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Predictions from Australia’s chief health bureaucrat, Dr Brendan Murphy, that Australia’s international borders are unlikely to reopen before 2022 highlights the critical need for ongoing government support for the Travel and Tourism sector

The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) has continued to work closely with Government, new Tourism and Trade Minister the Hon Dan Tehan, and a number of key members of Parliament across the political spectrum over the Christmas break. Discussions with Austrade and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) are also ongoing.

AFTA CEO Darren Rudd has written to key political decision makers including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan to reinforce the need for ongoing tailored support for the sector including an evolution of JobKeeper – albeit under a different name.

Comments from AFTA CEO Darren Rudd:
“Until international travel resumes, the reality is that Australia’s Travel and Tourism sector needs ongoing government support”.

“I have written to a range of key decision makers within the Federal Government including the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan to formally raise the need for modification to the design and implementation of the support program for our sector. This is in addition to our ongoing formal and informal discussions over the Christmas break at a Ministerial, political and departmental level around the pressing need to finesse the implementation of the Government’s historic $128 million support package”.

“I will be in Canberra for the first week of the Parliamentary sitting (borders permitted) to meet with key parliamentary representatives. While we hope Department of Health secretary Dr Brendan Murphy is being ultraconservative in his prediction that international travel is unlikely to resume until at least 2022, it will be dependent on the rollout and uptake of COVID vaccination across not only our community but also internationally”.

“In speaking to parliamentarians from a range of parties and independents, we are confident they understand the critical importance of keeping the sector afloat. We now need that to be translated into a renamed and repurposed JobKeeper program commencing April 1 specifically for the Travel and Tourism sector”.