Wine and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Senator GREEN (Queensland—Assistant Minister for Tourism, Assistant Minister for Pacific Island Affairs and Assistant Minister for Northern Australia) (12:28): Australian farmers, fishers and foresters make an extraordinary contribution to our country, and the Wine and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 is part of the Albanese Labor government's support for our agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors.
The grape and wine sector makes a valuable contribution to regional communities and the Australian economy. The Albanese Labor government is committed to supporting the sector's profitability, productivity and resilience and has provided more than $95 million in support since July 2022 to help strengthen the long-term viability of the Australian grape growers and winemakers.
The amendments to the Wine Australia Act would provide Wine Australia with the function to conduct or arrange surveys of the grape or wine industry to support the operation of the wine act or the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. This supports implementation of the proposed mandatory code of conduct for winegrape purchasers. The amendments to the wine act would also establish an information management framework that provides for the authorised use and disclosure of information obtained or generated under the act.
These amendments would modernise and strengthen the Wine Australia Act while ensuring that there are appropriate safeguards for protected information. These changes will strengthen the ability of Wine Australia and ABARES to continue their important research work and continue to strengthen the industry for the future. The Australian government is committed to supporting the wine industry, the agribusiness sector, tourism more broadly and particularly regional Australia.
I thank the opposition for including this bill in our non-controversial part of the program, although I guess we both had to fight off speakers on both sides demanding to claim that the best wine comes from their state. I can say definitively, because I'm the last speaker, that the best wine comes from Queensland! The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Grogan ): I would just like to shout-out the South Australian wine industry, Minister!
Bill read a second time.