 |
AUSTRALIAN WOOL INNOVATION CHAIRMAN McLACHLAN MUST STEP ASIDE
11 July 2007
The Influential Australian Wool Growers Association (AWGA) is demanding that Ian McLachlan, Chairman of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), step aside from the AWI Board immediately, following the recent capitulation to animal rights groups.
Ian McLachlan, who turns 71 this year, was formerly Australian Federal Minister for Defence, and has been Chairman of AWI since November 2002.
AWGA Chairman Martin Oppenheimer says immediate action is required to rebuild confidence in the Australian wool industry, “Under McLachlan’s AWI Board we have lost at least $3.5 billion in sales of Australian wool, and the national sheep flock has fallen under 90 million head, possibly the lowest since 1917. There are further losses in sheep and sheepmeat sales, plus reduced employment.”
“AWI’s approach to dealing with threats such as the animal rights legal case has cost $10-$15 million, but the real cost is lost confidence and lower profitability. The heavy handed litigious and highly political approach favoured by McLachlan’s AWI Board has failed Australian woolgrowers. It has not worked. We need a new and smarter direction.”
The latest incident to incense woolgrowers was the settlement details with animal rights activists as part of withdrawing AWI’s legal action. Evidence is mounting that despite the AWI appeasement, PETA’s international boycott of Australian wool continues.
“McLachlan’s AWI Board has now legitimised radical animal rights group PETA’s position in the Australian livestock industry. At the same time AWI has re-invigorated the live export debate for no apparent reason.”
“Woolgrowers have had a gutful of Ian McLachlan’s arrogant executive style to make ad hoc decisions that affect the whole industry, without prior consultation with growers. We are then meant to ratify these outrageous decisions for the sake of “industry unity”, take the consequences and foot the bill.”
AWGA has listed a series of failures of McLachlan as Chairman of AWI;
? Failure to control animal rights activists as promised via a $10-$15
million legal and PR campaign.
? Failure to keep PETA out of the Australian livestock industries.
? Continues to call for a ban on mulesing in 2010 without viable pain-free
alternatives in sight.
? Failure to develop or support pain relief for mulesing.
? Failure to provide funding or support for a whole of industry “Australian
wool Strategic plan”
? Failure to provide a strategic or operating plan for the proposed integration
with Australian Wool Services prior to Woolpoll 2006.
? Failure to allow woolgrowers to direct THEIR compulsory levy towards
either Research or Marketing at Woolpoll 2003 and Woolpoll 2006.
? Allowed continuing industry confusion between the split of funding between
Research and Marketing.
? Failure to consult wool leaders prior to major decisions such as the
PETA legal action, PETA settlement or funding the Test Marketing Project.
? Failure to unite the Australian wool industry.
? Failure to lower the cost of production for Australian woolgrowers,
despite hundreds of millions of woolgrower and taxpayer money spent.
? Failure to increase profitability for Australian woolgrowers.
? Failure to protect the culture and wealth of the Australian wool industry,
via the massive reduction in wool sales value and volume over the past
5 years, combined with an exodus of woolgrowers over this time.
AWGA Chairman Martin Oppenheimer states, “Australian Wool Innovation needs a new start with fresh vision and the desire to develop a strategic plan for the whole Australian wool industry. We need people who understand marketing and modern community expectations. It’s time to stop employing lawyers and start marketing merino wool.”
“We need younger leaders who are interested in our customers and can build the Australian wool industry.”
ENDS
Martin Oppenheimer
Chairman AWGA
02 6777 2124 0413 580 040
News Archive 2003
Discussion Papers
Media Links