Upper House MLC John Graham has been appointed NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Minister for Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy New South Wales.
The appointment has been welcomed by Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW CEO and acting CEO of the Accommodation Association, Michael Johnson, who said Graham brings a good understanding of the issues facing the sector.
“We welcome Mr Graham and congratulate him on his appointment,” Johnson said.
“We have worked with Mr Graham over many years through his roles in advocating for live music and revitalising the night-time economy in Sydney.
“He has a good understanding of the issues facing our sector and we look forward to working with him and his team, particularly in his portfolio of Jobs and Tourism.”
Johnson – the incoming CEO of soon-to-formed industry body Accommodation Australia – said the NSW accommodation sector is still in recovery mode.
“Our biggest issues are workforce and skills shortages and the shortage of affordable accommodation for staff, particularly in regions,” said Johnson.
“We also need to continue to work on ways to encourage international visitors back to our gateway city of Sydney, as the numbers arriving currently are far short of where they were pre-pandemic.”