Today I will be meeting with stakeholders and members of the community in Alice Springs, ahead of the annual Tourism Central Australia Awards, which recognises the hard work of the tourism sector across the region.
Tourism is the largest jobs provider in the Northern Territory, which receives more than 1.4 million domestic visitors and 280,000 international visitors every year.
During my meetings, I will be discussing Labor’s plan for tourism, which recognises the importance of Federal investment in Australian tourism, particularly in the Northern Territory.
However this comes at the same time Minister Ciobo is leaving tourism in the Northern Territory to languish by failing to release a plan for investment in this super-growth sector.
To make matters worse, since the Coalition Government announced its flawed review into the Backpacker Tax, both the number of backpacker visitors to the Northern Territory, and the number of nights they stay have seriously declined.
The Federal Government has a responsibility to support this vital industry, which contributes so much to our nation.
Labor recognises the difference this makes not just to the Australian economy, but also to the communities that rely on tourism for their livelihood.
It’s time for Minister Ciobo and the Coalition Government to get on with the job.