
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The commission is promoting Canberra as a tourist destination which, as well as drawing on the national capital aspects, is a destination that is fun to visit and provides lots of things to do and see - a vibrant and sophisticated city. Madam Speaker, the commission is supporting the Canberra Festival with a view to helping the festival become a tourist event as well as a celebration of Canberra's birthday. The Canberra Festival has indicated that it is expanding the hot-air balloon theme for which it could become world famous. They could get lots of hot air from here. If this happens, the Canberra balloon festival could find its way into the national and international tourist calendar.
Madam Speaker, this is an ideal chance to draw to members' attention the golden opportunity that exists for us at Natex. Natex could easily be developed into Australia's premier exhibition facility, thus bringing a whole new market segment to Canberra. Very often every other exhibition facility adjoining a major population centre in Australia is plagued with parking and access problems. Once new facilities are established at Natex and the exhibition halls can be heated, we could easily double the contribution that Natex makes to the tourist industry and the Canberra economy. The Government is currently undertaking a review of this valuable facility.
Madam Speaker, before I close I would like to draw members' attention to the fact that the Chief Minister will be chairing the Tourism Ministers Council during 1993. This will mean that Canberra will become a focus for the national tourism industry during that year. We will be seeing much more of the leaders of the national industry and I am sure that they will be as impressed with our industry as we are. I think all members must be very proud of our city and it is great to be able to show it off to tourists.
MR DE DOMENICO (3.31): Let me assure Mrs Grassby that all members are very proud of our city and we like to show it off to tourists. Madam Speaker, I believe that, if there is achievement, then, politics aside, there should be recognition of that achievement. There is no doubt that the Government deserves congratulations for its continuation of work through the ACT Tourism Commission on tourism in the ACT. There is the casino, as Mrs Grassby said. By the way, regarding the casino and talking about giving credit where credit is due, let me remind the Assembly that the process that led to the establishment of the current casino was put in train under the Kaine Government, with Trevor Kaine as Chief Minister. That is a fact. There is a casino, as I said, after 18 months and not giving the private sector too much space to breathe in. Anyway, the process begun under the Kaine Government has ended with the establishment of a casino.
Mrs Grassby mentioned tourism awards. The new initiatives for a school in international hotel management were mentioned by both Ms Follett and Mrs Grassby over the past week. All those things are certainly positives. The maturity of Floriade has also contributed to the rosy assessment of tourism this year. I congratulate the Government on its good fortune and, obviously, some hard work.
I wish, however, Madam Speaker, that my congratulations could be a bit more expansive. I would like also to have been able to thank the Government for recognising that, with 42 per cent youth unemployment and tourism a major employer of young people, it could not go ahead with certain changes to occupational health and safety legislation. Ms Follett might shake her head.
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