From the President DAVID BASHEER – AHA | SA PRESIDENT
Increased Investment Welcome The first Malinauskas/Mulligan State Labor Budget was handed down earlier this month and it has been warmly received by the AHA|SA and the wider business community. We are pleased to see investment in tourism, events, live music and skills. Over $45million is being spent to increase interstate and international marketing efforts to promote our State as a visitor destination, particularly as tourists are again packing their suitcases. A further $40million over four years is being allocated to attract and promote major events. This is critical, as other Australian markets have significantly upgraded their funding commitments in this area. Late last year Western Australia announced a one year $24million commitment, the benefits of which are already being seen. The return of the Adelaide 500 was a major election pledge of the then Opposition. This budget has funded the newly created Motorsport Board
to the tune of $70.2million over the next four years. That spending is not just for the Adelaide 500, with funding for the return of the Motorsport Festival after a threeyear COVID-19 absence.
increased investment in this budget but has already commenced the conversation with key tourism and Government figures on further initiatives. THE ( AHA ) LIVE MUSIC INITIATIVE
In many ways, tourism is an invisible investment. There are no cranes in the skies or ribbons for politicians to cut, but there is a very real economic benefit from money spent from outside the local population, regardless of that being international, national or intrastate tourism.
In this column last year and repeated at the AHA|SA President’s Lunch in December, which was attended by the leaders and senior members of both sides of politics, the AHA|SA called for a support package for live music.
Major events and visitation not only benefit the region in which they are held. Studies show tourists will often extend their stay in SA or plan a future visit here with family, based on attending a conference or major event.
We proposed that it be based around the successful accommodation voucher system for the live music industry to benefit both performers and venues who were hit harder than most during the pandemic.
In 2017, $10.8million was spent on overnight stays in South Australia. And with the average stay being five nights, these people then spend money in our bars and restaurants. The AHA|SA is pleased with the
After consultation with the AHA|SA, the $3.3m Live Music Initiative is expected to be launched very shortly, along with a further $1m in grants to allow venues to improve their live music infrastructure.
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