Small WA winemakers to benefit from red tape cuts

Saturday, 14 January 2017
 
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• New regulations allow online businesses to sell wine without a storefront
• Producers can now sell wine at a farmers market anywhere in the State
• Purchase limit at farmers market lifted to a case (12 bottles) of wine per customer  

Smaller Western Australian wine producers are set to enjoy far greater exposure after the Liberal National Government cut red tape across the industry.

Racing and Gaming Minister Brendon Grylls today announced changes to liquor regulations which allow a business to sell Western Australian wines online without a physical storefront, while geographical restrictions on farmers markets across the State have been abolished.

Mr Grylls said the introduction of a new category of special facility licence would allow a business to sell wines produced by the holder of a WA producer's licence, online.

"Currently, no licence category exists whereby a business can sell liquor online without having a physical premises available to the public," he said.

"The amendment will allow for this growing consumer need to be catered to and allow for increased exposure for WA wine producers to sell their products to the public, particularly smaller producers that do not have a retail presence."

The Minister said red tape would be further slashed as licensed Western Australian wine producers would now be able to sell and supply their product at farmers markets held anywhere, not just in agricultural regions and not just by producer's associations as the regulations previously stipulated.

"This will allow producers the freedom to travel throughout the State to sell their wines, particularly those small producers who do not have cellar doors," he said.

"Importantly, this includes farmers markets in Perth where producers will find a bigger and more diverse customer base willing to buy their product."

Another change to the regulations will see the amount of wine that can be provided to each customer at a farmers market increased from 2.5 litres to nine litres.

"The nine-litre figure is significant as it represents the volume of a standard 12-bottle case of wine," Mr Grylls said.

"Many producers prefer to sell their wine in 12-bottle cases and it represents greater value for the consumer."

Fact File

• All changes under the Liquor Control Amendment Regulations 2017 came into effect on Wednesday January 11, 2017