Warren Entsch leads charge as MPs rally to reopen stalled cruise industry

Veteran federal MP Warren Entsch is leading the charge for an accelerated restart of the multibillion-dollar cruise industry.

MP’s are pushing for more certainty for the cruise industry.

Veteran federal MP Warren Entsch is leading the charge for an accelerated restart of the multibillion-dollar cruise industry, garnering support from both sides of the political divide.

Cruising forms part of the economic lifeblood of Far North Queensland, and the Cairns- based Mr Entsch has the backing of 15 MPs and senators including Labor’s Kristy McBain, independent Zali Steggal and the Liberal’s Dave Sharma in his calls for a restart.

“It has been a difficult 15 months since (tourism) businesses vanished overnight with the suspension of cruising,’’ Mr Entsch wrote in a letter to Tourism Minister Dan Tehan and Health Minister Greg Hunt on June 24.

“Some (tourism operators) are living off retirement savings and others are facing critical decisions in the survival of their businesses,” he said, adding that he had also raised the issues with the Prime Minister’s office and the Treasurer’s office.

Mr Entsch said that in Cairns millions of dollars was recently spent dredging the harbour to facilitate larger cruise vessels.

His plea to the federal tourism and health ministers comes as major US cruise line Royal Caribbean cancelled most of its summer voyages around Australia and New Zealand last week as ongoing border closures dealt another hit to the cruise industry.

“I am very worried about the cruise industry,” Mr Entsch said.

“First up for me is to give them a date to work with them to establish protocols such as 100 per cent vaccinations. We need to start planning and allow them to take bookings, we can start with baby steps.

“The reality is we all know about the Ruby Princess, (but) you have to accept lessons have been learnt. The cruise industry accepts they have to put in place procedures like every other part of our community to minimise the risk. We know a lot more about the virus than we did in the days of the Ruby Princess.”

He said some providoring businesses in Cairns were totally reliant on cruise companies. “It is a tragedy,” he said.

Warren Entsch. Picture: Getty Images

Mr Entsch wants Australia’s east coast to reopen for cruising business, and also thinks New Zealand should also be opened up to the cruise industry. “There is no reason why they couldn’t enjoy the New Zealand bubble,” Mr Entsch said.

In a statement to The Australian late on Friday, Mr Tehan said that since the start of the pandemic, the government had made the health and safety of Australians its top priority and closing the international borders had helped keep Australians safe.

“Smaller cruises have already resumed, and the government continues to consult with the states and territories and the maritime industry on options for the staged resumption of cruising when the medical advice says that it is safe to do so,” Mr Tehan said.

Indeed the locally owned Cairns-based Coral Expeditions was continuing to sail, supporting 260 families in Cairns and ploughing $40m to $50m into the town’s economy annually on provisions and maintenance.

But apart from Royal Caribbean, a conga line of cruise companies have either cancelled their Australian summer itineraries or will reconsider them from December. Others are cancelling on a rolling basis. They include Cunard, P&O, Regent Seven Seas, Carnival, Princess, Silversea, Ponant and the Australian-owned Aurora Expeditions. Holland America has cancelled all its 2021 cruises to Australia and New Zealand and is instead expanding its cruise itineraries out of San Diego from September.

Joel Katz, who represents local and international cruise lines as head of the Cruise Lines International Association Australasia, said 1.35 million Australians, or more than 6 per cent of the population, cruised in 2018.

The federal government’s next review of biosecurity laws is not slated until September 17. “We are not waiting for September 17; we are pushing the government to finalise a framework as soon as possible so we can give certainty to the 18,000 Australians who rely on the cruise industry for their livelihood,” Mr Katz said.

“Without certainty it is very difficult for the cruise lines to be able to plan.”

Originally published as Warren Entsch leads charge as MPs rally to reopen stalled cruise industry