AIRASIA X

Mr PEGLER (Mount Gambier) (14:48): I heard the minister for tourism both times referring to AirAsia and the many regions in South Australia but I did not hear him mention the South-East once, so I just wondered if AirAsia is aware of the South-East.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (14:48): As someone born in the South-East, I will make sure that the chief executive officer gets down to the South-East on his next trip to South Australia. Of course, I will be down there on the weekend talking to tourism operators and going to the 150^th birthday of the Leake Brothers Woolshed in the town in which I was born, Glencoe.

I look forward to meeting with as many tourism operators as I can while I am down there. We have a forum on Monday night with the South Australian Tourism Industry Council. This is something we have been doing in all the tourism regions around the state. I thank many of the members on the other side who often come out to those forums. I think they are a really good opportunity to get out and talk to tourism operators.

We spend around $50 million of government money each year to help what is largely a private industry here to work to bring more tourists to South Australia and make sure they benefit. Tourism is a $5 billion a year industry for South Australia and we want to grow that to $8 billion. The CEO hasn't been down to the Limestone Coast, but I will make sure we get him down there and get him onto some of those great crayfish that we know come from Port MacDonnell and some fantastic reds from Coonawarra; and then just maybe head up to a nice little meal at Robe and get him around so that he can see all of the fantastic tourism opportunities that there are in the wonderful South-East and Limestone Coast.