Personal Explanation

Tourism

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:27): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: During question time I asked the Minister for Environment a question relating to the tourism budget, where he suggested that I was not being truthful with the facts. I thought it would be useful to inform him that: in the 2017-18 budget, the government has appropriated $113 million for tourism; in the 2018-19 budget, $108 million; in the 2019-20 budget, $97 million; and, in the 2020-21 budget, $94 million. So, the government's own figures show that there has been a significant commitment by the government to fund tourism to a smaller degree.

While I am on my feet, I apologise to the chamber for having a conversation at the back of the chamber during question time, but I did want to say that the gentleman I was speaking to is a guest from Chicago who met me in Washington, took me through Capitol Hill, and we had an interesting time. He wanted to come and look at how a parliament in the Southern Hemisphere works. I was trying to explain how people fitted into the parliament here. He is here—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I will allow Mr Ridgway to get to the point.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I wanted to offer my apologies for having a conversation during question time, but I thought it was important to inform our visitor from the US how the parliament operates.