Wine industry upbeat on law reforms

By DITA DE BONI liquor writer

The Wine Industry is optimistic that it has the ear of the Government in its attempts to clarify wine legislation.

MAF is now working through information gleaned from many of New Zealand's 350-plus growers last year, and intends to meet the Wine Institute next month for "full and frank discussions," says Institute chief executive Philip Gregan.

The wine industry wants to amalgamate the Wine Makers Act (1981) and the Wine Makers Levy Act (1976) into an act it has tentatively called the Wine Act, which will set standards for wine labelling, export certification, disciplinary actions for winemakers accused of breaching standards, and industry funding.

The industry hopes the regulations can be sorted out before the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code comes into force next year, because those standards will no longer cover vintage and varietal labelling.

Mr Gregan says the greatest fears of the industry are over-regulation and under-regulation.

He says under-regulation leads to "scandal" and could jeopardise New Zealand's standing in valuable export markets. Over-regulation would stifle innovation.

"We are not sure what they will do with our submissions, but we do know that [Agriculture Minister Jim] Sutton has a pretty good understanding of the industry and seems quite excited about the dynamism in the industry, which is indicative of the change that has happened in all New Zealand agricultural sectors."

The Wine Institute will release the 2000/2001 final vintage figures in the next two weeks.

Volumes were smaller than expected, Mr Gregan said.