Queensland Tourism Minister Slams Howard Government For Climate Inaction

[hatrack]

PRIME Minister John Howard risks tarnishing Australia's reputation as a natural tourism destination by failing to urgently address climate change, Queensland Minister for Tourism Margaret Keech says.

Mrs Keech told state parliament today that climate change is the greatest challenge facing the $18 billion-a-year Queensland tourism industry, and that the federal government has let the industry down by failing to earmark adequate funds for the issue in the budget.
"Queensland is working hard to address this worldwide issue but our tourism industry is being let down by lack of action from the federal government," she said.

"At a recent climate change summit delegates were told that long before our natural tourism product is affected by global warming, changes in consumer perceptions could have a negative impact on tourism jobs and export earnings.

"The federal government has been dragging the chain on this issue for too long."

EDIT

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21776062-3102,00.html

[phantom power]

1. I'm guessing that not too many people...

will be itching to vacation in a country with rolling blackouts, epidemic suicides and dead coral reefs.

But hey, anything to "protect your economy," right Howard?