Air NZ and battle of the beers: Airline says it will try stock Aussie lounges with Kiwi brews

New Zealand brewers say their Aussie comrades receive some special benefits across the Tasman. Photos / Michael Craig, 123RF

Air New Zealand says it will try to stock more Kiwi beverages after complaints about unpatriotic offerings at its Sydney airport lounge.

The discussion has also highlighted what some brewers call an uneven playing field for Kiwis in the transtasman beer business.

“A fridge full of great Kiwi wines, and not a single New Zealand beer in sight at the Air New Zealand Sydney lounge,” Garage Project co-founder Jos Ruffell wrote on LinkedIn.

He said New Zealand brewers were already at a disadvantage trying to compete in Australia.

Since 2021, Australia has offered excise relief to alcohol manufacturers of up to $350,000 a year.

Dylan Firth, the Brewers Association executive director, told the Herald that relief was set to be extended to $400,000 a year.

He said Kiwi winemakers already benefited from a similar excise relief in Australia.

“If you were to apply the same logic, brewers and distillers would also get a rebate.”

He said it could be argued that the principles underpinning the New Zealand-Australia Closer Economic Relations (CER) agreement made it right for Kiwi brewers to get the rebate.

“New Zealand could have a footing to advocate for it and that would be for Mfat [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade] to do.”

Firth said Australia also offered a specific excise rate for kegs.

That rate was lower than for non-keg beer and aimed at supporting the hospitality industry, he said.

In Australia, the Albanese Government in March said it would freeze the draught beer excise rate for two years.

The Australian Government said that would take pressure off beer prices in pubs, clubs and other venues, and support businesses, regional tourism and customers.

Firth said all these steps gave Australian brewers advantages their Kiwi counterparts did not have.

“It can be quite hard to break into.”

Air New Zealand told the Herald it offered New Zealand beers, wines and spirits in its lounges and on flights.

For its lounges across the Tasman, the airline said, it partnered with an Australian distributor to provide beverages.

“While they don’t currently supply our New Zealand beer partners, we are working with them to see some options available in Australian lounges in the future.

“We’re committed to championing local producers and sharing a taste of Aotearoa with travellers from around the world.

“We currently have a range of New Zealand beers, including Parrotdog, Panhead, Speight’s, Emerson’s, and Steinlager, both onboard and in our New Zealand and Pacific Island lounges.”

The airline today also said it had partnered with Parrotdog to create a pale ale called Dash-hound.

John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.

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