Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Flavours of Tasmania event will be held tonight. More than 30 producers of fine Tasmanian goods will be on show to an expected audience of more than 400 in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra tonight. An annual event, Flavours of Tasmania has gained a reputation over the years as an excellent working display of the very best food products produced in Tasmania. Once a year, we will bring a slice of the island state to Canberra so the locals can taste, smell, see and hear the evidence of the quality of the produce that is produced and is increasingly becoming world renowned.

The 34 sellers represented include everything from chocolate producers to oysters, whisky, seafood sausages, apples, cherries, ginger beers, fine wines and ciders. Of course, a number of them will come from my electorate of Lyons, which stretches across more than 50 per cent of Tasmania—so it is not hard to find not only good and very talented food producers but also people like Matt Pavey and Steve White, from St Helens on the east coast, who will have their wooden guitars on display tonight. Their St Helens based PW Guitars business uses celery top, Huon pine, blackwood, sassafras and black wattle in the shaping of their musical instruments to make them literally works of art. Matt and Steve were furniture makers on the east coast for more than 30 years. They used to joke together that they would start making guitars instead of chests of drawers because it was lighter on their backs and shoulders, and finally the creative duo were hooked. People such as Tommy Emmanuel now select PW guitars as their instruments of choice. Alice Laing's and Chris Manson's obsession with food and Tasmania led me to deliver their sea salt flake business at Little Swanport on the east coast. They will also be here tonight, amongst many others.

I particularly thank Senator Abetz and his staff for the role that they have played in organising this. I also mention a number of other producers, including JBS Australia, who will be supplying meat from Longford in my electorate, Sullivans Cove—I note the member for Franklin's attendance here today—Heartwood Malt Whisky, Lark Distillery—who get their peat from up at Bronte, so I claim them as well, Julie—Tasmanian Seafoods, Huon Aquaculture, Tamar Ridge, Josef Chromy, Petuna Seafoods, Tassal, Hansen Orchards and Norfolk Bay Gourmet Seafoods.