Rebecca White ARTICLE
I HAVE SPENT THE PAST SUMMER REFLECTING ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE TASMANIAN.
Of course, there are many, many answers to those questions. Our beautiful natural environment which is unparalleled in Australia. Our stunning beaches. And our laid back lifestyle which is exemplified by the warmth and friendliness of Tasmanians. But the bigger question in that regard – and an important part of what drives me as the Labor Leader of Opposition in Tasmania – is this: What are we doing to protect the things that make us unique? What are we doing to preserve the Tasmanian way of life while at the same time we promote our crucial tourism and hospitality industry and help it thrive? I have spoken many times about the need to support visitation to our state and the iconic attractions that entice so many people here. I don’t believe that Tasmania has too much tourism – but I do believe we need to be more strategic about how we manage growth. The rapid growth of tourism is currently outstripping the ability of the Tasmanian Budget to fund necessary infrastructure and services. We should be investigating ways for visitors to make a greater contribution to protect the things that make our state unique and special while ensuring the viability of the industry and our natural environment. Labor has proposed a policy to restructure entry fees to our iconic national parks and reserves to ensure the cost matches the true value of the experience. This should include investigation of a tiered fee structure for our three most popular parks, with higher fees during times of peak demand, but with a reduction in the price of an annual entry pass for all Tasmanians. The proceeds should be reinvested to protect our biosecurity defences and upgrade visitor infrastructure. I would encourage the incumbent Liberal Government to adopt that policy. Our reputation as a must see visitor destination continues to gain global recognition and by 2020 our state can expect to welcome 1.5 million visitors. That anticipated growth in visitor numbers will place increasing pressure on Tasmania’s existing visitor services and our ageing tourism infrastructure. We need to protect and create tourism and hospitality jobs. As Shadow Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events, I am committed to working with stakeholders across the tourism and hospitality industry to create more full-time jobs and ensure that the reputation Tasmania has as a must-see destination is protected and enhanced. Labor’s Tourism, Hospitality, Festivals, Heritage and the Arts Industry Advisory Council, chaired by Daniel Leesong from the TICT, is doing just that by developing strong, enduring policy for our state. Together, we are focused on the long-term challenges and opportunities facing Tasmania’s tourism and hospitality industry and workforce, including education and training. Together we are determined to strike the right balance between a thriving visitor economy and a Tasmania that also thrives for our future generations. WHY DO WE LOVE LIVING HERE? WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE IN AUSTRALIA? WHY DO SO MANY AUSTRALIANS FROM OTHER STATES ENVY OUR LIFESTYLE AND, AS A RESULT, WANT TO SHARE IN IT BY MOVING TO TASMANIA? AND, IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE MATCHLESS TASMANIAN WAY OF LIFE THAT HAS PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE GLOBE CHOOSING OUR STATE AS A HOLIDAY DESTINATION AND FLOCKING TO IT IN DROVES?
April 2019 www.tha.asn.au
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