Extract from the CURRENT HOUSE HANSARD
Database
Date: 19 November 1997 (19:37)
Page: 10713
ADJOURNMENT
Tourism
Ms HANSON (Oxley) (7.40 p.m.) I rise this evening to express my concern for the Australian tourism industry. Some have leapt, and no doubt still will leap, to their feet to try and make political mileage out of tagging me as being responsible for the number of international visitors not increasing as much this year as last year. This, of course, is of no substance and simply opportunistic, just like everything else I have been blamed for by my political opponents in their bid to make me appear bad for Australia.
As we all know, I have been held to blame for just about every ill that has befallen our country. Many of my fellow Australians have been left wondering about just how perfect Australia must have been before my election in March last year. I must say, with my tongue firmly in my cheek, just how amazing it is that one small red headed Australian woman from Ipswich could in such a small space of time destroy our trade, foreign relations, exports, jobs and, of course, tourism, to name but a few. Next year I am planning to make it rain for 40 days and 40 nights, so I suggest the members of this House start building their arks and gathering their animals two by two.
If I have done nothing else in this House, at least I have allowed our politicians to hone their skills as liars, and their practices of sinking lower than any normal person would believe possible in their efforts to distract the Australian public from the ever mounting evidence of the failures of successive Liberal and Labor governments.
Mr Lloyd I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker: I take objection to the words that the member for Oxley used in calling members of parliament liars, and I ask her to withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER I did not actually hear the word `liars', but if the word `liars' was used I do implore the honourable member for Oxley to withdraw that remark.
Ms HANSON I withdraw it. Tourism is one of our country's most important employers, with one in nine jobs in Australia found in this industry, but for many reasons it is becoming clear tourism cannot be our lone saviour. While I do not in any way wish to detract from my support for tourism, I must acknowledge it will never replace the many jobs lost through the treacherous policies of successive governments. So I will, of course, continue to push the need to revitalise the many industries devastated by the destructive push for globalisation.
I will always welcome law abiding visitors from everywhere and I am proud that so many people are able to experience the magnificent uniqueness of Australia. I hope more Australians will have the opportunity of owning tourism businesses and offering our young people rewarding careers in this exciting industry. There have been many setbacks for the industry but none of these things relates to me, rather they are more plausible issues: too high an expectation by the Tourism Forecasting Council, currency fluctuations, marketing errors, the humbling of the tiger economies of Asia, competition from so many other destinations around the world and quite simply the fact that you cannot stay on top forever. There is only one place to go from number one; even the Beatles and Bing Crosby were eventually outsold.
It is very disturbing that outgoing tourism is growing at 15 per cent while domestic tourism is essentially flat. I cannot speak too loudly in encouraging Australians to spend as much of their holiday dollar as possible in Australia. Please see our own country first there is so much to see. The sights and sounds available here in our country range from beauty to adventure and are so diverse in nature it is difficult for other countries to compete with the splendour and magnificence of the Australian experience. Our Australia, the greatest island in the world, is host to Australian businesses and jobs that need and deserve the support of our own people.
I must say that it is unfortunate that so much of the profits from tourism have left Australia through foreign ownership as in many cases we failed to invest in our own natural showcase. I hope Australian investors buy up the current bargains and therefore help to keep profits here in Australia. It would be nice to fully reclaim somewhere like Hayman Island. In the meantime, Peppers in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, the Coconut Beach Rainforest Resort at Cape Tribulation in Queensland and the Wilpena Resort in South Australia's Flinders Ranges are just some examples of the different styles of Australian owned properties.
It is an appalling situation that the federal government does not provide any funding to promote the concept of Australians seeing Australia. The growing exodus to see the world must be balanced by a campaign that will promote the best destination in the world, our own home. In consultation with the tourism industry, it will be a policy of One Nation to make appropriate funding available to promote staying in Australia and spending your tourist dollars here, where clearly they will do the most good.(Time expired)