Tuesday, 3 March 2020

Ministers statements: bushfire recovery initiatives

Mr PAKULA (Keysborough—Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Racing) (12:33): As we know, coronavirus is increasingly impacting supply chains, trade and production in many parts of the world. In Australia the first industry to feel the effects of the virus has been, in many parts, the tourism sector. Travel bans, along with the impact of bushfire in some parts of the state, have created substantial challenges for the sector in Victoria, as indeed it has in many other parts of the country.

Last sitting week I talked about the ‘A short stay goes a long way’ campaign and the Business and Sport for Bushfire Recovery initiative. Both of those have played a big role in getting people back out to the regions. But we are doing much more than that; we are trying to leave no stone unturned.

There is the government’s $300 000 regional events round, from which we have already funded the Rise from the Ashes concert held last weekend in Cudgewa, which attracted more than 1000 people and helped get visitors back into that bushfire-affected community. There is $500 000 for the car park at Dinner Plain, and $250 000 for a master plan and concept design at the Squatters Row maritime precinct at Paynesville, so that the north-east and East Gippsland have the infrastructure to capitalise on recovery.

There is $5 million for a global marketing campaign seeking to attract visitors from interstate and overseas markets and to capitalise on our major events and attractions. There will be increased marketing in the USA, the UK and New Zealand, kicking off from tomorrow, and a new social media campaign rolling out in Vietnam next week.

There is the Wine Down Pop Up initiative in the Yarra Valley, on the Mornington Peninsula and at Wahgunyah. And of course Bright will hear Katy Perry roar at a free concert for our emergency services personnel and bushfire-affected communities.

These are very, very difficult times for our sector, and it is clear that those difficulties have a way to go, but the government plan to continue as we have started. We will continue to adapt our response as circumstances unfold and we will provide to the sector every piece of support that we possibly can.