Change the Australian Government Stimulus Tourism Package
The issue
Whilst anyone in Australian Tourism would applaud any stimulus to the industry, this past week’s announcement by the Australian Government is, not surprisingly, all wrong.
As one of the hundreds of accommodation operators affected, we need stimulus today, this coming weekend and over the next couple of months. Not next year ... now. We don't need jingles logo's and hype, we need action NOW !
As a business owner in Thredbo, it’s a ghost town, Jindabyne is the same and speaking to people on the south coast, you know what’s happening, same same.
Over the past 3 weeks, hundreds of bookings have been cancelled and the village is on its knees and seemingly the government with this “ new “ program of jingles logoi's and nonsense, wants to count deck chairs.
Tourism operators in the affected area’s cannot wait for some marketing campaign to be created and functional and where the main beneficiaries will be the advertising agencies and media outlets, Australian Tourism operators like us here in snowy mountains, the NSW coastline, the Blue Mountains, we need results today, next weekend and over the next couple of months.
The correct solution would be to make accommodation in fire effected area's a tax deduction for the 2019/2020 financial year. tax deductions on accommodation booked in the affected areas for holidays at home between now and June 30. Holidays must be taken between now and then.
How much will this scheme cost?
- The government will foot a tax revenue loss of 30 to 40c in accommodation dollars spent by individuals.
- They will, as a result, see a GST return of 10c per dollar spent. They will also get a return from the operators of 30c on all spent.
- Profits plus staff working as a result of the stimulus will also pay tax or drawdown less on social security.
In that way, an amount of $76 million will go a very long way funding thousands of accommodation holidays. The government is on a win-win because the moment any holidaymakers leaves home, the government makes from the sale of petrol, meals, coffee shops, supermarkets and activities at the destination
Timing is everything. The cash flow urgency is now. I fear that the proposed campaigns by Tourism Australia will not turn around the international market before next Christmas, and in any event, I am seeing evidence that things will return to normal by that time anyway and you cannot squeeze much more into the marketplace at that time so minimal change to annual turnover.
The holiday at home tax incentive has many positives.
- It provides the opportunity for immediate demand.
- Treasury Revenue lost will be offset in part by minimizing loss of operators, reduced staffing.
- People in areas are kept in employment
I urge you to sign this petition, tourism is damaged right across the country, businesses are on their knees and for the sake of the economy of tourism in this country to re-think the proposal, people need jobs and counting deck chairs isn’t one of them.
Petition Closed
The issue
Whilst anyone in Australian Tourism would applaud any stimulus to the industry, this past week’s announcement by the Australian Government is, not surprisingly, all wrong.
As one of the hundreds of accommodation operators affected, we need stimulus today, this coming weekend and over the next couple of months. Not next year ... now. We don't need jingles logo's and hype, we need action NOW !
As a business owner in Thredbo, it’s a ghost town, Jindabyne is the same and speaking to people on the south coast, you know what’s happening, same same.
Over the past 3 weeks, hundreds of bookings have been cancelled and the village is on its knees and seemingly the government with this “ new “ program of jingles logoi's and nonsense, wants to count deck chairs.
Tourism operators in the affected area’s cannot wait for some marketing campaign to be created and functional and where the main beneficiaries will be the advertising agencies and media outlets, Australian Tourism operators like us here in snowy mountains, the NSW coastline, the Blue Mountains, we need results today, next weekend and over the next couple of months.
The correct solution would be to make accommodation in fire effected area's a tax deduction for the 2019/2020 financial year. tax deductions on accommodation booked in the affected areas for holidays at home between now and June 30. Holidays must be taken between now and then.
How much will this scheme cost?
- The government will foot a tax revenue loss of 30 to 40c in accommodation dollars spent by individuals.
- They will, as a result, see a GST return of 10c per dollar spent. They will also get a return from the operators of 30c on all spent.
- Profits plus staff working as a result of the stimulus will also pay tax or drawdown less on social security.
In that way, an amount of $76 million will go a very long way funding thousands of accommodation holidays. The government is on a win-win because the moment any holidaymakers leaves home, the government makes from the sale of petrol, meals, coffee shops, supermarkets and activities at the destination
Timing is everything. The cash flow urgency is now. I fear that the proposed campaigns by Tourism Australia will not turn around the international market before next Christmas, and in any event, I am seeing evidence that things will return to normal by that time anyway and you cannot squeeze much more into the marketplace at that time so minimal change to annual turnover.
The holiday at home tax incentive has many positives.
- It provides the opportunity for immediate demand.
- Treasury Revenue lost will be offset in part by minimizing loss of operators, reduced staffing.
- People in areas are kept in employment
I urge you to sign this petition, tourism is damaged right across the country, businesses are on their knees and for the sake of the economy of tourism in this country to re-think the proposal, people need jobs and counting deck chairs isn’t one of them.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 18 January 2020