Independent brewers are frothing over a lack of legislation to give them better market access

Queensland’s more than 90 craft brewers fear that the State Government’s commitment to the fast-growing sector has run out of puff.

ON EDGE

Queensland’s budding craft beer industry is on edge.

Key players fear that the state government’s much-publicised commitment to providing a leg up for the fast-growing sector has run out of puff.

They suspect that vital draft legislation to help them even the playing field with bigger industry rivals has fallen between the cracks and won’t get introduced in parliament, let alone passed, before the election in October.

Fuelling that speculation is the fact that a ministerial shake-up has shifted responsibility for pushing through the “Artisanal Liquor Producers License’’ act, which would allow for greater market access for small producers.

Dave Kitchen

Cameron Dick launched what he claimed was Australia’s first “craft brewing strategy’’ two years ago in his then-capacity as state development minister.

But Dick is now treasurer, with responsibility for the legislative overhaul transferred to his colleague Glenn Butcher, minister for regional development and manufacturing.

LACK OF ACTION

In a bid to fight the perceived inertia, Brisbane beer maker Dave Kitchen has encouraged his industry compatriots this month to flood George Street with emails protesting the lack of action.

Kitchen, who launched award-winning Ballistic Beer in 2016, heads up the nationwide Independent Brewers Association and served as a key member of the working group advising the state government on its craft beer strategy.

City Beat obtained a copy of Kitchen’s letter, which says that the industry — which has more than 90 players collectively generating in excess of $62m a year — is “increasingly nervous’’ about the fate of the draft legislation.

Glenn Butcher

“Despite all the excellent work done on the craft beer strategy over the last two years, all will ultimately come to nought if the Artisanal Producers License legislation is not introduced into parliament very soon,’’ he warns.

Notably, Kitchen and his colleagues are pushing the legal shake-up even though they believe it is “not ideal’’ and was “amended to reflect the views of those sections of the alcohol industry who have worked tirelessly to minimise our market access’’.

Specifically, they believe the way “promotional events” have been defined is too narrow and leaves them open to potential harassment by the Office of Liquor and Gaming.

They are also unhappy about roadblocks to selling brews for takeaway.

“What we have now is a compromise document that does not provide the industry with the market access it requires,’’ Kitchen writes.

“Although the current draft legislation is not the industry-building legislation it could have been, it is a significant improvement on what we have now.

“COVID-19 has decimated our industry and we need your help desperately. We believe ensuring the passage of this bill through parliament ASAP is one thing that our state government can do to help our industry recover, at no cost to the government.’’

SOUNDS FAMILIAR

Naturally, we put all this to Butcher’s office, which maintains the reforms remain on track despite providing no concrete timeline for them to come into effect.

“As part of the Government’s emergency COVID-19 measures, we made temporary changes for craft brewers including allowing the sale of takeaway and online products – both features of the proposed new artisan liquor license,’’ Butcher’s spin doctor told us.

“The Palaszczuk Government is continuing to work with the sector to implement all aspects of the Queensland Craft Brewing Strategy, including delivery of the proposed artisan liquor license.’’

That strategy has already seen $1.1m committed over five years for the establishment of the nation’s first “Brewlab’’ training facility and a TAFE brewing course at Coopers Plains.

But Kitchen and his colleagues can be forgiven if they remain a tad sceptical about claims of legislative progress.

Back in October last year, a spokesman for Dick predicted any issues with the draft laws would be resolved before the election. “We’re currently working with industry to finalise the content and timing of the reforms,’’ he said then.

Sound familiar?