PM names Dan Tehan as Australia’s new Minister for Tourism.
A ministerial reshuffle in Federal Cabinet has seen Prime Minister Scott Morrison name Dan Tehan as Australia’s new Trade and Tourism Minister.
The changes will see incumbent Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham assuming responsibility for Finance, following the departure of Mathias Cormann from Parliament.
The Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) noted that the change would see the tourism portfolio retained in Federal Cabinet, which was “critical given ongoing COVID related issues facing the industry”.
The reshuffle will also see Assistant Tourism Minister Jonathan Duniam become Assistant Minister for Development, with ATIC’s Simon Westaway thanking him and Birmingham for their collective efforts as they transition to their new portfolios.
Westaway noted that despite recovery for some parts of the economy, long-standing issues for travel and tourism remain, with the hard closure of international borders making it vital for future targeted support for the sector, including through the extension of JobKeeper.