Election 2020: The National Party wants all wineries to be able to charge for samples

National wants to change New Zealand’s alcohol laws so that vineyards and wineries can charge for samples that they are currently required to give away for free.

National also wants to launch a new tourism festival to support domestic tourism and help New Zealand wineries.

Collins announced the policies at WineWorks in Marlborough this morning.

“Our quaint wineries are world-renowned tourist attractions and provide a huge boost to the local economies of regions like Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago,” he said.

Several other previously announced national policies, such as the party’s plans to allow more seasonal workers into the country and spend $ 600 million on water storage, would also help the wine industry, Collins said.

Under current laws, wine tourism operators cannot charge for wine samples from wineries.

That means companies can’t charge for the samples they offer unless 85 percent of their revenue comes from the sale of alcohol.

This is difficult to achieve for wineries that operate restaurants.

Collins said the wine industry has been pushing for the government to speed up legislation to allow them to charge for samples.

But that did not happen.

National has promised that, if elected, it would amend the Alcohol Sale and Supply Act within its first 100 days to allow winery doors to sell samples of wine and circumvent the 85 percent revenue test.

The party would also launch a New Zealand Tourism Festival to help local communities and regions across the country and support national and transtasman tourism markets.

“This festival will focus on supporting events like the Marlborough Food and Wine Festival to get back online and marketed in New Zealand and Australia,” National policy says.

“It will revitalize regions as tourists spend money on the hospitality, accommodation and tourism sectors.”