Agriculture Minister David Carter has warned the wool sector
not to drop the ailing industry's latest survival blueprint
as he said has happened with previous documents.
"I am conscious that previous reports on the wool industry
have dropped like a stone and I don't want to see that happen
with this one," Mr Carter said following yesterday's release
of the Wool Taskforce report on restoring profitability to
the strong wool sector.
• Fighting must stop, report says
"It is now up to the industry and its leaders to ensure it
doesn't."
The minister praised the report, which calls for unity, a
single industry voice and a market-driven strategy.
A meeting yesterday of wool industry participants appeared to
have made a start fulfilling Mr Carter's directive by
agreeing to recruit an independent chairman to facilitate a
single body representing the wool industry.
Mr Carter said the task force had delivered everything he
asked of it by preparing a strategy to end 40 years of
declining wool prices.
Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre chairman Bruce Wills said it
was a useful starting point and he said yesterday's meeting
of the wider industry was committed to restoring
profitability.
"The consensus in the room was a need to carry on the good
work of the task force."
This was the fifth report on restoring profitability in 40
years and Mr Wills said prices had declined to their lowest
level.
But the industry's desperate state could be the impetus for
dramatic change.
"The hope is that often you have got to wait until it almost
falls to bits so you can reorganise again.
"We have got pretty close to that this time."
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