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Federal Government and our Parks!


Pyro
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Hey everyone, Im a firm believer that our theme parks, both Village Roadshow and Ardent will lead the way in the recovery of our Gold Coast tourism and event trade. The sheer fact they they are reopening will push consumer confidence that our Gold Coast is back open and running. The flow on effect from just the announcement last week has already had a positive impact, as seen by the avalanche of reopening announced for smaller tourism operators, hotels and traders in the last week.
 
However, the Federal Government who seems to be on a hate campaign of the Performing Arts, Leisure and Amusement industry has taken off the table a loan that that parks needed to start to move forward. 3 months of negotiations pulled from the table just days before Seaworld is due to open. The parks employ over 7000 direct jobs across the major parks and indirectly contribute to another 50000 across South East Queensland, from Accommodation, Tourism and Trades.
 
I don't normally do this but please, contact Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham on the below email and let him know that the federal government needs to step up and do everything they can to not only help our parks but save our Tourism, Hospitality and Events industry on the Gold Coast.
 
The only way these muppets start to listen is to bombard there office with emails and calls. Im sure that the State Government, Parks and Destination Gold Coast are already doing the same, so the parks you all love/ love to hate, need our help.
 
Let the muppets know your thoughts on the contacts below. 
 
Email: minister.trade@dfat.gov.au
Phone: 02 6277 7420
Post: Office of Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
Simon Birmingham
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
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THE Gold Coast’s reliance on its embattled theme parks - which attract seven million visitors annually - mean they’re “too important to fail”, city tourism leaders say.

Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista called the Village Roadshow and Dreamworld parks “major drawcards” while State Tourism Shadow David Crisafulli said they were “simply too important to fail” yesterday.

Mayor Tom Tate said as the city emerged from the coronavirus pandemic “it’s critical our theme parks are ready to put their best foot forward as visitors return.

“We know what a drawcard they are for the Gold Coast and if funding ensures they can keep operating through this tough time, I hope it can be made available to them.”

Their comments come after the sudden collapse of bridging loan negotiations – to get the parks through the coronavirus downturn – was revealed in the Bulletin yesterday. The loans would have delivered millions in funding support from the Federal Government.

The decision – described as a “kick in the guts” by Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones – means eight-figure loans earmarked for Village Roadshow and Ardent Leisure’s Dreamworld have now been taken off the table.

With both Village and Ardent bleeding up to $15 million and $10 million each month respectively, Ms Battista said: “As a major employer across tourism, hospitality and events, Gold Coast theme parks inject hundreds of millions of dollars annually into the economy.

“They have a significant impact on the city’s economic wellbeing. Our destination messaging entices visitors to come and play on the Gold Coast and in our theme parks because there is nowhere else in Australia to go for this.

“Theme parks are a major drawcard and our data shows they are one of the most loved activities that visitors indulge and splurge on.”

She added seven million people visit them annually calling them “a must-visit iconic attraction for young families and high spending travellers”.

Federal Tourism Minster Simon Birmingham rejected a suggestion the Morrison Government had turned its back on the theme parks, pointing to JobKeeper payments and taking a swipe at ongoing border blockades.

SENATOR’S SCATHING LETTER OVER THEME PARKS

But Mr Crisafulli said the parks were “simply too important to fail”.

“Not just for those who work there but for an entire city that survives on the armies of visitors who make a beeline for the Coast because of them,” he said.

“I would love to see extra assistance from the Federal Government and it might yet come in the form of an extended JobKeeper. The State Government has to realise the importance of their survival and must do whatever it takes to keep them alive.

 

“We could start by allowing those tourists desperate to come across the border to provide the greatest form of assistance there is, a viable commercial offering.”

Village CEO Clarke Kirby declined to comment but confirmed he was in “deep discussion” with State Government.

Speaking to the Bulletin after the parks relaunch plan was announced earlier this month, chief operating officer Bikash Randhawa said the group’s struggle had far-reaching ramifications.

“There’s a lot of small businesses that rely on us,” he said at the time. “(The closure) wasn’t just about the people directly employed by Village Roadshow, this is about the massive supply chain.

“Local businesses, restaurants, accommodation were all eagerly waiting for us to open so they could start planning, because if the theme parks open and we do well, the city does well.

“There are lots of people that feed off us being here. Realistically, there is no tourism without theme parks.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the deal collapse was concerning, adding she believed theme parks were relying on Federal Government support: “We’ve put in State Government support. I understand the Minister for Tourism is speaking to her federal counterpart about these matters.

“It’s a very serious issue and it comes down to hundreds of jobs. Hundreds are employed in theme parks, they play a very important role and we wouldn’t want to see those jobs put at risk.”

The Bulletin asked Gold Coast Federal LNP MPs Moncrieff’s Angie Bell and Fadden’s Stuart Robert where they stood. Ms Bell’s spokesperson said to talk to Mr Birmingham’s office and Mr Robert’s office didn’t reply. 

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My opinion,

There could be more than the Fed Govt and State Govt spat over borders.

With the borders closed interstate and international, you would be looking at a max of 1/3 park attendance.

https://villageroadshow.com.au/-/media/VRL-Corporate-Media-Library/Documents/ASX-Announcements/2019/June/Strategy-Presentation.pdf

Now then when you take into account that a lot of that third wont turn up to the parks because they aren't close enough to them, or they don't have the money to go. So most of the attendance is likely (again my opinion) to be annual passholders, so no purchasing of tickets, and likely less/minimal in-park expenditure. 

Without a re-opened border to NSW and VIC (which account for just over 14 million of the 26 million people) the Fed Govt probably doesn't see the fiscal benefits to the state since the businesses tangential to the themeparks (hotels, restaurants and so on) are unlikely to see a boost to their numbers because (again my opinion) that the locals won't need these services where as those from more regional QLD, and interstate would.

Nationally there would be no boost since interstate transport (and again the businesses tangential to them) wont see a boost either.

Of course this is just my opinion I have been wrong before and felt like I needed to say it was my opinion just one more time, since I didn't use it enough already :)

Annotation 2020-06-25 211713.png

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13 hours ago, troll under the coaster said:

My opinion,

There could be more than the Fed Govt and State Govt spat over borders.

With the borders closed interstate and international, you would be looking at a max of 1/3 park attendance.

https://villageroadshow.com.au/-/media/VRL-Corporate-Media-Library/Documents/ASX-Announcements/2019/June/Strategy-Presentation.pdf

Now then when you take into account that a lot of that third wont turn up to the parks because they aren't close enough to them, or they don't have the money to go. So most of the attendance is likely (again my opinion) to be annual passholders, so no purchasing of tickets, and likely less/minimal in-park expenditure. 

Without a re-opened border to NSW and VIC (which account for just over 14 million of the 26 million people) the Fed Govt probably doesn't see the fiscal benefits to the state since the businesses tangential to the themeparks (hotels, restaurants and so on) are unlikely to see a boost to their numbers because (again my opinion) that the locals won't need these services where as those from more regional QLD, and interstate would.

Nationally there would be no boost since interstate transport (and again the businesses tangential to them) wont see a boost either.

Of course this is just my opinion I have been wrong before and felt like I needed to say it was my opinion just one more time, since I didn't use it enough already :)

Annotation 2020-06-25 211713.png

Just to be clear here and for clarity's sake- is this your opinion? 

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