Good morning Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am Katherine Woodthorpe, the Deputy Chairman of the Australian Business Foundation, your host today in launching this study into Australia's wine industry. On behalf of Dr Ian Pollard, the Foundation's Chairman, who is currently overseas, it is my pleasure to welcome you here.

The Australian Business Foundation was formed 3 years ago as an independent private sector think-tank. We are totally sponsored by business through our founder, Australian Business Ltd, the leading business services organisation.

I should acknowledge the support in holding today's launch of Australian Business Limited's specialist business improvement consulting firm here in Adelaide – Australian Business South Australia – thank you to Peter Graves and his team. And, of course, to our friends in Business SA with whom there is much collaboration to ensure that South Australian businesses are holding their own with the best in the world.

The Australian Business Foundation has a simple mission. To conduct ground-breaking research which we use to foster informed and well-argued debates and imaginative initiatives for boosting growth, jobs and prosperity for the widest reach of the Australian community.

The study we are launching today advances the goals of the Australian Business Foundation. Against the backdrop of current economics and business strategy literature, the study by Professor Ian Marsh and Brendan Shaw of AGSM delves into the dynamics of the Australian wine industry's performance. It concludes that the wine industry's efforts in strategic collaboration are the cornerstone of its remarkable business growth and export achievements over the last decade and more.

We meet today to hear from the author Ian Marsh, from Senator Nick Minchin Minister for Industry and from industry commentators to better understand the wine industry's story and to examine the lessons it holds for other Australian enterprises and for our economy as a whole.

The Australian Business Foundation is proud to have commissioned this study into Australia's wine industry. Our job is incomplete, however, until we have spread its message widely and helped Australian enterprises to distil all there is to learn from it.

I invite you to start that process with us today in launching "Australia's Wine Industry: Collaboration & Learning as Causes of Competitive Success".