Distillers, Suppliers and Industry friends,

As we finish off the year, I wanted to wish you and your team as well as your family a very merry Christmas, and a successful new year.

Like many of you, I have had a very challenging 2024. We have had to trim staff as sales flattened and we have had to tighten our belts and be more creative. But we can proudly now say we have got through. I am hoping and confident that 2025 will be a better year for the craft spirits industry in Australia. That we can work towards thriving once more rather than just surviving.

We have a lot to look forward to in 2025. The Australian Distillers Association will celebrate our 21st Birthday next year. Our “coming of age” will be an opportunity to re-engage with the Association on your terms.

The Board has worked hard to ensure our Association has a clear strategic plan for the next three years. You can view the plan here.

We have reconfigured the Project Groups to encourage a focus and genuine member engagement with topics that are crucial to building a sustainable future for our industry. The Project Groups are: Technical Stands; Safety; Sustainability; and Training & Education. I encourage you to consider participating, and you can express your interest here.

I’d like to thank all members who joined the ADA’s ongoing campaign and actively participated in advocating for fair and sustainable excise reform this year. To those who wrote a submission to the various parliamentary inquiries, appeared as witnesses, invited your local MP to your distillery, was interviewed by radio and television for, participated in project group or other committee - either at the local, state or national level – your peers and I thank you. We have had a huge year.

One of our Associations highlights has been the governance reforms that mean the Board is now more accountable to you, as a member, than ever before. The creation of the divisions and the opportunity for the state organisations to have a Memorandum of Understanding with the national organisation mean the member experience is simpler, your fees are less, the administration is streamlined and we have an effective singular voice when dealing with Government and other stakeholders. Welcome aboard NSW-ACT Distillers Association, Queensland Distillers Association, and Distillers South Australia. We welcome other divisions to complete the process early in the new year.

As we look to the future, we will continue to advocate for conditions that allow our Australian spirits industry to thrive. This includes our latest campaign for a Spirits Export Accelerator Scheme that will provide both incentives and support to bolster the spirits industry’s international competitiveness and create the conditions for a thriving export industry worth $1 billion by 2035. Such schemes encourage small distilleries to grow beyond the remission threshold, and further support medium and large distilleries in their growth aspirations. We know that with targeted and coordinated support, we will give all Australian distillers, whether they export or not, the conditions and support to grow and thrive. When the Australian Government supported the wine industry a generation ago, it transformed the industry for growth, and we know the same can be done for Spirits. We just need a willing and informed partner in the Federal Government to make sensible changes to unleash our potential.

A vibrant and productive spirits industry can also promote growth in domestic manufacturing, while increasing trade and employment, supporting innovation and technology, helping the growth of regional industry, all while showcasing the very best of Australian spirits to the world. The Federal Government can play a pivotal role in catalysing the growth of the industry, in support of many of its own priorities – such as growing manufacturing and regional jobs.

We are also doing our part to ensure we have a safe and sustainable industry. The National Distilling Institute is an industry-first, made possible through a grant from the Victorian Government. We have trained distillers to teach the course. The subject matter experts that write the course are your peers. And the students are your colleagues. There are already more than 30 students who have started the journey to complete the Certificate IV in Artisan fermented Products (Distilling).

We also have now have a fit-for-purpose safety course – the Introduction to Distillery Safety. Designed by industry, for industry, and delivered by industry experts, on-site at operational distilleries, this course is a game-changer for Australian distillers. It is offered at an affordable and accessible rate, so every distiller in the country can benefit from doing the course.

Ensuring we operate fairly and comply with employment laws can take up valuable time and resources when running our businesses. I’m pleased that all members can now access a free Human Resources advisory service. This service alone is worth thousands of dollars, and it’s completely covered as part of your annual membership fee.

If you have not had the chance, I also recommend you check the ADA soundcloud page to get the updates from the Chief Executive, Paul, who will continue his regular podcast updates for all the latest ADA and industry news and developments. Check the podcast page here.

Lastly, I’m pleased to announce that tickets have now gone on sale for the 2025 Annual conference. If you’re like me, you’ll find attending absolutely invaluable as far as gaining industry insights, connecting with your peers and broadening your business networks and industry knowledge goes. You can access early bird tickets here. The 2025 Conference will have a particular focus on brand building and sales as well as industry updates and developments. We will also be bringing back our break out information sessions – one of the most successful new additions to our conferences to date. So, bring your team along and I hope see you there.

On behalf of the Board and staff of the ADA, we wish you all a safe and happy Christmas, and a successful start to the New Year.

Holly Klintworth

Managing Director & Head Distiller Bass & Flinders Distillery
President Australian Distillers Association