Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, last night it was revealed in Senate estimates that neither the Department of Tourism nor the Treasury have conducted any modelling on the impact of the carbon tax on tourism in Australia. I remind the Prime Minister that the Tourism and Transport Forum last year said that the carbon tax would reduce revenues in the sector by $731 million and lead to 6,400 job losses. Prime Minister, how could you introduce the world's largest carbon tax without any consideration of the tourism and hospitality sector's nearly one million employed Australians?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In working on climate change and in designing carbon pricing, of course we very centrally considered the future of the tourism industry. Imagine the future of the tourism industry without the Great Barrier Reef. Those opposite might believe that would be a desirable result for this country, but you ask tourism operators about the importance of those icons to the tourism industry.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister will be heard in silence by all members for the remainder of her answer to this question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am used to the yelling of abuse about jobs in tourism and jobs in the economy generally. That is what the opposition does, but we are always motivated by jobs. We are motivated by jobs—

Mr Truss interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Nationals will remove himself from the chamber under the provisions of standing order 94(a).

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr Speaker: with great respect to you and your position, leaders of political parties, such as the Leader of the National Party, would normally be given greater licence than other members of the parliament. I ask you to review your decision.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While it is true that consideration is given to persons holding leadership positions in political parties, there is also an obligation to observe standing orders. The Leader of the Nationals will remove himself as I previously requested.

The member for Wide Bay then left the chamber.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Only the coalition would think that the ability to scream abuse is an inherent part of leadership. Doesn't that say everything about them? On the question of tourism and jobs, about which they have no concern—their conduct whilst I have been delivering this answer has confirmed that—I say to the member who asked the question: we were centrally concerned about tourism and its future. We were centrally concerned about what we could do to tackle climate change—because of the threat it poses to icons like the Great Barrier Reef. We continue to be engaged with the tourism industry every step of the way.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will remove himself under the provisions of standing order 94(a) for the same reason that the Leader of the Nationals was ejected.

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Very recently, I personally met with the Transport and Tourism Forum the member referred to, because of my concerns about jobs in the tourism industry. I am therefore in a position to inform the member about what they raised with me as central to the tourism industry. They raised issues about skills. They raised workforce issues—there are job vacancies in some parts of Australia which they find difficult to fill, so questions like working-holiday-maker arrangements are important to them. They raised with me issues about capital—which goes to luxury hotel rooms—and the renewal of our capital stock. They raised—

Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I raise the issue of relevance. I specifically narrowed the question to modelling and why no modelling had been done. The Prime Minister has refused to answer.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will be relevant to the specifics of the question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am being very relevant to the specifics, Mr Speaker, and to the very general suggestion at the end of the question that somehow I or the government was unconcerned about tourism. I am specifically addressing that and specifically explaining to the House how I met with the tourism industry very recently and about the concerns that were at the top of their agenda at that meeting. As a result of having that meeting, I can say to the member that he is not in this place representing their concerns and that he is not in this place acting as an advocate for tourism. We will continue to directly engage with the tourism industry on the issues of real concern they identify. I presume that the opposition will continue to delight in job losses and the spreading of fear.