Queensland all over the world. In fact, we have seen the results of the Best Job in the World campaign
recently. New Zealand is one of Queensland’s most important markets. Australia and New Zealand
would benefit from a common border, and certainly there are discussions going on between the
respective prime ministers about that, which would do away with passports.
New Zealand presents immediate opportunities for Queensland. It is the largest international
market for us. In March 2009, 400,000 New Zealand visitors came to Queensland, with $561 million in
economic benefits and 5,500 jobs. Forty-one per cent of all New Zealanders who visit Australia visit
Queensland. They find Queensland attractive. It is a short-haul flight, and there are increased flights,
increased capacity and competitive prices.
So Tourism Queensland will aggressively target New Zealand with the $36 million that was
committed in the election campaign for New Zealand. There is an office there, with a regional director, a
marketing manager and an administrative coordinator working part time. They combine with Tourism
Queensland to develop and implement marketing campaigns. They also give on-the-ground advice and
maximise marketing opportunities.
Contrast that with the opposition’s attitude to the funding and promotion of tourism. Firstly, we had
the promise in the election campaign of $12 million which would go to marketing. Where was that going
to come from? It was going to be stolen from the Queensland Investment Incentives Scheme. With one
hand you were going to give the marketing arm $12 million, and you were going to ransack the
Queensland Investment Incentives Scheme with the other, so there would be not one dollar extra for
Queensland tourism. In the times we now find ourselves in with the global financial crisis and the swine
flu, you were going to take those incentives away. By the way, that fund that you were going to ransack
is used to attract airlines to Queensland including from New Zealand. What is the point of using it if you
do not have airlines flying to Australia? The industry breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Bligh
government was returned including—
