Page 4429 - Week 14 - Thursday, 28 November 2013
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MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Chief Minister, can you detail the expected benefits of the centenary year to the ACT’s economy?
MS GALLAGHER: We will continue to monitor these as some of the economic data comes out to inform our evaluation in terms of the economic impact. But we have already seen some very positive results from the national visitors survey conducted by Tourism Research Australia that saw a 16.9 per cent increase in domestic overnight visitors in the March quarter, where we had seen nationally domestic overnight visitation increase by 0.8 per cent for the corresponding period. So there is no doubt that people were coming and staying over in Canberra during that busy centenary month of March.
For the year ending June 2013, the ACT received just over two million domestic overnight visitors, which is a nine per cent increase, or equating to a 170,000 person increase compared to the previous year. The ACT’s domestic overnight visitor expenditure figure for the year ending March 2013 was $1.207 billion. This figure represents a $159 million increase on the figure recorded the previous year.
We have also seen a 25 per cent increase in the number of conferences held in Canberra. I have certainly been to many of those to open them or to support the work they are doing in promoting Canberra and its centenary year. These are some of the early indications we have had on the economic success of the centenary year. We will continue to update the Assembly as more information becomes available.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Minister, how will the outcomes be measured? Who will do it? And what budget has been allocated to measure the outcomes of the centenary year?
MS GALLAGHER: Some of that has already been undertaken by a number of different organisations. In the interests of providing a comprehensive answer, we will provide that on notice to you, Mr Smyth. I think some has yet to occur. But definitely some has already been done. I cannot think of all of the names off the top of my head. So I will come back to you on that.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Chief Minister, what work has the government undertaken to ensure the legacy from the centenary year flows on to future years as we enter our second century?
MS GALLAGHER: One of the initiatives that has been the subject of some discussion today is the Canberra brand, the brand Canberra project, which has been out there for public consumption this morning. That really is looking to project forward from the centenary year, to use the city pride—I think the coming together of the community, a maturing of the community—to look forward into Canberra’s
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