CORONAVIRUS —
TOURISM INDUSTRY — RECOVERY PACKAGE
553. Ms J. FARRER to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's $5.54 billion recovery plan, which includes a massive
investment in upgrading tourism infrastructure across the state.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what this massive investment will mean for WA's
iconic tourism destinations?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this major infrastructure package will support
local jobs and local businesses?
Mr P.
PAPALIA replied:
I thank the member for her question.
(1)–(2) I am happy to report
that the Kimberley is the recipient of a significant investment by the state
government as part of the unprecedented $150 million funding package towards
tourism and infrastructure across the state as part of its recovery plan. The
Premier; the Minister for Environment; the local member, the member for
Mandurah; and I announced only about a week and a half ago an extraordinary
commitment across the state in a vast array of different sites, predominantly
dealing with providing additional upgrades or new infrastructure to support our
magnificent natural attractions. The reason people were flocking to Western Australia
from all parts of the globe and particularly all parts of the eastern states
before COVID-19 was to visit our unique natural attractions and engage in some
of the things people can do nowhere else on the planet, such as swimming with
whale sharks and whales; trips into remote parts of the magnificent Kimberley,
a place that has unparalleled beauty and also magnificent natural attractions
the likes of which there is no equivalent on the planet; and also other parts
of the state. There is the beautiful south, with a coast with the whitest sands
in the world, where people can walk past kangaroos and get a coffee at Doc's
coffee shop on the beach. There are magnificent attractions. There has been
fantastic investment in walkways and other amenities to provide better
facilities for people who are visiting. There are
places in Kalbarri like the Kalbarri gorges, with the great skywalks now
delivered by the McGowan government.
Several members interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA: It is a key
element of the Wander Out Yonder campaign, attracting many thousands of people
from the metropolitan area and further south to Kalbarri in numbers the likes
of which they have never seen.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA: People had
better book early if they want to visit and stay up there. On the way up,
people had better book in at Geraldton as
well, because they are having unbelievable numbers of visitors. They have never
seen so many visitors staying on the way up and on the way back. The
investment by the McGowan government in infrastructure
across the state is an investment in the future, but right now it is creating
jobs right around the state. In every
single region of Western Australia, jobs are being created as we enhance the
attractions for Western Australians to use right now, but also to make
it a better attraction in the future.
I look forward to visiting the
member for Kimberley very shortly when we launch Shinju Matsuri and seeing some
of the sites where some of the investment will be dedicated.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Mr P. PAPALIA: I cannot hear
the member. There are too many members talking on that side.
I look forward to also visiting some
of the sites that have benefited from part of that $150 million package. It has
been an extraordinary investment. The Kimberley is going to benefit. Cape
Leveque Road will soon be opened permanently and as a part of our investment,
three Aboriginal communities will benefit from the creation of Camping with
Custodian sites, an all-day product from Broome, enhancing the attraction of
Broome and the wider Kimberley, but also providing an opportunity for
employment for Aboriginal on country.