No furphy, the brewers are here

By Geoff Adams

Sep 19, 2023

Adam Furphy’s family business makes the tanks that produce beer. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell called a media conference on Tuesday and beer was the only thing on the agenda.

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Maybe it was because he was hosting a visit by executives representing Australia’s biggest breweries, or maybe because the media stop was at J. Furphy and Sons engineering works, which fabricates tanks for the brewers.

Mr Birrell invited the visitors to Nicholls because the region grows hops and barley used in the production of beer, builds tanks for the fermentation of beer and has a number of craft beer businesses.

The industry representatives explained to Mr Birrell and other visiting MPs the economic impact of domestic beer production.

They visited a Dookie barley farm and enjoyed a meal at the Shepparton Brewery In Edwards St, Shepparton.

The visitors included former international tennis professional Sam Groth who is now a Liberal MP, representing Nepean.

Mr Birrell said there had been a huge lift in the craft brewing industry, which created a lot of jobs and economic activity.

“As a federal member I wanted to highlight that and to members of the brewing industry and talk about what a magnificent manufacturing facility in an iconic business, and the growing of barley and hops.”

Brewers Association chief executive John Preston said brewing in Australia contributed about $16 billion a year to the Australian economy. The industry purchases about $500 million of hops and barley from farmers.