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FEDERAL BUDGET DELIVERS ON JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
The Federal Budget was released this week reconfirming the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to job creation and economic growth, with targeted recovery measures for tourism and aviation sectors, investment in road infrastructure and initiatives to ease skill shortages.
The budget provides over $1.2 billion in funding to support tourism operators, small businesses, travel agents and airlines who continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The package, which was previously announced by the Commonwealth Government, includes a strong focus on aviation:
- Over 800,000 half-price fares to tourism regions across Australia until 31 July 2021
- A new $200 million International Aviation Support program to assist major Australian passenger airlines to retain flight ready crews and maintain international aircraft in preparation for the return of international travel
- Financial support for training and accreditation requirements for up to 5,000 ground handling staff
- Extensions to several programs until 30 September 2021 including subsidising key domestic and regional air routes, the domestic airport security charge rebate and partial waiver of Airservices Australia charges.
Support packages for specific sub-sectors have also been extended:
- An extension of six months of the support package for zoos and aquariums to assist with costs associated with the caring of their animals
- Funding to assist travel agents and tour operators to service their customers, including providing refunds and holding travel credits.
In delivering his Budget speech on Tuesday, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said: “We know some sectors and regions continue to do it tough. That is why this Budget provides a further $2.1 billion in targeted support for aviation, tourism, the arts and international education providers.
“More than 800,000 half-price airfares. Support for more than 200 productions. Grants to English language course providers. And extending our small business loan scheme, which has already helped more than 45,000 businesses access low-cost finance. We are also providing tax relief for around 1,000 small brewers and distillers.”
NSW will benefit from over $3 billion in funding for road infrastructure, with upgrades to the Great Western Highway, M12 Motorway, M5 Motorway and Princes Highway.
The visitor economy of Newcastle and the Hunter region will grow through the $66 million investment in upgrading the Newcastle Airport runway to allow for larger aircraft and international flights.
In addressing skills shortages, the Budget included $2.7 billion for new apprenticeships and traineeships, $506 million to extend the JobTrainer program, changes to temporary visa holder working regulations and support for the non-university higher education sector to deliver short courses.
ONE MILLION REASONS TO SMILE ABOUT FIBA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL WORLD CUP
With less than 500 days to go until the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup tips off, the NSW Government has announced it will invest $1 million into legacy initiatives to support the growth of the sport in NSW.
Minster for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said hosting the world’s best basketballers in Sydney would create significant benefit for the NSW visitor economy, provide entertainment for local and visiting fans, and inspire future players.
“At such an exciting time for basketball, the NSW Government is committed to ensuring the next generation of Opals have more opportunities to participate in the sport in the lead up and beyond the World Cup”, Mr Ayres said.
“I have no doubt the Australian public will be eager to soak up the atmosphere of this world-class sporting tournament featuring the best international female basketballers in Sydney, and I’m sure the 12 participating nations will feel right at home throughout the competition.
“We can’t wait to stage this fantastic event as part of the NSW Government’s 10 World Cups in 10 Years initiative, which supports our ambition for Sydney and NSW to be the events capitals of the Asia Pacific.”
Minster for Sport Geoff Lee said the legacy programs, delivered by Basketball NSW, will focus on enhancing female, Indigenous and multicultural participation before, during and after the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022.
“We’ve seen first-hand how sport brings so many benefits to communities, including health, social and economic,” Mr Lee said.
“This investment will ensure people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds have the opportunity to participate in one of the world’s most popular sports.”
Former Opal and four-time Olympic medallist Lauren Jackson said the opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd next year will help to inspire future generations of basketballers.
“The awesome thing about having a home World Cup is that it does inspire the next generation,” Ms Jackson said.
“I was one of those kids watching the ’94 World Cup and remember thinking, I am going to play for Australia one day. I am going to be there, I am going to be doing that.”
As FIBA’s flagship women’s competition, the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup is one of the most prestigious competitions in international basketball and in 2022 will feature the world’s best players from 12 of basketball’s powerhouse nations across Africa, Americas, Asia & Oceania and Europe.
The tournament will take place from 23 September – 3 October 2022 at Sydney Olympic Park. For more information, see here.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SET TO BOLSTER NSW TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY SECTORS
In a boost for the State’s tourism and hospitality sector, the cap imposed on international student working hours is set to be lifted temporarily, under new measures included in this week’s Federal budget.
The Commonwealth Government will remove existing work hour caps for Student Visa holders employed in the tourism and hospitality sector. A 40 hour fortnightly limit previously applied during study periods.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres welcomed the initiative saying it would provide a much-needed boost to NSW’s tourism and hospitality sectors, while providing reassurance to NSW’s international visa holders.
“We know that tourism and hospitality are the lifeblood of our State, and international students make a significant contribution to the NSW visitor economy. This is a win-win for our industry, as well as student visa holders, as we look to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and assure the security of NSW’s tourism and hospitality industries.
