Page 1559 - Week 05 - Thursday, 11 April 2013
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That is from a Northside Chronicle article of 24 April 2012. This is making sure that what is at the heart and soul of Canberra actually flourishes and that we get a benefit from it as a community but the nation gets a benefit from it as well. With a tourism industry worth approximately $1.3 billion, on 2012 figures, to the ACT, it is important that we get this right. You only have to look, for instance, at the difference MONA—the Museum of Old and New Art—is making to Tasmania. MONA has almost single-handedly been credited with an enormous turnaround in the economy of Tasmania because it is new, it is vibrant, it is interesting and it is different. It is confrontational and it is challenging, but it is causing people to say, “Hey, let’s go and have a look at that.” That is having a deeper impact on the Tasmanian economy.
How do we achieve that in the ACT? There is only one way to achieve it, and that is to integrate it. That is why, as I have said, we have called for an events strategy for the last four years. We have called for an accommodation strategy and we have called for an attractions strategy to make sure that we get the benefit that we deserve from these blockbusters.
It is interesting to look at the recent ABS figures. We have actually seen the worst hotel occupancy rates in four years. They are the worst since the GFC. If you look at last year’s figures in particular, there is a decline in the occupancy rate and there is a decline in the return to the community in terms of turnover and, therefore, jobs, the provision of services and revenue to the government. We need to look seriously at that. It has an impact on all of us, whether it be one of our young ones starting out as a waiter, waitress or room service person or whether you work in the supply company, driving the truck that delivers the goodies to the gallery of the hotel, pub or whatever it is.
We need to make sure that we get it right. This is why it needs to be integrated. If the Childers Group can see that then surely it is time for the government to admit that we do need an events strategy—not just a blockbuster fund but a strategy that says, “How do we plug the holes?” We all know where the holes are. At the end of November the Convention Centre more or less shuts down for a little while. December, January and early February is a very quiet time. Apart from Summernats—of course Summernats was snubbed by the government in its centenary celebrations for reasons unknown and it is a shame that that occurred—in January, there is not a great deal in that period. The same can be said about July when there is certainly a dead spot.
Ms Berry mentioned Enlighten. She said it was emerging as the backbone of a future cultural event. I would love to know who wrote that—“emerging as the backbone of a future cultural event”. That is what it was meant to be. It was actually set up as a stand-alone event. A hallmark event is what it was said it would be. It was not and it failed. That is why it got wrapped into the Canberra Day celebrations. That it might emerge as a hallmark event later on is probably a good thing, and we will see. But I think you can look it and say that, for what it was set up as, it failed. These things do take time, and we are aware of that, but you would have to say that it failed.
I think there needs to be some analysis and some work done on the types of visitors. If we have had some blockbusters with record visitation, particularly the Masterpieces,
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