Forum 2023
Together now, preparing grape and wine businesses for the future
22 June 2023
Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre
8.15am- 6pm
NEWZ Forum
Together now, preparing grape and wine businesses for the future
Program
Registration 8.15-8.45am
Forum start: 8.45am
Welcome North East Wine Zone- Rob Hawkings, Chair Project Control Board
North East Wine Zone Update – Megan Graham, Wine Industry Support Officer
Panel: Key updates in the wine industry 9am- 10am
Wine Australia- Dave Gerner
Agriculture Victoria- Dr Amanda Ellery
Wine Victoria- Stephanie Duboudin, Chair
La Trobe University- Professor Ian Porter, Smoke Sensor network update
Workshops 10-11am
Mental health in the workplace- Bernadette Hurley, Occ Psych
Grapes of Wisdom – Mastering risk management for peace of mind- Dr Kristy Howard, Inspiring Excellence
Morning Tea 11- 11.30
Quality, innovation and efficiency 11.30- 12.30pm
Understanding variability within the vineyard and at regional scale for improved management of winegrowing- Dr Rob Bramley, CSIRO
Planning for succession; securing the future of your business- Adam Keath, Wine Network Consulting
Workshops 12.30-1.30pm
Crisis Communication- Julia Brown, Upstream Communication
What’s your actual costs?- Andrew Drumm, Enwineering
Lunch 1.30-2pm
Climate outlook 2-3.30
Climate Change predictions - Professor Nick Bond, La Trobe University
Drought Hub update and solar in vineyards- Dr Sabine Tausz-Posch, Victoria Drought and Innovation Hub
Business decision-making – understanding the material risks to business and mitigating them- Dr Tim Clune, La Trobe University
Afternoon Tea 3.30-3.45
Moving into the future 3.45-4.45
Panel of businesses who are investing in the North East region
discussion on how they manage risk.
Billy Button Wines, Alpine Valleys- Jo Marsh
Grapegrower, Alpine Valleys- Stef Antonello
De Bortoli Wines, Rutherglen- Marc Scalzo
Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth- Ben Kraus
Closing, thank you and next steps for NEWZ Committee - Rob Hawkings
Drinks and nibbles provided 5-6pm
NEWZ forum has been designed to provide grapegrowers and winemakers in North East Victoria with the opportunity to network and learn from their peers and industry experts. The forum combines conference style presentations, practical workshops and a trade show.
Note: All day parking is available on Cusack and Norton St. Wangaratta
Program
Panel discussion- Key updates in the wine industry 9.15am- 10am
Dave Gerner
Program Manager, Regional Innovation - Wine Australia
With a background in environmental management and spatial information science Dave has a passion for innovative solutions that create sustainable futures for agriculture. He seeks out positive outcomes for both people and the planet. An accomplished professional with experience in change management and the practical applications of new and emerging technologies, Dave believes strongly in delivering 'change that adds value'.
Dave recognises the increasing rate of change challenges the way Australian growers manage their everyday business. He works with growers and technologists to co-develop solutions and meaningful outcomes that are profitable and scalable. The AgTech Program delivered by Wine Australia helps facilitate these outcomes. Managing the AgTech Program and working directly with growers, drives Dave's ambition to implement emerging technologies that deliver real solutions and are accountable to industry.
Dr Amanda Ellery
Manager Policy, Agriculture Victoria
Stephanie Duboudin
CEO, Wine Victoria
Workshop sessions 10am- 11am
Bernadette Hurley, Occ Psych
Bernadette registered as a Psychologist in 2003 and since that time has developed a depth of experience in working with individuals, groups and workplaces. Bernadette established her company Occ Psych Pty Ltd as she saw a gap in services for individuals and organisations committed to ensuring psychologically safe workplaces. Bernadette has worked with a range of organisations including multinational and locally based companies. Bernadette is a Medicare Provider, a NSW WorkCover Provider, and a trained mediator with experience in resolving workplace and community disputes.
