CORONAVIRUS — SMALL BUSINESS AND TOURISM —
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
481. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to
the Minister for Tourism:
I have a supplementary question. Instead of the minister
constantly putting his hand out to the federal government, why does he not do
his job and go to the Treasurer and the Premier to fight for and secure
additional funding to help all struggling tourism small businesses that are
being impacted by the COVID job crisis; and, the minister did not answer the
first part of the question—did he ask?
Mr P. PAPALIA replied:
Thanks, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER: Minister, wait until the member has sat
down.
Mr P. PAPALIA: I did not think she was ever going to
finish.
The SPEAKER: Minister, there are certain protocols of
the Parliament.
Mr P. PAPALIA: Part of my job as the tourism minister of Western
Australia is to advocate for support from the federal government for Western
Australian tourism businesses. I point the member to a statement by the Prime
Minister on 12 March this year about an economic stimulus package and a subsequent
report on the same day in The Sydney Morning Herald about the comments
and announcements made by the Prime Minister and the federal Minister for
Trade, Tourism and Investment, Simon Birmingham. The headline of The Sydney
Morning Herald article states, ''Tourism industry gets $1
billion boost amid 'unprecedented' crisis''. Not one
cent of that money has gone to Western Australian
tourism businesses. It is my job to advocate on behalf of Western Australian
tourism businesses for a share of the federal government's $1 billion
tourism support package, which has not crossed the Nullarbor. We put a $14
million grants scheme on the table. We have made our effort. It is about time
the federal minister stood up for Western Australian businesses. In fact, it is
about time the Liberal Party of Western Australia asked its federal colleagues
for a contribution. The member for Darling Range is the shadow Minister for
Tourism in Western Australia; what has she
done? Has she asked Simon Birmingham to give Western Australia a contribution?
Has she stood up on behalf of Western Australian small businesses? I have not
heard her once call on the federal government to do anything in Western Australia
on behalf of the WA tourism sector.
Ms R. Saffioti: Apart from
asking it to take the borders down.
Mr P. PAPALIA: That is
right. The one thing the Liberal Party of Western Australia has cut through
with is its calls for the border to come down. The worst possible thing for any
business or citizen of Western Australia would be for that border to come down
and community transmission to come here earlier than when we would like to confront that challenge. We have the freest
economy in the country; that is the best thing for all Western Australians,
including every single tourism business.