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

Earlier this year the Launceston based company Australian Honey Products was awarded a federal innovation and investment grant. Launceston couple Lindsay and Yeonsoon Bourke, who own and operate this business, are adding a new honey extraction and packaging plant to their operations. They will also be training beekeepers to certificate Ill level, creating 15 much-needed jobs in northern Tasmania.

This business is based on what Mr Bourke proudly declares is the best honey-producing region in our nation, and he has been proven right time and again. A recent accolade was being judged 'champion honey' at the Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards. Lindsay was also named the 2015 Tasmanian Small Business Exporter of the Year and the 2015 Biosecurity Farmer of the Year at the national Farmer of the Year titles. And now Lindsay stands on top of the honey world, having just won the overall trophy for best honey at the International Apicultural Congress in South Korea. His leatherwood honey won the gold medal in its category and then went on to win the overall title of 'best honey in the world'. In fact, master beekeeper Lindsay and his wife, Yeonsoon, won all of Australia's five gold medals at the congress—not just with honey but with value-added products like honey mead and honey ales.

Congratulations to Lindsay and Yeonsoon for their dedication, hard work and tireless commitment to world's best Tasmanian produce.