Peter Hayes AM

One Basin CRC Director

Peter Hayes AM has extensive experience across education and training, R&D investment and management, viticultural operations, irrigation sector and government and industry affairs in a 30+ year career in the wine industry.

Working across the public and private sector, career appointments include Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Vice Principal, Dookie Agricultural College; State Viticulturist and Statewide Industry Officer (Fruit and Vines), Victoria; Executive Director, Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC); Acting CEO, Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture (CRCV); Director of Viticulture, Rosemount Estates; National Viticulturist and Industry Affairs Manager, Southcorp Wines.

He has been an active promoter and developer of personnel training and development activity including short-courses on vineyard development, irrigation, spray machinery operation/calibration, disease monitoring and management and he initiated the development of the CRCV’s most successful “Research to Practice” series of professional development activities.

Current roles include Independent Chairman, Almond Board of Australia; Presiding Member Wine Australia Selection Committee; member Wine Australia GI Committee; President, Lien de la Vigne/VineLink: Business Editor, Wine Economics and Policy Journal, and as an Honorary President of the OIV with related Expert Groups' activity.

Industry positions held in the past include Council Member, The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI); President, Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology (ASVO); President and 1st Vice-President of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV); Chairman, CRC for Irrigation Futures, Board Member, GWRDC and Independent Chairman of McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association. amongst many others.

He was previously a council member and Deputy Chancellor of Charles Sturt University (CSU) and a board member of IAL (Irrigation Australia Ltd).

At present he operates as an independent Wine Industry Strategist and Advisor with activity in Australia and the UK.

In 2016 he was awarded Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the Australian winemaking and grapegrowing industry, to viticultural research, and to tertiary education.

Qualifications held are B.Sc. (University of Melbourne), Dip.Ed. (Monash University), B.App.Sci.-Wine Science (Riverina College/CSU); MS-Horticulture (UCD).