Scott Leary MLA

Shadow Minister for Tourism Scott Leary MLA, has warned the Albanese Government’s mishandling of the Working Holiday Maker visa program risks leaving tourism and hospitality businesses across regional Western Australia short-staffed as they prepare for their busiest season of the year.

“Regional WA’s tourism industry depends on working holiday makers and, right now, the Albanese Government has thrown that workforce into uncertainty,” Mr Leary said.

“As we head into the warmer months, cafes, pubs, hotels, caravan parks, tour operators and accommodation providers across WA are gearing up for increased visitor numbers.

“The reality is, working holiday makers are the people serving meals, cleaning rooms, guiding tours and helping tourism businesses keep their doors open.

“In Broome, businesses are always looking for hospitality workers for their busy season. In Exmouth, whale shark and reef tourism operators rely on seasonal workers to help meet demand. Across the South West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt, hospitality venues are already struggling to find staff.

“If businesses can’t find workers, opening hours are cut, accommodation capacity is reduced, visitor experiences suffer and local operators lose income, impacting regional economies.”

Mr Leary said he had already raised the issue directly with the Premier in a recent Question Time, asking what the State Government was doing to stand up to its federal Labor colleagues, only to receive political attacks instead of answers.

“Regional businesses don’t need political point-scoring. They need the Premier to pick up the phone to Canberra and start fighting for Western Australia’s tourism industry.”

Working holiday makers contribute an estimated $4.68 billion to the Australian economy each year, including $726 million spent in regional communities. Their contribution extends well beyond the workplace, supporting local accommodation, hospitality, retail and tourism businesses.

“The Albanese Government needs to urgently clarify the future of this program and guarantee regional tourism businesses aren’t left to pay the price.

“If Canberra keeps fumbling this, it will be tourism operators, hospitality venues, accommodation providers, small businesses and regional communities across Western Australia that feel it.”

Mr Leary had a personal message for the Prime Minister: Next time you visit WA, you might have to pour your own beer!

The Cook Labor Government has finally announced its financial assistance package for Albany’s gas transition. But with approximately 7,500 affected connections, this package falls well short of what our community needs.

Scott Leary MLA – Member for Albany said, “I have repeatedly raised these concerns in Parliament, through Questions on Notice, correspondence and direct advocacy.”

“If the Government had listened to what I have been saying and listened to the community, many of the issues now being identified would not come as a surprise,” said Mr Leary.

The offer of around $1,600 for a standard bottled-gas conversion does not reflect the real cost for many households. There is also insufficient detail for people whose homes or circumstances don’t fit the Government’s criteria, particularly older or more complex properties.

Case-by-case assistance has been promised, but we still don’t know what that means, who will qualify or what costs will actually be covered.

“Most importantly, I am urging residents and businesses not to do anything yet.” Mr Leary said.

“Do not purchase appliances, arrange conversions or spend your own money on the assumption you will be reimbursed. The Government has said no action is required at this time, with details on the funding process and how it will be accessed not due until October. Wait for the formal pathway, eligibility criteria and instructions.”

“The Government’s decision to now undertake a Trade Capacity Assessment is also laughable, insulting and inadequate. We have been warning for months about the lack of skilled trades and the enormous workload this transition will create.”

“This should have been planned before the transition was announced, not studied afterwards.”

Albany deserves a properly funded and properly planned transition, with clear answers for everyone, not just those who neatly fit the Government’s criteria.

“Albany has been speaking. It’s time the Government started listening.” said Mr Leary.

Shadow Minister for Tourism Scott Leary MLA says the Premier and Tourism Minister has failed to stand up for Western Australia’s tourism industry after he refused to say whether he had acted over changes threatening the supply of backpacker workers to regional WA.

In State Parliament today, Mr Leary asked the Premier what action he had taken with his Federal Labor colleagues following reports Working Holiday Maker visa applications had been paused for 24 countries and delayed for a further 19.

Mr Leary said the question was simple – had the Premier acted to protect WA tourism businesses that rely on Working Holiday Makers to fill critical workforce shortages?

“The Premier had every opportunity today to tell Western Australians what he has done to stand up for our tourism industry – but he refused to answer,” Mr Leary said.

“That should be deeply concerning for tourism and hospitality operators across regional WA who are already struggling to find enough workers.

“Working Holiday Makers are not just tourists. They are a critical part of the workforce in regional communities across the state, working in our hotels, restaurants, cafes and tourism businesses.

“If fewer backpackers can get to Western Australia, it will be regional businesses that feel the impact first.”

The latest concerns follow the Federal Labor Government’s decision to remove priority visa processing for regional employers, adding further pressure to businesses already struggling with persistent workforce shortages.

Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA said the State Government could not claim tourism as a priority while remaining silent when Federal decisions threatened the workforce underpinning the industry.

“The Premier is also the Tourism Minister. He should be on the phone to Canberra making it crystal clear that Western Australia cannot afford decisions that make it harder for regional tourism businesses to find workers,” Mr Leary said.

“Regional tourism operators deserve to know whether their Tourism Minister is actually fighting for them.”

Albany MLA Scott Leary has backed a formal petition to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly calling on the Cook Labor Government to retain Albany’s reticulated LPG network and commit to a long-term energy solution for the city.

The petition is being led by Les Palmer, owner of Rustlers Steakhouse and Grill, one of hundreds of Albany businesses facing significant cost and disruption as a result of ATCO’s decision to exit the Albany gas market.

“Albany is the only comparable city in Western Australia without access to a regulated reticulated gas network,” Mr Leary said. “Every other major regional centre has that standard of infrastructure. What this Government is proposing for Albany is simply not good enough.”

The petition calls on the State Government to retain the existing network through public ownership, regulatory intervention, infrastructure funding or legislative action and to commit to ensuring Albany has access to the same standard of energy infrastructure as comparable communities across Western Australia.

Mr Leary said the consequences extended well beyond individual households.

“Businesses that cannot afford to transition will close, jobs will be lost, and Albany’s appeal as a place to live, work and visit will suffer. Tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, food production, these industries rely on affordable, reliable energy. Get this wrong and the impact on Albany’s economy and standard of living will be felt for decades.”

A ministerial response received this week confirmed the Government had no intention of acting.

“The Minister says this is a commercial matter relating to privately owned infrastructure and therefore beyond the Government’s remit,” Mr Leary said. “That is the Government accepting a private company’s decision without question and leaving Albany to carry the consequences alone and that is not good enough for a city of this size and significance.”

“The decisions made now will shape Albany’s economic future for generations. This community deserves a Government prepared to think seriously about what that future looks like.”