Tourism chief says Tasmania must open its borders to solve the industry’s jobs crisis

Tasmania runs the risk of haemorrhaging tourism jobs if it is the last state to reopen its borders, the industry warns.

THE state’s tourism industry has called on the Government to burst the bubble — saying jobs will continue to disappear until the state’s borders reopen.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief Luke Martin said 350 jobs a week are disappearing from the industry and it is time for the state to announce it is reopening for visitors.

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He said Tasmania risked missing out as tourists plan trips when regular travel resumes elsewhere.

“Tasmania can’t live in a bubble forever, because sooner rather than later we will run out of oxygen,” Mr Martin said.

“Businesses are closing. People are hurting. The only way to fix this jobs crisis is to open our state’s borders. New national tourism industry research, also released this week, indicates Tasmania’s visitor economy, once the jewel in our state’s economic crown, is haemorrhaging jobs.”

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Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

Mr Martin said this week’s ABS labour market figures revealed that nearly 20,000 Tasmanians had lost their jobs over the past two months.

“Had our participation rate remain unchanged, our unemployment rate would now be 12.1 per cent, the worst in the country,” he said.

“This is a genuine jobs crisis and it is time for the Government to take urgent action to address it.”

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Mr Martin said the loss of employment in the industry was on an unprecedented scale — and getting worse the longer border controls remained in place.

“This is the equivalent of a major employer in Tasmania like Cadbury or the zinc works closing every week — or a company like Tassal closing its doors every month,” he said.

“South Australia has recognised this, and has already opened their borders to some states, including Tasmania.

“Yet while we can go to South Australia, South Australians still can’t come here.

“Every other state [except Western Australia] has now nominated a date for reopening their borders, with the latest opening date being the Northern Territory on July 17.

“As an industry we have backed Premier [Peter] Gutwein’s judgment every step of the way and are confident he will do the right thing. We urge the Premier and his Government to take urgent action to address the jobs crisis, and commit to opening our borders.”

Mr Gutwein has been in talks with SA and the ACT about resuming flights to Adelaide and launching new flights to Canberra before fully reopening the state’s borders.

He is sticking to making an announcement on June 26 on lifting border restrictions.