Page 2254 - Week 06 - Friday, 27 June 2008
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MR BARR: You have been a critic of that all the way through, Mr Smyth. On the capital side, there is the portable tourism visitor information booth and the additional funding for Floriade.
At the risk of paraphrasing Mr Smyth’s comments last night in relation to mental health—Mr Smyth can correct me if I am wrong here—I did find it interesting that the essence of his argument last night was that it was not how much money you spent; it was that you delivered effective outcomes and programs. His argument in the health portfolio is that the measure that you should use is not how much money is allocated in a particular area but the quality of the programs and the quality of the outcomes. It is interesting, then, that in the tourism portfolio he assumes the exact opposite position; he does not seem to care at all about the quality of the investment. The only measure of success in the tourism industry according to Mr Smyth seems to be the level of government subsidy that the industry attracts.
You are on the record, most recently, Mr Smyth, as indicating that the tourism industry has been performing well. We note—and no-one is denying this—that the industry across Australia faces significant challenges in the years ahead. There is no doubting that. That is why the government is making a series of strategic investments, like we have in this year’s budget—
Mr Smyth: They’re strategic!
MR BARR: Well, would you prefer just a bucketload of money without any strategy, Mr Smyth? That is why, Mr Speaker, the government has been engaging—
Mr Seselja: You need to demonstrate it is strategic. Just calling it strategic doesn’t make it strategic.
MR BARR: Well, okay, fine. You can make whatever assessment you want, but these particular initiatives were recommended by the ministerial advisory council and endorsed by that council. That particular advisory council recommended a focus in a range of areas.
Mr Smyth: The chair was on TV the other night saying there’s got to be more money.
MR BARR: Yes, Mr Smyth, he was on television requesting more money.
Mr Smyth: I rest my case.
MR BARR: Every tourism industry representative in every jurisdiction in Australia is always requesting more money.
Mr Smyth: It is the industry’s fault!
MR BARR: No, it is not the industry’s fault. I am simply indicating that in every jurisdiction every tourism representative is always requesting more money. That is their job; they are out there lobbying for more money. It is hardly a surprise that
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