Tasting Australia

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Will the minister update the council on the many immersive experiences available at next year's Tasting Australia event?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:40): I thank the honourable member for his ongoing interest in our beautiful food and wine offerings in South Australia. This morning I joined Simon Bryant, Jock Zonfrillo and Nick Stock to launch Tasting Australia 2019. From 5 April to 14 April next year Tasting Australia will take to the land, sea, sky and river.

The 2019 Tasting Australia extends beyond eating and drinking to become an experience festival, an epicurean flotilla on the River Murray, a surf safari and seafood feast on Yorke Peninsula and chartered flights to Coffin Bay, Kangaroo Island, Mayura Station, the Barossa and the Flinders Ranges. They are all part of the bold program for Tasting Australia 2019.

The country's pre-eminent eating and drinking festival will bring unprecedented opportunities for food, wine, beer and spirit-lovers to explore and experience South Australia over 10 days. The first program release, on sale today, will feature more than 90 events in Adelaide and the regions. The festival is expected to attract more than 60,000 people, many from interstate and overseas, who will generate significant economic activity for this great state.

Where else can you cruise on the River Murray, cook your own meal with hampers prepared by Tasting Australia, and dine aboard the 120-year-old paddle-steamer with the original woodfired oven and award-winning chefs at the helm? Or if you prefer something saltier, the Surf Food Safari at Innes National Park will enable guests to explore this untouched piece of paradise whilst refuelling on the world-class foods sourced in the region.

It was great to announce also today Yalumba as the wine partner for the festival, bringing their local talent and premium wine to the event as well as their global network. Some of the highlights of Tasting Australia 2019 are the debut of the Tasting Australia Flotilla, a culinary journey on the River Murray and the Surf Food Safari, an adventure at Innes National Park on Yorke Peninsula. They are just two of the highlights.

Also new is the exciting Surf Food Safari, a three-day, two-night adventure through Innes National Park with personal instructors guiding surfers in steady swell and the chefs Darren Robinson from Three Blue Ducks and Simon Burr from the Olfactory Inn providing delicious fare during—this is interesting, Mr President—the peak crayfish season.

Tasting Australia Airlines, the 2018 hero event, will return. Guests will enjoy charter flights to Coffin Bay for a weekend or a day trip, plus day trips to Kangaroo Island, Mayura Station, the Flinders Ranges and the Barossa by charter plane.

Due Volte, at Yalumba, an Italian feast at Yalumba in the evocative Tank 11 & 12, and a masterclass by Nick Stock and East End Cellars showcasing Champagne Bollinger, 1,000 Years of Wine and blend your own Torbreck Run Rig shiraz and more.

The wonderfully talented and creative Australian team have sought out fresh ideas and the hottest talent to bring Tasting Australia to life. As put by Simon Bryant this morning, Tasting Australia is one of the country's original food and beverage festivals and has always taken on a maverick approach to showcasing quality, provenance and personality without following trends. I agree with him that our state is a great meeting point for an industry due to its established history and a welcoming approach. It is also an oasis for food and drink lovers to retreat to when they want time to explore and unwind.

Some of the top chefs are telling Jock Zonfrillo how excited they are to come to Adelaide and experience South Australia. Alex Atala from D.O.M. in Brazil—number 30 in the world's top 50 restaurants—will be cooking in the Glasshouse Kitchen next year, as will Thai aficionado David Thompson and Peter Gilmore from Gourmet Traveller's Restaurant of the Year, Quay.

Alongside them, there will also be a great line-up of established and emerging talent: Shinobou Namae from L'Effervescence, Tokyo; Manoella Buffara from the restaurant Manu in Brazil; Mat Lindsay from Poly and Ester in Sydney; and O'Tama Carey of Sydney's hottest eatery, Lankan Filling Station. There are also some amazing local ambassadors who do South Australia proud every day: Adam Liston from Shobosho, Jessie Spiby from My Grandma Ben, Emma Shearer from The Lost Loaf, Bethany Finn from the Mayflower Restaurant, Karena Armstrong from The Salopian Inn, Michael Downer from Murdoch Hill, Kate Laurie from Deviation Road, Louisa Rose from Yalumba and Steven Pannell from SC Pannell.

Tasting Australia has been recognised by the global Fodor's Travel as one of the '12 international food festivals worth travelling for'. In 2018, the event generated 41,000 bed nights for local hotels and more than 54,000 visited the hub, Town Square. At its inception in 1997—interesting; a Liberal government initiative—we could not have possibly imagined that this event would involve such a wonderful spectrum of experiences. The first release of the program is now live, with more than 90 events available to buy. Tickets for Tasting Australia, from 5 to 14 April next year, are available at tastingaustralia.com.au, and I encourage every member of the chamber to get along and enjoy the wonderful opportunities.