Page 2166 - Week 08 - Thursday, 10 September 1992

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TOURISM AND A.C.T. PROMOTION - STANDING COMMITTEE
Statement by Presiding Member

MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement regarding the Standing Committee on Tourism and ACT Promotion's visit to the south-east region from 1 to 3 September 1992.

Leave granted.

MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, during last week's Assembly recess the committee visited the south-east region of New South Wales as part of its ongoing responsibility for promoting the ACT and establishing a basis for recommendations to the Assembly about exploiting the tourism potential of Canberra and the region. Ms Szuty and I made the visit, accompanied by the committee secretary, Mr Symington. Unfortunately, an unforeseen family circumstance made it necessary for Mr Lamont to withdraw. As planning for the visit had involved commitments by a number of people in the region, Mr Lamont asked the committee to proceed without him.

The committee's itinerary covered a significant area of the south-east region, ranging from the Snowy Mountains to the south-east coast town of Bega and beach resorts of Merimbula, Eden, Tathra, Narooma and Batemans Bay. Over the three days, Madam Speaker, the committee met with representatives of region shires, owners and operators of tourism facilities, and representatives of the New South Wales Tourism Commission. In all, the committee had discussions with some 31 people in 11 separate meetings.

In the Snowy Mountains area, Madam Speaker, the committee met with executives of the Alpine Australia Group at the Bullocks Flat skitube and Blue Cow Mountain resort, the New South Wales Ski Areas Marketing Group, the Perisher Centre, the Kosciusko National Park and the Snowy Mountains Marketing Corporation at Perisher-Smiggins, the Thredbo Alpine Village, and the Snowy River Shire Council and Snowy Mountains Marketing at Jindabyne. We were accompanied by Ms Anne Foster, regional manager, Snowy Canberra, who is based in Cooma. The committee, Madam Speaker, expresses its gratitude to Ms Foster for arranging quality contacts which allowed for wide-ranging discussion of the issues with those at the heart of the alpine tourism industry.

Madam Speaker, the committee travelled to Bega on Thursday, 2 September, for meetings with the Bega Shire Council. Again, the committee expresses its appreciation to Mr Ian Cameron, south coast representative of the New South Wales Tourism Commission, and Ms Margaret Nowaki of the Bega Shire Council - a former resident of Canberra, by the way - for developing the program of meetings and discussions on the Sapphire Coast. The committee benefited substantially from the discussions with Bega Shire president, Councillor Mick Allen, the shire managing director, and other council staff. Further meetings were held at Merimbula and Eden with area promotions and Chamber of Commerce representatives.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, 3 September, the committee travelled to Narooma for discussions with tourism operators and tourism promotion representatives. A further meeting was held at Durras, near Batemans Bay, with Eurobodalla Shire councillors, tourism operators, and council and other government officials,


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