Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the minister update the House on new innovations in the wine industry that will support the integrity of Australian wine in the international marketplace? How will such innovations help to boost winemakers in my electorate and the Australian wine industry more broadly?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question, which is in fact the 27th question today. Obviously the wine industry is an industry that has shown great promise since we have been in government. We have seen a major turnaround. In the last 12 months there has been an eight per cent increase in exports of $1.96 billion. We have seen exports to China rise by 47 per cent to $313 million. It just goes to show you how great work pays a dividend. The work we are doing on free trade agreements and getting protocols in place is delivering a better return not only to the farm gate but to the cellar door. We have also seen wine sales to Canada up by four per cent to $189 million and to Hong Kong up by 24 per cent to $118 million.

The reason this wine sells is not only because of the hard work that we have been doing to bring about free trade agreements but also that it is a brilliant product. It is a brilliant product that has been brought together by the hard work and endeavours of so many people in South Australia, Western Australia and the Hunter Valley over such a long period of time.

This work is of such a nature that it is not surprising that people want to mimic it. We are doing our very best to make sure that we get the protocols in place so that we own intellectual property and that it is not counterfeited. If that is not good enough, there are companies such as Beston Global Food Company which are bringing about reform of tracking so that this product can be tracked all the way through. A person with a smartphone device, whether they are buying the product in Shanghai, Hong Kong or any manner of places across the globe, will be able to check the authenticity of the product they are buying. We know that if you are buying a good bottle of wine you want to make sure that it is the authentic article and that it actually has come from the Coonawarra or McLaren Vale. All the members are sticking their hands up with examples!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Murgon.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Murgon? Probably not as much has come from Murgon as comes from McLaren Vale! But, nonetheless, let's not run down Murgon wines. They are very good. I have tried some myself from time to time when I have run out of money!

This is part and parcel of how even in the wine industry, which was in the depths of despair under the previous government, we are turning things around, and we are bringing a better return back to the cellar door for them as well.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.