00:00It's a little bit of a result of the pandemic, actually, so we had a lot of guides who decided
00:09to leave the industry and not return.
00:12We had our borders closed for quite a long time, as you know, so we missed out on some
00:18of those specific guides that come in for skilled jobs to fill with certain operators
00:25around the country.
00:28I just think, in the past, it's not been cited as a true profession, which it actually is.
00:36It can be full-time, it can be part-time, it has attractive work conditions and has
00:41good salary.
00:43So we've had a few barriers, but things are moving along nicely now.
00:47And with this new program, we are hoping to see some guides come in who will fit the bill
00:53for certain operators who require certain skills, particularly in the language area.
00:59And as long as they're trained properly once they arrive, they can really bring our country
01:04to life.
01:05So could the jobs be made more attractive for people already here in Australia, like
01:10making them more permanent somehow and lifting the pay?
01:15I think it can be as permanent as you would like it to be.
01:21So when you've been in the industry like I have for quite some time, you get offered
01:26work and you choose.
01:27You choose whether you want to work full-time, part-time or casually.
01:32So a young person coming into the industry, provided they're properly trained and mentored
01:37by someone like Tour Guides Australia, then we can show them the absolute value in choosing
01:45this as a career path.
01:47Would international visitors and interstate visitors prefer someone who's actually been
01:51in Australia for a while rather than someone who's suddenly arrived from overseas?
01:56Look, there's many types of guides, so it depends.
02:01The image that's showing now is tubing or rafting or something.
02:04They are skilled people and they work the seasons from overseas and in Australia.
02:09So that's about a skill set that's required.
02:12And I don't think anybody would be too concerned whether that person has been a long-term Australian
02:17resident or has been here for a short term.
02:21On some of the overland tours such as I do, obviously we have foreign language speaking
02:29guides and we have English speaking guides.
02:32As long as you've done your homework and you've learned what this country is about and you're
02:37a great ambassador and the visitors are getting the correct information, then I think it's
02:45a value add by having a mix of people.
02:49And is this move to put the positions on this national list of needed workers likely to
02:54make much of a difference, you think?
02:57I think it will, particularly in some of the site guides that are required with their special
03:04skills.
03:05Yes, it will make a difference because those people will be able to come in and be trained.
03:10And then, of course, in our foreign speaking language guides, then they can come in, they
03:16can be trained properly by doing, you know, micro-academic courses or doing accreditation.
03:24And then they will be ready to deliver the same as we are.
03:28So as long as they've got some industry background from where they're coming from, and then they
03:33can research and learn.
03:35And we will help mentor these people to ensure that it is a quality guiding service that
03:41is being delivered.
03:43And Susan Rees, when did you first become a guide?
03:47And what do you love about the job?
03:49And what's the kind of the magic that can happen between a guide and the tourists?
03:55Okay, so I'm very proud of our country.
03:58I think it's a beautiful place.
04:00I am currently on tour.
04:02So I've been able to showcase the Great Barrier Reef.
04:05I live in Cairns Far North, Queensland.
04:07I think it's a stunning environment up there.
04:10I've been to Uluru in the centre.
04:13And I'm in such fragile, pristine environment with the cultural and heritage values out
04:20there.
04:21Sydney, and I'm currently in Adelaide.
04:23We've just been out to the Adelaide Hills and seeing some of our amazing wildlife.
04:27That's what I love about it.
04:28I'm excited when I do this, and I'm very excited to share it with our international visitors.
04:35Without giving my age away, I've been a guide for a very long time.
04:39And I enjoy it.
04:40I love it.
04:42Every day is different.
04:44I'm at the point in my career where I can be a little choosy.
04:50And a few companies that I work for have narrowed right down.
04:54They've got amazing itineraries that really give me the opportunity to showcase what Australia
05:00has and truly bring our country to life.
05:03And so, you say you're able to be a bit choosy now these days, but over the years, how much
05:10of the year have you actually been away from home on tour, taking tours around the country?
05:16Okay, so there's many types of guiding.
05:19So I'm doing overland guiding now, and that season starts in August and finishes around
05:27about the end of May.
05:28I don't work back to back.
05:30I take time off.
05:31I finish this tour 20th of November, and then I don't start again until the 3rd of December.
05:37So you've got to, you know, look after your emotional well-being and recharge those batteries,
05:42so to speak.
05:43But I haven't always done overland guiding.
05:45I was doing local guiding when I started.
05:49So I was meeting people when they came in, showing them around local areas.
05:53I also still do quite a bit of work in what's called the shoreX industry.
05:59So that's when the cruise ships come in.
06:00So we're taking visitors off the ship just for a day tour in a location.
06:04I do that in many places in Australia, predominantly in Cairns, but I also do it in Melbourne and
06:10Sydney as well.
06:12So that's what I mean, you know, you get to choose.
06:14So everybody starts out somewhere, and you work out what you want to do.
06:19You might have a young family, and this could be the job for you.
06:23Your children have gone to school.
06:25You've got that bit of time, and you just want to fix the ship work.
06:29So it can be tailor-made to what you want it to be.
06:34Tour Guides Australia is working very hard with many government bodies and with industry
06:40to look at the rates of pay and to get an award established and remuneration that's
06:48commenced right with what we're doing.
06:49And of course, we work very closely with the inbound tour operators that we all work for,
06:55and they understand that some of those days are 12, 14-hour days.
06:59So we are remunerated accordingly.
07:02And you've got to be on the whole time, don't you, in terms of making sure that everybody's
07:06having a good time?
07:07Well, yes.
07:08I mean, I've been on tour today, and we had a flight delay of an hour and a half this
07:14morning, and I still had to fit in and get to Cleland and call the bus company, and all
07:18those things you've got to do, you've got to be on your game all of the time, and always
07:22making sure that the guests are getting the best experience that they can.
07:28So we've just been feeding kangaroos and walking around looking at koalas and dingoes
07:34and listening to talks, and it's been amazing.
07:37Everybody has just loved it.
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