1
00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,760
Speaker 1: So we know that there has been some really positive

2
00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,680
Speaker 1: announcements in the tourism space over the last couple of days,

3
00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:09,239
Speaker 1: and I think that we all understand just how tough

4
00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,600
Speaker 1: going it's been for tourism in the Northern Territory over

5
00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,160
Speaker 1: the last two and a half years. Now joining me

6
00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,959
Speaker 1: on the line is Tourism top Ends General Manager Glenn Hingley.

7
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:20,560
Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Glenn.

8
00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,479
Speaker 2: Katie, good morning, Good morning listening Glenn.

9
00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,799
Speaker 1: Finally some good news over the last couple of days.

10
00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,280
Speaker 1: We know that that Darwin London route well it's been

11
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,879
Speaker 1: extended for at least a couple of months. And we

12
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,760
Speaker 1: also know that there's going to be some aircraft based

13
00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,560
Speaker 1: right here in Darwin which will enable some different routes

14
00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:42,440
Speaker 1: for territorians and visitors alike.

15
00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,239
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and I think for everyone, if you're in the

16
00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,760
Speaker 2: tourism industry or not, this is great news. This morning.

17
00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,440
Speaker 2: I was privileged to be out at the airport to

18
00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,680
Speaker 2: see Allan Joyce that make that announcement this morning of

19
00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:00,480
Speaker 2: continuing the London DAHO and direct flights, which is great

20
00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:05,400
Speaker 2: news for Territorians looking to get and travel internationally. They

21
00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,600
Speaker 2: can do that leaving from here and returning from here.

22
00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:13,080
Speaker 2: But it's particularly good news with the federal borders opening

23
00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:17,119
Speaker 2: on the twenty first of February, allowing double vaccinated visitors

24
00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,800
Speaker 2: into the country, So there was a concern that we'd

25
00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,480
Speaker 2: missed that opportunity, but by extending that through now to

26
00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,520
Speaker 2: mid June is terrific news for tourism in the top end,

27
00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:31,640
Speaker 2: and it's terrific news for everybody having that and also basing.

28
00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,640
Speaker 2: Having a base of e one to ninety aircraft here

29
00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,400
Speaker 2: in the territory means not just jobs in terms of

30
00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,399
Speaker 2: visitors coming to the territory, but all the jobs that

31
00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,040
Speaker 2: that requires, the service those aircraft to put the food

32
00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,440
Speaker 2: on the planes, the staff that will be based here,

33
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,120
Speaker 2: the money they spend in the community, all though direct

34
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,760
Speaker 2: value that tourism brings, so that it's not just about

35
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,200
Speaker 2: tourists coming into the territory and the ability of territorians

36
00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,200
Speaker 2: to fly to different places. All that economic values that

37
00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,120
Speaker 2: that brings can only be good for the top end.

38
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,919
Speaker 1: Glenn, just how badly does our tourism industry really need

39
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,279
Speaker 1: this boost right now? Because I know it's been tough going.

40
00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,560
Speaker 2: We In fifteen minutes, I'm having, for example, a meeting

41
00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:22,000
Speaker 2: with a big online meeting with our Cacado tourism operators.

42
00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:24,880
Speaker 2: And so many of these guys are career drivers. At

43
00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,200
Speaker 2: the moment they're working, they've got other jobs. They're not

44
00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,680
Speaker 2: able to do what is their passion. They're not able

45
00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,600
Speaker 2: to do the businesses that they have been their life

46
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,040
Speaker 2: saving put into. The banks are on them for making

47
00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,840
Speaker 2: those payments back over the last the last two years,

48
00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,200
Speaker 2: some of the I've only been able to do two

49
00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:45,720
Speaker 2: or three departures since since effectively March in twenty twenty.

50
00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,840
Speaker 2: So this is so vitally important. We know that tourism

51
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,120
Speaker 2: is a major contributor to employment in the territory, but

52
00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,000
Speaker 2: more than that, it actually contributes towards the infrastructure of

53
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:04,240
Speaker 2: the territory. Twenty nineteen, tourism contributed close to half a

54
00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,799
Speaker 2: billion dollars in taxes half a billion dollars in taxes,

55
00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:09,520
Speaker 2: and what that means is and whilst most of that

56
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,160
Speaker 2: was GST and income tax, we all know that the

57
00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,720
Speaker 2: federal government funds the Northern Territory government up to seventy

58
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,960
Speaker 2: percent every day and that's better roads, better hospitals, better

59
00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,959
Speaker 2: family services, better policing. So the more tourists we get

60
00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,760
Speaker 2: here the more taxes we get from those tourists, the

61
00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,400
Speaker 2: better infrastructure and the more liveability we see. We also

62
00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,280
Speaker 2: saw an announcement yesterday for it, just as an example

63
00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,800
Speaker 2: too of Waterfront and what the plans that Richard Vgo

64
00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,960
Speaker 2: as Chair of Waterfront Corporation have for the future development.

