20 Jul 2000 Legislative Assembly 2225 THURSDAY, 20 JULY 2000 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Olympic Bonus Grant Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central— ALP) (Premier) (9.33 a.m.), by leave: Olympic Mr SPEAKER (Hon. R. K. Hollis, Redcliffe) fever is building with just 57 days to go until read prayers and took the chair at 9.30 a.m. the Olympic Games start in Sydney. My Government is pleased to reward Queensland PETITIONS athletes selected in Australian Olympic teams The Clerk announced the receipt of the with a special Olympic bonus grant of $10,800. following petitions— Later today, the Sports Minister, Terry Mackenroth, and I will make the first presentations at a ceremony here at Cooroy Private Hospital Parliament House to Queenslanders in the From Mr Davidson (1,132 petitioners) Australian swimming, softball and water polo requesting the House to (a) ensure that the teams. Queensland athletes in other Olympic result of the investigation undertaken by the and Paralympic teams will receive their bonus administrators of the Cooroy Private Hospital payments during coming months. Ltd be made public to the electorate of Noosa, In the past, the Queensland Government (b) disclose the alliance between Manchester has given grants of $5,400 to athletes Unity and Cooroy Private Hospital—if no preparing for major international competitions, financial input could be made by Manchester such as the Olympic and Commonwealth Unity then why was the company represented Games. However, this year the grant has been on the hospital's board, and (c) support the doubled to assist athletes to perform at their retrenched employees in their bid to gain their very best in front of their home crowd. Olympic financial reimbursement from the employees' selection alone is a great reward for the many entitlements support scheme. years of hard work and commitment put in by our athletes. The Queensland Government's bonus grant is presented in recognition of this Adult Entertainment Permits; Liquor Act dedication and the sacrifices made by athletes From Mr Knuth (386 petitioners) in their quest to represent their country. requesting the House to (a) refuse the applications of Koppen Investments Pty Ltd The Queensland athletes to be awarded and Gregorio Pelligrini for adult entertainment the grants at the first presentation are: in permits and (b) repeal in its entirety the swimming, Ashley Callus, Geoff Huegill, Heath amendments to the Liquor Act 1992 contained Ramsay, Sybilla Goode, Daniel Kowalski, in Part 9 of the Prostitution Act 1999. Susie O'Neill, Tarnee White, Regan Harrison, Grant Hackett, Kieren Perkins, Rob Van Der Petitions received. Zant, Leisel Jones, Hayley Lewis, Giaan Rooney and Caroline Hildreth; in softball, PAPERS Tanya Harding, Kelly Hardie, Brooke Wilkins and Sandra Allen; in water polo, Naomi Castle, MINISTERIAL PAPERS Gail Miller and Melissa Mills. The following papers were tabled— Queensland is also the pre-Olympic Minister for Communication and Information, training base of choice of another four Local Government and Planning and Minister for Sport (Mr Mackenroth)— international Olympic teams. The latest Olympic visitors to confirm they were headed Report on the Development Application at our way are the Polish and Czech Republic Goodsell Road, Cape Cleveland, via Townsville (Townsville City Council) track and field teams, which will train in called in by the Minister for Brisbane; the Korean baseball team, which will Communication and Information, Local train on the Sunshine Coast; and the Brazilian Government, Planning and Sport on 13 men's soccer team, which will train on the Gold January 2000 pursuant to section 3.5.6 of Coast. I am sure that will be of great interest the Integrated Planning Act 1997 not only to sports fans on the Gold Coast but Report on the Development Application at also to all Queenslanders. A total of 151 Cape Cleveland Road, Cape Cleveland, Olympic and Paralympic teams from 31 via Townsville (Townsville City Council) countries are coming to Queensland to train. called in by the Minister for Communication and Information, Local Mr Mackenroth: More than New South Government, Planning and Sport on 16 Wales. December 1999 pursuant to section 3.5.6 Mr BEATTIE: I am about to come to that. of the Integrated Planning Act 1997. It just goes to prove the strength of the 2226 Ministerial Statement 20 Jul 2000 Sunshine State's international reputation as an Mr BEATTIE: The GST is like a ball and ideal sporting venue and tourist destination. chain around the ankle of the tourism industry. Event tourism like Olympic training The GST taxes accommodation— highlights Queensland to the world and Opposition members interjected. attracts other tourists and creates jobs. I am Mr BEATTIE: Well may members told from a very reliable source—which opposite squeal, because I will be reminding happens to be the Minister for Sport—that