An open letter to Senator Simon Birmingham

Anthony Goldman is the Joint Managing Director of Goldman Group.

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DEAR Minister Birmingham, this week you told the National Press Club it is “more likely” Australians will be banned from overseas travel until 2021.

You also implored Australians to explore our own backyard.

Yes. We know. It’s a great opportunity to support our local tour operators, hotels and experiences.

We all support this. However it’s time to start communicating properly in your role.

Enough of this “borders won’t open” rhetoric. We pay you to promote Australian Tourism and Trade. We also trust that you will do everything in your power to help tourism businesses to maximise tourism opportunities.

Surely, someone in your Ministerial office has told you that the numbers of Australian travellers will not cut the mustard in supporting our wonderful industry. The numbers speak to that.

We need international visitors as soon as possible.

Health concerns considered of course.

You should be projecting a more positive and open attitude.

Yet, every time you address the current borders situation you choose to take a negative stance - a position that affects the psyche and mental wellness of the thousands of Australians that won’t see their incomes and livelihoods recover until the borders re-open.

A day after your statements, four of my travel advisor team called me in tears telling me “there is no hope because the minister is ruling out the opening of our borders”.

The truth is you and I don’t have a clue when the borders will re-open.

One of the principles of leadership is to avoid diving into the negatives in a situation, rather to highlight a possible positive scenario.

How about a quote to the effect of “if we manage to continue to suppress the COVID-19 virus and work closely with countries, we may be in the position to open borders towards the end of the year. No guarantees, but we would love that”.

I realise it won’t attract your desired sexy headlines, but that statement would be more beneficial to our economy and our mental health right now.

I’m infuriated at your lack of balanced opinion and communication style on this important matter.

Your communication advisors need to think about your words and how they relate to your Department’s charter.

We also know in your tourism role, it’s not in your interest in promoting our clients to travel overseas but rather spend money locally. Fair, but not great for our travel advisors to listen to – over and over again.

I do hope Australians take this opportunity to explore our wonderful country. And I hope they spend a lot of money.

However, we need to project a more positive outlook and not decide six months in advance that borders won’t re-open because truth is, you don’t know.

Happy travels, minister.

“Every time you address the current borders situation you choose to take a negative stance ”