Advocacy Protecting members’ ability to produce, market and sell sustainably and competitively.
Our Advocacy activities focus
requirements and support measures
on guidance for members, wine
were clearly communicated
standards, government engagement,
to members.
intellectual property protection, growing our people, promoting social
We set up a virus response
responsibility, and encouraging free
information portal on the NZW
and fair trade.
website, response email addresses
Providing COVID-19 support to winegrowers
and two dedicated 24/7 hotlines – one to respond to member compliance queries, and the other to allow rapid
New Zealand responded to the
reporting and response for any public
outbreak of COVID-19 by imposing a
concerns around harvest. Members
strong national stay-at-home order,
generously shared their own crisis
which activated just as harvest was
procedures and protocols, which we
beginning. Ahead of that, having
synthesised into generalised guidance
observed early lockdown measures
for members, updated every time
being implemented overseas, NZW
new requirements or new guidance
had already begun preparations to
was issued, and as we clarified
ensure the New Zealand government
requirements for labour movement,
would recognise grape harvesting and
accommodation, transport and dozens
winemaking as “essential” under
of other issues with MPI.
any lockdown.
The resulting COVID-19 webpages had 35,000 page views, and there
The government’s response to the
were over 21,000 user interactions
pandemic was swiftly initiated as a
with these pages, including downloads
set of high-level principles. It was
of our various documents, views of
deliberately left up to industry to
embedded videos etc. We responded
design and implement those practices.
to many hundreds of calls and emails,
NZW supported this devolved
and offered members a range of
approach, but it required an
webinars both on the requirements,
unprecedented response effort.
and to provide support.
The NZW Advocacy team worked
As the alert levels lowered (and as
tirelessly to ensure that our key
harvest concluded), we were able
contacts at MPI and other government
to move our focus to helping cellar
departments knew exactly how
doors, restaurants and other wine
COVID-19 restrictions were affecting
tourism businesses reopen in a
winegrowers, and to ensure the
safe way. u
government’s constantly evolving
6
