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PRIME MINISTER
CHECK AGC,-INS~ T DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
NATIONAL TOURISM AWARDS
MELBOURNE 19 NOVEMBER 1985
IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT FOR THE
PRESENTATION OF THE NATIONAL TOURISM AWARDS.
LAST YEAR'S AWARDS, THE INAUGURAL PRESENTATION, WERE MOST
SUCCESSFUL AND IN THIS REGARD I SHOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE
MR BROWN ON HIS INITIATIVE IN INSTITUTING SUCH A NOTEWORTHY
SCHEME. THESE AWARDS ARE MOST IMPORTANT AS NOT ONLY DO THEY
RECOGNISE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND
HIGHLIGHT ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF
AUSTRALIA BUT THEY ALSO INCREASE AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY
OF THE INDUSTRY ITSELF.
THROUGH THIS INCREASED AWARENESS THE INDUSTRY WILL MORE
SUCCESSFULLY GROW AND DEVELOP.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS GOVERNMENT, MORE THAN ANY OTHER, HAS
RECOGNISED THE CONTRIBUTION THAT A VIABLE TOURIST INDUSTRY
CAN MAKE TO THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE
PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SECTOR AND THESE AWARDS
ARE INDICATIVE OF THIS COMMITMENT.
WE HAVE DONE MUCH TO ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST THE GROWTH OF THE
TOURISM INDUSTRY. FIRSTLY, WE HAVE ENSURED THAT THE
ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH BUSINESS OPERATES IS CONDUCIVE
TO ENTERPRISE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. SECONDLY, IN.
RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WE
HAVE PUT INTO PLACE A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES SPECIFICALLY TO
HELP THE INDUSTRY DEVELOP FURTHER.
IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
AUSTRALIAN TOURIST COMMISSION'S IMPORTANCE TO THE INDUSTRY.
SINCE COMING TO OFFICE WE HAVE INCREASED THE TOURIST
COMMISSION BUDGET BY SOME 160% TO THE POINT WHERE THE
ALLOCATION FOR 1985-86 IS $ 26 MILLION WHICH WILL ENABLE IT
TO CONTINUE ITS PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE AUSTRALIAN
TOURIST INDUSTRY.
RECENTLY THE AUSTRALIAN TOURIST COMMISSION MOUNTED THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL AND HIGHLY ACCLAIMED CAMPAIGN PROMOTING OUR GREAT1.
COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATES. THE HERO OF THE
ADVERTISEMENTS IN THAT CAMPAIGN WAS NONE OTHER THAN PAUL
HOGAN WHO GENEROUSLY PROVIDED HIS SERVICES FREE FOR THE
BENEFIT OF ALL AUSTRALIANS. PAUL, IN ASSOCIATION WITH OUR
TOURIST COMMISSION HAS GIVEN AUSTRALIA A NEW IDENTITY,
CREDIBILITY AND LEGITIMACY AS A TOURIST DESTINATION IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE ARE CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE INDUSTRY. OF
BENEFIT TO MANY IN THE INDUSTRY WILL BE THE NEW TOURISM
OVERSEAS PROMOTION. SCHEME ( TOPS) WHICH WILL ASSIST THE
INDUSTRY IN THE EFFICIENT, CO-ORDINATED AND COST-EFFECTIVE
PROMOTION OF AUSTRALIA AS AN ATTRACTIVE TOURIST DESTINATION.
THE TOP SCHEME REPLACES THE FORMER ARRANGEMENTS UNDER THE
EXPORT MARKET DEVELOPMENT G,: RANTS SCHEME AND WILL TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THE DIVERSE AND UNIQUE NATURE OF TOURISM.
AND OUR POLICIES ARE WORKING. IN 1984 SHORT TERM VISITOR
ARRIVALS EXCEEDED ONE MILLION FOR THE FIRST TIME AND 1984
RECEIPTS FROM INTERNATIONAL VISITORS WERE AROUND $ 1.35
BILLION. FURTHERMORE, EMPLOYMENT WAS ESTIMATED AT AROUND
380,000 IN SEPTEMBER 1985. OBVIOUSLY TOURISM MAKES A
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY.
IT IS UP TO THE PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY TO CONTINUE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF A FAVOURABLE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND THE
SPECIFIC INCENTIVES AFFORDED TO THEM BY THE FEDERAL I.
GOVERNMENT. GOOD MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL FLAIR ARE
PREREQUISITES FOR A SUCCESSFUL TOURISM INDUSTRY. THESE
AWARDS RECOGNISE THESE ATTRIBUTES AND I HOPE THAT THEY
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
I CONGRATULATE AWARD RECIPIENTS WHOLE-HEARTEDLY FOR THEIR
EXCELLENT ACHIEVEMENTS AND TRUST THAT OTHERS IN THIS FINTE
INDUSTRY FOLLOW THEIR EXAM4PLE.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE AND TO PRESENT THE AWARD
FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS