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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-09-12 Daily Xml
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WINE FORUM

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:09): I seek leave to ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries a question about wine.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: A wide variety of food and wine tourism experiences help showcase our premium food and wine from our clean environment. My question to the minister is: can the minister tell the chamber about the upcoming global wine forum to be held in South Australia?

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) (15:10): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. While I am on my feet, I will also make sure that the record is correct. In an earlier answer I said that a representative from the Clare Region Winegrape Growers Association presented to my agribusiness council; it was in fact my wine council.

I am very pleased to advise that Australia's first global wine forum, Savour Australia 2013, begins in Adelaide on Sunday 15 September and will showcase the state's first-class wine regions to the world. Running for three days, Savour has attracted global and local wine distributors, retailers, winemakers and commentators to Adelaide and South Australia's wine regions for the event. Approximately 700 attendees and 140 VIPs have been confirmed.

Savour offers a complete immersion into the Australian wine industry, including our wines, wine regions, winemakers and innovative approaches to winemaking, presented by Australia's leading winemakers and international wine personalities. South Australia features prominently in this line-up, with two-thirds of the wineries participating in Savour being from South Australia.

More than half of Australia's wine is produced in South Australia, generating nearly $2 billion towards the state's economy. Adelaide's role in hosting the inaugural three-day event reinforces our city's position as the wine capital of Australia and allows us to show influential delegates this state's premium food and wine against a backdrop of our world-class tourism offerings.

The forum at the Adelaide Convention Centre will attract global attention to Adelaide and our wine regions, invigorating interest in and driving sales of wine to our major international markets with a focus on China, the United States and the United Kingdom. On Sunday, a welcome reception will be hosted by the government of South Australia at our iconic Adelaide Central Market, established in 1869. The Central Market is the largest under-cover fresh food and produce market in the Southern Hemisphere. What a fantastic location to introduce our VIPs to Adelaide and South Australia!

The forum will also include a state dinner on Monday night showcasing the very best of South Australian food and wine to influential international delegates, and this is being hosted by the Premier at the SA film studios with 130 people attending. The government is thrilled to have South Australian food icon, Maggie Beer, assisting with the menu and one of the premium food and wine ambassadors, Paul Henry, matching our fabulous South Australian food with the best of South Australia's wine.

Throughout the forum, Savour delegates will be treated to an unforgettable array of Australian wine and food experiences, brought to life by Australia's leading wine and food producers and chefs at a number of daily lunches and also evening functions. The forum will close with a grand tasting—the largest and most comprehensive industry tasting ever held in Adelaide—providing the opportunity for local wineries to showcase their products to the world. In addition, 54 VIPs will be travelling to eight wine regions in South Australia to participate in regional familiarisation tours, increasing the international recognition of these wonderful regions.

This is a significant event not only for our wine industry but for all of South Australia. Through the government's strategic priority, premium food and wine from our clean environment, we are continuing to focus on building our brand through promoting our quality and clean credentials, growing our capability and securing production. Locally, support to deliver the event has been provided by PIRSA, the South Australian Tourism Commission, the Department for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy, the South Australian Wine Industry Association, Food SA and other industry representatives. I would like to thank all those agency and industry bodies for their assistance in putting together this global wine forum of which I think we will all feel very proud.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary question, the Hon. Mr Ridgway.

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