65
00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,800
Speaker 2: And that's primarily driven for tourism, but it's therefore are

66
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:49,480
Speaker 2: tost territorians to enjoy. So every time we've got a

67
00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,120
Speaker 2: tourist coming in, they're bringing their money from interstate or international,

68
00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,680
Speaker 2: they're leaving a big black of it here that yes,

69
00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,440
Speaker 2: pays for our infrastructure, but employs our locals, keeps keeps

70
00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,480
Speaker 2: our restaurants, hope and our cafes, our bars, accommodation houses,

71
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,000
Speaker 2: keeps people whose job it is to fix car mechanics,

72
00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:14,000
Speaker 2: aircraft mechanics, prepare the food now, get the food from

73
00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,440
Speaker 2: the paddic to the plate. So those indirect jobs really

74
00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,680
Speaker 2: benefit when we do this and see the government recognize this.

75
00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,120
Speaker 2: I mean, we were getting pretty close to the line,

76
00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,760
Speaker 2: yeah in terms of we're being too late, so hopefully

77
00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:26,600
Speaker 2: not too late now.

78
00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, So this twelve point eight million dollars as well,

79
00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,880
Speaker 1: obviously that was announced yesterday it is in a bid

80
00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,080
Speaker 1: to lower international holiday makers as well as workers to

81
00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,600
Speaker 1: the Northern Territory, so that's good news. At two point

82
00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:41,400
Speaker 1: six million to deliver the Working holiday Maker campaign and

83
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:46,280
Speaker 1: to turbocharge hospitality, tourism and tourism. Three million for an

84
00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:51,120
Speaker 1: international leisure tourism marketing campaign, fifteen hundred dollars per new

85
00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:55,080
Speaker 1: worker as part of the Workstate Play relaunch, three million

86
00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,000
Speaker 1: to deliver the Flexible Workforce Initiative, fund one point three

87
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,919
Speaker 1: to five million dollars to boost the territory's skilled migration capacity,

88
00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:09,479
Speaker 1: and six hundred thousand to launch the Worker Connect platform. Glenn, firstly,

89
00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,240
Speaker 1: when it comes to really being able to turn that

90
00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,720
Speaker 1: workforce back on, because as you just discussed, there are

91
00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:18,720
Speaker 1: some that have been working in the tourism sector for

92
00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,240
Speaker 1: an awfully long time who've been doing other jobs due

93
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,320
Speaker 1: to this COVID situation. Are we going to be able

94
00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,520
Speaker 1: to turn the workforce back on as quickly as we

95
00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:28,160
Speaker 1: might need.

96
00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,080
Speaker 2: I'd like to answer that to b yes, but it's

97
00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:35,560
Speaker 2: not going to be without a lot of hard work.

98
00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:37,800
Speaker 2: So the first thing I'd say for territories, there's a

99
00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,719
Speaker 2: lot of jobs in the tourism, hospitality industry, should you

100
00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,440
Speaker 2: be thinking about a changing career tourism coming back and

101
00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,280
Speaker 2: by these investments to give confidence that it's going to

102
00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,680
Speaker 2: hopefully be a good year ahead. So I reach out

103
00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:52,680
Speaker 2: to every Territorian that's looking for a job and thinking

104
00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,240
Speaker 2: about a career change tourism and hospitality. We need you

105
00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,200
Speaker 2: to make sure that our restaurants and our bars are

106
00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,680
Speaker 2: operating a capacity for tourists to deal with tourists and

107
00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,920
Speaker 2: locals alike. We do need these people coming in from

108
00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:10,039
Speaker 2: outside the territory b they working holiday maker, backpackers or

109
00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,960
Speaker 2: people moving up from down south. So we're grateful that

110
00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,240
Speaker 2: the government's doing these campaigns and that they are thinking

111
00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,040
Speaker 2: about this. We've held a number of forums within our

112
00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,640
Speaker 2: industry where there's been really great forums Katie, where we've

113
00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,200
Speaker 2: got a group of the major employers and the medium

114
00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:29,000
Speaker 2: sized employees together across the tourism and hospitality sector for example,

115
00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,200
Speaker 2: sat down and said, guys, we need solutions. We don't

116
00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,640
Speaker 2: need government bashing. We need solutions on the table. So

117
00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,960
Speaker 2: here's let's come up with a range of things and

118
00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,680
Speaker 2: sit down with government to say here's some ideas from

119
00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,440
Speaker 2: a commercial standpoint that makes sense of we work and

120
00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,080
Speaker 2: then leave that to them. And government have listened to

121
00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,320
Speaker 2: that and they're moving on some of these ideas. There's

122
00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,880
Speaker 2: some other ideas that will continue to champion as well,

123
00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,359
Speaker 2: but anything that's happening. What we do know also is

124
00:06:55,480 --> 00:07:00,599
Speaker 2: that Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales South Australia we're

125
00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,800
Speaker 2: in the fight of our lives to get people because

126
00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,760
Speaker 2: they're doing everything they can to keep people staying in

127
00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,160
Speaker 2: Sydney and Victoria, for example. In Queensland, and they're trying

128
00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:12,800
Speaker 2: to get people from the territory to move to those

129
00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,120
Speaker 2: places as well. Now, no territory wants to go and

130
00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:19,400
Speaker 2: to go and sit through a winter. Why wouldn't we

131
00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,360
Speaker 2: want to work through the dry up here? And that's

132
00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,600
Speaker 2: part of the charm to get people up here and

133
00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,800
Speaker 2: to find and to find a job, to find a future.

