Page 83 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I think that is for the best.
MR BARR: Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker, for bringing me back to the script. Through Screen Canberra the recent TV series The Code, Rake and Secret City have all been filmed in Canberra, while feature films such as Joe Cinque’s Consolation, Rip Tide and Galore have all benefited from support both from the ACT government through Screen Canberra and the work we have been undertaking. Innovation in the screen sector in both Canberra and Wellington will seek to put our combined industries at the heart of a growing international market, while both entities will develop content through co-production opportunities.
There is no doubt our city’s natural setting offers a vast array of locations for directors, and this MOU will help strengthen mutual international strategic relationships and further enhance our city’s brand overseas. There is a very practical and tangible example of the Canberra-Wellington relationship and evidence of our growing business and cultural ties.
In the area of business and innovation change, this year’s Canberra Week in Wellington focused on specific activities to encourage both cities’ business communities to come together for greater collaboration and to foster innovation exchange. I mentioned earlier that the innovation network and the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency have an MOU signed in 2016, and we had the pleasure of activating the MOU during this visit.
The business chamber locally has partnered with the territory government and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to offer a business program, including market briefings and hosting a roundtable discussion for businesses under the pre-existing capacity and capability growth program for ACT exports businesses agreement. So seven ACT businesses travelled in the delegation and participated in the business programs. The delegation was welcomed by our friends at the Australian High Commission, at a networking function, and the event provided another opportunity for Canberra businesses to build stronger ties with the Wellington business community and the New Zealand government.
In the visitor economy, visitors to Canberra contributed $1.9 billion to the territory economy in the 2016-17 fiscal year. The ACT government will continue to support the industry as we work towards our goal of growing that visitor contribution to $2.5 billion by 2020. New Zealand is a key tourism market for Canberra and was the fourth largest inbound market for visitors. In 2016-17 more than 15,000 New Zealanders visited Canberra and contributed over $15 million in visitor expenditure. These numbers are significant and we want to continue their growth.
I am sure, Madam Deputy Speaker, you and other members are aware that, sadly, in recent weeks Singapore Airlines announced that it will not be servicing the Canberra-Wellington part of its capital express. Offsetting that, of course, is the increase in frequency from four flights a week to daily between Singapore and Canberra. This daily service to Singapore is great news, undoubtedly, but it does come with a level of compromise. The seven-day-a-week service does not allow the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video