Will Hodgman: Wine Tasmania Inaugural Conference

The Liberal Government is getting on with the job of delivering our plan for the long-term future of the state, including building on our competitive strengths in the area of Tasmania’s unique wine industry.

The Tasmanian wine industry is worth more than $40 million a year to our economy and is a significant employer, representing more than 1,100 full time equivalent jobs.

Jobs are the number one priority of the Liberal Government.

Our long-term plan for Tasmania includes a target of increasing visitor numbers each year to 1.5 million by 2020, which the tourism industry tells us represents the creation of up to 8,000 new jobs.
Food and wine tourism has a significant role to play in achieving that goal.

Already cellar doors attract 150,000 visitors every year which is around 15 per cent of all visitors in 2013.

With our cool climate wines increasingly gaining accolades around the world, and demand outstripping supply, the potential for further growth is significant.

Our Agri-vision 2050 plan to increase the value of Tasmania’s agricultural sector ten-fold to $10 billion will support further wine sector growth with major investments in irrigation, skills and research.

The expansion of Tasmania’s wine industry will also assist us to achieve another Liberal Government priority – to reduce Tasmania’s unemployment rate to at least the national average in our first term.

Will Hodgman, Premier, Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events