By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A RE-ELECTED Coalition Government will pump $20 million into the Dandenong Ranges region to take on a soaring number of Chinese tourists expected to swamp the country as a result of relaxed Australian visa and tax incentives.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made the funding announcement in Emerald on Wednesday 25 May after a brief trip on Puffing Billy.
Soon after alighting from the steam train, Mr Turnbull announced the tourism package aimed at attracting more international tourists – complementing an earlier declaration 2017 will be the Australia-China Year of Tourism.
The investment will include:
* $6.5 million to upgrade the iconic Puffing Billy, including construction of all-weather facilities;
* $1 million to extend the Emerald-Cockatoo multi-use trail to Gembrook;
* $2.5 million for the Ridge Walk, connecting Upwey/Tecoma to Montrose via Ferny Creek, Sassafras, Olinda, Mount Dandenong, and Kalorama and
* $10 million for the widening of the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road to reduce congestion and improve safety.
The election promise includes plans to restore heritage Red Rattler trains to transport city-dwellers and tourists into the treed region.
It’s been proposed up to four carriages be commissioned to take up to 80 passengers to and from Belgrave from the city during off-peak times during the week.
“Puffing Billy alone has seen phenomenal growth. It should be over 415,000 passengers this year. That’s going to continue to grow,” Mr Turnbull said.
The plan hopes to capitalise on a surge in spending by international tourists visiting the country at record rates.
The number of international visitors rose 8.7 per cent in the year to March, to 7.7 million – and the spend soared to 18 per cent last calendar year to $36.6 billion.
Chinese visitors contributed more than 20 per cent in international spending.
La Trobe MP Jason Wood stood by as Mr Turnbull made the annoucement.
ALP candidate for the seat Simon Curtis took to social media to criticise the plan, stating “this is not a joke”, before asking voters to decide between the two parties on their rail infrastructure commitments.
Asked if a re-elected government would fund the Melbourne Metro project, Mr Turnbull said it was “underdone”, requiring better collaboration between local government and the private sector.
Last month, Mr Turnbull declared 2017 the Australia-China Year of Tourism, announcing a range of trial visa application changes which intend to entice more travellers following agreements between Australian and Chinese flight services.
They include:
* Introducing 10 year multiple entry visas for Chinese tourists;
* Making visas available in another language for the first time – Chinese;
* Supporting the designation of 2017 as the Australia-China Year of Tourism and
* Freezing the Passenger Movement Charge tourist tax at $55
A government document indicates the total number of international Chinese travellers is forecast to double from 100 million to 200 million by 2020.
The Federal Election will be held on 2 July.
