Minister in Charge of Tourist Activities and Immigration (New South Wales)

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Minister in Charge of Tourist Activities and Immigration of New South Wales
Coat of Arms of New South Wales.svg
Hotel Kosciusko brochure (Cover) (6945922498).jpg
AppointerGovernor of New South Wales
Formation9 May 1946
First holderClive Evatt
Final holderJoshua Arthur
Abolished6 February 1947

The Minister in Charge of Tourist Activities and Immigration was a ministry in the government of New South Wales, responsible for promoting New South Wales as a place to visit and encouraging migration through its offices in London, and for the management of government-owned resorts.[1] It was created in 1946 and abolished in 1950.[2]

Role and responsibilities[]

A government agency responsible for tourism and immigration was first created in 1905, the Intelligence Department, whose duties were "designed to make the attractions and possibilities of the State better known at home and a abroad, and to promote settlement on the land and to encourage immigration". It was renamed the Immigration and Tourist Bureau in 1908. In 1919 the bureau was divided into two separate agencies, with immigration becoming the responsibility of the Minister for Labour and Industry while the Tourist Bureau was the responsibility of the Chief Secretary. In 1938 Management of the Tourist Bureau was transferred to the Department of Railways.[3] The responsibilities of the Tourist Bureau were managing the tourist resorts at Jenolan Caves, Jenolan Caves House, Abercrombie Caves, Yarrangobilly Caves, Wombeyan Caves and Hotel Kosciusko.[a] The also conducted tours and published promotional material on NSW tourist attractions.[6]

The elevation of tourist activities to a ministerial level was controversial. The Premier William McKell stated that there was a need for a Minister to devote himself to these matters and that "It is becoming increasingly, recognised, not only here but throughout the world, that we have much to offer the,tourist, but to take full advantage of our opportunities we must take active steps to organise the trade and provide the facilities required".[7] The Sydney Morning Herald criticised the unnecessary cost of the portfolio, stating there was no justification for the new office as immigration was a commonwealth matter and the political sphere was the worst way to develop tourist activities.[8]

The portfolio was abolished in the third McGirr ministry, with a new portfolio of immigration, while tourism ceased to be represented at a ministerial level until the fourth Cahill ministry in 1959.[2]

List of ministers[]

Title Minister [2] Party Ministry Term start Term end Time in office Notes
Minister in Charge of Tourist Activities
and Immigration. 		Clive Evatt   Labor McKell (2) 9 May 1946 6 February 1947 273 days [9]
Frank Finnan McGirr (1) (2) 6 February 1947 9 March 1948 1 year, 32 days [10]
Claude Matthews McGirr (2) 9 March 1948 21 September 1949 1 year, 196 days [11]
Joshua Arthur 21 September 1949 30 June 1950 282 days [12]


Jenolan Caves House in 2013

Notes[]

  1. ^ The Hotel Kosciusko was opened in 1909 and burnt down in 1951. All that remains is the staff quarters which is now Sponars Chalet, near Smiggin Holes.[4][5].

References[]

  1. ^ "PFO-111 Tourist Activities and Immigration". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 30 November 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  2. ^ a b c Part 6 Ministries since 1856 (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ "AGY-1680 Intelligence Department (1905-1908) Immigration and Tourist Bureau (1908-1919)". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 30 November 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  4. ^ "Hotel Kosciuszko fire destroys building but not memories - ABC (none) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Hotel Kosciusko". Perisher Historical Society. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  6. ^ "AGY-1712 12 Tourist Bureau (1919-1923) Government Tourist Bureau (1923-1946)". NSW State Records & Archives. Retrieved 28 November 2021.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  7. ^ "New portfolio created in reshuffle". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 May 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 29 November 2021 – via Trove.
  8. ^ "An unnecessary portfolio". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 May 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2021 – via Trove.
  9. ^ "The Hon. Clive Raleigh Evatt (1900–1984)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  10. ^ "The Hon. Francis Joseph Finnan (1897-1966)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  11. ^ "The Hon. Claude Hilton Matthews (1899–1954)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Mr Joshua George Arthur (1906–1974)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
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