reprinted from:
Fed: Tourism shouldn't pay for extra airport security
Copyright 2002
AAP Information Services Pty. Ltd. BRISBANE - The tourism industry should not be expected to pay for increased airport security and screening of travellers' bags, a national tourism lobby group said today. Tourism Task Force chief executive Christopher Brown said he supported Prime Minister John Howard's push for increased screening of travellers' luggage. But he said the industry had reservations if it was expected to foot the bill. "The tourism industry certainly can't afford to and doesn't want to pay for these measures," Mr Brown said today. "National security issues require a national revenue response. "We don't want to see another tax on airline passengers." Mr Howard said yesterday an announcement would be made soon on steps to remedy the lack of security checks on baggage stored in the hold of domestic flights. Baggage stored in the hold of domestic flights is currently not X-rayed. Mr Brown said the tourism industry was already paying for foot and mouth disease protection, aircraft noise, terrorist insurance, Barrier Reef remediation, border control, immigration costs, Ansett worker entitlements and airport upgrades. "Surely we cannot be expected to cop
another tax when we are attempting to rebuild domestic and inbound tourism,"
he said. |
