FACT SHEET 1:
BUDGET SUPPORTS $34 BILLION TOURISM INDUSTRY
Tourism Funding
- Direct support for tourism of $648.3 million over the next four years including $539.5 million for Tourism Australia.
Attractions
- $33.9 million over four years in additional resourcing to the Australian War Memorial plus $1.7 million to commence planning of a new permanent exhibition on the First World War.
- $2 million to fund completion of the National Gallery of Australia building refurbishment.
- $8 million over two years for heritage places grants.
- $9.7 million to continue the Regional Marine Planning Program.
Major Events
- $38 million for the organisation and staging of the 2015 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup.
- $6 million for the Centenary of Canberra celebrations.
Small Business
- Immediate write off of $5,000 for motor vehicles acquired from 2012-13. (This is in addition to a cut in the company tax rate to 29 per cent and $5,000 instant write off pool for small asset purchases, previously announced.)
- $7.1 million over four years to continue the Small Business Support line service.
- Reduced PAYG instalments for 2011-12.
International Tourism
- Fifteen per cent increase in visa application charges to offset migration and temporary entrant programs from 1 July 2011 will not apply to tourist or student visas.
- No increase in the Passenger Movement Charge.
Digital
- $34.6 million over five years to continue to support the implementation of the National Broadband Network
Employment, Skills and Training
$3 billion in new skills initiatives over six years- targeting skills investment to better meet the skills needs of industry and boost participation including:
- $101.4 million over four years to provide mentoring support services to Australian apprentices.
- $100 million over four years to assist industry in developing and implementing strategies that lead to the incorporation of competency based progression in Australian Apprenticeships.
- $30 million over three years from 2011-12 to enable Registered Training Organisations to carry out skills assessments and provide training for an estimated 7,500 mature aged workers (aged 50 years and above) who have trade relevant skills but no formal qualifications.
- $1.75 billion over five years from 2012-13 to promote reforms of the Vocational Education Training system.
- $25 million over three years to establish the National Workforce and Productivity Agency through an expansion of Skills Australia.
Plus a range of initiatives to get long term unemployed, disabled and low language literacy and numeracy job seekers into work.
Assistance to businesses affected by Queensland floods
- $61.9 million over five years to assist businesses adversely affected by severe flooding in Queensland including $12 million to support Queensland’s tourism industry together with the Queensland Government.
Skilled migration
- $4.8 million over four years to encourage migration to regional Australia including allocating 16,000 places under the Employer Sponsored Program and streamlining visa processing for 457 visa holders.
- $10 million over four years to reduce processing times from four weeks to two weeks for 457 Temporary Business (Long Stay) visas.
Infrastructure
Airports
- $10.4 million over four years to ensure public safety around airport buildings.
- $28 million over two years to extend the program of aviation safety upgrade works at remote and isolated airstrips across Australia.
- Mid North Coast Aviation Plan and airport access expansion at Taree, Port Macquarie and Kempsey Airports.
- Initial allocation of $400 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will deliver eight major infrastructure projects including Gateway WA, Townsville and Mackay Ring Road from 2014-15.
Roads
- $1.02 billion for the duplication of the Pacific Highway.
- $40 million to realign and raise the Bruce Highway.
- $85.7 Caboolture to Caloundra upgrade.
- $9.5 million Mackay Ring Road study.
- $61.4 million over three years for smart infrastructure technologies on motorways.
- $50.9 million over three years to continue local roads support for South Australia.
- $62 million over four years to redevelop Constitution Avenue.
Rail
- $133 million for the Moreton Bay Rail Link Project.