Cruise Buddies NEWS
In the Victorian Legislative Assembly on 19 November 2004 Mr Dixon, Member for Nepean, had this to say about Victoria's cruise ship industry:

"Victoria's cruise ship industry is heading for shipwreck under the Bracks government as the latest figures reveal that the number of cruise ships expected to visit Victoria this year is almost half the number that docked on our shores two years ago. Last Sunday the first cruise ship of the season, the Pacific Princess, arrived in Melbourne. This ship is just one of 16 expected this financial year compared to the 31 that came in 2002–03 and the 24 that came in 2003–04. The Minister for Tourism must take responsibility for this drastic drop in cruise tourism at a time of unprecedented popularity in cruise ship holidays worldwide and a prosperous cruise ship construction industry. The minister is obviously driving a rudderless ship and his lack of vision and effort in attracting more cruise ships to Victoria is costing our economy millions. According to the Bracks government's own budget papers, 31 cruise ships visited Melbourne in the 2002–03 financial year, and this figure has plummeted to 24 in the last financial year. Forecasts on the Port of Melbourne web site show that as at 27 October, just 16 cruise ships are expected to visit Victoria in the 2004–05 cruise year. The industry is booming across the country and the world, but because of the Minister's incompetence Victoria is missing out on its slice of the pie. Victoria's tourism needs the $1 million a day that cruise ships bring to our economy. We have an acclaimed port facility, a vibrant city, some of the most picturesque countryside in the world and glorious attractions, so why can the Minister not bring more cruise ships here, or even convince the ones that already visit to continue to do so?"