WA woolgrowers opt for 1.5 per cent WoolPoll levy option

WA Woolgrowers eligible to vote in Australian Wool Innovation’s WoolPoll were evenly spread with their valid votes for 1, 1.5, and 2 per cent options, but the majority marked the ballot for the no change (1.5 per cent). Frankland woolgrower Richard Coole, who produces about 1000 bales of Merino wool each year, voted for the 2 per cent option as a mandate to “not sacrifice” research and development funding. “AWI were lucky they got the 1.5 per cent result the way prices have been, I only hope they don’t cut R&D, which has been so valid in my enterprise,” he said. AWI director Neil Jackson said the 1.5 per cent outcome was indicative of where the current wool market was. “The WoolPoll result, although disappointing, did have an increased support for 2 per cent, which shows there is confidence in the industry,” he said. WA had 5625 available voters in the State or 14.12 per cent of Australia’s total voter population of 39,762. The valid forms returned from WA was 1108, or 19.73 per cent of the national total of 6644. WA’s available votes were 233,982 or 20.33 per cent of the national total of 1,150,746 — woolgrowers are allowed one vote per $100 of levy paid from previous years. The valid forms returned from WA were 86,426 or 36.94 per cent of the national toral of 435,487. The 86,426 WA valid forms returned resulted in votes directed at the four different levy options including 11,482 (0 per cent), 20,072 (1 per cent), 29,765 (1.5 per cent), and 25,107 (2 per cent). Nationally, valid forms returned in the primary vote resulted in grand totals for each levy option amounting to 33,218 (0pc), 74,782 (1pc), 162,674 (1.5pc), and 164,813 (2pc). The WoolPoll voter information memorandum released in July and sent out to all eligible to vote woolgrowers documented the affected programs for each levy option. Those programs affected by a 1.5 per cent option included no investment in sheep classing workshops and no new flystrike vaccine research. The memorandum revealed there would be reduced AWI investment in many other programs including the priorities of shearer training and bio harvesting. The AWI board now have their work cut out to reset the budget for the next three-year strategic plan.