“This move will provide our tourism and hospitality sector with better access to the skills they need to meet the demands currently faced by the industry,” Mr Ayres said.
In addition, temporary visa holders will be able to access the 408 COVID-19 Pandemic Event Visa for a period of 12 months if they work in the tourism and hospitality sector. This decision adds tourism and hospitality to the critical sectors of agriculture, food processing, health care, aged care, disability care and childcare for eligibility for this visa subclass.
Temporary visa holders working in, or intending to work in, tourism and hospitality will also be able to apply for the 408 COVID-19 Visa up to 90 days before their existing visa expires and then remain in Australia for up to 12 additional months.
The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) applauded the changes to visa holder conditions, which will alleviate workforce shortages in Australia’s accommodation hotels and hospitality businesses.
TAA CEO Michael Johnson said the amendments would deliver immediate benefits for Australian hotels.
“The changes will hopefully take some of the current pressure off the hotels and their hard-working employees and secure the necessary workforce support they require to trade at full capacity,” Mr Johnson said.
For more information on the changes, visit the Department of Home Affairs.
LAST CHANCE TO VOTE FOR NSW’S TOP TOURISM TOWN
There is still time to cast a vote for the inaugural NSW Top Tourism Town Awards before voting closes at 5pm today.
The NSW Tourism Industry Council will award two titles in the NSW Top Tourism Town 2021 contest: towns with over 5,000 residents and towns with fewer than 5,000 residents.
Forty-two towns from across the State have been shortlisted and are now in the running to win the prestigious award, including the smallest shortlisted town, Milparinka, which has less than 10 residents.
Shortlisted towns have been campaigning hard over the past week, and tens of thousands of votes have been received in support of the finalists.
The Top Tourism Town Award is providing communities, business chambers, visitor centres and local governments the opportunity to showcase what makes their town special and unique, encourage tourism development, increase visitation and drive the NSW visitor economy.
The winners will be announced by Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres at the Local Government NSW Destination & Visitor Economy Conference, Thursday 27 May 2021.
To vote visit: www.businessnsw.com/top-tourism-town-awards
BUSINESS EVENTS SYDNEY SIGNS AS HOST CITY PARTNER FOR GET LOCAL SHOWCASE
Business Events Sydney (BESydney) has been named the Host City Partner for the inaugural business events exhibition, Get Local 2021, the first major business events trade show in NSW since the pandemic.
Held at ICC Sydney on 29 and 30 July, Get Local will play a key role in helping to rebuild and grow business events across the State by bringing together buyers, exhibitors and industry representatives.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said: “It’s great to see further progress in kickstarting NSW business events with this major trade show taking place in Sydney in the coming months. Growing this industry is key for the State’s economy and this will be a great opportunity to showcase our world-class venues and events offering.”
BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said: “It’s now more important than ever to come together, to meet and network as we rebuild and grow, and as a centre for business, academia and associations, Sydney is the right place to host this inaugural expo. Now is a great time to showcase our destination, event suppliers, and product.”
Get Local 2021 is also supported by the NSW Government via Destination NSW. For more information on the exhibition, go to www.getlocalexpo.com.au.
Meanwhile, Mr Ayres has encouraged business event organisers to apply for the NSW Governement's Business Events Industry Support Package grants - applicable for events in Greater Sydney and across NSW. For information visit Destination NSW.
NEW LIFE IN THE SUN FOR LADY OF THE HARBOUR
One of Sydney’s oldest ferries will be given a new lease of life by the largest Aboriginal Maritime charity in Australia thanks to a $300,000 NSW Government grant.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the popular Lady Northcott will continue to grace Sydney Harbour in the years to come.
“This is really exciting news because we will see the beloved Lady Northcott back out on the Harbour, taking passengers on trips to promote Aboriginal history and cultural experiences.
“Tribal Warrior is the nation’s largest Aboriginal Maritime charity, and they have a fantastic track record of mentoring and supporting many young Aboriginal people who have gone on to secure permanent positions in the maritime industry.
“Lady Northcott will not only be great for tourists and locals, but she will provide Aboriginal youth with specialised training programs while out on the water,” Mr Constance said.
Tribal Warrior CEO Shane Phillips said: “We are really excited about this initiative which will allow us to engage in Sydney Harbour tourism and explore other possible transport opportunities, while also helping to strengthen the maritime workforce at the same time.”
The Lady Northcott and sister Lady Herron were retired after 40 years of service on Sydney Harbour in late 2017, with the arrival of the new Emerald Class fleet.
Transport for NSW ran a campaign, which included speaking with heritage groups, exploring options to keep both vessels on the water in some capacity.
Mr Constance said: "Sadly, the feedback we have received so far is that the Lady Herron no longer meets contemporary standards to make a commercial operation viable. We’d love to see her repurposed but if there are no interested parties stepping forward in the next few months, a planned disposal of the vessel would be the only option left available.”
