Page 3516 - Week 13 - Thursday, 26 November 1992
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Mr De Domenico: We flushed that one away.
MR LAMONT: There have been issues raised about various other methods of taxation. As Mr De Domenico says in relation to the loo tax, we flushed that one out. Funding the marketing of the ACT as a tourist destination in toto is one of the significant issues that the industry and the Government must come to grips with. I hope that this document provides the catalyst, as Mr De Domenico has outlined, to allow the industry and government to come to an agreement as to how that should be done.
Recommendation 11.6, on page 48, is another of the interesting suggestions that the committee believes need to be addressed. The recommendation addresses the issue of inbound tourism. Until this issue is addressed, inbound tourism is not something that I believe we will see a significant increase in. The recommendation refers to the question of Canberra Airport. Frankly, a lot of the inbound tour operators are extremely critical of the fact that to bring tours to Canberra you must first of all stop off in Sydney or Melbourne. You then have a four- or five-hour coach drive, which generally requires an overnight stay in Sydney. The added expense of all that is significant enough to prevent a lot of the inbound tourism operators from promoting Canberra as an inbound tourist destination. The report and the witnesses quite clearly demonstrate that the ACT region - it was the regional context that the committee kept in mind when drawing its conclusions - will not attract significant inbound tourism unless this matter is addressed. We see it as a significant step forward in promoting this region as an inbound tourist destination.
Mr De Domenico outlined the significant number of submissions that the committee received. He also outlined the fact-finding tour of the region which was undertaken by the committee, in particular by Mr De Domenico and Ms Szuty, which was invaluable in coming to grips with and promoting the issue of cooperation within the region as far as tourism is concerned. Too often there is a view held by some operators in the industry that everything the industry does must particularly and singularly identify their business. There is greater recognition in the region and in the ACT that we must be marketing the region and the ACT as a destination per se. That is the only way in which we ultimately will receive significant inbound tourism.
Madam Speaker, the work which was done was significant in arriving at this discussion paper. The committee has acted, as most of the committees of the Assembly have, with a great deal of cooperation amongst its members. In particular, I wish to place on record our appreciation of Bill Symington, the secretary of the committee, who ensured, at times in quite trying circumstances, that the committee was able to maintain the thrust of its decisions and the information provided to it. He did a sterling job, along with other members of the secretariat, in ensuring that this publication was able to be presented this day. I would want to ensure that that is placed on the public record.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Sitting suspended from 12.24 to 2.30 pm
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