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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-09-24 Daily Xml
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CHINA DELEGATION

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:12): I have a final supplementary question. At this high-end dinner, did the Penfolds chief winemaker attend, and when did he arrive in Hong Kong?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:12): Four winemakers attended that dinner: they were from Gemtree, Rockford—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: And d'Arenberg.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —no, it was from Coonawarra; it will come to me—and Penfolds' winemaker, Peter Gago. The government did not cover any of the costs of Peter Gago; he was on a trip of his own. He had other business there and was generous enough to give us his time. When I initially spoke with Crown during my visit before last, when I was approached to—it was d'Arenberg, I beg your pardon, and Majella; they were the wineries. When I was originally—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, as I said—

The PRESIDENT: Ignore the interjections, minister; I'm listening.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I have been advised that PIRSA offered to cover the travel costs of three of the four winemakers. That is the information I have. Whether one or more of those three decided not to take up the offer I don't know, but certainly three of the four were offered. As I said, there were no costs at all incurred by Peter Gago.

The Crown had mentioned specifically on my previous visit, when they were suggesting that I host a forum, that they would very much like Penfolds' chief winemaker to attend if he could. So, they had specifically mentioned that and, as I have said, Peter Gago was generous enough, during his trip through Hong Kong, to attend the event. I cannot remember how many days he was in Hong Kong. As I said, he had other business there. He got on with his business, I got on with mine, and I know that we returned at different times and that we didn't travel together, either.

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