Shorten plays tourism card

LABOR leader Bill Shorten will today pledge $ 1 billion to upgrade tourism infrastructure in Northern Australia.

Mr Shorten will announce plans to establish a Northern Australia Tourism Infrastructure Fund at the ALP state conference in Townsville.

The fund would be designed to boost tourism infrastructure and available as concessional loans, but will draw from the $ 5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

Shadow Tourism Minister Anthony Albanese and Shadow Northern Australia Minister Jason Clare will consult with industry and local and state governments throughout the second half of this year.

The meetings will be held in centres across Northern Australia, including Townsville.

Guidelines will see the funding open to ventures including stadiums and convention centres, eco- tourism, projects promoting the Great Barrier Reef and transport upgrades.