Abbott downgrades tourism portfolio
The tourism industry has been delivered a massive slap in the face by the Abbott Coalition government with the important portfolio being split between trade and investment and industry. Meanwhile sport gets elevated to portfolio status!
Tony Abbott has attempted to defend the decision, saying the industry was still important. “I want to promote tourism,” he said. “I intend, through a deregulation agenda, to make it easier for the tourism industry.”
Bob Baldwin, who had served diligently as shadow tourism minister while the Coalition was in Opposition, and did a fairly robust job of it, has now been demoted to parliamentary secretary for industry.
Tourism’s interests will now be split between trade and investment minister Andrew Robb, who will deal with international tourism and industry minister Ian MacFarlane, who will look after domestic tourism.
The situation under the former Labor government showed that tourism got a bum deal when Martin Ferguson shared the portfolio with resources and energy with tourism getting proportionately very little of his attention.
How is the new deal going to be any better?
It seems the only group happy with the new status of tourism is the Tourism & Transport Forum. “This is a sensible arrangement which will ensure that tourism is considered in the decision making around Australia’s foreign policy and acknowledges the gateway role that tourism plays in helping foster international relationships for business, education and investment. Economic diplomacy of this type will help to drive synergies in the promotion of Australia as an international destination, leveraging the activities of other Australian agencies in key source markets,” TTF chief executive Ken Morrison said.
Australian Tourism Export Council managing director Felicia Mariani was scathing of the Abbott stance. ATEC said it was a “scary concept” that tourism has been dropped as a cabinet portfolio and will seek urgent talks with Mr Robb.
“This is the first time in more than 40 years that we have not had a tourism minister and our members, and the industry more broadly, are concerned by this significant omission,” she said. “It is critical that we understand how the new structure will work and where accountability lies.
“Tourism is the largest contributor to the country’s export performance in the services sector and the sixth largest overall within the export industries. As the only national industry association devoted to the development of Australia’s $28 billion export tourism industry, minister Robb must be fully engaged with ATEC in order to understand the needs and complexities of the thousands of businesses who comprise this critical industry,” said Ms Mariani.
Mr Baldwin assured operators in his own constituency around Maitland that tourism industry will not be hampered by Abbott’s decision to split the tourism portfolio and not appoint a tourism minister.
However Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon did not share Mr Baldwin’s feelings and was concerned Mr Abbott had dropped the government’s focus on domestic tourism and its future would be gravely affected.
“They are trying to argue that it is primarily an export market, which is partly true, but domestic tourism is very important and critical to Australia as well. It appears that in Tony Abbott’s eyes we’re not deserving of a junior ministry and I think that’s a sign of things to come,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
Gold Coast MP Steve Ciobo said, “I would be less concerned about the title and more concerned about getting the runs on the board.”
Image: Bob Baldwin
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