SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM AWARDS

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:50): My question is directed to the Minister for Tourism. Can the minister inform the house about the South Australian Tourism Awards on Friday night?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (14:50): It was a fantastic night on Friday night at the Convention Centre, where we had 670 people from the tourism industry around South Australia gather to honour the top people in the industry. We had 29 winners in the top level, across 29 categories. Jeff Ellison from SeaLink was given the award for the most outstanding performance by an individual in the tourism sector, a well-deserved honour. Jeff is a former member of the South Australian Tourism Commission board and he has done a lot with SeaLink over the years to build it from a company that was based here in South Australia to one that now operates in other states and territories of Australia and was recently floated as well on the stock exchange.

Four of the state's best tourism businesses were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Hilton Hotel business section was in the Hall of Fame, and I pass on my congratulations to Peer Norsell and his team. Tour Barossa won the best tour and transport operator category. I know the member for Schubert is a big fan of the way they go about their business, taking people around the beautiful Barossa Valley. There was lots of talk on the night, too, about the wonderful Barossa Valley ad that of course was named the best ad in the world in Cannes recently. So, there is plenty happening in South Australian tourism.

Narnu Farm won the best standard accommodation. They were winners at the national level this year, down in Hobart in February, where South Australia for the first time picked up 10 gongs. Narnu Farm was elevated to the Hall of Fame, as were Emaroo Cottages at Port Hughes. They do a fantastic job there, and they are also building a new property just up at Paringa. They keep sending me fantastic SMS updates as the building is emerging. It is looking fantastic, with really good accommodation. Again, Emaroo Cottages at Port Hughes won a national gong this year.

Congratulations to all those winners at the South Australian awards. Tourism is a $5 billion industry for South Australia. We want to grow that to $8 billion, and we will do it by all working together, the government sector and the private sector. As I mentioned on the night, we now have 83 per cent more international airline seats coming into South Australia than we did just two years ago, when the member for Cheltenham became Premier. We just want to make sure that we fill those seats. We want to work with the hotel industry to make sure we fill the beds.

There was a great deal of optimism in the room on Friday night as the tourism industry came together to celebrate with each other and to applaud the outstanding performances of individuals and businesses in the industry. People are looking forward to a very bright future in tourism on the back of some investments made by the government and also some investments the private sector has made in the knowledge that there is confidence in the industry.