9. Question No. 9—TourismHon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of TourismQuestion No. 9—Tourism9. Hon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of Tourism: What advice has he received on the number of Australians who visited New Zealand for the purposes of a holiday or visiting family during the Australian winter school holidays in 2019?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Tourism): During the Australian winter school holidays in 2019 55538 Australians came to New Zealand for a holiday; while 38345 came at the same time to visit friends and family.Hon Todd McClay: What was the total amount spent by Australian visitors to New Zealand in the 2019 Australian winter school holidays?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I don't have those figures at hand.Hon Todd McClay: How many jobs were dependent on the amount spent by Australian visitors to New Zealand during the Australian winter school holidays in 2019?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: We know that some 400000 New Zealanders are either directly or indirectly employed in tourism-related work.Hon Todd McClay: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I didn't ask how many were employed in tourism.SPEAKER: No the member asked a question which was marginal as to its flow from the previous question. I allowed the question and it was addressed.Hon Todd McClay: Has he received any advice at all on the economic importance of the Australian winter school holidays to the New Zealand tourism industry and the families and communities who rely on it?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: We know that any holidays are important to the tourism industry including the Australian school holidays. But of course I have no say over what the Australians do in their school holidays.Hon Chris Hipkins: Can he confirm that while New Zealand is currently in a reasonably long stretch of having no new COVID cases Australia still continues to report up to double-digit new COVID-19 cases each day?SPEAKER: Order! The member could have phrased it so that the member could have answered it but he didn't.Hon Todd McClay: What will be the economic consequence and how many jobs will be lost if the trans-Tasman border remains closed during the Australian winter school holiday season this year?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: A couple of things. First of all a trans-Tasman bubble is something we would all like to see but it depends on both countries deciding that it is safe to open the borders. In terms of addressing the question around—I think it was how many jobs we lost—Hon Todd McClay: The consequences on jobs yeah.Hon KELVIN DAVIS: On the consequences on jobs we know that this is a global situation. COVID-19 has affected every country. There is no international tourism whatsoever so the effects on the industry have been devastating. We would like to see—Hon Grant Robertson: How would you do it Todd? Would you just open all the borders up—just open them up bring them in from anywhere Todd?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: —the trans-Tasman bubble open up as quickly as possible but we must make sure that both countries are sure that it's safe to do so.Hon Chris Hipkins: Supplementary question.SPEAKER: Before we do that I'm just going to ask the Minister of Finance: no matter how provocative the interjections that come from the other side when he interjects—when he replies that loudly while the Minister is speaking he interferes with the ability of the Minister to be—well my ability to hear the Minister. I'd like him to stop it. So don't be provoked.Hon Chris Hipkins: I'll have another go Mr Speaker. What would be the economic consequences to the New Zealand tourism industry of COVID-19 coming across the trans-Tasman border and spreading in New Zealand?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: We have seen the devastation that COVID-19 has caused to the New Zealand economy as we've gone up into level 4. The last thing that this country needs is for us to go from level 2 back into level 3 and back into level 4. What we need to do is maintain the course that we're on making sure that it is safe on both sides of the Tasman before the trans-Tasman bubble is opened up.