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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-05-31 Daily Xml
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Wine Industry

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (15:13): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding the wine industry.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: According to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions' website, South Australia contributes almost 80 per cent of Australia's premium wine production and in 2019-20 South Australia's wine industry generated $1.98 billion in revenue. In a recent press release, the Premier stated that he would turn his mind to how to help the industry, which has recently reported a drop in export figures. My questions to the minister are:

1. What support will the Labor government commit to providing the wine industry to ensure that this critical industry continues to be supported by the government?

2. Can the minister provide assurance that the government will support the wine industry, which is crucial to South Australia's economy, considering there were no trade-related election commitments made?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:14): I thank the honourable member for her question. Certainly, in terms of the importance of the wine industry to South Australia, I have no disagreement with the honourable member on that basis. The fact that South Australia does indeed produce 80 per cent of the premium wine I think is an incredible boost, both to our status but of course also to our economy.

A few weeks ago I was up in the Barossa with the Premier, looking at a lot of innovations in the wine industry. That was with the Treasury Wine Estates opening of some new facilities that they have, which were very impressive. The Minister for Trade, who of course is in the other place, has been very involved in turning his mind to these issues. He, indeed, was at a round table in the Coonawarra last week, and I understand he was received very well. It's important that ministers do get out into the different areas to ensure that they are hearing firsthand from producers and growers what their issues are.

Of course, some of the ongoing trade tensions with China have been a huge challenge for the wine industry. What I am very glad about is that going forward, with now the Malinauskas Labor government, we will be strongly advocating to our federal counterparts, to the federal government, to try to do everything they can to assist with alleviating those trade tensions, improving the relationships whilst obviously maintaining our strong stance on human rights, and ensuring that there are positive moves in terms of relief for the wine industry, who have been so hard hit by the trade tensions as well as other events, such as weather events.

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