Labour says Tourism Minister is asleep at the wheel
The Federal Labour Party has accused Federal Tourism Minister Fran Bailey of underperforming, having spoken in Parliament in relation to her portfolio only 10 times in the past six years.
Martin Ferguson, Labor’s tourism spokesman said he had spoken in Parliament on tourism seven times more than Ms Bailey since 2001, yet both MPs were appointed to their tourism portfolios in 2004, telling the lower house during a grievance debate on Monday, “A search of Hansard reveals that the Minister spoke a total of 10 times in Parliament on tourism matters,” adding, “She didn’t even manage to walk to the despatch box once during the years of 2004 and 2005.”
Mr Ferguson made the comparison in response to a Liberal MP’s accusation during parliamentary debate last week that he had not risen to speak on tourism since 2001, saying that it was time the Government confronted the sluggishness of the domestic and international tourism industry under Ms Bailey’s watch, with international tourism increasing just 0.6% last year, solely due to an influx of British cricket fans coming for the Ashes series.
Mr Ferguson also accused Ms Bailey of pork-barrelling by giving 30 out of 45 Australian Tourism Development Program grants in the last round to coalition electorates and four to independents.
Report by The Mole from media reports
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