His full media release is reproduced below.
Just when state politics was becoming boring with the LNP intelligentsia of rural Queensland performing like circus animals, the colourful MP for Southport Peter Lawlor has livened things up with a few home truths.
As a Gold Coast alderman in a past life, Peter Lawlor was never backward in calling a spade a shovel while bucketing his opponents in his own inimitable style.
Most Tourism Ministers are simply nice meet-and-greet, tea and bickie types.
So, it's good to see Peter Lawlor has brought back the biff into the boring winter politics of Queensland.
.................................................................
Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading
The Honourable Peter Lawlor
17/06/2009
Mermaid Ray and LNP get it wrong on tourism commitment
LNP tourism spokesperson Ray Stevens has embarrassed himself and his party by claiming the Bligh Government's $12million tourism injection was actually an 11.27% funding cut.
Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said Mr Stevens comments were those of a lazy opposition.
"Had Mr Stevens read more than one page of the budget he would have seen tourism had not lost any funding but rather received a $12million funding boost.
"In the toughest economic times ever faced we are making the tough decisions to keep our tourism industry moving.
"While other states are cutting their tourism commitment we are building a path to recovery from the global financial crisis.
"We have also removed from TQ the administrative burden of Regional Tourism Organisation and convention bureau grant funding.
"This is now the responsibility of the department and therefore this money will not show up in Tourism Queensland's budget.
"TQ should be allowed to do what it does best and that's using the extra $12million to deliver innovative industry campaigns like the highly successful 'Best Job in the World'."
Minister Lawlor said the Bligh Government was responsible for delivering Queensland's major tourism infrastructure including convention centres, cruise ship terminals, stadiums and great walks.
"We have committed to an extra $36million over the next three years to market our great state.
"The closest the LNP has come to a tourism policy is commenting on ours.
"At the recent state election the only tourism commitment the LNP made was to cut the Queensland Investment and Incentives Scheme (QIIS) to fund their election promises.
"The QIIS program is used to attract airlines and ground services to Queensland - that's how well thought out their plans were.
"They promised not one extra dollar for tourism.
"Also, when pushed to back important future tourism infrastructure like the Gold Coast AFL Stadium the LNP refused.
"For the LNP it's simply a matter of 'bastardry one day, policy-free the next'."
PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au
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