Forecast labour shortage to affect tourism

The labour requirements of future building and mining operations may see skilled workers poached from other service sectors, impacting the Australian tourism industry, the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) said.

Findings from the National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce Report found that by 2015 the resources sector could be short of 36,000 skilled tradespeople.

"[I]f these workers are recruited from other sectors there will be skills shortages in those industries", the report said.

ATEC Managing Director Matthew Hingerty recalled that in the most recent mining surge, the tourism industry felt the pinch.

"At the height of the last boom it was not unknown for every tourism and hospitality business in towns in Queensland and Western Australia to be advertising for staff," Mr Hingerty said.

"One of the major shortages during the last boom at remote resorts was of refrigeration mechanics," Mr Hingerty said.
Mr Hingerty added that while much has been made of the mining sector's export success in the "muddied election debate", the less controversial tourism industry is vital to Australia's exports, generating AUD25 billion in 2009.

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