Registrations are now open for the 2023 Australian Women in Wine National Symposium, which will explore the challenges women face pursuing a career in Australian wine and how to advance them to positions of power for the betterment of the industry.

The one-day symposium will take place at 12-Micron, Barangaroo, Sydney, on Friday, 17 November, 2023.

Although the speaker line-up and full agenda of the symposium is yet to be announced, Jane Thomson, founder and chair of Australian Women in Wine which is organising the event, said experts from both within and outside of the industry will take the stage to share their insights and experiences, providing valuable knowledge and equipping attendees to navigate their career in wine.

Thomson said that the latest statistics released by the Australian Taxation Office showed that the gender pay gap in Australian wine is getting wider. The gap had doubled for winemakers over the last eight years, with female winemakers earning $14,000 less than male winemakers. For viticulturists and grapegrowers the gap was even worse, with women earning $18,500 less than men.

“Not only is the push for gender diversity in Australian wine still relevant it is clearly needed more than ever,” Thomson said. “To think that on some key measures we are actually going backwards should be a huge wake up call for our industry. This is clear evidence that just talking about and believing in gender equality isn’t enough – it requires strategy and funding. It’s these two key elements that are still woefully lacking from our industry leaders.

“Through this symposium, we aim to create an opportunity for women to come together from across the regions to learn, connect and be empowered. But it’s also a chance to make some noise and demand that the actions needed to propel diversity forward are given the priority they deserve.”

Thomson said the symposium is applicable to women at all stages of their careers, from business owners, growers and winemakers to sales and marketing professionals and cellar door staff.

The ticket price of the symposium is $395.00 for the full day, which includes all speaker sessions, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.

To register click here.