News

Australian Grape & Wine was delighted by the Albanese Government’s decision to retain the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grants program in the recent Federal Budget. As is usual practice when there is a change of Government, programs initiated by the former Government were put under the microscope by the Albanese Government with a number …

Australian Grape & Wine is pleased to observe that there has been a good response from industry to the ACCC’s recommendation that winemakers bring grower payment terms forward. Several large winemakers have reported that their terms are now more favourable than those required under the Code of Conduct for Australian Winegrape Purchases. The ACCC considers …

Australian Grape & Wine recently released a biosecurity alert notifying members that Grapevine Red Blotch Virus (GRBV) has been detected for the first time in Australia and is known to be in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Trace forward activities are in progress to confirm the extent of spread. Trace back activities show that …

By Anna Hooper – Manager, Industry Policy, Australian Grape & Wine. Most grape and wine producers would probably say it is the significant shift in the supply demand balance caused by the loss of bottled wine exports to China in late 2020, coinciding with a record-breaking bumper crop the following year. Incidentally, the average price …

By Damien Griffante, Director of Strategy & International Affairs, Australian Grape & Wine For years now you have heard us constantly raise concerns around the protectionist behaviour being used by our European competitors to gain a competitive advantage for key grape varieties like Prosecco, under the guise of protection of Geographic Indications (GIs). They have …

Following the signing of the New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the resumption of bilateral relations between the Australian Government and France, Australia-EU FTA negotiations have resumed. It is anticipated these negotiations will be completed in the next 12-18 months. Negotiations on wine related issues are still proceeding in parallel to the main FTA discussions …

In December 2020, the Australian Government announced funding to support various sectors to expand and diversify their exports under its Agri-business Expansion Initiative (ABIE). Under the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s Agricultural Trade and Market Access (AMTAC) grants program, Australian Grape & Wine has secured funds to support grape and wine businesses impacted by the disruption of exports …

We have seen a large increase in membership of the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA) program and we are starting to gain traction with recognition both domestically and internationally. The program will continue to improve and is poised to become a major strength in underpinning Australia’s wine brand strategy. Sustainability is no longer a nice to …

The lack of clear guidance on next steps with the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant is causing concern and questions from industry. Australian Grape & Wine is seeking urgent advice from the Australian Government about the status of the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door grants program. Under the program, producers who meet the eligibility …

Water is a big issue for the Labor Government and one where The Australian grape and wine sector will need to ensure we have a strong footprint in the decision-making process. Labor has committed $34m to establish a National Water Commission aiming to drive reform, future-proof water resources and increase policy transparency. Labor has also …