Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (8 April) . . Page.. 672 ..

MR KAINE (continuing):

There is a certain amount of resources being devoted to tourism marketing and the like at the moment, and perhaps there is scope for using those resources better. That is why I see the Tourism and Events Corporation as being a focal point. Resources that are currently being committed to tourism promotion or activities of a similar kind in departments and agencies spread across the whole of the ACT Government can perhaps be better directed if they are all directed through the corporation. I mentioned the strategy for nature-based tourism. There are resources in the parks and conservation area, run by Mr Humphries, that have been working on tourism-related activities. There are resources in the sport and recreation area that have been devoted to tourism-like activities. By bringing the management of all of those resources together in a single body called the Tourism and Events Corporation, hopefully we can get, to use a World War II expression, a bigger bang for the buck - by putting it all together in one base rather than spreading it thinly across the slice of bread.

Mr Speaker, I appreciate the indications of support. I believe that the Government is taking a step that can only be beneficial. I do not claim that it is the panacea for all of our tourism problems, but it is one chip in the whole mosaic. I think it can, with everybody's support, be a productive entity. I expect that it will, and I can see it being only good for this community of ours in the Territory. I welcome the support, and I urge all members, as they have indicated they will, to support the legislation.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Clauses 1 to 4, by leave, taken together, and agreed to.

Clause 5

MS TUCKER (12.11): I move:

Page 2, line 23, paragraph (c), before "development", insert "ecologically sustainable".

This amends paragraph 5(c) by inserting the words "ecologically sustainable" before the word "development". This paragraph, if the amendment is passed, will read:

to encourage the ecologically sustainable development of the tourist and travel industry.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .