Coronavirus Qld: Cost to Brisbane hits $1b, more funding needed

While the Gold Coast and north Queensland are getting multimillion-dollar coronavirus rescue packages, the state’s struggling capital is being overlooked, claims the Lord Mayor.

THE State Government will today announce a massive coronavirus financial stimulus package, as it emerged that the China travel ban had cost Brisbane $1 billion since the crisis began — and that figure may go much higher.

The cost to Brisbane sparked a plea from Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to provide extra funding to help the state’s capital.

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It is estimated 13,000 Chinese students did not turn up to Brisbane universities for their first day yesterday because of the travel ban, with the likely impact already being about $797 million to the state’s economy.

Brisbane Airport Corporation has advised that cancellations out of China and the surrounding region currently total 210 flights and over 63,000 seats during February and March, the worst figures since the 1982 pilots’ strike.

BAC anticipates that any further reduction in services into April to June would lead to a total reduction of 500 flights and more than 150,000 seats.

On the Gold Coast alone, businesses report a drop in revenue of 10 to 15 per cent.

It’s estimated 3500 businesses have been affected, resulting in the loss of 42,000 jobs.

A spokesman for the Premier said last night an overall assistance package for Queensland would be announced today.

“The Premier does not underestimate the impact (of the coronavirus) and has been fighting for the Federal Government to treat this like any other natural disaster,’’ the spokesman said.

The Queensland Tourism Industry Council wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week asking for a $40 million assistance package for Queensland, which replicated help provided for bushfires.

Mr Morrison denied he had received any request for assistance from the tourism industry.

In a letter to the Premier, Cr Schrinner said Brisbane needed emergency funding to support the recovery of its tourism industry “from the detrimental impacts of the coronavirus and the flow-on effects to Brisbane from the bushfire crisis’’.

He said it was unfair to spend millions of dollars in north Queensland to stimulate tourism, while ignoring the state’s capital, the gateway to Chinese tourists.

Cr Schrinner said Cairns had received a multimillion-dollar rescue package and there were moves for a similar bailout on the Gold Coast.

“Brisbane’s tourism industry is just as deserving of emergency support as other Queensland communities,’’ he said.

“Having driven 21 consecutive quarters of growth in visitor numbers and consistently seeing growth outstripping other destinations, Brisbane has proven appeal for key international and domestic markets.”