The Victorian Upper House will today vote on a motion to support Victoria’s hard-hit tourism and events sectors.
The motion demands an urgent inquiry into the tourism and events sectors to recommend what critical support is needed.
Upper House MPs will be asked to support the short, sharp inquiry by the Economy and Infrastructure Committee.
The Committee will be required to inquire into, hold public hearings in Melbourne and regional Victoria to identify key issues and areas of concern, and report by 30 June 2021, on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and events sectors and provide recommendations for State Government support measures that will restore these sectors to their critical role in the Victorian economy and restore lost jobs.
The motion also calls on the State Government to urgently relax COVID-19 restrictions, where it is safe to do so, in line with other states and ensure that additional State Government support is urgently provided to tourism and events industry businesses.
The tourism and events sectors are amongst the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. They need our urgent support, support that to date has not been adequate from the Daniel Andrews.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism contributed to 6.5 per cent of the Victorian economy, supporting 263,000 direct and indirect jobs, 142,000 in Melbourne and 110,000 in regional Victoria, comprising 7.8 per cent of Victoria’s employment. The more than $10 billion annual Victorian events sector is a major sector in its own right and is vital to supporting tourism through central city events, regional events and festivals and business events.
Comments attributable to the Shadow Minister for Shadow Minister for Tourism, Major Events and Sport, Cindy McLeish:
“Victoria’s tourism and events industries are on their knees.
“Our visitor economy has haemorrhaged up to $2.5 billion per month and is projected to shed 85,300 jobs by September 2021.
“Events and tourism drives visitation into Melbourne and regional areas in the off-peak and shoulder seasons and has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions, including the impact of snap border closures on consumer confidence levels.”
Comments attributable to the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, David Davis:
“These sectors – Victorian tourism and events – are burning. We risk catastrophic job losses unless the State Government acts quickly.
“We need to look carefully at the special circumstances of the Victorian tourism and events sectors and provide recommendations for State Government support measures that will restore these sectors to their critical role in the Victorian economy and restore lost jobs
“The Liberal and National parties seek the support of all regional and metropolitan Legislative Councillors for this motion, given the huge number of jobs supported by, and the economic significance of, the currently severely impacted tourism and events sectors in their own electorates and Victoria more broadly.
“Given the prolonged restrictions imposed by Daniel Andrews, these sectors have been hit harder in this state compared to the rest of the nation.”