Queenslanders that the Liberal and National there are more teams training in Queensland Parties support the GST. The GST taxes than in Sydney or anywhere in New South accommodation, meals and domestic travel for Wales. I think it is a credit to the effort made the first time ever, and it is a very severe attack by the Minister for Sport and this Government on the food and wine industry, on restaurants to ensure that those training teams are here. I and so on. Let the record show that the acknowledge Terry Mackenroth, I acknowledge Opposition believes that the important tourism the role of Bob Gibbs, and I very generously industry is unimportant. But we will do acknowledge the role of Mick Veivers as well. I everything we can to help tourism. Under the table a copy of that release for the information GST, it is cheaper to holiday in Vanuatu than of the House. the Whitsundays! That is the legacy of the members opposite. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Queensland Treasury has conducted a Impact of GST on Tourism detailed analysis of the market response to the increased prices for tourism services that arise Hon. P. D. BEATTIE (Brisbane Central— from the GST. They found that the GST would ALP) (Premier) (9.36 a.m.), by leave: The reduce the number of overseas tourists to tourism industry is a mainstay of the Australia by 8.5%. This research is backed up Queensland economy. It is an $8 billion by independent studies by the Centre of Policy industry, representing 8% of our gross State Studies and Econtech, who predicted a product and employing 130,000 reduction in tourism exports of between 6.5% Queenslanders throughout our State. More and 9%. Because more visitors come to than $5.3 billion of our tourism revenue comes Queensland for holiday purposes than other from interstate and overseas visitors to States, there would be an even greater Queensland. Over the past two decades reduction in overseas visitor numbers to this tourism services exports have grown by an State than these estimates would indicate if it average 7.7% per annum. My Government is were not for the aggressive program being doing everything within its power to continue pursued by the Queensland Government to that strong growth for what is now our second- increase tourism numbers. largest industry. The markets likely to be hardest hit by the The Minister for Tourism, Merri Rose, and introduction of the GST are the volatile, price- this State Government are out there sensitive markets such as Taiwan, South advocating at every opportunity the expansion Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. The of this industry and doing everything that we analysis assumes a 5% rise in prices for possibly can to attract tourists here. That is tourism services. If prices rise by more, the why we are making massive investment in reduction in the number of tourists will be or marketing the Queensland tourism industry by could be greater. The impact of the GST on developing infrastructure, including: the Gold interstate tourism is estimated to be a 6.9% Coast Convention Centre; the Heritage Trail reduction in visitor nights spent in Queensland projects across the State; Vision Airlie; Cairns by visitors from New South Wales, Victoria and CityPort; Magnetic Island; the cultural precinct South Australia. in Brisbane; the pedestrian bridge to South Bank; the Roma Street Parklands; and the list So what is the Federal Government doing goes on, as well as supporting the regional about jobs in the Queensland tourism sector? headquarters of Virgin Blue. It is cutting the legs from under it by imposing a GST, which will stop between 7% and 9% of So my Government is doing a lot for interstate and overseas tourists from visiting tourism; we are doing everything we can to talk our State. That adds up to a $500m penalty up this industry, and we need to, not just each and every year on Queensland's tourism because it is the right thing to do to increase operators. That is a massive price for jobs but because there is a problem. You see, Queensland to pay for John Howard's tax Mr Speaker, the task is being made all the reform. That is why my Government is doing harder by John Howard's GST. everything it can to make Queensland more Opposition members interjected. attractive to tourists and to offset that possible 20 Jul 2000 Ministerial Statement 2227 loss of numbers. That is why we are investing Rockhampton, Cairns, Bundaberg, $250m this year in tourism infrastructure that Maryborough and Gladstone. builds on our natural attractions to make Since first subscribing to green power Queensland the place to visit at any products in February 1999, the Government's price—GST or not. That is the reason for the green power purchase program has already record budget for tourism infrastructure, as well helped to save over 30,000 tonnes of carbon as long-term planning for the industry, and that dioxide emissions.