The Palaszczuk Labor Government is hoping Queenslanders will forget its chequered track record with major tourism projects with the release of a 56-page glossy Asia tourism strategy that promises no new funding and just four paragraphs on how to deliver it.
Shadow Tourism Minister Jon Krause said that while spruiking the Government’s tourism credentials for the cameras, Minister Kate Jones neglected to mention the job creating projects Labor had failed to generate.
“Labor’s latest tourism pitch is nothing but a glossy brochure full of ideas with no plan on how to deliver them,” Mr Krause said.
“Only when we get to page 54 do we find four short paragraphs on how Labor plans to deliver its “vision” which has no new funding, no real commitments and is big on rhetoric and not much else.
“It’s ironic to read one of Labor’s vague strategies is to ‘prioritise infrastructure and investment’ to meet tourism demands less than a week after we learnt Aquis had pulled out of its multi-billion dollar integrated resort plan because of inaction from this Government.
“The Aquis project would have created thousands of jobs for local people, and the flow-on effect for small businesses and the region would have been monumental.
“How embarrassing for Treasurer Curtis Pitt that a project of this scale, in his own backyard, has been mothballed? It is a clear vote of no confidence in him and the Government.
“This is the same Mr Pitt who said only this week he talks to Queenslanders every day and was acutely aware of how tough the regions are doing - perhaps he should have spoken to Aquis.”
Mr Krause said it was strange Ms Jones chose Cairns to make her big announcement, given the Government’s persistent scaremongering over the reef, which has threatened a multi-million dollar industry and thousands of associated jobs – with some tourism operators even demanding an apology from Labor.
“Labor has single-handedly scared off tourists with its extreme statements about the reef in order to appease its Green puppet masters,” Mr Krause said.
“I have spoken with a number of tourism operators who are sick of the Palaszczuk Labor Government constantly talking down the reef.
“This week the Treasurer was put on notice by the State’s peak business body, yet again, announcements such as this one proves that this Government is all talk and no action.
“As Queenslanders we have the greatest State in the world to sell to tourists – but we need a Government with a clear plan to deliver jobs for our tourism sector.”