Bernadette is an avid trail runner having completed the North Face 100, a 100km race across the Blue Mountains, and is a passionate supporter of the Richmond Tigers.
Dr Kristy Howard, Inspiring Excellence
With over 25 years of experience in Australia's agricultural sector, Kristy is a versatile professional who has worn various hats including researcher, consultant, farm advisor, trainer, facilitator, business coach, and leader. Growing up on a farm in central Victoria, her deep-rooted connection to rural life drives her passion for driving transformative change in rural and regional Australia, focusing on sustainable and prosperous futures for farmers, rural women, and communities.
During her 14-year tenure at the Victorian Department of Agriculture, Kristy worked closely with farmers, empowering them to implement impactful changes on their farms. Her focus was on enhancing productivity, profitability, and the overall quality of life for farming families. In 2008, she established 'Inspiring Excellence,' to elevate rural businesses, farms, rural women, and the next generation of agricultural professionals to new heights through training, coaching, and leadership development.
Morning session workshop 1
Mental health in the workplace
Mental health issues can alter how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, so it makes sense that mental health affects all parts of our lives.
This workshop is to help provide you with tools and strategies both professionally and personally to help deal with tough conversations and disclosures while also increasing your mental health literacy . This is incredibly important in your industry as you build relationships with colleagues and clients over many years. You can apply these learning with your work colleagues, creating a mentally healthy work environment.
This is not to be mistaken for equipping you to diagnose or offer any kind of therapy, this workshop has been created to assist you in having a supportive conversation that might help someone make the decision to seek the help they need.
Morning session workshop 2
Grapes of Wisdom,
Mastering risk management for peace of mind
Designed for individuals who are tired of being consumed by worry and anxiety about the uncertainties that surround their businesses. It offers practical tips and techniques to regain control and find peace of mind. Participants will learn to differentiate between what they can control, influence, or merely be concerned about, enabling them to channel their energy effectively. By letting go of thoughts about uncontrollable factors, attendees will discover how to redirect their focus towards actionable steps to mitigate key risks within their businesses.
The session dives into the practical implementation of risk management tools, including risk management planning, and other tools for mitigating risk. Participants will gain valuable insights into creating a risk management plan, allowing them to identify, assess, and prioritize potential risks within their specific business context. Moreover, the session will provide practical strategies and techniques to shift from a mindset of worry to one of confidence and preparedness. Attendees will leave the session equipped with the knowledge and tools to say goodbye to sleepless nights and embrace a mindset of "I got this" when it comes to managing uncertainty in their business.
11.30am- 12.30pm Quality, innovation and efficiency
Dr Rob Bramley
Senior Principal Research Scientist CSIRO, Waite Campus, Adelaide
A Soil Scientist by training, he has been active in Precision Agriculture (PA) research since the mid-1990s. While particularly recognised for work on vineyard variability and pioneering the development of Precision Viticulture, his broader expertise is reflected by leadership of major PA projects across the wine, grains and sugar sectors, in Australia and overseas. His recent viticultural research has focussed particularly on using the tools of Precision Viticulture to assist in better understanding wine terroir. Dr Bramley was made a life member of SPAA (Society of Precision Agriculture Australia) in 2018 and was the inaugural winner of two of the ASVO’s (Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology) awards for publication excellence - ‘Winemaking paper of the year’ (2012) and the ‘Dr Peter May award’ (2018).
Adam Keath
Consultant, Wine Network Consulting
Adam Keath joined WNC as a consultant in 2021, working across all areas of winemaking, winery design and operations, recruitment and sustainability. After 20 years at Domaine Chandon, as Operations Winemaker, in the Yarra Valley, he has brought extensive knowledge and experience to the team. His previous role focused on quality, innovation, efficiency, as well as workplace health & safety. Adam now consults to clients across Australia and internationally, on these and many other areas of winemaking.
