A Shorten Labor Government will inject $1 billion into new tourism infrastructure in Northern Australia to support the industry and create new jobs.

Labor will establish the Northern Australia Tourism Infrastructure Fund to provide financing and concessional loans to build new tourism infrastructure in Northern Australia. 

Northern Australia’s tourism industry is being let down by ageing infrastructure that no longer suits the needs of the market. 

The region has obvious natural advantages – the Great Barrier Reef, the outback, pristine national parks and wildlife. 

We need to make sure the infrastructure is in place to encourage more people to visit Northern Australia and experience all it has to offer. 

The World Economic Forum’s 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index ranked Australia 7th for overall competitiveness, but 14th for overall infrastructure. 

Ground and port infrastructure in Australia is ranked 53rd.

That’s not good enough. 

Northern Australia sits on the doorstep of the world’s fastest growing middle class in Asia. By 2030, there will be three billion middle class consumers just to our north. 

Labor wants them go to Northern Australia for their holidays. 

But, we know we have to make sure that Northern Australia can compete with other world-class destinations. 

That’s why we will invest $1 billion in upgrading airports, tourist trails and ports to make it as easy as possible for tourists to enjoy all Australia has to offer. 

The Fund will be fully offset by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility that is yet to invest a single dollar. 

Shadow Minister for Tourism Anthony Albanese and Shadow Minister for Northern Australia Jason Clare will consult with industry and local and state governments on the structure of the fund and what infrastructure should be prioritised. 

A factsheet with further details in relation to this announcement is available here. 

SATURDAY, 29 JULY 2017