Crisis meeting: WA wool industry finds its voice with Keep the Sheep campaign as live export ban looms

WA’s $655 million wool industry, faced with dramatic price and volume drops, is a victim of collateral damage from the Albanese Government’s policy to ban live sheep exports, industry leaders say. A crisis meeting was held at Australian Wool Testing Authority in Bibra Lake on November 27, which attracted 50 industry experts. With wool at high risk, the gathering included woolgrowers, brokers, exporters, and service providers in a show of support for the Keep the Sheep campaign, with an added wool focus. Meeting organiser and Westcoast Wool and Livestock director Brad Faithfull said the aim was to create a local voice for WA brokers and buyers. “Leading up to the meeting, a flat tone was amongst all the attendances, but the engagement became a drive of necessity to get on board the Keep the Sheep group,” he said. “We were very happy with the outcome and the wool industry will be implementing a funding scheme to fight for the industry. “The added voice from wool can and will take this message globally as textile importance takes hold with its huge investment across the globe.” WoolProducers Australia chief executive Jo Hall said government at the State and national level were banking on new markets for boxed meat, but they hadn’t addressed how the ban would impact the wool industry. “The wool industry has been overlooked, it’s not just about boxed meat or the sheep industry, the ramifications are far beyond that,” she said. “A solution that has gone unanswered would be for the Federal Government to fund a $2m trade policy program to help facilitate market diversification into India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. “This would raise the competition for Australian wool that currently has 90 per cent of the greasy export sold into one market (China).” Ms Hall said the Federal Government’s policy to ban the live sheep trade was not based on science or evidence. “If they can shut down an entire industry without those facts, we are in a world of trouble,” she said. “As the peak national body with lobby power in support of woolgrowers, we (WoolProducers Australia) are impressed with the traction of the Keep the Sheep campaign. “Nationally the industry looks grim, but we are really seeing how bad things are in WA.” Keep the Sheep campaigner Holly Ludeman said there was “incredible united support” and solidarity of people wanting to know how they could get behind the movement and donate funding. “A new initiative is under way to donate a bale or oddments to help fund Keep the Sheep,” she said. “Through the assistance of our national wool body (WoolProducers), that is visualising the toll on wool prices, the shearing industry, and our youth, it’s time for industry to unite — let’s stand together. “We want to push hard before the next election.” In a lead up, Ms Ludeman and her team released a new video that exposes how the sheep export ban was “gutting rural communities”. “This hard-hitting video is already having a huge impact, but we need viewers help to get it out further,” she said. “Our strategy is to reach 2000 people in Tangney, Swan, Bullwinkel and Hasluck to defeat Labor in these seats which could make all the difference in overturning Albanese’s ban policy.” Ms Ludeman said since the Keep the Sheep launch on May 3, 105,000 people had signed a petition and $700,000 raised. “We are using the funds by targeting advertising, social media, billboards — we are asking people to get behind the campaign with grain or wool donations to raise much-needed funding,” she said. WA Shearing Industry Association president Darren Spencer cited figures from a recent industry survey. “We’ve heard directly from 27 members with more than 70 per cent shearing less than normal which has resulted in 193,500 less sheep being shorn, and many of their producer clients claiming they may not join their flock,” he said. “We have consistently been telling governments that this is not only about the meat and wool trade, but this will also impact regional communities and the people living within them. “If one shearing team is taken out, that’s 10 people out of your community.” He said the Federal Government’s decision was said to be based on animal welfare, but what about the impacts on the welfare of the people involved. National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia president Rowan Woods said the difficult situation that the WA wool supply chain was experiencing had been “alarming”. “It is important that our Western Australian colleagues know that we stand with them from a national perspective,” he said. “We will continue to have conversations to determine how we can practically assist the fight against the live export ban.” He said the October Sheep Producers Sentiment Survey found that national woolgrower net sentiment had dropped four points to minus 19, while WA woolgrower sentiment was a massive minus 30. “Since the decision to ban live exports of sheep was first spoken about by the Albanese Government, WA producers have consistently shown declining confidence and involvement in the wool industry, above that of their other State counterparts,” Mr Woods said. “While the campaign has gone a bit quiet in the Eastern States, growers are concerned because WA sheep supply our drought-affected areas and we are due for another dry season.” Asked why WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis did not attend the meeting, which was held on a parliamentary sitting day, a WA Government spokesperson said she was invited on short notice. “Following the passing of the Federal Government’s legislation to end live sheep export by sea, Minister Jarvis met with WoolProducers Australia, Stud Merino Producers Association of WA and the Western Australian Shearing Industry Association to ask what might be needed to support the WA wool industry,” the spokesperson said. “(Ms Jarvis) encouraged these organisations to engage with the Federal Government’s transition plan.”