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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-15 Daily Xml
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RIVERLAND TOURISM

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:34): Today I would like to speak on a real emerging industry in Chaffey; that is, of course, the tourism industry. The Riverland tourism research figures for 2010-11 were sadly down from the previous year: 421,000 visitors last year, down from 451,000 the previous year. Those figures are very disappointing and demonstrate how irresponsible some reporting in media is and how some government procedures can impact substantially on an industry such as tourism that relies on the river as its main drawcard.

In late 2010 the Riverland tourism operators anticipated a boom. As many of you here today would know, water was back in the river, the river was flowing, and confidence was growing. What they were up against were the media reports, but more importantly they were up against a daily barrage of media through the government agency known as Flood Watch. Flood Watch is about reporting on river conditions, on river heights and, potentially, flooding, but nowhere on the river was anyone flooded. There were high rivers, high flows, but no flooding.

Those negative perceptions, created particularly by Flood Watch and then generated by media reports, resulted in a drop in visitor numbers during the peak tourist season. The caravan parks in particular reported up to 60 per cent in cancellations. Those poor numbers were due to the perception of the wider communities through flood.

My ask to the government is to please consider revising this flood watch alert that so many potential visitors to the Riverland region look at and which discourages them from coming to the river, discourages them from enjoying a river holiday, whether it is camping, whether it is on a houseboat, whether it is just enjoying the attributes offered by the Riverland. They do not come when they read that there is a flood in progress. It really does send the wrong message.

I urge the government to look at a high river advisory rather than a flood watch. Again I ask the question: how many businesses, how many homes, how many individuals were actually flooded through last year's high river? I can tell you, Mr Acting Speaker, there were none. No homes, no businesses were flooded; there was just a high river and that is what the region needs to hear.

These figures also reflect the high level of dependence on the river for all industries and sectors in the region, not just irrigation. They illustrate the importance of getting water reform right so that we can utilise the opportunity of tourism. On a positive note, Riverland tourism operators have reported fantastic visitor numbers over the past six months. Again, yes, there is water in the river. The water is looking healthy, the environment has a breath of fresh air running through it, and through that we have a newly formed tourism board known as Destination Riverland.

It was founded due to the state government withdrawing support on local staff, particularly with the Riverland Tourism Association. It was generated through an initiative of the Riverland councils and it is all about the region taking control of its own tourism destiny. It is now chaired by a former tourism minister, Joan Hall, wife of former premier Steele Hall. She is supported by local expertise from a variety of disciplines. They are not just tourism operators, they are business people; they are people who have a vision for the region. It really is great to see.

On that note I really do extend an invitation to every member of this house, to every government member, to visit the region. It is about the reintroduction of a commercial airline that the region so much needs. I invite any government member to come up and explore what the region has to offer. I know that the Attorney-General is busting out of his boots to come up to the Riverland and experience what a houseboat holiday will give him and his family. Something that will underpin tourism in the region is the viability of a commercial airline and I think that that is something that is vital for the tourism industry and something that I will pursue in due course.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Hon. M.J. Wright): The hardworking member for Torrens.

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