WA woolgrowers have until 2pm today, Friday, to vote in one of the most contentious WoolPolls since the current 2pc levy was introduced in 2001.
Public debate continued into this final week of WoolPoll 2018 over whether the wool levy should remain at 2pc or be reduced to 1.5pc and what impact a reduction would have on the ability of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) to fund research and development and promotion of wool from levy revenue.
Schneider Group chief executive officer Giovanni Schneider, the third-generation heading the Swiss-based wool trading family company which has scouring and topmaking factories in Italy, Egypt, China and Argentina, was the latest to enter the debate.
In “an open letter to the Australian wool growers” (see Opinion, pages 12 and 13, Section 2) Mr Schneider advocated maintaining a 2pc levy to enable AWI subsidiary The Woolmark Company to continue its “effective global marketing strategy” for wool.
At the same time, the WoolPoll panel which helped prepare for the levy poll, called on two of its youngest members to urge all woolgrowers to vote before the poll closes.
Sixth-generation Queensland woolgrower Candice Roberts and New South Wales woolgrower Richard Keniry, both first-time WoolPoll panel members this year, urged all eligible woolgrowers to have a say on the levy rate.
“A lot of young people are coming back (to the family farm) and taking over, so it’s a great time for them to find out where their wool income is going and to have their say by voting,” Ms Roberts said.
Mr Keniry urged woolgrowers to “think like an investor”.
“WoolPoll offers all eligible growers the opportunity to have their say in the same way as a shareholder,” Mr Keniry said.
“If I am choosing to invest in a company, I can have an influence by choosing how much money I’m willing to invest,” he said.
WA woolgrowers can vote online at woolpoll.com.au or fax their completed ballot paper toll-free to 1800 211 736 before tomorrow’s deadline.
The result of WoolPoll 2018 will be announced at AWI’s annual general meeting in Sydney on Friday, November 23.
