Question Time

TOURISM COMMISSION

The PRESIDENT: I now call on honourable members to ask questions without notice. The Hon. Mr Ridgway.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:30): Thank you, Mr President. It is a pleasure to be back here. I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism a question about the South Australian Tourism Commission.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The minister was appointed to the important tourism portfolio on 21 October 2011. Mr President, as you would know, the tourism industry is worth in excess of $4 billion to the South Australian economy. In fact, we have just heard, in the Governor's speech at the opening of this parliament, the importance the government and the Governor place on tourism and its respective contribution to our economy.

The opposition has been advised that the minister has not yet met with the board, which is over a period of more than three months. In fact, I am reliably informed that the minister is either unable, unwilling or just too damn lazy to meet with the board until April, six months after she was appointed. My questions are:

1. Given the high value of this industry to the economy and, of course, the high value the government and the Governor put on tourism, especially in his address to the opening of parliament, why is the minister taking up to six months to meet with the board?

2. Will the minister apologise to the board and the tourism industry and commit to more regular meetings with the board?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (15:31): I cannot believe that, after the long break we have had, that is the calibre of the question we get on the first day back—that is how lame and lazy the opposition is: my capacity to meet with the tourism board.

Indeed, this government is very committed to tourism here in this state. Unlike the Liberal government, the Weatherill Labor government has been consistently investing in tourism and a wide range of events and initiatives which attract visitors to this wonderful state. Just to remind honourable members of some of our commitments, there is the $52 million to redevelop the Adelaide Entertainment Centre—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Why haven't you gone to the board?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I'm getting there, Mr President, I'm getting there. He went to the question of this government's commitment to tourism, Mr President. Implicit in the question was this government's commitment to tourism, so I am addressing that aspect of the question first and then we will go on.

So, $52 million was committed to the redevelopment and the Adelaide Festival became an annual event in 2012. The 2008 festival delivered $14 million economic benefit to the state and, of course, we made the Adelaide Fringe an annual event in 2007. That is not to mention other events such as WOMADelaide, the Dunstan Playhouse, the wide range of Our Best Backyard campaign, and the Riverbank precinct update. These are really incredibly important developments to assist in creating amenity to attract tourists to South Australia and amenities that will help them enjoy their time when they are here.

Indeed, I have met several times with the chairperson of the board, Ms Jane Jeffreys. I am happy to check this, but I believe that the board has met only once since I have been Minister for Tourism, and that was in the very early days of my becoming minister.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: There was one in December—and one in November, I suspect.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Well, I am just saying that, to the best of my knowledge, and I am happy to have that checked. But they would have met only once or maybe, at the very most, twice. I have met several times with the Chief Executive, and I have met several times with the Chair, Ms Jane Jeffreys, so I have certainly kept abreast and been informed of all up-to-date matters.

We have had significant exchanges during those numerous meetings. I can assure honourable members that I am kept abreast of things and in touch and, as I said, I have enjoyed very much our meetings with both the chair and the chief executive. I can only reiterate: to come back after several weeks of break to that level and calibre of question from the opposition again only reflects what a lazy, indifferent and careless opposition they are.