WoolPoll 2024
WoolPoll will be held later this year. It is woolgrowers’ opportunity to have their say on the level of collective investment in research, development (R&D) and marketing to take advantage of the opportunities and address the threats faced by the Australian wool industry.
Investing in industry R&D and marketing
Established by the Australian Government in 2001, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is the research, development (R&D) and marketing organisation for the Australian wool industry. AWI invests along the global supply chain for Australian wool – from woolgrowers through to retailers.
The Woolmark Company is a subsidiary of AWI. It undertakes R&D and marketing to increase the global demand for Australian wool.
AWI investments are funded primarily through a wool levy paid by Australian woolgrowers.
What is WoolPoll?
WoolPoll is a poll of eligible wool levy payers, conducted every three years, to determine the levy rate paid to AWI for industry R&D and marketing. Currently the levy rate is 1.5% (of the sale price woolgrowers receive for their shorn greasy wool).
At WoolPoll, eligible woolgrowers are asked to consider up to five levy rate options. They can vote for one or more levy rates in order of preference.
The levy rate that receives the highest number of votes will be paid by all woolgrowers for the next three years (2025/26 – 2027/28). The levy rate takes effect from 1 July 2025.
Why vote?
WoolPoll is the opportunity for levy payers to directly influence how much funding AWI will receive to deliver R&D and marketing services for the Australian wool industry.
Who can vote?
If you have paid $100 or more in wool levies over the previous three financial years, you will be eligible to vote in WoolPoll. For each $100 of levy paid, you are entitled to one vote.
Your voting entitlement is determined from records of your wool sales. You will be notified of your voting entitlement in August. If you believe your voting entitlement has been miscalculated, you will be able to contact a voter assistance hotline; the cut-off date for this will be 6 September.
When is WoolPoll?
September: Eligible wool levy payers will receive their voting papers and a Voter Information Kit containing details about how AWI proposes to invest the levy funds at each of the levy rate options and AWI’s recommendation.
Friday 20 September: Voting opens. Voting will be by mail, fax or online – as per the instructions that will be sent with the voting papers.
Friday 1 November: Voting closes at 5pm (AEDT).
Friday 15 November: The WoolPoll result will be announced at AWI’s Annual General Meeting. The levy rate takes effect from 1 July 2025.
CHECK your contact details are up to date
You are advised to check now that your contact details held by AWI are correct and up to date. This will ensure you receive your WoolPoll voting entitlement letter, voting papers and Voter Information Kit.
You should inform AWI if your contact details (name, postal address, email address or phone number) are incorrect or have changed. You can contact AWI on (02) 8295 3100 or feedback@wool.com.
Alternatively, if you have received this Beyond the Bale magazine as a paper copy in the post, you can also use the ‘Update contact details form’ on the address sheet that accompanied the magazine.
Wool levy payers are advised to inform AWI about any contact detail changes ASAP, to ensure that correspondence about WoolPoll is sent to the correct email and/or postal address.
The WoolPoll vote later this year enables Australian woolgrowers to determine the wool levy percentage rate paid to AWI for the industry’s R&D and marketing. To ensure you receive your WoolPoll-related correspondence and voting papers, inform AWI now if your contact details need updating.
2024 WoolPoll Panel members
Under the Wool Services Privatisation (Wool Levy Poll) Regulations 2003, AWI must form an industry panel, known as the WoolPoll Panel, comprising eligible levy payer representatives. The role of the WoolPoll Panel is to confirm that the draft forms and the process for conducting the WoolPoll ballot have been examined and assessed as appropriate. Its role is not to tell woolgrowers what rate to support.
A WoolPoll Panel Selection Committee – which comprised Nick Turner, Woolgrower Industry Consultation Panel (WICP) Independent Chair; Paul Maisey, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF); and Neil Jackson, AWI Board Director – met on 18 January to select the 2024 WoolPoll Panel members from 11 nominations provided by WICP representatives.
The aim was to deliver a WoolPoll Panel that was reflective of the diversity of levy payers. Importance was placed on the nominee’s production experience and industry engagement, as well as ensuring representation across varying wool sectors, diverse production systems and different geographic areas.
The WoolPoll Panel also includes a representative from DAFF (non-voting member), and a representative from AWI (non-voting member).
The members of the 2024 WoolPoll Panel are:
- Alexander Lewis (Redesdale, Vic)
- Marcus Sounness (Amelup, WA)
- Dr Luke Rapley (Ross, Tas)
- Tom Moxham (Nyngan, NSW)
- Chris Kemp (Merriwa, NSW)
- Di Martin (Baratta, SA)
- Rich Keniry (Cumnock, NSW)
- David Young (Bookham, NSW)
- Jo Harris, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Neil Jackson, AWI Board member.
The WoolPoll Panel had its first meeting on 23 February. The Panel elected Rich Keniry as the Panel Chair.
This article appeared in the March 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
