Tourism Budget

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:10): Further supplementary: has the minister advised the Treasurer in writing or email of any potential economic consequences of any further budget cuts? None of this 'across a glass of wine and smoking cigars'. We want to know, is there anything serious?

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I would like to hear the answer to a surprisingly well-constructed supplementary.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:10): I don't have to put it in an email or a letter—he's right there!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: It is interesting—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Come on! Those on my left, please restrain yourselves, I would like to hear the Hon. Mr Ridgway.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I don't need to, he is right here, I sit next to him, I see him in the lift, I can pick up the phone any time I like. While I am on my feet, I got a couple of statistics from one of the China trips. It was actually in an answer I gave to the chamber, probably earlier this year, but clearly they were not listening. It relation to the CIIE (the Chinese International Import Expo) opened by the leader of China, we had 22 companies there.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I would read them from my mobile phone, but the last time—

The PRESIDENT: It didn't go well, did it, the Hon. Mr Ridgway—it didn't go well.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I won't do that. With 22 companies, which I am unable to provide a list of—

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: On a point of order: relevance to the question that was asked.

The PRESIDENT: Is the minister going to take a while with this?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: It's about three lines.

The PRESIDENT: Alright, I will allow you to do it.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thank you, Mr President. I was going to say that 28 contracts were signed, $278.18 million worth of contracts from the CIIE, and—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, through me. Leader of the Opposition, please, I am trying to listen to the minister.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: So 400 meaningful business contacts/connections were made that business reported back. So a very successful visit to the Chinese International Import Expo. Couple that with the others—over $400 million of benefit.