134
00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:33,240
Speaker 2: And we all know amongst our friends circle, so many

135
00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,240
Speaker 2: people that came up here on a holiday or came

136
00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,920
Speaker 2: up here for a short term job and stayed because

137
00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:39,840
Speaker 2: they loved it. I think that's one of the other

138
00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:41,600
Speaker 2: things when we think about it. It's not just still in

139
00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,960
Speaker 2: short term jobs. We know that what the territory needs

140
00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,480
Speaker 2: if we're to have better hospitals, better schools, better facilities. Yes,

141
00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,600
Speaker 2: getting tourists up here generate that, but increasing our population

142
00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,400
Speaker 2: does that? Absolutely? Does that? Yeah, absolutely what we're talking

143
00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:57,000
Speaker 2: about here.

144
00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:58,960
Speaker 1: We certainly have got some work to do when it

145
00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,440
Speaker 1: comes to to building that population. And as you said,

146
00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:04,200
Speaker 1: you know we're going to be competing with other states

147
00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:05,920
Speaker 1: as well in terms of trying to get people to

148
00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:10,640
Speaker 1: move here to join the workforce. Glenn, just finally this morning,

149
00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:12,360
Speaker 1: I know that you know, you and I have had

150
00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,000
Speaker 1: so many difficult conversations over the last two and a

151
00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,560
Speaker 1: half years, as have I and Daniel Rochford from Tourism

152
00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,840
Speaker 1: Central Australia. It's been a really tough time for our

153
00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,880
Speaker 1: tourism operators. Do you think, are you finally now with

154
00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:30,760
Speaker 1: these announcements and with these quantus flights and with COVID,

155
00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,960
Speaker 1: you know, sort of changing. I guess you would say somewhat,

156
00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,319
Speaker 1: Are we finally seeing the end of the tunnel?

157
00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,840
Speaker 2: We're getting close to it, Katie. I think April May

158
00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:45,640
Speaker 2: June would mark that so many of our businesses right now,

159
00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:49,520
Speaker 2: and that's why it's tinly yesterday's announcements it well, was

160
00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,880
Speaker 2: it only a couple of months away? You know, that's

161
00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:57,359
Speaker 2: many payroll cycles, that's many mortgage repayments or rent repayments

162
00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,800
Speaker 2: between now and April. And with our customers there are

163
00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:05,600
Speaker 2: so many businesses now they can't the banks aren't taking

164
00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,400
Speaker 2: being kind to them and saying we'll extend further on

165
00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:14,400
Speaker 2: the landlords saying we can't continue this on. So I'm

166
00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:20,560
Speaker 2: really worried about the next two months and COVID playing

167
00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:26,040
Speaker 2: out well. Then we get to April May, and then

168
00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,760
Speaker 2: that I would hope is the light at the end

169
00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,200
Speaker 2: of the tunnel that we can move towards and we

170
00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,920
Speaker 2: can start to think about tourism as one of the

171
00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,120
Speaker 2: biggest employers in the territory. Yes, we're needing people for

172
00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,280
Speaker 2: those jobs. It's one of the biggest job opportunities and

173
00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,760
Speaker 2: it's one of the biggest economic earners. It's certainly in

174
00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:49,800
Speaker 2: the service sector outside of education, the biggest earner for

175
00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,280
Speaker 2: the territory, which makes the territory a better place to

176
00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,280
Speaker 2: live by getting more tourists here and the more dollars

177
00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,520
Speaker 2: they leave behind when they go, the more facilities and

178
00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,720
Speaker 2: infrastructure there is territories to enjoy well.

179
00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:06,360
Speaker 1: Glenn Hingley, of course, the general manager of tourism top end.

180
00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,120
Speaker 1: We always appreciate your time. Thank you very much for

181
00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,040
Speaker 1: having a chat with us, and I think, as you've

182
00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,200
Speaker 1: said there, the next couple of months are still going

183
00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,520
Speaker 1: to be difficult, so let's make sure that we support

184
00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:21,280
Speaker 1: our wonderful tourism operators and hopefully then we really start

185
00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,480
Speaker 1: to see some good times over the next few months.

186
00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:26,160
Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie, Thanks Glenn,