Mr REPACHOLI (Hunter) (12:48): I rise today to talk about something very close to the heart of the Hunter: wine. But it's not just any wine; it's the best wine in the world. Yes, I know every region in Australia will try stake their claim, but let's be honest, the Hunter Valley has got them all covered. The Hunter is more than just a wine region. It's a community, it is jobs, it is culture, it is history, and it is also our future. Of course, it's semillon, shiraz and chardonnay—wines that are world famous and wines that locals here have been enjoying and perfecting for generations. We've been doing this longer than anyone else in Australia. The Hunter Valley is the birthplace of Australian wine, and I will argue anywhere, any time that it remains the benchmark.

That pride was on full display at the 2025 PKF Hunter Valley Wine Show awards—the 53rd edition of this event that has become one of the most respected wine shows in the country. It was judged earlier this year at the Lone Pine Barracks in Singleton, right in the heart of my electorate. It was wrapped up with the trophy winners' luncheon at Cypress Lakes in Pokolbin with none other than my good friend Johanna Griggs AM as the MC. If you want a sign of how seriously we take wine in the Hunter, then look no further than this: nearly 4,000 bottles were assessed by the judging panel. That's right—4,000 bottles of Hunter Valley wine all lined up and put to the test. We had 68 exhibitors, 679 entries and, in the end, 80 gold medals were awarded. That is the depth and strength of the Hunter Valley Wine Show. This year was also the first with Toni Paterson MW as chair of judges. Tony summed it up beautifully when she said, 'The wines of the Hunter show integrity, personality, harmony and length. Those are the hallmarks of good wine and those are the hallmarks of the Hunter Valley.' She said there was beauty in the wine everywhere she looked and she was spot on. We were also joined by a international judge Dr Edward Ragg MW, who came all the way from Beijing. He has judged at the Decanter World Wine Awards, written extensively about wine and taught some of the best. Even he walked away impressed, saying the Hunter Valley produces a unique style, particularly with Shiraz, that excites him. If somebody who has tasted wines from every corner of the world tells you the Hunter wine is special then you better believe it.

Let me tell you about the winners because this is where the Hunter pride really kicks in. The Petrie-Drinan Trophy for the best white wine went to Tinklers Wines for their 2017 reserve semillon. That same wine also won best semillon of the show and best table wine for a small producer. If you want a great definition of a Hunter Valley semillon, it is right there—crisp, bright and capable of ageing with more grace than about any white wine in the world.

The Doug Seabrook Memorial Trophy for best red wine of the show went to Sweetwater Estate Wine for their 2023 shiraz. They also picked up trophies for best single vineyard red and best shiraz. Again, it is what the Hunter does best—medium body shiraz with spice and pepper that makes it stand out from the heavyweights elsewhere.

We also saw incredible results also from Silkman Wines. Liz Silkman, the so-called queen, proved her title once again, picking up the George Windham Memorial Trophy, the Murray Tyrrell Trophy and the Henry John Lindemann Memorial trophy for her 2023 and 2024 chardonnays. Tyrells, one of the great Hunter families, picked up the trophy for best museum white with their 2006 vat 1 semillon. That is nearly 20 years old and is still showing the life and vibrancy that makes Hunter semillon so famous around the world.

If that was not enough, Audrey Wilkinson took out the Wines of Provenance trophy with their Ridge Semillon from 2006, 2014 and 2017. That proves the point I'm making: Hunter wine is not just good when it is young; it ages with grace, develops character and shows the world what we have known for years—that is, the Hunter makes wines with real longevity. Across the board we saw success for so many local wineries, from Brokenwood with their 2025 Oakey Creek Vineyard Shiraz, to Thomas Wines with their Sweetwater Ridge and Kiss Shiraz, to Colvin Wines, De Iuliis Wines, John Wallace Wines, Pepper Tree Wines, First Creek Wines, Mercer Wines, Glandore Wines and Gunpowder Wines—the list goes on. Every single one of them proves that the Hunter is not just about one or two famous labels; it is about the whole of community, whole of winemakers—big and small—innovating and pushing the boundaries while also respecting tradition.

I have to give a special mention to the scholarships awarded along the way for these trophies: the Tyrell Family Advanced Viticulture Scholarship, the Brokenwood Advanced Wine Technology Scholarship, and the Alastair Sutherland scholarship as well. These are about investing in the next generation, making sure that our young viticulturists and winemakers have the support, training and opportunities to keep the Hunter at the very top for decades to come.

Let me say this as plainly as I can: the Hunter Valley is not just Australia's best wine region; it is the world's best wine region. I can already hear the interjections from members representing the Barossa, Margaret River, McLaren Vale and elsewhere. They will all tell me their shiraz is bolder, their cab sav is bigger and their pinot noir is fancier. Good luck to them, but, when the dust settles, the Hunter still stands alone.

We do semillon like nobody else in the world. The French might try and the South Africans might try, but, when people talk about the benchmark for semillon, they talk about the Hunter. Our shiraz has character, finesse and personality that sets it apart from all of those bigger ones that some people may talk about. It is elegant, it is age-worthy and it speaks of the land it comes from. Our chardonnay is among the best in the country and we are not afraid to try new things: from vermentino to fiano, to sparkling styles that show off the versatility of our region.

And beyond the wine itself, let's talk about what this means for our community. The Hunter wine industry is jobs for locals; it is tourism that brings people in from Sydney, interstate and all around the world; it is festivals and events that fill our restaurants, hotels and towns; it is families who have been working the same vineyard for generations and new migrants coming and making their mark; it is pride in who we are and what we do.

The Hunter Valley wine industry contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the national economy every year, but, more importantly, it gives Hunter its identity. When people hear 'Hunter Valley', do you know what they think of? Wine—the best wine in the world. When they taste Hunter wine, they remember it. Now, I'm a big bloke and I've been known to enjoy a glass or two, and I will tell you this: I will put a Hunter Valley semillon or a Hunter Valley shiraz on the table against any wine from around the world. French, Italian, Californian: you name it. Nine times out of 10, the Hunter will win. That is why shows like the PKF Hunter Valley Wine Show matter. It's not just about medals and trophies; it's about recognition. They're about reminding ourselves and the world that the Hunter continues to lead the way.

I want to finish by thanking everyone involved in it this year's show: the judges; the exhibitors; the organisers; the winemakers themselves; and the viticulturists too—let's not forget them—because without the viticulturists the winemakers can't do their job, so, thank you to the viticulturists as well; and, of course, the Army at Singleton for once again hosting the judging. The Hunter Valley should be very proud. We're not just making wine; we're making history. We are setting the standards and we are showing the world that the best wine does not come from Paris or Rome or Napa. They come from Pokolbin, from Broke and from Lovedale. They come from the Hunter.

So, next time anyone asks me where the best wine in the world comes from, I will tell them straight—very straight. It comes from the Hunter, mate, and don't let anybody else tell you otherwise. To all the Hunter vineyards out there, and to all the wineries and cellar doors: keep up the great work. I know sometimes times are tough with what you're going through, and I thank every single one of you for what you do for our area, what you do for our industry and what you do to make Hunter the very best place it can be. Cheers, all.