Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recovery from COVID for many in the tourism and accommodation sector is challenging, to say the least, while international borders remain closed. There are several businesses in my electorate, Mallee, that are struggling, and, sadly, some have had to close their doors. While travel agents are among the hardest hit, accommodation businesses are also feeling the pain. Last week I was on the road travelling throughout my electorate. On the way, I stopped at the Junction Hotel in Maryborough, which is owned and operated by Janet McDonald. I've spoken with Janet on several occasions about the issues facing the tourism and accommodation industry. She told me that JobKeeper was a lifeline for her business. I also visited Steve and Michelle Friend, owners of the Warrack Motel in Warracknabeal. It was great to talk to Steve, who has a passion for politics. He told me about the challenges they have faced during the pandemic. He's very thankful for our government's support, but the business is currently surviving by accommodating people travelling for work, rather than holiday-makers. There are very few tourists travelling through Warracknabeal at the moment, and the few that are are towing their own accommodation.

The story is much the same for travel agents in my electorate. For 20 years, Helen Russell built her business from the ground up. For 20 years, Kerang Travel provided outstanding services to the local community. Unfortunately, at the end of last year, Helen made the difficult decision to close her doors. She predicted that, even if she were to remain open, it would have taken at least five years to get back to her pre-COVID business position. Through no fault of her own, her successful enterprise is now gone, which is deeply distressing, of course. I also heard from Michelle Brown from MTA Travel in Horsham. She's worked in the industry for 25 years and now owns her own agency. Michelle told me she can't just shut up shop and come back another time. She needs to be operating, as her clients have credits with her business and she's still chasing refunds from suppliers to distribute to her clients. There is no easy fix to this situation, and I know the minister for tourism is aware of these complex issues.

After meeting Michelle, I wrote a letter to the minister on her behalf to campaign for further support for the tourism and accommodation industry. The Commonwealth government has announced a $1.2 billion tourism and aviation recovery package, which will undoubtedly assist many regions to keep going and assist some to build a bridge back to business as usual. I'm sure it will also help many travel agents across the country. If you're thinking of making the most of the half-price airfares, I urge you to engage a local travel agent to support them at this difficult time.

While the package is welcome for some, I have to say that, in my region of Mallee, there is little joy being expressed. John and Craig George have recently given me some insight into their dilemma in terms of operating a backpacker hostel in Mildura. They have a business that provides accommodation to travellers and helps them find employment with local horticultural industries. John tells me that the announcement will not pay his lease or loan repayments, or his operational bills. When JobKeeper finishes, there will be no funds to support his employees. To quote John, his core business has been decimated by international border closures.

I've taken these issues to the minister and asked him to consider other possibilities to assist these vital businesses. I'm actively lobbying for Mildura Airport to be considered a destination for the half-price airfares. Mildura is home to one of the largest regional airports in the country, and the board of management have been regularly communicating with me throughout this pandemic. Due to their organisational structure and association with the local council, they've missed out on key government supports, including JobKeeper. I've been fighting hard to secure special-circumstances funding for the airport, and I know the Deputy Prime Minister has been doing a lot of work in the background to support this push. The tourism and accommodation sector in Mallee needs further support, whether that's through the inclusion of Mildura in the new tourism and aviation recovery package, an extension of wage subsidies currently supporting the industry or a subsequent round of the COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program. I'll continue fighting in the hope that we can further support tourism and accommodation businesses in Mallee.