Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the Northern Tourism 2014 Restaurant of the Year Award, won by Pierre's Brasserie in Launceston.

This is the latest award for a restaurant that already has four Australian Good Food Guide chef's hats under its belt. And it is no surprise when you consider they serve up innovative dishes with mainly Tasmanian produce. An example is their peppered venison with a Tasmanian sloe gin jus. Pierre's Restaurant co-owner Rohan Birchmore and his staff have an exceptional commitment to quality Tasmanian produce. On a daily basis, they give locals and visitors a very good reason to explore the diversity of food and drink that northern Tasmania has to offer.

An example of that diversity is a dinner I attended at Glen and Dinah Moore's onion shed near Scottsdale, to celebrate the Tasmanian Year of the Farmer. We ate the very best of what the north-east has to offer, and can I say that it was a paddock-to-plate experience of exceptional quality.

Awards like the one received by Pierre's helps us to market Launceston and the north of our state as a food-and-wine destination of international quality. And when you get here, you can also play a round of golf at Barnbougle Dunes, the world's 11th-best golf course, or enjoy a bike ride where Ritchie Porte grew up or visit the glorious Bridestowe Lavender Farm.

There are so many reasons to make Launceston your entry point to Tasmania and the recent award presented to Pierre's Brasserie only makes that case stronger.

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