Adam’s contribution to the wine industry also extends to his various roles as former Vice President of Wine Yarra Valley, Chair of the Organising Committee for the Yarra Valley Wine Show and James Halliday Wine Challenge (2014-Present), as well as guest lecturing and journal articles, providing expert technical advice.
Understanding variability within-vineyard and at regional scale for improved management of winegrowing
Vineyards are variable, and so too, of course, are wine regions. At the within vineyard scale, understanding of this variability presents opportunities for targeting management of inputs to enhance resource use efficiency, or for selective harvesting and product streaming to ensure a proper match between the quality of grapes and their intended end-use. At the regional scale, it may also promote opportunities for demonstration of distinctiveness and so provide a terroir-based marketing tool to assist with selling wine. However, across scales, understanding of wine terroir will likely deliver the greatest benefit by promoting improvements to winegrowing production systems
Planning for succession, securing the future of your business
Attracting and retaining talent, becoming an employer of choice
Experienced winemakers and viticulturists are becoming increasingly harder to attract to new positions and a change of workplace. There are many factors that contribute to this challenging environment and businesses need to consider how they are perceived by their current and future employees, to ensure they attract the best talent.
Adam will discuss the trends we are seeing in recruitment; what potential employees are looking for in an employer and workplace; how to attract talent and “out-compete” your neighbours; and how to plan for succession.
Workshop sessions 12.30pm- 1.30pm
Julia Brown, Upstream Communication
Julia is experienced in developing and implementing strategic communication plans, implementing policy advice and providing feedback from stakeholders in to improve policy into the future.
With a background in the agriculture and food and wine sectors, Julia loves working on projects that create vibrant, thriving and connected regions throughout Australia.
Julia has spent more than two decades in communications and marketing roles for government, industry and business.
Julia holds a Bachelor of Communication, is a recent graduate of the AltMBA and the Leading Australian Resilient Communities Leadership Program from the Australian Rural Leadership Program.
Andrew Drumm, Enwineering
The workshop is presented by Andrew Drumm. Andrew has over 20 years of experience in winemaking and business management. He has had a long-term interest in cost analysis and has conducted research with wineries to identify real-world practices and measure their effectiveness. He is the founder of a company offering wine analysis and consultancy services including cost analysis. He is also co-founder of another company making winery equipment and teaches winery engineering at Charles Sturt University including project costing.
Whether you are a vineyard/winery owner or manager, this workshop aims to equip you with the necessary tools to navigate the financial intricacies of wine production, demystifying accounting concepts and providing practical insights that you can readily implement within your own operations. Armed with this knowledge, you will be well-equipped to make more accurate cost estimations, identify cost-saving opportunities, and drive sustainable growth within your wine business.
Afternoon session workshop 3
Crisis Communication
The crisis communication workshop is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively prepare, navigate and manage communication for their business during times of crisis.
During this interactive workshop you will be guided through a framework to develop a flexible crisis communication plan for your business that can be adapted to specific circumstances.
The workshop aims to leave you with the knowledge, tools and confidence to manage future crises more effectively. Resulting in your business being more resilient, and better prepared to handle unforeseen events.
Afternoon session workshop 4
What’s the cost?
Tools to estimate production costs for wineries and vineyards.
While we often focus on our passion for wine, and need for environmental sustainability, these must be balanced against the financial sustainability of our businesses.
Product costs are a key component of profitability, as they can be used to set prices and identify areas for improvement. Unfortunately, industry research shows that many wineries and vineyards are under-estimating their true costs of production, which can result in poor decisions around input allocation and product pricing.
In this workshop, we will shine a spotlight on the core components that contribute to cost estimation, with a special focus on including capital equipment costs and the labour from owner operators.
We will explore practical techniques for estimating these more complicated costs to empower you to make informed decisions, streamline operations, and drive profitability within your winery or vineyard.
