Laying down a dozen wines for a newborn child to enjoy deep into the future is a fine tradition, but it comes with risks, and the field of full-bodied reds and fortified wines is wide, writes Huon Hooke for Good Weekend.
Hard labour: COVID-19 among the factors limiting availability of vineyard staff
December 10th, 2020
Image: Jimmy Walsh Photography
The challenges of 2020 have upended business operations across many industries. While thousands of jobs were lost more broadly, the wine industry’s essential service status ensured it was business as usual to a great extent.
But, like many Australian agricultural sectors, viticulture relies, to varying degrees, on seasonal workers travelling from interstate and overseas to our wine regions.
Journalist
Samuel Squire asked how labour hire has been affected by pandemic restrictions, and what the likely prospects are for the coming vintage.
The ongoing effects of COVID-19 restrictions have had a serious impact on the ability of some vineyard operators to secure seasonal workers heading into the new vintage.