Funded by the sector for the sector, Wine Australia is a collaboration between grapegrowers, winemakers, and the Australian Government to empower industry success. 

The sector is currently facing significant challenges, including below-average sized vintages and reduced income, impacting returns for all and the levies and matching Commonwealth funds for research, extension and adoption. 

Many organisations within the grape and wine sector have had to make difficult business decisions. Wine Australia has not been immune, making difficult decisions to reduce staff, draw on reserves, and explore new ways to maximise impact and returns for levy payers. 

We empathise deeply with the effect these challenges have had on individuals and organisations within the sector, including AWRI. Despite the reductions, we continue to support and are committed to AWRI’s research capability and expertise.

Over the past 18 months, we have worked closely with AWRI about this issue. We have provided unprecedented support to safeguard their capabilities. Most recently, in light of the below-average vintages in 2023 and 2024, we have proposed to ring fence crucial sector-facing services funded by Wine Australia and delivered by AWRI, such as the helpdesk, agrochemical information (the Dogbook), library services and technical communications from the impacts of vintage reductions. We have also worked with them to increase the impact of levy payer investments, and have pre-paid funds to support this change. This is a level of support not provided to other service providers, demonstrating the important role AWRI plays for the Australian wine sector.

Our investments, guided by the priorities of grapegrowers and winemakers, address the most pressing issues in research and innovation, developing market opportunities, and safeguarding the industry’s reputation and integrity. Of the many strategic priorities identified by levy payers, the AWRI contributes work on some but not all, with other research providers addressing priorities such as plant breeding, climate change, waste, biosecurity, carbon, regional programs, people development and careers.

Wine Australia’s challenge is to invest levies in areas across the diverse needs of all levy payers. A range of projects are designed and delivered for different levy payers, and the breadth of R&I priorities reflect those areas identified by grapegrowers and winemakers in different regions, with different business models and needs. Ensuring practice change in all areas leads to impact created within businesses and regions – from grape to glass.

Our unwavering priority is to empower grape and wine businesses today and tomorrow, ensuring our investments deliver real impact for levy payers. Our focus and accountability remain firmly with the grapegrowers, winemakers, and the Australian Government that fund us. We are committed to supporting industry success by promoting profitability, resilience, and sustainability.