Kate - Fess Up On Floriade

Wayne Berry - Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism

Media Statement - 18 October 1999

Labor MLA Wayne Berry has called on Chief Minister Kate Carnell to immediately release attendance figures for this year's Floriade.

Mr Berry's call follows revelations today from Canberra Tourism and Events Corporation (CTEC) which point to a disastrous result for 1999.

"If Kate Carnell refuses to release the figures today it should be viewed as nothing more than an attempt to avoid scrutiny in a sitting week of the Legislative Assembly," Mr Berry said.

"The Chief Minister is in full damage control over her refusal to resign over the disastrous bungled hospital implosion and will do anything to avoid more bad news, but the people of Canberra have a right to know the outcome of this year's Floriade. Floriade is our major annual tourist festival and if there are problems we need to know as soon as possible.

"The early evidence is that Floriade attendances are massively down and the re-emergence of the Chief Minister's implosion Achilles heel is no excuse for secrecy.

"The community could be excused for believing that Kate Carnell wanted to implode Floriade as well, her actions over the last two years point to that:

• Firstly last year's disastrous introduction of fees dropped on an unsuspecting public and tourism industry at the last moment. This hit tourism operators and Floriade stall holders and affected attendances;
• Then this year the 11th hour announcement that night sessions were cancelled - another blow to operators who had already booked tours with night sessions; and
• The doubts over the future of the festival expressed by the Chief Minister and her refusal to guarantee the future of Floriade.

All that is missing is the bang.

"There can be no acceptable excuse for withholding the attendance figures this week. The Chief Minister must act in the public interest and settle the doubts quickly," Mr Berry concluded.