| Publication Name |
The Cairns Post |
| Date |
23 Nov 2007 |
| Article Title |
Export grant plan revamp |
| Author |
|
| Synopsis |
Article on TTNQ welcoming Labor's federal election promise to overhaul the Export Market Develoment Grant scheme to include RTOs. |
Full Text
Labor's planned overhaul of an export industry grant scheme would give development groups such as TTNQ access to marketing money, the party's Leichhardt candidate Jim Turnour says.
Mr Turnour said organisations such as TTNQ woudl be able to get grants of up to $200,000 to promote the region overseas.
"Only companies were elegible for Export Market Development Grants under the Howard Government's policy," he said.
Labor trade and regional development spokesman Simon Crean yesterday announced his party would increase funding for the EMDG scheme by $50M.
He also proposed a change ot the criteria to include more exporters, including non-profit organsations.
TTNQ chief executive officer Rob Giason who has lobbied for the existing schem to be expanded said the policy would help increase the number of international visitors to Tropical North Queensland and the $1 billion-plus they contributed to the economy.
"The existing lack of access to the scheme hampers our ability to support tourism operators and the industry as a whole in promoting TNQ in key export markets," he said.
