International Tourism Marketing

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:18): Supplementary: of these cuts, why did the government cut approximately $1.5 million from the international tourism marketing in this year's budget?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:18): When you inherit a mess like you inherit from the Labor Party—and it is a mess—we know that my colleague the Hon. Stephen Wade has a huge challenge. We have members sitting opposite who laugh and think it is a joke. They still laugh about it. They should be ashamed. One is shadow minister and one has been relegated to the whip's role. They left behind a mess. Some of the information, when we were briefed as we came to government, makes me shake my head at these honourable gentleman opposite and wonder if they had any idea about what they were doing.

Ms Pnevmatikos, when you inherit a mess, everybody has to do a little bit of belt tightening. The Tourism Commission has done it in a way that they think will have the smallest impact on their ability to market. Of course, as I said in my previous answer, we have committed an extra $10 million for marketing in the next financial year. We recognise that marketing is important. As I said, the Rewards Wonder campaign is strong evidence that the Tourism Commission know what they are doing. We are creating great interest in South Australia, and we will continue to do that to fill the hotel rooms and to drive us towards the $8 billion of visitor expenditure by 2020.