Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Gallacher for his supplementary question. Round 2 of the TIRF program opens today and closes on 7 August. The second round is making nearly $10 million available for projects that will boost regional tourism. Many of the successful projects will be bricks-and-mortar initiatives that will improve the quality of existing tourism destinations, products and services. Others will be new and innovative tourism developments.

We have also included a specific labour and skills funding stream in this round, called Labour and Skills Enhance. This stream makes more than $2 million available for projects that improve regional Australia's capacity to increase tourism labour supply and lift service quality. This funding will support labour and skills related infrastructure such as training centres or staff accommodation. It is also available for a broad range of projects that deliver targeted, practical measures to address labour and skills needs such as the training programs and regional tourism. (Time expired)