Dean Jacqui: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Dean Jacqui: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:656;Page:5496] 
JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) 
: 
 I am most anxious to make a contribution to this estimates debate on Vote Tourism. I am most anxious to make a contribution to this debate because of the good news that is contained within the tourism estimates appropriation for 2009-10. I will talk about two aspects and the first one has to be the great decision of the Minister of Tourism to seek an appropriation of $50 million over 3 years towards the development of a national cycleway. What good news this is. I know there have been and still are doubters on the other side of the Chamber. They cannot see the value to regional tourism of the cycleway but I can. I will tell members why. It is because we have the Otago Central Rail Trail in my electorate of Waitaki and I tell members that it brings $7.5 million per annum into the local economy. That is good news. But more than that it brings in some 300 jobs per annum. There are many people in Central Otago who have been looking at bleak times particularly under the 9 years of the previous Labour Government but we are not here to talk about that this evening. 
Hon Nathan Guy 
: Kelvin agrees with it. 
JACQUI DEAN 
: Yes a number of members acknowledge that 9 years of a Labour Government meant stagnation for regional tourism. Luckily the National Government is prepared to invest in cycleways. 
The good news goes on because this year a number of cycleways look set to benefit from this appropriation. I think it is worth saying where they are. They are spread around New Zealand. There is the Waikato River Trail and I know that my excellent colleague David Bennett is very excited and involved in that project. There is the Central North Island Rail Trail and if it models itself on the Otago Central Rail Trail then it will be doing very well indeed for the local economy. There is the Mountain to the Sea—the Mount Ruapehu to Wanganui trail—and the St James Great Trail in the South Island. What good news for people in that part of the country! That will indeed be beautiful. There is also the Hokianga to Opua/Russell trail the Hauraki Plains Trails and not forgetting the Southland/Queenstown Lakes Around the Mountain Rail Trail. All these initiatives will bring benefits to their local communities and the wider New Zealand economy thanks to our excellent Minister of Tourism and I congratulate the Hon John Key and the Hon Jonathan Coleman on their foresight and preparedness to invest in regional tourism economies throughout New Zealand. 
A number of people have spoken well of this proposal. The Labour members across the Chamber do not understand or appreciate the benefit to New Zealand of these proposals but a number of people do. I will talk about just a couple of them. The President of Local Government New Zealand Lawrence Yule said the “plan is a welcome boost for local communities.” He said: “This is an exciting initiative coming out of the Prime Minister’s February Job Summit …”. What an excellent initiative that was in the economy we are facing as out of the Job Summit came benefits to regional tourism in New Zealand. Mr Yule goes on to say “our member councils are delighted to play a part in it.” This is a welcome initiative on behalf of the National Government investing $50 million over 3 years into regional tourism. The major benefit is that the local communities throughout New Zealand are energised by this initiative. I and my fellow members in their constituency seats have had a number of community groups saying they are working on cycleways and have been working on them for a wee while now and asking where they can go. I am very happy to direct them to the Minister of Tourism’s office where they will find encouragement. That I suggest is exactly what we need in New Zealand. 
I will touch on one more aspect of this tourism appropriation and that is the funding towards the Winter Games NZ. I am so pleased that this Government has had the foresight to invest $1 million in this year’s inaugural Winter Games to be held in the South Island. How exciting this will be. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: You need to get out more. 
JACQUI DEAN 
: Oh yes the short-sighted member on the other side of the Chamber says I need to get out more. That is David Cunliffe.