Page 1476 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
of tourism funding, which was just over $16 million, and events funding, which was in the order of $6.15 million, giving a combined total of $22.39 million.
Mr Smyth is correct to identify that in 2007-08 the tourism and events funding has increased from $22.397 million to $24.838 million—an increase just short of $2½ million. Those increases identified in the budget papers yesterday relate to increased expenditure for Floriade, the world mountain bike championships and other events associated with Stromlo Forest Park, and additional moneys into other territory venues and events.
The combined funding for tourism and events in 2007-08 is $24.838 million, an increase of about $2.4½ million—$2.44 million, I think—on what was available in those combined entities in 2006-07. As a result, I am very pleased to be able to advise the Assembly that we are targeting additional funding into important tourism and event areas within the territory budget, particularly Floriade.
I am also pleased to advise the Assembly, as I have not had the opportunity since the announcement was made last week, that we have achieved a successful negotiation with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport about the continuation of the Rally of Canberra. That arrangement has freed up three quarters of a million dollars into the outyears—each year into the outyears—for the tourism portfolio. A one-off payment is made to the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport for 2007-08, leaving $450,000 of additional funding available in 2007-08, rising to $750,000 in 2008-09 and into the outyear.
So a total of $2.7 million in additional funding will be redirected back into the tourism portfolio available for the promotion of the city; available, as I announced last night, for additional funding for the Canberra Convention Bureau to support the government’s $30 million investment in the refurbishment of the National Convention Centre.
It is again a sound budget for tourism, one in which we are investing in our key events. There were some prudent negotiations around the Rally of Canberra. We have been able to free up $2.7 million in additional money for the tourism budget as a result of some difficult and complex negotiations, which were handled extremely well by the Department of Territory and Municipal Services. I commend all the officers who were involved in those negotiations. We will see an ongoing rally here in Canberra. It is fantastic news. The organisation of the event has been taken over by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport and there will be a $2.7 million dividend back to taxpayers in the territory, back into our tourism budget.
Difficult decisions had to be taken during 2006-07. But looking forward to the next four years, there will be outstanding results for tourism in the territory. It is interesting that Mr Smyth raises these issues today. I am sure that in the supplementary I will be able to provide some information on the latest international visitor survey figures for the ACT, which again provide more good news for tourism in the ACT.
MR SMYTH: I ask a supplementary question. The minister will be disappointed because it will not be about visitor numbers. But we will get to that. Minister, what is included in the 6.158 listed as events, and where were these funds transferred from?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .