Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the past months, I've been speaking and corresponding with travel agents, not only in my electorate but around Australia, about the need for an industry-specific support package, along with an ongoing JobKeeper package for at least 12 months past its intended completion in March 2021. In early October, I stood in the House and spoke of the heavy lifting done by the travel industry in the past eight months, not only in helping our citizens return home but in managing the estimated $10 billion of cancellations and refunds on behalf of four million Australians, and they have provided all of those services for free. On top of this, they have been forced to hand back the commissions they earned for work already completed.

I have since undertaken a Zoom meeting with travel industry representatives from all electorates represented by the Nationals and LNP to obtain their view on what they would like to see in a support package. I have also consulted with the Australian Federation of Travel Agents' CEO, Darren Rudd, and, as late as this afternoon, had a meeting with Mr Rudd and the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, in support of all and with a view to advocating for travel agents across Australia. Over 80 per cent of travel agents and people working in the industry are women and 40 per cent are in regional and rural Australia. The Nationals are here for regional and rural people and for regional and rural businesses.