❓ Mr Alban asks about the success of efforts to boost WA wine exports to Asia. The Minister responds with details of a co-funded marketing plan and positive export growth figures, particularly to China.
AnsweredQoN 440Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN WINE INDUSTRY
440. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
As the minister
knows, Western Australia has a well-deserved reputation for producing premium
wines. The Swan Valley is one of the best wine-producing regions in our site. It
is also host to one of the largest food and wine festivals in the country. Can
the minister update the house on whether the efforts to boost Western
Australian wine, particularly into the Asian regions, have been successful?
440. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:
As the minister
knows, Western Australia has a well-deserved reputation for producing premium
wines. The Swan Valley is one of the best wine-producing regions in our site. It
is also host to one of the largest food and wine festivals in the country. Can
the minister update the house on whether the efforts to boost Western
Australian wine, particularly into the Asian regions, have been successful?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Swan Hills for the question. When the member
prompted me only 10 minutes before question time that he was going to ask this
question, I asked him what were some of his favourite wines from his region.
The member highlighted Garbin Estate Wines in his electorate, which sells wine
into China, as one he is partial to. I know the member is a strong supporter of
the wine industry in Western Australia, as I am sure a number of members in
this house are also significant supporters of the wine industry. It is
something that we should be very proud of, not only in the Swan Valley region
but right down through the regions of Margaret River, Manjimup, the great
southern and the south west, where we have premium wines; in fact, wines in
Western Australia punch well and truly above their weight compared with the
national position. We can be very proud of our premium brands in Western
Australia.
It is also strongly
acknowledged across the sector that it has been through tough times,
particularly over the past five years or so. If we look at wine exports, which
we might see as a measure of that performance—it is not the only
measure, but it is one measure—over the last five years to 2010 they
have declined by 23 per cent by volume and 17 per cent by value, which is
concerning. Industry approached the government about putting together a
collective plan, and so we did that. We came together and said that we should
commit some resources—$377 000 from government and $772 000 from
industry, which is a total of $1.1 million over three years—towards a
marketing plan for Western Australian wines into the export market. In the
first year of that plan, 15 Western Australian wineries have been represented
at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair; we have engaged leading
Singaporean wine writer Mr Poh Tiong to become an ambassador for Western
Australian wines in Asia, which is obviously significant for getting exposure
there; we have seen the attraction of international wine judges to regional
wine shows in WA to build awareness and the reputation of WA wines; we have
hosted some wine buyers in a number of forums that have been organised by our
overseas trade offices, Austrade, the South West Development Commission, the
Great Southern Development Commission and Wine Australia; we have had dedicated
winery missions to Asia, led by both the South West Development Commission and
the Great Southern Development Commission; and we have rolled out the first
dedicated WA wine education class in Singapore, with a view to expanding into
China, Thailand and Malaysia in the next 12 to 18 months. On top of that,
outside this plan, there are the initiatives that the Minister for Tourism has
been pursuing, supported by the royalties for regions program, to expose
Western Australia's significant wine and food sector to the
international space. I am sure that a number of announcements in that area will
also put a spotlight on premium wines in Western Australia.
Of course, it is early days, but the latest figures from the
Australian Bureau of Statistics show that WA exports have grown from $34.6 million
in 2010–11 to $43.8 million in 2011–12. That is a 27 per cent
increase. In particular, exports to China have more than doubled from $6.4 million
in 2010–11 to $13.7 million in 2011–12, making China the
largest destination export market for wine from Western Australia. That is a
substantial outcome. I am very pleased that it is also happening against a
backdrop of a strong Australian dollar, which, as we know, is always
challenging for Western Australian exporters. There has also been growth in
exports to the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Korea, and even
France, which we know has been the centre of the wine industry overseas.
I am proud of the relationship that we have been able to
build with the wine sector. We have developed a plan, we have co-funded that
plan and that plan is rolling out. Although it is early days, in the first year
we have seen some very good outcomes from a premium WA product going into
international export markets.
prompted me only 10 minutes before question time that he was going to ask this
question, I asked him what were some of his favourite wines from his region.
The member highlighted Garbin Estate Wines in his electorate, which sells wine
into China, as one he is partial to. I know the member is a strong supporter of
the wine industry in Western Australia, as I am sure a number of members in
this house are also significant supporters of the wine industry. It is
something that we should be very proud of, not only in the Swan Valley region
but right down through the regions of Margaret River, Manjimup, the great
southern and the south west, where we have premium wines; in fact, wines in
Western Australia punch well and truly above their weight compared with the
national position. We can be very proud of our premium brands in Western
Australia.
It is also strongly
acknowledged across the sector that it has been through tough times,
particularly over the past five years or so. If we look at wine exports, which
we might see as a measure of that performance—it is not the only
measure, but it is one measure—over the last five years to 2010 they
have declined by 23 per cent by volume and 17 per cent by value, which is
concerning. Industry approached the government about putting together a
collective plan, and so we did that. We came together and said that we should
commit some resources—$377 000 from government and $772 000 from
industry, which is a total of $1.1 million over three years—towards a
marketing plan for Western Australian wines into the export market. In the
first year of that plan, 15 Western Australian wineries have been represented
at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair; we have engaged leading
Singaporean wine writer Mr Poh Tiong to become an ambassador for Western
Australian wines in Asia, which is obviously significant for getting exposure
there; we have seen the attraction of international wine judges to regional
wine shows in WA to build awareness and the reputation of WA wines; we have
hosted some wine buyers in a number of forums that have been organised by our
overseas trade offices, Austrade, the South West Development Commission, the
Great Southern Development Commission and Wine Australia; we have had dedicated
winery missions to Asia, led by both the South West Development Commission and
the Great Southern Development Commission; and we have rolled out the first
dedicated WA wine education class in Singapore, with a view to expanding into
China, Thailand and Malaysia in the next 12 to 18 months. On top of that,
outside this plan, there are the initiatives that the Minister for Tourism has
been pursuing, supported by the royalties for regions program, to expose
Western Australia's significant wine and food sector to the
international space. I am sure that a number of announcements in that area will
also put a spotlight on premium wines in Western Australia.
Of course, it is early days, but the latest figures from the
Australian Bureau of Statistics show that WA exports have grown from $34.6 million
in 2010–11 to $43.8 million in 2011–12. That is a 27 per cent
increase. In particular, exports to China have more than doubled from $6.4 million
in 2010–11 to $13.7 million in 2011–12, making China the
largest destination export market for wine from Western Australia. That is a
substantial outcome. I am very pleased that it is also happening against a
backdrop of a strong Australian dollar, which, as we know, is always
challenging for Western Australian exporters. There has also been growth in
exports to the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Korea, and even
France, which we know has been the centre of the wine industry overseas.
I am proud of the relationship that we have been able to
build with the wine sector. We have developed a plan, we have co-funded that
plan and that plan is rolling out. Although it is early days, in the first year
we have seen some very good outcomes from a premium WA product going into
international export markets.
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