...Australia’s major golf organisations are taking their cause to Canberra…
 
Representatives from the Australian Golf Industry Council will this week meet with a range of Federal Ministers at Parliament House to raise awareness of the significant economic, social and environmental benefits of the Australian Golf Industry. 
 
The delegation will include representatives from all of Australia’s major and most influential golf organisations who will present a united front for Australian golf in a series of meetings to take place in Canberra on Tuesday 23rd June.
 
At the forefront of priorities for the delegation is conveying the substantial value of the Australian Golf Industry that directly employs 23,000 Australians and contributes $2.7 billion to the annual economy.
 
“Golf is a powerful sector of the Australian economy and makes significant economic contributions through the club based infrastructure in addition to the staging of world class tournaments and golf related trade and tourism,” said Max Garske, AGIC Chair and CEO of the PGA of Australia. “This occasion marks a very important day in the history of the Australian Golf Industry,”
 
"The golf industry is massive in terms of financial measures like employment and economic impact,” added Stephen Pitt, CEO of Golf Australia. “Beyond this it has an enormously positive impact on the health and happiness of more than a million Australians.  There is a clear necessity for us to ensure that all levels of Australian Government understand the true and total value of golf in this country."
 
Whilst in Canberra the AGIC delegation will meet with several Federal Ministers including The Hon Kate Ellis, MP, Minister for Youth and Sport, The Hon Martin Ferguson, MP - Minister for Tourism, The Hon Nicola Roxon, MP - Minister for Health and Ageing, The Hon Tanya Plibersek, MP - Minister for Women and The Hon Dr Craig Emerson, MP - Minister for Small Business.  Other meetings will be held with Parliamentary Secretaries and/or senior representatives from portfolios including Environment, Water, Regional Development, Industry and Trade.
 
The Hon Kate Ellis, MP and Richard Marles, Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Innovation Industry, Science and Research, will also host a dinner following the conclusion of the meetings at which approximately 35 MPs will attend. Five-time British Open Champion Peter Thomson, AO CBE, and Dawn Fraser, AO MBE, will also attend and speak at the dinner.