Tuesday, 18 February 2020

Wine industry smoke taint

Mr McCURDY (Ovens Valley) (13:40): It is easy to be a champion when everything is going well and you are kicking with a 10-goal breeze, but the real test of character comes when adversity hits. The wine growers in north-east Victoria are desperate for support, particularly as the smoke-tainted vintage tests become clearer. Just prior to Christmas the Minister for Agriculture, Jaclyn Symes in the other place, withdrew funding for important research into smoke taint in grapes that one day will be worth millions of dollars to this industry to help these local businesses. It will help them make better decisions earlier as to how to best manage the vintage.

With the fires this year and the smoke taint ruining many of the crops for 2020, the minister needs to take her portfolio seriously and genuinely assist this industry. The Premier for Melbourne and the Minister for Agriculture need to look further up the highways and take some responsibility for the situation we are in. Poorly planned burning policy and a lack of action by this government have been contributors to this smoke-filled summer. I call on the Minister for Agriculture to deliver real financial solutions, not just froth and bubbles. Our prosecco industry is bleeding right now, and you have turned your back.