Editorial: $1.2b tourism assistance package a hand up, not handout
The latest of the Morrison Government’s series of measures to stimulate the Australian economy in the wake of the pandemic is money well spent, writes The Editor.
Opinion
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THE Morrison Government’s $250 billion and counting commitment towards sustaining and stimulating the Australian economy during the COVID-19 pandemic is a truly staggering number.
It will take many years, if not decades, for the Commonwealth’s balance sheet to recover.
Yet the alternative would have meant condemning Australia to a Great Depression-style recession which would have left tens of thousands on the unemployment scrap heap, damaged families irrevocably and subjected children to a sustained period of poverty.
The length and breadth of the Morrison Government’s intervention thus far might compel some to the conclusion that enough is enough and that between the lack of local COVID cases and the rollout of vaccines it’s time for the nation to stand on its own two feet.
However, it would be naive to believe that every sector of the economy is now capable of operating normally.
The Courier-Mail has repeatedly argued the case on behalf of the tourism and aviation sectors that they will require ongoing support while Australia remains closed to international travellers.
It is critical for the long-term recovery outlook that these industries stand ready to service travellers once the border reopens, which at best will happen early next year.
If we allow these businesses, particularly the small operators in regional communities, to be shoved off the cliff then it will damage our tourism offering and be far more costly in the long term.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who was in the international tourism mecca of Cairns this week, has heard our warning and responded in kind with an attractive package of measures.
The centrepiece is 800,000 half-priced holidays for Australians to destinations that are normally populated by international visitors.
This is a clever initiative because cooped-up people from southern states are casting around for domestic destinations to travel to while at the same time tourism operators are desperately looking for ways to keep their doors open.
Channelling these tourist to the right areas through discounted airfares will not only help ensure local airlines remain sustainable but it will create activity for travel agents, hotels, attractions and the hospitality sector.
In hard-hit cities like Cairns, which faced a crisis when the JobKeeper supplement was removed at the end of the month, it will mean local boat owners can look at resuming trips to the Great Barrier Reef and cafe owners can keep staff on knowing an upturn in demand is imminent.
The Morrison Government’s initiative echoes Annastacia Palaszczuk’s announcement on the weekend under which the state will fund 15,000 vouchers worth $200 for Queenslanders to spend on experiences in the far north.
Both levels of public administration have, eventually, reached the conclusion that the best way to get the sectors that will continue to suffer because of COVID-19 restrictions back on their feet is a hand up, not another handout.
Mr Frydenberg’s package also continues to provide direct support in areas where stimulus is impossible, like for baggage handlers who work at international airports.
None of this comes cheap, of course, and there will be a price to pay for the unprecedented borrowing that is required to fund Australia’s COVID response.
Yet if Australia can keep its small businesses, the unheralded job creators of our economy, operating by the end of this crisis the recovery will be quicker.
That will make it money well spent.
LET’S ADDRESS THIS SCOURGE
Good on Education Minister Grace Grace for her efforts to try to tackle the difficult topic of sexual consent, reporting and education in Queensland schools.
Some of the revelations we have reported on over the past week about several of the state’s most respected education institutions – both public and private – have been appalling and need addressing.
Yes, it is fundamentally the responsibility of parents and caregivers to ensure their children understand respectful relationships and consent.
But given most of the allegations stem from school-based associations, there is an important role for the education system to play.
Ms Grace says she’s tasked her department with assessing current sexual reporting and education and to come up with solutions, if warranted.
Hopefully, this turns out to be real and more than another desktop review that never emerges from the bowels of the Queensland bureaucracy. We will be watching.
Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at couriermail.com.au/help/contact-us
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