Environment
It’s getting heavy
Jancis Robinson
Graeme Philips writes the wine column for The Mercury – the Hobart daily newspaper. He picked up on Ms Port’s article, advancing it to the next stage and reporting that Gunns didn’t appear concerned and Tamar Ridge ‘sales are as strong as ever’. He then brings in Dr Andrew Pirie, CEO of Tamar Ridge, who puts forward the point that if this boycott is taken up it could damage the ‘growth and momentum of the whole Tasmanian wine industry’. Philips also reports that ‘a highly regarded national wine writer has said he’ll have nothing to do with any Tasmanian promotion sponsored by or involving Tamar Ridge’. As can be seen, it’s getting heavy.
However, remaining in the narrow corridor of wine (a minnow in the overall context), our concern is two-fold. First, the overall effect this might have on Tasmanian wine, especially if the issue goes international. The second is echoing Graeme Phillips’ last sentence: ‘Should the boycott really bite, it will be Tamar Ridge’s 150 employees who’ll bear the brunt, certainly not Gunns shareholders.’ Robyn Lewis is managing director of Visit Vineyards. Along with Charlie, her husband, she is also a farmer and passionate about Tasmania. She is concerned that the state has become corrupt to the highest echelon, and that the mixing of politics and business is not healthy.