Feel The Power - What Next!

Wayne Berry - Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism

Media Statement - 24 January 2000

With Canberra's biggest fizzer of last century now an eternal bad dream for the Chief Minister Kate Carnell, the Canberra community needs to worry about the ACT Government's next attempt to promote Canberra, Labor Shadow Tourism Minister Wayne Berry said today.

"These questions need to be answered -

• What is being planned behind closed doors?;
• How much will it cost?;
• Will there be an open tendering process?;
• Will the Liberals give a commitment not to use the campaign for their political election campaigning?

"Or will the ACT have another Carnell bright idea sprung on them out of the blue?

"The ACT deserves an innovative promotion program if we are to make progress after the pre-GST mini boom, but we do not need another like the chain of debacles we have from this Chief Minister.

"No more Feel the Power, Futsal slabs, Floriade fees, Hospital implosions or Bruce Stadium fiascos will help. We all remember the hoopla that came from Kate Carnell before each one of them bogged down into a promotional disaster, funded by the ACT taxpayer.

"The Territory has suffered enough from Kate Carnell style glitz and glamour, it's about time we were let in on development for a new promotion of Canberra program.

"Canberrans have had enough of Kate Carnell's surprises, we want advance knowledge of what Kate is up to. After all we don't want another message we are embarrassed to wear on our car number plates.

"Here's hoping it doesn't involve a new paint job for an old war plane," Mr Berry concluded.