Tirikatene Rino: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Text is subject to correction 
Tirikatene Rino: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 01 August 2012. Volume:682;Page:4181. Text is subject to correction.] 
RINO TIRIKATENE (Labour—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Chair. I am pleased to make a contribution in this appropriations debate. Can I draw the Committee’s attention to the low-budget movie set known as the tourism portfolio. It is a “best supporting actress” in the John Key show. The tourism industry deserves much much more. The Prime Minister just like Prime Ministers of the past has been entitled to pick his portfolio as a matter of priority. Robert Muldoon had finance David Lange took foreign affairs and Helen Clark made a name for herself in the arts. For better or for worse these areas became their legacies. John Key gave himself the tourism portfolio as a matter of priority and yet 4 years on he has let it languish.  
Hon Annette King 
: Flop.  
RINO TIRIKATENE 
: It is a flop. Talk about taking his job too seriously! In colloquial Te Reo we say that John is taking a tiki-tour on the job. He is taking a tiki-tour. I am reminded of that memorable New Zealand ad which I am sure members of this Committee will remember of a generation ago where Kiwis were reminded: “Don’t leave town until you’ve seen the country.” On that ad there was a Kiwi bloke— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Tell that to John Key. His country’s Hawaii. 
RINO TIRIKATENE 
: That is right. On that ad a Kiwi bloke is paddling down a river and he is asked by a local if he knows where the Victoria Falls are. Our intrepid Kiwi kayaker replies: “Somewhere near Taupo.” Or in those days he said “T-ow-poe”. But Mr Key’s efforts to date remind me of that punchline because the Prime Minister is taking tourism over the Huka Falls. In colloquial Te Reo we say he has gone tipi haere.  
If we look at the tourism portfolio and at the tourism industry $63 million a day is contributed to New Zealand’s economy. It employs—directly and indirectly—180000 Kiwis. It is our second-biggest export earner. It provides jobs money and vibrancy to our communities. But it is not getting the leadership it deserves under this Minister. If we look at what is in this appropriation there are no significant changes to the tourism funding only $97.5 million on international marketing and a fraction on policy advice and research.  
But I think in terms of the reaction from the industry itself we just have to look at the mood of the industry in terms of its tourism sector report which was reported recently. If we look at the wording from tourism operators themselves right across the country they are saying that the sector has lost its edge it is in holding-on mode and it is economically flat. Tourism has fallen off the radar with this Government. New Zealand is no longer the desirable destination that it was amongst our key visitor export markets. We are stuck in a rut and the industry needs to change.  
The industry is calling for change and it has called Martin Snedden. He did a fantastic job leading the Rugby World Cup last year in addition to his heroics when he was on the cricket pitch in the 1980s. But Martin Snedden alone cannot pull the industry out of the doldrums. There needs to be leadership from the Prime Minister on this portfolio. We need some more hard graft being put into the tourism portfolio. We are not getting that hard graft and the tourism sector is suffering as a result and those comments are being made by operators up and down the length of the country.  
The tourism sector is made up of small businesses—large and small businesses the length and breadth of the country and they are hurting. We are not seeing leadership and we are definitely not seeing resources and funding being put in to stimulate the sector. So tourism is not where it needs to be. Unfortunately this Government does not have a plan and it has not got the right amount of resources that it is putting into such an important sector our No. 2 export earner—$63 million a day as I mentioned and 180000 jobs. It is a vitally important sector for our country and we need to have more leadership taking place.  
We want to see that tourism is no longer the supporting actor of this Government. We want to make sure that tourism is at the forefront and that we are seeing growth because the comments that are coming out of the sector are not encouraging. We need only to turn to Rob Fyfe the outgoing chief executive for Air New Zealand—