Balnaves of Coonawarra director Kirsty Balnaves (pictured) has been elected president of the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA).
Ms Balnaves is no stranger to the board, holding the title of vice-president for the last three years along with being on the Project 250 committee.
“My father Doug was on the board for a while as well and then I joined in 2013,” she said.
Ms Balnaves said the SAWIA board supported fellow board members and strove to achieve responsible solutions to challenges faced by the wine industry.
“First and foremost, as we are a membership organisation we have to represent and support and look after our members’ best interests,” she said.
‘Secondly, we need to work with government and strengthen our relationship with government so we can focus on some solutions to the issues that we are facing and just keep supporting our industry.
“Thirdly, our board wants to continue to keep SAWIA in the high regard that it is held within our members and the government and also the broader Australian wine industry.
“I just want to do everything that I possibly can along with the board to get through the challenges and keep our viable industry moving along and try and get through the next few years.”
Ms Balnaves said the SAWIA board was a “very diverse” group which included numerous large companies, several regions and people from all facets of the wine industry.
“All of whom contribute to make up a very broad industry-specific group of people who cover all aspects of the industry,” she said.
“I am excited, it is good to face these challenges and to sit down with a really good, strong group of people and try and work through how we navigate the challenges of our industry.
“And it is certainly not only me, it is an absolutely outstanding group of people around our board table.”
Ms Balnaves encouraged others to join the SAWIA board.
“We have had just over 10% growth in our membership, which is good but when we can advocate on behalf of the industry the more members the better,” she said.
“It gives us more resources to keep the good work going.”
