Wine Australia is seeking your feedback on a proposal to establish a register of grape and wine sector levy payers.
Background
Wine Australia currently receives two levies: the Grape Research Levy and the Wine Grape Levy.
Wineries pay the Grape Research Levy to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the Department) on behalf of growers. This means that, while the Department has a list of wineries that pay the Wine Grape Levy, it doesn’t have a corresponding list of growers. This means that neither the Department or Wine Australia can communicate directly with growers.
Establishing registers of growers and winemakers
To enable this problem to be addressed, Parliament has made changes to the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991 so that levy payer registers can be established.
Wine Australia wishes to establish a register of growers that would include a grower’s contact details and ABN, the levy amount paid, and information about varieties and geographical indications (GIs).
We have consulted with Australian Vignerons and the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia and they support establishing such a register.
The benefits
Having levy payer registers would allow Wine Australia (and upon request and approval by the Department, any sector body representing grape or wine producers) to communicate directly with levy payers and to collect statistical information.
What this would mean for you
Wineries already collect and record the information about who supplies them with grapes that would populate a grower levy payer register to meet Label Integrity Program record requirements. Establishing a levy payer register would mean that wineries needed to pass this information to the Department as part of the levy return process.
Next steps
We want to hear what you think. Would you please provide your feedback by Friday 26 October 2018 to consultation@wineaustralia.com.
If you have any questions, please email Rachel.Triggs@wineaustralia.com.