Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hindmarsh for his question. He is one of many members of the House who have expressed their support for Tourism Australia’s success in attracting the Oprah Winfrey Show to Australia. People in the House should remember that our tourism industry at the moment is very challenged by the strength of the Australian dollar. People must appreciate that tourism is a major employer of Australians—just under one million Australians, directly and indirectly. We should also remind ourselves that tourism represents 8.3 per cent of Australia’s total exports. In that context, the Oprah Winfrey Show is very important. Her show is viewed by over 40 million people each week in the United States and is broadcast to 145 countries globally. When she announced her willingness to come to Australia, to Australia’s credit and great benefit she said that her Australian visit would represent the ultimate adventure. That is exceptionally important because Oprah has been named by Forbes magazine as the most important celebrity in the world. That represents a major endorsement of the Australian tourism industry.

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