Climate outlook 2pm- 3.30pm
Professor Nick Bond
Director Centre for Freshwater Ecosystems, Theme Lead, Resilient environments and communities, La Trobe University
Professor Nick Bond has more than 25 years experience working on the ecology and hydrology of rivers and streams, with a focus on Australia’s water-stressed regions. His primary research focus is on modelling the effects of flow variability on stream biota and ecosystem processes, and has been involved in environmental flow research and monitoring in Australia, Asia and South America.
Professor Bond holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is an adjunct professor at the Australian Rivers Institute at Griffith University. He has held leadership roles with several Cooperative Research Centres, helping to establish strong links between research and industry, and translating research to guide water management and policy. He currently sits on a number of scientific advisory panels for state and Commonwealth agencies.
Dr Sabine Tausz-Posch
Associate Director (Agricultural Innovation), University of Melbourne
Before joining the Victoria Drought and Innovation Hub as Associate Director (Agricultural Innovation) at the University of Melbourne’s Dookie Campus in July 2022, Sabine held several academic positions including at The University of Melbourne (from 2008 to 2017), the University of Birmingham (UK, from 2017 to 2018) and CQUniversity (from 2019 to 2021).
With a background in plant science, Sabine is particularly interested in the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of plant production systems. In her research she focuses on plant responses to changing environments to accelerate our understanding how the environment impacts ecosystem services and goods. Sabine has published over 60 peer reviewed papers including journal articles, book chapters and conference papers, and, as a keen teacher she has also coordinated and taught 25 subjects into diplomas, undergraduate and masters degrees at Australian and overseas universities.
Climate change predictions
Victoria Drought and Innovation Hub: Concept and a case study
As one of eight hubs, the Victoria Drought and Innovation Hub (Vic Hub) is formed by a core partnership of four universities, Agriculture Victoria and five regional Node partners. Through activities co-designed with farmers, industry and regional communities, the Vic Hub drives adoption of research and best practices to build economic, environmental, and social resilience to drought. With a focus on agricultural innovation, the Vic Hub connects the best available science with community needs to build on the ground activities.
As one example of how the Hub harnesses innovations to benefit Australian systems, this presentation will introduce a recently launched pilot project investigating the potential benefits and risks of agrivoltaics under Australian conditions using a vineyard as a model system. Agrivoltaic systems, where food and energy are co-generated on the same area of land, have been shown to deliver win-wins for agricultural industries overseas, but these have to be adapted to Australian conditions.
Moving into the future 3.45-4.45
Panel of businesses who are investing in the North East region
discussion risk management
Jo Marsh - Billy Button Wines, Alpine Valleys
Stef Antonello – Grapegrower, Alpine Valleys
Ben Kraus - Bridge Rd Brewers
Closing, thank you and next steps for NEWZ
Committee Chair Rob Hawkings
Drinks and nibbles provided 5-6pm
How to book tickets
Forum
The forum will have 4 themed sessions. To provide opportunities for networking, there will be morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea provided. Each forum attendee is required to book a forum ticket as these will be used for catering purposes.
Workshops
There are four workshops which have been scheduled to take place within the forum.
Two workshops will run concurrently in the morning from 10-11am and two in the afternoon from 12.30-1.30pm. Each ticket holder is only able to select one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop.
Morning Workshop 1. Mental health in the workplace 10.30-11.30am
Morning Workshop 2. Grapes of Wisdom – Mastering risk management for peace of mind 10.30-11.30am
Afternoon Workshop 3. Crisis Communication 12.30-1.30pm
Afternoon Workshop 4. What’s the real cost? 12.30-1.30pm
Tradeshow
Tradeshow tables will also be used for trade to engage with the North East Wine Zone community.
If you are interested in sponsoring the forum, the following will be available to engage forum participants.
forum bags that can be used to distribute brochures.
trade show exhibitor tables
Get in contact with forum organisers if you are interested in sponsoring this event.
We look forward to welcoming you to the
NEWZ forum- Together now, preparing grape and wine businesses for the future.
22nd June 2023
Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre