The NSW Labor Opposition has slammed the Berejiklian Government for putting the State’s visitor economy at risk through toxic infighting that has claimed the scalp of the $460,000-a-year Destination NSW CEO.

Infighting between Liberal Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Tourism Minister Stuart Ayers has reached a new level of farce after Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase quit her job two years before her contract expired.

Labor understands that Treasurer Perrottet was not a fan of Ms Chipchase.

Neither she nor Minister Ayres had been able to stop the Treasurer from slashing more than $65 million from Destination NSW’s last two budgets.

The huge cuts were made despite warnings in the Treasurer’s own budget papers of threats to the NSW visitor economy from a projected downturn in Chinese visitation.

NSW Labor Shadow Minister for Tourism Jenny Aitchison said Ms Chipchase’s premature departure was proof Destination NSW is struggling under successive cuts, and Liberal Party toxicity.

“Did Sandra Chipchase resign or was she bundled out the door by Dominic Perrottet?”, Ms Aitchison said.

“This high profile departure shows the Berejiklian Government is consumed by personal conflict. The true victim here is our tourism sector in NSW and the thousands of jobs that depend upon it.”

“The sector has repeatedly raised concerns that massive budget cuts to tourism would have significant consequences for the State economy.”

“Tourism in NSW is lurching towards a crisis, and the Berejiklian Government is engaged in personal squabbles.”