Shadow Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey is going to take “a special interest” in the Whitsundays having come here last week.
Ms Stuckey met with representatives from the local Tourism industry including Tourism Whitsundays, the Proserpine Chamber of Commerce, Airlie Beach Main Street Traders Association and Enterprise Whitsundays, during her stay.
Ms Stuckey’s visit was part of a “listening tour” seeking feedback from small business operators, “to identify areas they feel state government could get off their backs”.
“I am on a very committed mission to visit the areas that are under the most stress, which is why I have chosen to come here and why I’m heading to Cairns soon,” Ms Stuckey said.
“My disappointment in the neglect by the state government in this area is all the worse because your local member is also supposed to be Tourism Minister,” she said.
Ms Stuckey said she was “appalled” by the “abuse from your council” describing the recent slashing of funding and closure of the information centre as “almost like dancing on graves”.
“When your chips are down you market more,” Ms Stuckey said, drawing on her background in marketing and customer service.
“You have a minister who has not gone on the warpath after the mayor and on top of that her attitude to news that the carbon tax is going to hit this industry more than any other was, and I quote, “just wait and see”,” she said.
Ms Stuckey praised local operators whose “fighting spirit and attachment to the area is impressive”.
“I have met real people here. People who give a damn and people who should be listened to,” she said.
Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer Peter O’Reilly said he was very pleased to have the Tourism Minister from alternative state government in the region.
“It was a great opportunity to talk to her about the challenges facing the Whitsundays tourism industry at this time.
“The state government is very closely aligned with tourism promotion being the funding provider for Tourism Queensland. As a result it is important that the state government representatives have a clear idea of the needs of the Whitsunday tourism industry,” he said.
President of the Proserpine Chamber of Commerce Janine Muller said given the current issues facing the community, this was a very timely visit.
“I think it’s great that she took time out to come and see us. We didn’t ask her to come – she came off her own back. She really wanted to get a grasp of how this area ran and what was important to our town,” Ms Muller said.
No comments:
Post a Comment