Any organisation interested in repurposing the Lady Herron should contact NSW Ferries for further information.
Photo credit: Sydney Morning Herald.
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA GROUP UPDATES SHORT-HAUL INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
Virgin Australia Group has announced changes to its short-haul international network in response to shifting international border projections.
Forecasts released in this week’s Federal Budget outline new predictions for the aviation sector, including for international travel, and as a result Virgin Australia will defer most short-haul international flying, including to Fiji and Indonesia, until at least December 2021.
Continued efforts by State and Federal Government’s to refine trans-Tasman travel arrangements will allow the airline to operate Boeing 737 services between Sydney-Queenstown as planned from 18 September 2021. Because current demand for other New Zealand destinations remains subdued, Virgin Australia will defer them from sale alongside services to Vanuatu, Samoa and the Solomon Islands for the time being.
While the international travel outlook remains uncertain, domestic travel continues to go from strength to strength and the airline is continuing to review its domestic network to ensure it’s responding to growth opportunities here in Australia.
Virgin Australia Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Alistair Hartley said the new forecast for international travel has required Virgin Australia to reassess its network as well as give customers plenty of notice of any changes to their travel plans.
“While we know some Australians are itching to travel overseas, it is clear that international travel won’t return to normal as quickly as first anticipated,” said Mr Hartley.
“Doing the right thing for our customers remains at the heart of our decision making, and while the impact is relatively low due to ongoing border uncertainty, we are working to provide affected customers with alternative options as quickly as possible.”
Customers impacted by the changes will be contacted directly and provided with options to obtain a full refund to the original form of payment or a credit for future travel with Virgin Australia.
QANTAS SUPERMOON SCENIC FLIGHT SELL OUT
This week Qantas’ newly launched Supermoon Scenic Flight sold out shortly after tickets were released. On Wednesday 26 May 2021, the exclusive, one-off Supermoon Scenic Flight will depart Sydney for a two-and-a-half-hour sojourn through the southern sky. Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully said Qantas was committed to coming up with unique flying experiences, especially while travel options are limited. "We have been absolutely overwhelmed with the popularity of our special flights. The recent mystery flights sold out within 15 minutes with hundreds of people on waiting lists and they keep telling us they want more. We are very excited to now be doing a supermoon scenic flight and the 787 has the largest windows of any passenger aircraft so it's ideal for moon gazing." Guests will board the Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner in Sydney and take in the Sydney Harbour night lights before climbing above cloud cover to view the stars at 40,000 feet, followed by a viewing of the rising of the supermoon, which is also a total lunar eclipse, a highly unusual astronomical double act, with the moon expected to turn red against the night sky. The flight will include inflight commentary from expert CSIRO astronomer, Dr Vanessa Moss and cosmic themed catering. Find out more at Qantas promotions.
POINT GROUP TO OPEN FOUR HOSPITALITY VENUES IN CBD’S SHELL HOUSE
Four exciting new venues will open in a historic Sydney CBD building Shell House later this year. Sydney hospitality group The Point, best known for Icebergs Dining Room and Bar and the Dolphin Hotel, will open a multi-level dining hub, with plans underway for Menzies Bar, a ground floor bar and bistro, Shell House Dining Room and Terrace, a restaurant and bar on the 9th floor and Shell House Sky Bar, a rooftop cocktail bar, all of which will cover an impressive 1600 square metres of indoor and outdoor space. Shell House on Carrington Street was built in the interwar period and is the only remaining palazzo-style building in Sydney clad with glazed terracotta blocks. The 65.5-metre-tall building – which once housed the iconic Menzies Hotel – is at the centre of a $2 billion development by Brookfield Properties, and will mainly be taken up with office space. Menzies Bar is expected to open in July 2021. Shell House Dining Room and Bar and Shell House Sky Bar are both set to open in October 2021.
REGISTRATIONS OPEN FOR DSSS VISITOR ECONOMY SYMPOSIUM 2021
Destination Sydney Surrounds South will hold the third and final event in their current Visitor Economy Symposium series in Wollongong on Wednesday 19 May. Business operators, local government representatives and industry stakeholders are invited to participate in the day-long program of practical sessions and presentations from guest speakers including Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox. Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said: “We anticipate that regional visitation will be worth $25 billion to the State’s visitor economy by 2030, which is more than a third of the total projected visitor expenditure, demonstrating how crucial our regions are to the economic and social well-being of NSW. The knowledge gained at the Visitor Economy Symposium will futureproof our visitor economy, ensuring that NSW continues to offer the best of the best for years to come.” The event is made possible with funding from the Australian Government through the Building Better Regions Fund. Support is also provided by the NSW Government, through Destination NSW. The event will be held at Novotel Northbeach, Wollongong on Wednesday 19 May from 9.30am. Registrations are now open.
