AUSTRALIAN DISTILLERS

The exciting potential of Australian spirits was showcased in April at a record-breaking Australian Distillers conference in Melbourne.

With more than 400 delegates, the conference was effectively sold out for the first time in our history. That’s quite an achievement since hosting our first conference in 2014 with just 30 attendees, and represents a resounding vote of confidence in our industry.

After a welcome reception hosted by Starward Distillery, delegates attended a full day of informational sessions, with topics including scaling for success and post- COVID changes to retail and hospitality. Given May’s federal election, one of the most well-received presentations was an overview of the political landscape by Spirits & Cocktails Australia Chief Executive, Greg Holland. As I write, the election is yet to be decided. But regardless of the outcome, one of Australian Distillers’ top priorities for the year ahead will remain the same: to work with the incoming government on fair and sustainable alcohol tax reform. Whilst Australian spirits are the third highest taxed in the world, this will always be a handbrake to growth.

Another program highlight was Tasmanian distiller Adam Pinkard’s moving recollection of the distillery fire that left an employee in intensive care with burns to 40 per cent of his body. Adam’s raw honesty as he described his own battles with mental health in the aftermath of the fire, as well as his insights about the operational lessons learned, reduced many in the audience to tears.

His presentation was also an appropriate introduction to the launch of the BECA Safety Toolkit for our members.

After such an intense program, the gala dinner was a welcome chance for attendees to kick back and be entertained by celebrity MCs Hamish Blake and Michael ‘Wippa’ Whipfli. Australian Distillers president Stu Gregor joined the pair on stage to launch our Hall of Fame and honour the first four inductees: the late Raymond ‘Spike’ Dessert the Third, Bill Lark, Patrick Maguire and Cameron Syme.

The dinner also gave us an opportunity to celebrate thirty years of contemporary Australian craft distilling in a fittingly memorable way. In anticipation of the milestone, 36 Australian distilleries

generously shared their spirits with Bill Lark, to create a commemorative blend. A specially packaged bottle gifted to each dinner guest is truly priceless, as this delicious whisky will never be offered for sale.

Our final day was designed to allow delegates to relax and socialise, with a bespoke program of four regional tours showcasing local distilleries and produce.

While celebrating our achievements, we at Australian Distillers know this is time to rest on our laurels. As our industry expands quickly, one challenge will be to maintain a laser focus on safety and sustainability, as these underpin our ongoing social license to operate.

One of my priorities over the next twelve months is to explore how we might establish accredited, industry-driven vocational education. This will be the key to generating a skilled, reliable and safe workforce as we grow. Working closely with state governments, our plan is to identify and engage with local training providers to ensure that relevant, practical and standardised training is available for those keen to join the exciting world of Australian distilling.