Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Payne. Is the minister aware of the Tourism Export Council survey revealing that 80 per cent of domestic tour operators will close by September without some kind of government support? Given the devastating impact of COVID-19 on these businesses, will the minister provide additional support to internationally facing businesses and regions like Far North Queensland?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Green for her question. It's an issue which I think we canvassed in some detail in discussions in the chamber on Tuesday this week. The government has provided significant levels of economic support during COVID-19 through a range of programs such as JobKeeper, as the Leader of the Government in the Senate outlined in his earlier response, and small-business cash payments of up to $100,000. What those payments have done is sustain hundreds of thousands of tourism businesses and tourism jobs across Australia.

As part of our plan to support tourism recovery, we're also providing further targeted assistance to help the tourism sector rebound and to save as many jobs as possible. That is in addition, as I said earlier this week, to our record funding for Tourism Australia of over $231 million in the current financial year, which is being used to directly support the tourism industry. Tourism Australia is ramping up domestic marketing campaigns, with phase 2 of the Holiday Here This Year campaign now underway—familiar to many of us from our television screens right now. Tourism Australia are also positioning to commence international marketing campaigns when the time is right.

We outlined in our budget a clear plan for Australia to create jobs and to rebuild our economy, and that includes helping secure the future of Australia's tourism industry. We provided $50 million for a Recovery for Regional Tourism fund, which includes regional areas of Queensland such as those that Senator Green has referred to, to boost tourism in nine regions heavily reliant on international tourism. That's a program that will deliver tailored assistance measures to help tourism businesses pivot to the domestic market. Those applications are currently open, with eligible applicants able to submit requests for funding until 30 September this year. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a supplementary question?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do have another question. Minister, out of the $659 million that you spruiked on Tuesday, how much of that financial support has actually been received by affected businesses?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll take the detail of that question on notice.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite may scoff, but I think even they could manage to understand, particularly the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, that I am in a representational portfolio and I will provide accurate detail to Senator Green, if she wishes for that information. Of course, if she wishes to ask in advance for information in question time, as we do with other senators, then we would be perfectly willing to assist where we can.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, a final supplementary question?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why is Mr Morrison cutting JobKeeper and cutting wages but prioritising taxpayer funded government advertising and sports rorts and flying an ex-minister around Europe with a private doctor to get a plum posting politics pay cheque?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green may wish to advise the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate that she's personally withdrawing the opposition's support for former Senator Cormann's candidacy for the OECD. I'm not aware if that is a decision those opposite have taken, but, if they have, they should tell the government. They should tell the government, because that would be the good faith thing to do. I won't hold my breath for good faith from those opposite, and I won't hold my breath for good faith that stops them misrepresenting this government and the support we have provided to the Australian people, Australian businesses and Australian jobs right through this pandemic.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I am reluctant to interrupt ministers, but I will when I can't hear them. I will start to interrupt, and we'll waste time in question time for the opposition and crossbenchers if there's that much noise in the chamber.