Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was proud last Friday to officially open the seventh Gold Coast international boat show and marine expo in the fabulous Gold Coast Marine Precinct. It was the largest ever expo and the first in Australia with over 230 exhibitors, a third of them for the first time, showcasing much of the gear that they proudly make in Australia.

The marine precinct employs almost 3000 people and that number is set to double in the coming years, as growth is strong. It is proof that manufacturing is well and truly alive, not just on the Gold Coast but across Australia.

We are a nation of boaties. In Queensland two out of nine people over the age of 16 hold a boat licence—that is 840,000 of us. There are over a quarter of a million registered vessels. Let's face it, 85 per cent of our country lives within 50 kilometres of the ocean.

The boating precinct is so close to the beautiful Broadwater, and it is the only boat show that is held right where products are designed, manufactured and pushed into the water. It is a world-class boat show. Sales of over $50 million for the weekend are testimony to it.

I would like to thank all of those involved and especially the pioneers of this industry, Patrick Gay AM from the Gold Coast City Marina, Tony Longhurst from Riviera, Stefan from Stefan Boating World and so many others who contributed to making this boat show world-class.