Rebuilding Australian Tourism

 19 January 2020

(See translation in Arabic section)

Sydney: Tourism businesses and fire-affected communities around the country will receive much needed support from the Morrison Government’s National Bushfire Recovery Fund today through an initial $76 million tourism recovery package to protect jobs, small businesses and local economies by helping get tourists travelling across Australia again.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government was throwing its support behind the country’s $152 billion tourism industry as part of an initial push to help the sector recover after a devastating blow from unprecedented bushfires.  

“Our federal response to these devastating bushfires is comprehensive and unprecedented,” the Prime Minister said.

“More than 6000 defence boots on the ground, more than $50 million in emergency payments already in hand and more to come, $76 million in new mental health support to first responders and local communities, $50 million to support wildlife recovery and habitat restoration, $75,000 grants to our farmers to help them rebuild, and now surging our support for our all-important tourism industry. It’s all part of a clear plan to lead our response to the recovery driven by our National Bushfire Recovery Agency.

“Australian tourism is facing its biggest challenge in living memory.

“One in thirteen Australian jobs rely on tourism and hospitality so our $76 million investment is an urgent injection to help all those hotels, restaurants and cafes and tour operators get back on their feet.

“This is make or break for many businesses and tourist hot spots and not just in those areas directly hit by the bushfires.  

Federal Minister for Tourism Simon Birmingham said the funding boost would help get tourists back into areas that need it most but also make it clear that Australia is very much open for business.

 “We’ve heard directly from local operators, industry leaders, communities and the states and territories. Their message is to act now and that is exactly what we are doing. And we’ll be working closely with them all to deliver on our recovery plan to get these regions back up and running.”

The Government’s initial tourism recovery package responds directly to calls from the tourism sector and includes $20 million for a nationally coordinated domestic marketing initiative and $25 million for a global marketing campaign to drive international visitation.

A further $10 million will be provided for a regional tourism events initiative across bushfire affected areas, $9.5 million for an international media and travel trade hosting initiative, $6.5 million to support tourism business’ attendance at the largest annual tourism trade event, the

Australian Tourism Exchange, and $5 million for our diplomatic network to educate that our tourism, international education and export sectors are open for business.

Federal Minister for Tourism Simon Birmingham said the funding boost would help get tourists back into areas that need it most but also make it clear that Australia is very much open for business.

Flash flooding forces Australian Reptile Park to close

Sydney: The Australian Reptile Park wildlife sanctuary in NSW was forced to close on Friday for the first time since 2007 after wild weather caused flash flooding across the park. Staff worked secure and protect animals and ensure alligators in the lagoon complex didn't escape as water levels rose beyond the fence line.

Heavy rainfall forecast for much of NSW

Sydney: More rainfall is forecast to hit parts of fire-ravaged New South Wales today with severe thunderstorm warnings in place for northern parts of the state. Residents in Lismore, Ballina, Casino, Yamba and Maclean are being warned to expect heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Grafton in the Northern Rivers region could receive between 25 and 50 millimetres of rain while the greater Sydney region is looking at 15 to 20mm. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting showers will ease on Sunday.

Fears 'huge' part of Blue Mountains burnt

Sydney: This season's bushfires could have a 'devastating' impact for some species within the Blue Mountains as ecologists fear more than 80 per cent of the world heritage-listed region may have been lost.

University of Sydney environmental sciences lecturer Aaron Greenville says until now the biggest blaze to burn through the wilderness area had been between December 2001 and January 2002 when more than 250,000 hectares of the world heritage area was lost.

This season's bushfires have destroyed more than three times that area.

Sydney driver bites cop at traffic stop

Sydney: A Sydney police officer has been bitten multiple times in a violent struggle with a driver arrested on cocaine possession charges.

The 45-year-old motorist allegedly tested positive for the drug at a roadside test in Earlwood in Sydney's southwest on Friday afternoon.

Police said when officers allegedly found 13g of cocaine on the Campsie man, he lunged and bit a leading senior constable on the arm.

'Concerning' that Muslim women feel the need for 'female welcome zones'

Sydney: Daisy Cousens says the City of Canterbury Bankstown’s proposal for ‘female welcome zones’ is “medieval” and in 2020 “we shouldn’t be separating men and women”. Ms Cousens told media Muslim women in the community told the council “they felt better able to integrate if there were spaces for women only”, which she described as “concerning”. “That’s a concerning factor that somehow these Muslim women don’t feel confident enough in a mixed environment to fully feel like they’re a part of society,” she said “Perhaps it’s a customary thing,” Ms Cousens said of the supposed preference of the Muslim women, but also commented “surely women should be getting used to integrating with the opposite sex”. Fellow panelist Caroline Di Russo said “if there is a broad safety issue then that need to be dealt with by the police”.

Bushfire-ravaged communities to lead next phase of recovery effort: PM

Canberra: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says bushfire-ravaged communities will lead the recovery effort in the next stage of the Government's response to the crisis. Mr Morrison met representatives from organisations including the National Farmers' Federation and Red Cross at a bushfire peak bodies roundtable. The meeting in Canberra focused on delivering relief through the Government, businesses and not-for-profit agencies in the most effective way. It aims to ensure devastated communities are catered for in both the short and long term. The government is working on broader plans to help small business and tourism as part of its $2 billion package.

Japan sends two planes and 71 military personnel to assist with bushfire recovery

Canberra: Two Japanese military planes along with 71 personnel have arrived in Australia to assist with the bushfire recovery efforts. The two C130 transport planes not only carried the military personnel but also vital equipment. The planes will be used to help transport recovery equipment and personnel to fire ravaged areas. The assistance from Japan is a reciprocation of Australia’s military aid in Japan’s 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami crisis. Japan joins New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, the US, and Papua New Guinea as the latest nation to lend a helping hand during Australia’s disastrous bushfire crisis.

Dutton stands by coal exports after fires

Canberra: It won't help the environment if Australia reduces coal exports, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton believes.

The Morrison government is under pressure over its climate change policy in the aftermath of unprecedented bushfires ravaging the nation, but the coalition has no plans to reduce the nation's economic reliance on coal.